The Dragons might not have invested… but her hen hotel is still fully booked for the next two years!
In this week’s episode of The Engaging Marketeer, Darren sits down with Katriona Shovlin – founder of the UK’s first luxury boarding hotel for chickens and ducks.
What started as an unusual idea has become a full-time operation involving schools, prisons, universities – and a waitlist longer than most wedding venues.
In this episode, Katriona reveals what the Dragons’ Den experience was really like, how she turned a niche idea into a booked-out business and whether she’s actually paying herself (spoiler: she is – and well). It’s a clucking brilliant story of purpose, passion and poultry.
More about Katriona:
Katriona Shovlin is the founder of Hen Weekend, the UK’s first five-star chicken and duck boarding hotel. Based in Kent, she has transformed what began as a personal solution to a poultry care problem into a thriving, full-time business with multiple revenue streams, including education, therapy visits, and animal welfare advocacy. Passionate about hen rescue and ethical pet ownership, Katriona regularly partners with schools, prisons, and charities to promote animal welfare and responsible consumer choices. Her commitment to compassionate care, combined with her engaging presence and hands-on approach, has positioned her as a unique voice in both the pet care and ethical farming sectors.
To connect with Katriona or learn more about her services, franchising opportunities, or hen and duck adoption, you can reach her on the following platforms:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093158051128
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henweekend_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katriona-shovlin-899ab12b4/
About your host:
Darren has worked within digital marketing since the last century, and was the first in-house web designer for video games retailer GAME in the UK, known as Electronics Boutique in the States. After co-founding his own agency, Engage Web, in 2009, Darren has worked with clients around the world, including Australia, Canada and the USA.
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/engaging-marketeer/id1612454837
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenjamieson/
Engaging Marketeer: https://engagingmarketeer.com
Engage Web: https://www.engageweb.co.uk