$1Mfor 10%
Protein Candy
Valued at $10M
The pitch
Henry O'Brien and Janine Bartels from Toronto, ON, pitched SUSO Skate Co in Season 18, Episode 14, asking the Dragons for $250K for 10% of the company.
- Asked for$250K for 10%
- Valuation$2.5Mimplied by the ask
- OutcomeNo deal
Offers in the Den
| Dragon | Offer | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Vincenzo Guzzo | Said the numbers did not make sense and the business is not long term due to retail rents recovering | Out |
| Wes Hall | Uncomfortable investing while founders keep full-time jobs | Out |
| Manjit Minhas | Felt the safety net of full-time jobs was holding them back | Out |
| Arlene Dickinson | Saw it as a good lifestyle business but not an investable one | Out |
| Michele Romanow | Felt there was no exit strategy for an investor | Out |
Henry and Janine, based in Toronto, pitched SUSO Skate Co, a touring roller rink pop-up business that rents empty mall retail space, seeking $250,000 for 10%. They have run five pop-ups in the Greater Toronto Area since 2021, turning an initial $40,000 investment into $400,000 in revenue, with $120,000 still in the bank. Setting up a new pop-up costs $70,000 to $90,000, customers pay $14 to skate with their own skates or $20 per hour to rent skates, and the founders valued the business at $2.5 million while estimating it was worth closer to $500,000 today; both founders keep full-time jobs alongside running the business.
All five Dragons declined to invest. Vincenzo Guzzo said the numbers did not add up and doubted the long-term viability once commercial rents recover. Wes Hall and Manjit Minhas were both concerned that the founders still held full-time jobs elsewhere. Arlene Dickinson called it a good lifestyle business but not an investable one, and Michele Romanow said there was no clear exit strategy for an investor. No deal was made.
Pitch details from CBC’s Dragons’ Den pitch page.
SUSO Skate Co today
- StatusIn businessLast checked September 2026
SUSO Skate Co is still operating and sells through its website.