Sara Davies: Why Now Is the Toughest Time to Run a Business

Sara Davies on Changing Dragon’s Den, Building a Personal Brand, and Why Small Business Is Tougher Than Ever

Jimmy welcomes Sara Davies as the first “Dragon” guest on Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future, discussing how she brought a more empathetic, collaborative approach to Dragon’s Den by refusing to be “more dragon-y” and staying true to herself.

Sara explains how her confidence grew over six years on the show, how her investing prioritizes working with entrepreneurs and impact over pure returns, and the questions she asks founders about why an idea might not work and who their real competitors are.

She contrasts hiring versus investing criteria, emphasizing cultural fit, non-verbal communication, and surrounding yourself with complementary skills. Sara also shares her personal branding process, her approach to BHAGs and thinking time, and how she uses AI to condense her own ideas rather than generate generic posts.

She also covers content strategy, the challenges facing small businesses amid Brexit, the pandemic, and economic pressures, and highlights memorable Den deals and lessons.

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