He's breathed fire on Dragons' Den and gained a reputation for his no nonsense approach to investment but Doug Richard has also been a formidable force in helping many young British businesses get started. Verity Gough finds out more.
Life after the Dragons
When Dragons' Den was first screened in the UK, Doug Richard was the one character that stood out - and it wasn't just his Californian brogue that marked him apart, it was his cynical attitude towards the would-be entrepreneurs and his reluctance to take a 'punt' on some of the more 'frivolous' pitches.
But after sticking it out for two series, Richard left to pursue his own projects and his seat was soon filled by 'nice-guy' Richard Farleigh. Since then, while the show has gone on to achieve mainstream popularity, it has attracted disdain from the business community – and from Richard himself - for diluting the business content in favour of entertainment.
Join our social media discussion group and share your Twitter username with other BusinessZone members. 
We're putting together a list of business owners' must-haves. 
Dragons' Den judges James Caan and Deborah Meaden and social entrepreneur Karen Darby are some of the successful entrepreneurs who feature in our exclusive videos.