Hamburg's Limberry start-up ventures into "The Lion's Den"

19 August 2016
Interview: Sibilla Kawala-Bulas, founder of Limberry, hopes to win over the jury with her designer costume fashion

The latest season of the VOX TV series “The Lion’s Den” focusing on company founders will go on air next Tuesday (August 23rd). And of the judges will be Ralf Dümmel, the managing director of DS Produkte GmbH. Sibilla Kawala-Bulas, a Hamburg-based designer of costume fashion, will be one of the first candidates to face her potential investors. The ambitious designer spoke to Hamburg News in an interview.

Hamburg News: Sibilla, why did you decide to take part in “The Lion’s Den”?

Sibilla: I have been following the programme since it began two years ago and found the format highly convincing. Germany’s start-up scene has finally been pushed into the public spotlight and the pros and cons of the various business models are now the topics of discussions in diverse sectors. Then I started wondering whether that would be something for Limberry and me as a founder? What chances and risks are there? Eventually, I decided that the advantages outweigh. Then I decided to apply at least.

Hamburg News: What is Limberry’s business model?

Sibilla: I launched Limberry in 2010 and it has taken me about four years to achieve my present business model – an online shop for designer costume fashion. In 2014, I did a huge overhaul and have been on the road to success ever since. At the moment, we are in the middle of the high summer season as the Oktoberfest is coming up and many festivalgoers want to kit themselves out with a new dirndl dress, jankerl or jacket and lederhosen. I was on my own to begin with and now have a great team of eight. We have just moved into our new office in Hamburg-Winterhude.

Hamburg News: What are your plans in the event of a win or a loss?

Sibilla: In my opinion, there are no clear winners or losers on “The Lion’s Den” programme. Those who make it onto the “lion’s” get an opportunity to present their business ideas and as such they have already won. Of course, I went to the recordings in the hope of securing an investment from one of the lions – but like the Olympics: “Taking part is everything.”
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