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Gill makes an eye-catching pitch for her bespoke costume designs by bringing on a troupe of dancers she regularly products costumes for.

Shaf Rasul immediately confesses to being a fashion philistine and asks Gill how she got into the business in the first place.

Gill replies that she started out as a curtain maker before diversifying into costume design. A bespoke costume costs from £45 to make and takes her between a half day and a full day to complete.

However, as she explains, she retains the bespoke originals to maximise retail revenue but she can also mass produce slightly simpler versions to boost turnover.

Julie Meyer wants to know who Gill sells to and she replies that while dance schools are her regular clients she hopes that once her website is launched to attract a much bigger audience.

The American Dragon is puzzled Gill has not already launched a website but the entrepreneur points out technology is not her strong point and to photograph and catalogue her entire collection takes time and manpower.

Shaf Rasul wants to know where the Essex-based sole trader sees herself in three years time and she replies that she would hope to be working with other people around the country as a design consultant who provides and supplies them with costumes.

He then asks her to forecast her turnover and net profit for the next three years and Gill struggles visibly to produce the figures.

An unimpressed Julie Meyer has heard enough. "I sense your thinking small" she sniffs.

The American feels she hasn't so far worked imaginatively enough with limited resources to get other people to help her to the next level and that going forward she doesn't have the level of ambition Julie would want to match her own level of ambition. For those reasons she is out.

Shaf Rasul opines that Gill's financial planning is very limited, her figures "all over the place". However he has contacts in the fashion industry and is prepared to put her in touch with one of them. This woman, a former Creative Entrepreneur of the Year, would mentor her. However the Scot would want 40% of her business in return for his £35,000 investment.

Gill doesn't hesitate. She agrees to the deal.

The deal done in the Den:

Shaf Rasul: £35,000 for 40% stake in Costume Workshop Direct.