$1Mfor 10%
Protein Candy
Valued at $10M
The pitch
Kelly Striemer from Comox, BC, pitched Villager Puzzles in Season 20, Episode 10, asking the Dragons for $250K for 10% of the company.
- Asked for$250K for 10%
- Valuation$2.5Mimplied by the ask
- OutcomeDealwith Brian Scudamore
- Final deal$250K for 25%valued at $1M
Offers in the Den
| Dragon | Offer | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Wes Hall | No offer, concerned about key person risk since Kelly is the only employee | Out |
| Arlene Dickinson | No offer, believes valuation of $2.5 million is too high, suggests value closer to $500K-$1M | Out |
| Michele Romanow | No offer, feels the artist community is valuable but not a fit for her | Out |
| Manjit Minhas | $250,000 for 30% | Declined |
| Brian Scudamore | $250,000 for 25% | Accepted |
Kelly, founder of Villager Puzzles from Comox, BC, asked for $250,000 for 10% of her company, which sells jigsaw puzzles featuring artwork by Canadian women artists who receive a royalty on every puzzle sold. The puzzles retail for about $32 each and are sold online and in over 400 novelty gift stores across Canada, with the business having launched about 20 months earlier. In the last 12 months the company generated $800,000 in sales, and in the prior calendar year it made $125,000 in profit on $550,000 in sales, with an initial investment of $30,000 to fund the first inventory; the return customer rate is currently 15%, boosted by bundle sales of four or eight puzzles, and Kelly runs the business alone.
Wes Hall and Arlene Dickinson declined, citing key person risk and an unsupported $2.5 million valuation, while Michele Romanow also passed. Manjit Minhas offered $250,000 for 30%, and Brian Scudamore countered with $250,000 for 25%; Kelly accepted Brian Scudamore's offer.
Pitch details from CBC’s Dragons’ Den pitch page.
Villager Puzzles today
- StatusIn businessLast checked September 2026
Villager Puzzles is still operating and sells through its website.