NotaryPro Steps Into the Dragons’ Den

I’ve been a fan of Dragons’ Den since it first aired decades ago, so finding out NotaryPro was invited to pitch on the show was almost unbelievable. 

If you enjoy watching Dragons’ Den as much as we do, or dream of pitching to the Dragons yourself one day, this post is for you. We’re answering the most common questions we’ve gotten about facing the Dragons this year.

Cheer us on as we step into the Den on Thursday, January 2nd at 20:00 EST, and learn the answer to the burning question: Did we get a deal?? Stream it here!

Left to Right: David Barder, Chief Marketing Officer; Robert Onley, CEO; Charles Segal, Chief Revenue Officer.

What Was Filming Day Like?

Filming day couldn’t come soon enough, and on the morning of May 5th, we made our way to downtown Toronto (the morning after the Leafs lost in Game 7 to the Bruins, no less!). 

We kicked off the day with a make-up artist at our hotel, then arrived at CBC Studios in the afternoon — slightly nervous, but excited and ready to shine! 

We settled into our waiting room, perfecting our pitch and locking down answers to every possible question. The anticipation built as we waited, as we were unsure exactly when filming would begin. Finally, at around 5:00 p.m., the show producers mic’d us up and in preparation for our pitch, they filmed us answering a few easy questions about our business and team. This was a great way to settle our nerves, and helped us get into ‘TV mode’. 

Not long after, we were led backstage onto the iconic Dragons’ Den set. We were ready for our big moment! We stood behind a black curtain, with no cellphones or anything to distract us, waiting for the countdown. When it was time to walk out, the producer told me to look for a “mark” on the ground, count to 3 — smile — and start the pitch. 

When I was finally walking out on stage, my eyes were scrambling to find the “mark”, and for whatever reason I figured it would be a bright, visible piece of tape. Nope! It was a small gold Dragons’ Den logo, barely visible to my nervous eye. At least I found it! I looked up, and less than ten feet away were the Dragons – smiling back at us. Here we go! 

We delivered our opening pitches, and then the Dragons’ questions began. Whatever nerves we all felt quickly melted away as we settled into a natural conversation about NotaryPro, and told the story of how my one-time side hustle grew into a national digital notary service platform.

We were told that each pitch takes around an hour to complete, but ours took an hour and a half. What you see in a Dragons’ Den episode is only a small fraction of a full pitch. Each pitch is typically edited down to an eight-minute segment.

We finished filming our pitch at around 6pm and left the studio shortly after. We went to Boston Pizza to have a bite to eat, decompress, and celebrate the completion of our filming. We felt it was a fitting location, as former Dragon, Walter James Treliving, co-owns the restaurant franchise. The Dragons’ Den experience had come full circle!

What Are the Dragons Like?

Walking into the Den was an unforgettable experience. The bright lights, cameras, and presence of the Dragons created an electrifying atmosphere. 

After watching countless episodes, we knew the Dragons’ personalities and braced ourselves for anything: tough questions, big reactions, or surprises. To our delight, they were friendly, empathetic, and incredibly supportive throughout our pitch!

They were receptive to the human story behind NotaryPro, empathetically putting together that we all had met because of connections between our wives. Charlie’s wife met Rob’s wife at a playgroup; they became friends and introduced Rob and Charlie. David then met Rob because he married Rob’s cousin – call it the ‘NotaryPro network effect’.

Although we didn’t interact with them off-set, the Dragons’ laser-sharp focus and professionalism in the Den left an unforgettable impression on us.

Pitching to the Dragons

The thought of standing before the Dragons was exhilarating, and stepping onto the legendary stage was surreal. We pitched our unmatched online notary solution and AI document creator, showcasing a demo video which boldly demonstrated how we’re redefining Canada’s legal landscape.

When we walked onto set and started our pitch, that immediate moment  can only be described as an out-of-body experience. It was pretty unreal. After about 10 minutes of dialogue, we grew more comfortable with the Dragons, and felt more grounded.

The Dragons were supportive of our towering vision, and they were each pleasant and kind. They asked us thoughtful questions, and thanks to countless hours of preparation we answered all of them thoroughly, without hesitation. Our time in the Den flew by and before we knew it, our pitch was coming to a close. 

Standing before the Dragons and sharing our mission with millions of viewers was an indescribable honour. Every word of our pitch showcased the heart of NotaryPro and our unwavering commitment to revolutionizing and democratizing legal services. Our rigorous preparation paid off — we delivered with confidence and answered each question that came our way.

Showcasing NotaryPro’s Platform in the Den

Pitching on Dragons’ Den required us to outline where NotaryPro started, how we’ve grown, and most importantly, the value our platform delivers. 

Our focus has always been to make life easier for all Canadians seeking legal services. Historically, the legal industry hasn’t been very innovative; we needed new, modern solutions to make notary services easy and accessible to everyone — while launching new, innovative offerings, like our instant online legal document templates.

Here are some of the points we wanted to drive home during our pitch:  

• NotaryPro is the first trailblazer to bring a secure and reliable remote online notary platform to Canada. Our vision has always been to simplify notary services for all. We’ve modernized a clunky and time-consuming process, so Canadians don’t have to rearrange their schedules to create and commission documents.
• We’ve made notary services accessible, affordable, and efficient. Clients can get a document commissioned by a notary in under 7 minutes, from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection.
• NotaryPro offers flexible service. Clients can upload a document and attend a notary appointment from any connected device with a camera — including their mobile device.
• Our platform is super convenient. Thousands of individuals and businesses can finalize documents from the comfort of their homes or offices, and now from any Staples store across the country. This eliminates the time and costs associated with finding and commuting to a notary’s office.
• NotaryPro is the only online notary platform in Canada that offers instant service option. Clients can meet with a notary online for urgent requests, without booking an appointment.
• NotaryPro is proud to be setting a new standard for business notary services. Businesses have embraced RON for its ability to accelerate transactions, increase operational efficiency, and the flexibility of instant, on-demand document signings.
• Our document creator saves Canadians thousands of dollars, empowering them to skip finding and retaining a lawyer for simple document needs. Clients can create legally sound documents in minutes by filling in the required fields. 

Presenting NotaryPro’s Document Templates

We emphasized that NotaryPro’s AI-powered document templates complement our online notary platform perfectly. It allows individuals and businesses to create professional legal documents quickly, affordably, and confidently, without retaining a lawyer.

One client pain point that became clear to us was the high cost and complexities behind drafting standard legal documents. We created an AI-driven app enabling users to draft documents like Affidavits, Powers of Attorney and more in minutes. It saves people a considerable amount of money, with some firms charging over $1,000 to draft a single document.

This tool represents the next phase of NotaryPro’s vision: to empower individuals and businesses to take control of their legal needs. It also offers unprecedented speed, as clients don’t need to wait for someone to draft their documents, which can take weeks. 

What Appearing on Dragons’ Den Means to NotaryPro

Appearing on Dragons’ Den is more than a pitch, it’s a defining moment in NotaryPro’s history. It’s our chance to celebrate how far we’ve come and share our daring vision for the future of legal services with millions of viewers. 

This moment wouldn’t be possible without our clients’ trust, our team’s dedication, and our unwavering belief that legal services should be simple. Each challenge has fueled innovation, pushed us to pivot, and sharpened our ability to deliver what our clients truly need. This isn’t just a TV appearance, it’s a celebration of progress, innovation, and the future we’re building together.

Watch NotaryPro on Dragons’ Den on January 2, 2025

Mark your calendars for January 2nd at 8:00 pm EST as NotaryPro enters the Dragons’ Den to show why they are the #1 notary provider in the country! See how the Dragons react to our amazing successes and whether they join NotaryPro on its groundbreaking journey to make Legal services accessible, transparent, and secure for everyone!