Taxi Driver Online

Because of the length of this article Susanna Freedmans response has been edited out.

Evidence of Cabtivates growth is visible in Manchester, however that is the limit of my knowledge on this enterprise. From recollection I seem to recall there was reference to Mr Mark Greenhalgh being a subscriber to the Fastblacks forum but I don't think this was ever substantiated, or was it?
....................................................

The Sunday Herald

August 13, 2006

HEADLINE: WATER COOLER DEBATE: IS ENTERING BBC TV'S DRAGONS' DEN GOOD FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

BYLINE: YES By Mark Greenhalgh NO By Susanna Freedman

YES By Mark Greenhalgh

IS it a good idea for businesses to appear on Dragons' Den? I'm not going to lie: the experience of facing the "dragons" was sheer hell.

In a single hour I was reduced to a sweating and stuttering wreck and felt as if my entire business plan had been unravelled and left in pieces on the studio floor. It was the fiercest questioning I've experienced; so serious that at one point I had a sickening moment where I even doubted the worth of my own idea.

You have to hand it to the dragons: they know how to make people squirm, and realise the sight of someone in extreme discomfort makes for great reality TV.

My 50-minute presentation was edited down to just six minutes. Predictably, those six minutes showed me in the worst possible light. The result was a highly memorable TV show for the BBC, and a lesson in public humiliation and ridicule for me.

I could easily have ended up on the other side of this debate urging business to steer clear of the fire-breathing panel of tycoons at all costs. The reason I'm not lies in one word: exposure.

The publicity afforded to Cabtivate as a result of the show was amazing. With the help of a good PR company, the exposure reached positive levels I could only have dreamed about.

It helped that during the four months between filming and the show being aired, Cabtivate had gone from strength to strength and secured all necessary funding without the help of the dragons. Indeed, when the show was broadcast I was even nicknamed "The Dragon Slayer" in the press. The TV appearance did wonders for the profile of the business and it felt like everybody knew about our taxi TV system.

Obviously I was "lucky" to have received such a memorable mauling as it stuck in viewers' minds. Importantly, I didn't let the experience damage faith in my own ability or the viability of the business. Cabtivate is now more successful than any of the dragons predicted and is continuing to grow in size and stature throughout the UK.

Anyone considering appearing on Dragons' Den shouldn't do so with the sole aim of securing funding or they will probably be left disappointed and disheartened. Those who do make it on to the show should have their eyes wide open and milk the experience for all it is worth.

Such exposure can make or break a fledgling company. The fact you might get to ride into the sunset with dragon's blood dripping from your sword is an added bonus.

Mark Greenhalgh is managing director of Cabtivate Media
...................................................................

I think he was a couple of years ago, but I don't think he got on with Mr Taylor.

Isn't he a sidekick of Jimmy Nielson, who is some kind of plate broker in Edinburgh?

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

From memory I think your right but I suppose someone will correct us if we're not?

Regards

JD

Whoever this bloke is, he must be doing well.

I've noticed hundreds of London's finest are now carrying this screen behind the drivers head.

Looks a bit too brain frazzling for my liking though?

When Cabtivate came onto the scene I'm sure there was a different company in London offering a similar product, so I'm not so sure if the London scenario has anything to do with Mr Greenhalgh.

_________________
Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Credit where it’s due the Penguin is up for it. His partner Jimmy Nelson sits on the HCLCG committee up at the council. They make money by sticking it right up the trade and believe me faced with the ignorance of that lot I would do the same myself.

This is the anti-derestriction lobby; well up to the point their company has the strength to capitalise on de-restriction then I have no doubt they will push for it. The trouble is Jimmy makes his money out of increasing plate premiums by auctioning plates to the highest bidder. I think it’s 3% of the money changing hands but from both parties, that’s 6% of the total price. Don't quote me on the percentage I coud be wrong.

GBC are you sure it’s Cabtivate screens the reason I ask is that he’s not the only supplier and in Edinburgh there aren’t that many.

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

I'm pretty certain they're Cabtivate, there was a lot of advertising recently in our trade papers in London.

Fleet owners have installed them to generate more revenue.

There is another company that puts the screen in between the flip down seats, mounting it on the partition as opposed to directly behing the drivers head, they're called Cabvision.

Up here he was trying to get the cabbies to pay for the hardware while giving them a guaranteed percentage of the advertising.

Another little con to build a business but good on him, he looks like he's pulling it off.

Especially with all you London types

_________________
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"