Deborah Meaden is one of the Dragon Den judges. She became part of the show due to her success in business, making millions of dollars annually, hence her significant net worth.
Deborah has a considerable fortune in her bank, courtesy of her impressive business portfolios and long list of investments.
She is a successful businesswoman and actively participates in numerous charitable programs, demonstrating her philanthropic nature.
Read till the end to get a complete understanding of how she made her money.
Net Worth
Deborah isn’t a billionaire yet but has an estimated net worth of $61.1 million, which is equivalent to £50 million when converted to GBP using the GBP/USD exchange rate at the time this post was updated
She has more than eight thriving businesses in her portfolio, making her a considerable amount in returns annually. Her business ventures include;
- The Drinks Bakery
- Dock & Bay
- Rehook
- Toddle Born Wild
- Getfussy
- thelittleloop
- Hope & Ivy
- MasterPeace
- Whisky Me
- YUUworld
- Sync-Box
- Swing Patrol
- Clean Heels
- GripIt
- Boot Buddy
- The Merchant Fox
- FitMix
- ITAE Group
- Fox Brothers
- RemPods
- Marxman
- Spoon Cereals
- EWS Solar Power
- Value My Stuff
- Billy + Margot
- Steri Spray
She wrote “Common Sense Rules”, sharing personal insights on turning ideas into businesses. She has been involved in over 13 charity organizations, including Animal Defenders International, Born Free Foundation, and David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation.
Deborah lives with her husband, Paul, in a 10-bedroom mansion in Somerset, which they bought in 2006 after the sale of her Weststar Holidays business for £33 million.
Deborah Meaden’s Achievement and Awards
Deborah Meaden has achieved a lot of accolades and awards throughout her career as a businesswoman. Listed here are some of the most notable achievements and awards she’s received:
- Women of Achievement Award in 2011 – Meaden received this award for her business contributions and advocacy for ethical practices.
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2009 – Meaden was recognized for her achievements as a successful entrepreneur.
- Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in 2012 – Meaden was awarded a fellowship for her global contributions to business and entrepreneurship.
- Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship in 2014 – The UK government appointed Meaden as an ambassador to promote entrepreneurship and support small businesses in the country.
- Invested in over 50 businesses – Meaden has invested in over 50 businesses across various sectors, including leisure, retail, and technology.
- Appeared on Dragon’s Den for over 15 seasons – Meaden has been a regular judge on the popular BBC show since 2006, where she provided mentorship and funding to aspiring entrepreneurs.
- Involved in philanthropic activities – as a patron of several charities, Meaden has spoken out on sustainable development and fair trading.
Early Life
Deborah Meaden was born Deborah Sonia Meaden in Somerset in a business-inclined family on February 11, 1959. Her parents divorced when she was a young girl, and later, her mother moved her and her sister, Gail, to Brightlingsea, Essex.
She went to Godolphin School in Salisbury for a while and later moved to Trowbridge High School for Girls, which she also left at age 16. Then, she went ahead to study business at Brighton Technical College.
Deborah Meaden is a known British Businesswoman who is 65 years old. Once her education was finalized, she worked as a sales-room model. Later on in Italy, she opened a glass and ceramics export company in Britain, which she ran for many years before selling the company for a substantial profit.
Meaden later invested in various businesses, including holiday parks, a health club chain, and a computer games company. Deborah is also a well-known TV personality, and she has appeared as a judge on the BBC popular show “Dragon’s Den” since 2006.
Meaden strongly advocates for ethical business practices and has spoken about sustainable development and fair trade. She was awarded the Women of Achievement Award for her contributions to the business in 2011.
Read also: Paul Meaden Biography
Career
Deborah left school and studied business at Brighton Technical College. Later, she became a sales-room model in a fashion house.
She had a partner, and together, they bought one of the first Stefanel textile franchises in the United Kingdom, which was based in the West Country.
Two years later, she sold the business to her partner for £10,000. She went on to have several successful leisure and retail businesses, including operating a Prize Bingo at Butlins in Minehead.
Deborah joined the family’s business and helped run its amusement arcade operations In 1988. In 1992, she joined Weststar Holidays, a family holiday park operating in Exeter, Devon, with most of its major locations in South West England.
In 2009, Meaden bought Fox Brothers, a textile mill located in the West Country, which was established in 1772 and is still based in Wellington, Somerset, today. She acquired this company with fellow shareholder Douglas Cordeaux, a former design director at Pepe Jeans London.