Insider Media Limited

Stratford-upon-Avon businessman Denys Shortt has told Insider he turned down a chance to be on the BBC's Dragons' Den to focus on mentoring businesses.

He said the role seemed "cold" and instead turned to mentoring fledgling businesses like online pet food retailer PetShopBowl which is aiming to turn over £300,000 in its first financial year.

He also suggested his company, DCS Europe, would expand with an online presence in the next year.

PetShopBowl, a home delivery pet shop, was founded by two entrepreneurs after securing investment from the Prince's Trust.

Adam Taylor, a former investment banker with Lehman Brothers, joined forces with Alexandra Tamasan to start up the company.

Taylor said: "The business idea originated from my personal experience of wanting to save money during these harder economic times. I also witnessed my mother struggling to carry heavy dry dog food sacks and cat litter for her pets."

Shortt, who is also the chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire local enterprise board (LEP) board, agreed to mentor the business on the site of his health and beauty distribution company DCS Europe in Stratford-upon-Avon. PetShopBowl now occupies a 5,000 sq ft space with offices and a storage facility.

Shortt's interests in the company may step up a gear in months to come, as he told Insider to "watch this space" when asked if he had a financial interest in the company.

He said: "I appreciate it's hard being a start-up company in such difficult economic conditions – there are lots of challenges, mainly people, money and space. I think PetShopBowl has solved all three by coming to DCS Europe.

"They have office space and a distribution centre with 22,000 pallet spaces. We've also helped with marketing strategy and ideas, which in turn have helped bolster turnover. Watch this space for DCS's further involvement – it's part of an online strategy for both companies."

Having been founded ten months ago, PetShopBowl is now aiming to turnover £300,000 in the next year.

Shortt said he currently mentors about 20 fledgling businesses, and has set up the website www.mystrategyplan.com to help with enquiries from businesses.

However, his investment and mentoring style could have taken a radically different turn had he taken up an offer from the BBC to become a dragon on the prime time TV show, Dragons' Den.

"When the show started about eight years ago, I was asked to be a dragon," he said. "I turned it down because it's really not my style. It's quite a cold role I think – I prefer to get to know a business, listen to the people behind it and help shape their strategy. It's not always about the money – there's no monopoly on knowledge."