How Simon Woodroffe Built Yo! Sushi and Changed UK Dining Forever

Screw It Just DO It with Alex Chisnall

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6d ago 43:04

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What drives someone to launch a sushi restaurant with robots, conveyor belts, and a million-pound setup when they’ve never worked in hospitality?

In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, I sit down with Simon Woodroffe OBE, the visionary founder behind Yo! Sushi and YOTEL, to talk about risk, creativity, and why going bigger can sometimes be safer.

Simon shares how he went from designing rock and roll stages for the likes of Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones to opening the UK’s first conveyor belt sushi bar in 1997. With no investors and limited cash, he pulled off one of the boldest brand launches in modern British food history, financing it through creative deals with Sony, Honda and All Nippon Airways.

From those early days in Soho to building YOTEL and beyond, Simon’s story is one of relentless curiosity, self-belief, and calculated risk. He reflects on what drives entrepreneurs, how to balance creativity with operations, and the importance of raising money with confidence.

If you’ve ever questioned whether to take the leap on your idea, this episode proves that vision backed by persistence can build an empire.

Key Takeaways

Raise money with conviction. Confidence sells your vision as much as the business plan itself.
Spend on experience, not advertising. Word of mouth built Yo! Sushi faster than any marketing budget could.
Go bigger, not safer. The larger the ambition, the more belief and accountability it attracts.
Creativity and execution go hand in hand. Simon’s background in showbiz gave him the tools to design unforgettable customer experiences.
Luck favours those who act. Every bold decision opens another door.

🎧 New episodes of Screw It Just DO It drop every Tuesday & Thursday, so make sure you follow wherever you listen. You’ll hear real conversations with founders who’ve taken a risk, built something from scratch, and figured it out along the way.

🔥 Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Festival of Entrepreneurs at the NEC Birmingham. What an incredible two days of ideas, connections, and real business insights. If you missed it, stay tuned, we’ll be sharing highlights and conversations from the event on the podcast.

Stay connected at www.festivalofentrepreneurs.co.uk and follow @festivalofentrepreneurs for news, updates, and future events.

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