Episode #1
Simon Woodroffe: “Having No Experience Was My Advantage” | Founder of YO! Sushi
How did a rock & roll stage designer with no restaurant experience go on to create YO! Sushi? In this episode of Bridging Talks , Majid Hashmi sits down with Simon Woodroffe — entrepreneur, designer, founder of YO! Sushi and YOTEL , and one of the original Dragons on BBC’s Dragons’ Den . Simon shares his journey from leaving school at 16 and working in rock & roll staging to creating one of Britain’s most recognisable restaurant brands. We explore the Japanese conversation that sparked YO! Sushi , why having no restaurant experience became an advantage, and how Simon combined conveyor-belt sushi with ideas from theatre, technology and show business to create something completely different. We also discuss: Why being an outsider can become an advantage The Japanese origins of YO! Sushi Rock & roll, theatre and building memorable brands Simon’s three rules for life Leadership, failure and reinvention Japan, Thailand and cross-cultural thinking YOTEL and the wider YO! vision AI, robotics and the future of technology What Simon learned from Dragons’ Den Why listening became one of his most valuable habits A conversation about connecting the dots, doing things differently and continuing to reinvent yourself. CONNECT WITH SIMON WOODROFFE Instagram: @yosimonwoodroffe Facebook: Simon Woodroffe YouTube: @yosimonwoodroffe Website: yo.co.uk/simon-woodroffe YO! MAN by Simon Woodroffe Buy the book ABOUT BRIDGING TALKS Bridging Talks explores entrepreneurship, technology, global business and cross-cultural ideas through conversations with founders, entrepreneurs, investors, creators and professionals around the world. Hosted by Majid Hashmi , founder of Bridging Connect Ltd. Website: bridgingconnect.com/podcast LinkedIn: Bridging Talks Instagram: @bridgingtalkspodcast YouTube: @BridgingTalks Guests & partnerships: podcast@bridgingconnect.com MUSIC Music includes work by Chill House, Oleksandr Stepanov and penguinmusic. All rights remain with their respective creators/licensors.
