How to get Steven Bartlett to invest with Beth Higson, Mother Root

One of the biggest pieces of advice you'll hear as a founder is to find a gap in the market. But what if the real opportunity isn't finding a gap at all, it's solving a problem you've experienced yourself? Bethan Higson, founder of Mother Root, spent more than a decade in the wine industry before becoming frustrated by the alcohol-free options available during her first pregnancy. Rather than recreate wine or spirits, she wanted to build something with the same complexity, ritual and sense of occasion. Two years of experimenting at her kitchen table led to Mother Root, a non-alcoholic aperitif made with ginger and apple cider vinegar. Today, Mother Root is the UK's fastest-growing drinks brand and has expanded from direct-to-consumer into major retailers and the US. This episode explores what it took to secure offers from three Dragons, why Bethan chose Steven Bartlett, why the deal ultimately didn't complete, and the lessons she's learnt about growth, hiring and prioritisation. Bethan's Advice: Build your business around solving a genuine customer problem, rather than chasing a growing market. Adopt a test-and-learn mindset to make faster decisions and reduce the pressure of getting everything right first time. Prepare for success as much as failure by building the systems and team you'll need to handle growth. Hire people whose strengths complement your own, and don't hesitate when you find exceptional talent. Prioritisation is fundamental, stay focused on the opportunities that genuinely move the needle. Learn to say no to those opportunities which won’t further your business in the long term - but do it respectfully. 00:00 Why finding a gap isn't enough 01:10 Meet Beth Higson & Mother Root 02:00 Building a business around a real customer problem 05:00 Convincing retailers to back a new category 07:15 Turning a kitchen-table idea into a business 10:00 Founder fears, boundaries & obsession 14:00 Behind the scenes of Dragons' Den 19:15 Choosing Steven Bartlett as an investor 22:00 Preparing your business for explosive growth 26:00 Scaling Mother Root in the UK & US 28:00 Why every founder should test and learn 29:30 Hiring exceptional people 30:30 Why saying no is a founder's superpower 32:00 Finding the right COO & business partner 34:00 Beth's question for the next guest FF&M enables you to own your own PR & produces podcasts. https://www.fallowfieldmason.com Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on Instagram @fallowfieldmason. MUSIC CREDIT: Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. #stevenbartlett #dragonsden #startup #founder #entrepreneur #businessgrowth #investment #leadership #hiring #nonalcoholic