$1Mfor 10%
Protein Candy
Valued at $10M
The pitch
John Reid from Wasaga, ON, pitched Pull Cord Buddy in Season 14, Episode 1, asking the Dragons for $150K for 25% of the company.
- Asked for$150K for 25%
- Valuation$600Kimplied by the ask
- OutcomeNo deal
Offers in the Den
| Dragon | Offer | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Treliving | $150,000 to buy the entire company outright | Declined |
| Lane Merrifield | No offer, wanted more hustle and validation shown first | Out |
| Vincenzo Guzzo | No offer, valuation too inflated and unwilling to do the work needed | Out |
| Arlene Dickinson | No offer, frustrated founder did not negotiate well | Out |
| Michele Romanow | No offer, difficult to find buyer given product stage | Out |
John Reid, from Wasaga Beach, Ontario, an electrician, asked for $150,000 for 25% of Pull Cord Buddy, a kit designed to make starting pull-cord engines such as lawnmowers easier for people with limited arm or shoulder strength. The product is manufactured by local Mennonites rather than in a factory, and John Reid had sold 12 units at the Wasaga Beach Home and Garden Show, with no other sales or retail placements secured despite reaching out to Home Hardware.
Jim Treliving offered to buy the entire company outright for $150,000, which John Reid declined, wanting to negotiate a royalty instead despite having no counter-figure ready. Lane Merrifield, Vincenzo Guzzo, Arlene Dickinson and Michele Romanow all went out, citing the founder's unwillingness to negotiate, an inflated valuation, and the difficulty of finding a buyer for the business in its current state. John Reid left without a deal.
Pitch details from CBC’s Dragons’ Den pitch page.
Pull Cord Buddy today
- StatusOut of businessLast checked September 2026
Pull Cord Buddy appears to have closed. Its products may no longer be available.