Are you a fan of the popular TV show Dragons’ Den? Have you ever wondered why their book club exclusively features male authors? In this blog post, we’ll delve into insights straight from the dragons themselves to uncover the reasons behind this exclusion, and what it means for aspiring authors and readers alike. Join us as we explore this topic and shed light on an important issue in the literary world.
Why Dragons’ Den’s Book Club Excludes Half the Population: Insights from the Dragons Themselves
Introduction
Dragons’ Den is a popular TV show where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of successful businesspeople, known as the dragons. In one episode, a young woman named Molly Masters presented her business, Books that Matter, a subscription box service of empowering and inspiring books for women and girls. However, one of the criticisms she faced from the dragons was the marketing strategy that targets only women and girls. In this article, we will provide insights from the dragons themselves on why a book club that excludes half of the population is problematic and the potential impact it could have on future generations.
Only 5 out of 25 books in the current English GCSE curriculum for study are by women
The dragons expressed concern about the marketing strategy of Books that Matter, which primarily targets women and girls. They argued this practice could further contribute to the lack of representation of women in literature. As a matter of fact, the current English GCSE curriculum only includes five books written by women out of 25 books, according to a recent report. This suggests a lack of representation of women in literature that has the potential to affect the perspectives of future generations.
Molly Masters presents Books that Matter, a book subscription box empowering and inspiring women and girls
Molly Masters pitched her business as a book subscription box service that empowers and inspires women and girls. The books chosen in each box are specifically chosen because they tackle issues women and girls face, from gender inequality to mental health, to race and identity. The idea is empowering women and girls to find their voice in a society that often silences and oppresses them.
Books that Matter has an online following of over 50,000 people and has turned over £800,000 to date
Books that Matter has been successful in its aim to empower women and girls. The business has an online following of over 50,000 people and has an impressive turnover of £800,000 to date. The monthly rolling subscription costs £17, while multi-month subscriptions cost £15 per month. These figures indicate the demand for books that challenge and inspire women and girls is significant, which suggests that the market is under-served. It could be argued that this is a missed opportunity for publishers and bookstores.
The business is asking for a £50,000 investment in exchange for 5% of the company
During the segment, Molly Masters asked for a £50,000 investment in exchange for 5% of the company. She revealed the business had a turnover of £356,000 and netted £62,000 for the last twelve months. Moreover, the forecasted turnover for year four was £1 million and £2 million in year six.
Deborah Meaden and Sarah Davies criticize the marketing strategy, which targets only women and girls
Despite its success, the dragons expressed concern about the marketing strategy, which targets only women and girls. Deborah Meaden and Sarah Davies argued that by targeting only one section of the market, Books that Matter could be missing out on a significant audience. They further elaborated that they wanted to see an all-inclusive approach that includes all genders, as such an approach would have a more significant impact than excluding certain audiences.
Peter Jones quizzes Molly about male-written books dominating GCSE curriculum
Molly Masters faced criticism from Peter Jones, who quizzed her about male-written books dominating the GCSE curriculum. Jones argued that he learned about gender-specific issues from reading books written by women. He further encouraged Masters to include books by male authors in her subscription box service, which could teach young men about gender issues and help with societal change.
Tuka Suleiman is impressed with the business but no dragon invests
Lastly, Tuka Suleiman expressed that he was impressed by the business and what it stands for, saying that the market is underserved for books that inspire and empower women. However, in the end, none of the dragons agreed to invest, citing concerns about the marketing strategy and the narrow focus of the business.
Conclusion
This article highlights the vital role of representation in literature and the potential impact it can have on shaping the perspectives of future generations. While Books that Matter is an admirable business that aims to empower and inspire women and girls, an all-inclusive approach that includes all genders would have a more significant impact. Inclusion of male authors in female-orientated subscription boxes doesn’t just help men learn about gender issues, but it’s a step toward increased diversity and representation.
FAQs
- Should we only target men with book clubs?
- Why is representation in literature essential?
- Why is it a problem that male-written books dominate the GCSE curriculum?
- What other strategies can be used to target audiences?
- How can we empower underrepresented groups and create a more inclusive society?
