Photo: Eastnews Press Agency
First Dog Bo Obama recently placed an order for the Road Refresher dog bowl featured on BBC's Dragon's Den, a show where entrepreneurs seeking investment pitch ideas to capitalists.
Road Refresher creator Natalie Ellis seized the opportunity to customize her spill and slobber-eliminating bowl for Bo. With a classic White House design, American flag, and his name glimmering in rhinestones, the presidential pooch can now stay hydrated at all times, whether he's visiting the president in the Oval Office or playing fetch with the Secret Service on the South Lawn.
"I was taken aback. It's absolutely amazing to think my invention is going to be used in the White House," Ellis told Daily Mail Online.
But Ellis wasn't sure her non-spill dog bowl would ever make it to America. Last April, the 'Dragon' panel refused to invest £120,000 ($191,326,531) in Ellis' Road Refresher and told her that she had no chance of selling her product in the States.
Ignoring their warning, Ellis sold her invention in pet shops in Britain and Europe for a few months before bringing it to America. Since her arrival in the U.S., Ellis has made over £1 million ($1,594,388) from Road Refresher sales.
While the investors from Dragon's Den may be kicking themselves, Ellis and the Obamas won't be crying over spilled water anytime soon.
"I knew the product was good and I realized the Dragons were wrong -- they are only people sitting in their chairs. I'm glad they didn't say yes now," said Ellis.
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Natalie Ellis is also obviously NOT American - from the UK.
a regular bowl would be fine he doesn't need this ugly looking bowl,obama will spend money on anything and everything putting us in the poor house.i feel sorry for that poor dog just living with that nasty evil family.
They couldn't find a similar product made in America?
Only thing Obama has done right ( except for his socialist agenda, everything is spot-on for that) is to finally get his daughters a dog. It would have been nice to get a pound puppy like they promised, & not spin words saying he "rescued" a $2,000 dog, but then Obama does whatever he wants & calls it whatever he wants. Amazingly the media acts like it was the most pure, selfless act to ever come out of the white house.
"But Ellis wasn't sure her non-spill dog bowl would ever make it to America. Last April, the 'Dragon' panel refused to invest £120,000 ($191,326,531) in Ellis' Road Refresher and told her that she had no chance of selling her product in the States.
Ignoring their warning, Ellis sold her invention in pet shops in Britain and Europe for a few months before bringing it to America. Since her arrival in the U.S., Ellis has made over £1 million ($1,594,388) from Road Refresher sales."
OK - Someone please tell me what's wrong with the math in the article.......if the investment was around $191,326,531. how is a profit of $1,593,388 more than the original asking investment $$$ Why would the investment group be kicking themselves for losing 91 million $$$$ - I know someone made a major typo or mixed up the amounts? Right? I know I just woke up but how can 120,000 pounds equal to $191,326,531 when 1mill pounds equal $1,529,388? I am so confused!
Ya know those throw away/reusable storage containers with a towel under them for food & water is much cheaper & works just as well! & frankly, as an American, I think it's a major disrespect to our capitol for a dog drinking out of a replica bowl of the whitehouse. She puts an American flag on it to be dirtied or chewed up? Will they have the color guard hold a burning ceremony to destroy it? I know that was silly, but I still find it disrespectful to have a dog playing with an American flag, whether it is a big one or in this case a tiny one, it is still a flag of the U.S.A.
I'm going back to bed, I knew I shouldn't have read this stupid article!
My very slobbery lab has a $2.00 place mat under her bowl. She still manages to soak the floor. My invention was a trip to the Dollar store to purchase a tea towel which lays on the floor next to the place mat. I can wipe up the water with the towel. Total cost of my invention is $3.00.
Terry,
the reason is that the conversion rate for pounds to dollars is off by 3 decimals. the farthest comma to the right should be a period, not a comma. The pound converts at about 1.7 per dollar. Hence, and invesment of less than $200,000 would have already returned sales of over $1,000,000. Make sense now?
cant stand obama or his dog or wife doesn't AOLhave the brains to write about something worthwiile or did all your aol manegment fall off turnip trucks??
I HOPE OBAMA IS HAPPY, HIS DOG IS LIVING BETTER THAN THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY
Don´t be so harsh..It´s a dog ...the only thing is that now you know what the dog drinks and do....before nothing...nothing at all...
That's a food bowl? It looks just like Jeneane Garafolo's toilet bowl!
dave 5-30-2009 @ 9:41AM
cant stand obama or his dog or wife doesn't AOLhave the brains to write about something worthwiile or did all your aol manegment fall off turnip trucks??
One comment for Dave......Learn how to S-P-E-L-L before making comments about this article. hhhmmmm.......
Who cares. Hate yourself first you ignorant and dumb person.
OneBigAssMistakeAmerica.
As usual, can't keep it on target...it's a water bowl for heaven's sake and the lady began a new business !! Sounds good to me. Please take your hate Obama and the world is going to hell in a hand basket diatribe to a site that cares. Thank you.
Another ridiculous episode in the chronicle of America's sleight-of-hand celebrity president. Amazing how he was able to diffuse the Pelosi scandal with a little "Now you see it...Now you don't" with the suggestion of Sotomayor. Meanwhile, North Korea and Iran are thumbing their noses at us, our economy is likely to never recover (at least in my lifetime), the government is socializing us away from private enterprise and the media will NEVER give America an honest account of the damage being done because of ideological zealotry. Who gives a DAMN about a dog dish?!?!?!???? The only difference between Obama and Hitler is, while Hitler had storm troopers, Obama has the worship of the media! Let's keep this only a "4-year Reich".
I am constantly amazed at the amount of hatred still out there in this country. Geeze people, instead of spouting hatred take that energy to find something positive that can make you happy instead of so bitter!!!! We'll all be so much happier in the end!
Hey obamma, lets do something about North Korea and stop dragging your feet.
A DOG BOWL is over the top???? Slow news day?
I have to laugh my ass off. Not at the dog bowl but the responses from the members of the NEW minority (republicans & rednecks). These followers of a shrinking party have nothing better to do then be a bunch of bashing, name calling idiots...It's funny that a party like the OLD Grand Party has NO leaders..The only ones doing the talking are not even elected officials, Newt?? Rush?? Cheney?? Can a party thats going down the drain produce a leader to step forward?? There is such decension among the party and the public see's it. Even all the better for the Dems..So I think all the name calling idiots should go sip some TEA, look for someone (if possible) to step forward and TRY and take over the shinking ship.. The party of NO NO NO is NOT going to see the White House for many, many yrs to come..So keep up the bashing and name calling, coz that's all you got left..