The pitch
What walked into the Den
Ryan Knight opened season 19 with Detailing Knights, an eco-conscious waterless car detailing business built to franchise.
He came in asking $150,000 for 18 percent, a proposal that valued the young company at roughly $833,000.
After the show
What happened next
The deal is a matter of record. Brian Scudamore, who made his name building 1-800-GOT-JUNK and was sitting as a new Dragon, matched Knight's full $150,000 ask but pushed the equity to 25 percent, and Knight took it. He got every dollar he wanted and conceded seven extra points to get there.
The service is running strong now. In July 2026 the site was booking three tiers, the King's Detail at $165, the Emperor's Detail at $245 and The Majestic at $360, with a live promo and phone or WhatsApp booking.
Our read
The Hub verdict
The math here is the story. Ryan Knight got every dollar of his $150,000 ask, but the equity moved from the 18 percent he offered to the 25 percent Brian Scudamore wanted, so he paid for the full raise by conceding seven points. Against an opening valuation of about $833,000, that is a meaningful re-price in the Dragon's favour.
There is a nice symmetry in Scudamore, who built 1-800-GOT-JUNK, backing a service business designed to franchise, since that is exactly the playbook he is known for. The booking site is live with three priced tiers, so the operation is clearly still running.
One caution we always flag: the numbers here trace back to a deal announced when the episode ran, and we have not confirmed the money survived due diligence.
Full ask, wider slice: a clean example of a Dragon buying up the equity to close.
Worth knowing: The terms above come from an on-air deal reported at the time; whether the investment cleared due diligence afterwards is a separate question we do not assert.
