Simon Woodroffe: “Having No Experience Was My Advantage” | Founder of YO! Sushi

Being an Outsider Can Be an Advantage

Simon entered the restaurant industry without a traditional restaurant background.

Rather than simply being a weakness, this allowed him to approach the industry through what he already understood: theatre, technology, staging, design and entertainment.

YO! Sushi wasn’t designed simply as somewhere to eat. The conveyor belts, robotic drinks trolleys and distinctive environment helped turn eating into an experience.

Connecting the Dots

Simon’s journey demonstrates how skills from seemingly unrelated parts of your life can eventually connect.

His years in rock & roll and show business influenced the way he later thought about brands, restaurants and customer experiences.

As Simon explains during the conversation:

“There’s a Zizz in every business.”

Doing something noticeably different can give people something worth remembering — and talking about.

Japan & the Birth of YO! Sushi

A pivotal moment came through a conversation with Japanese television producer Mr Uehara, who introduced Simon to the idea of conveyor-belt sushi.

Simon began researching the concept and travelled to Japan, discovering an established restaurant format that remained largely unfamiliar to British consumers.

Instead of simply reproducing what already existed in Japan, he combined it with ideas from his own background.

The result became YO! Sushi.

Three Rules for Life

Simon shares three principles shaped by his experiences:

1. Don’t try to change anybody.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Everything always works out.

Simon explains that these weren’t necessarily principles he always followed. They developed through experience, setbacks and learning about himself.

Failure & Reinvention

Simon also speaks openly about ventures that didn’t succeed, overconfidence and what failure can teach an entrepreneur.

One of his memorable observations is:

“To be a great blues singer, you’ve got to have suffered the blues.”

Success and failure both become part of the experience that shapes the person behind the business.

The Power of Listening

One of Simon’s most valuable habits is also one of the simplest: listening.

Instead of immediately offering an opinion or answer, he talks about becoming genuinely interested in other people and asking:

“Tell me more.”

From YO! Sushi to YOTEL

Simon also discusses his ambition to make YO! broader than a restaurant brand.

That thinking eventually extended into YOTEL, applying ideas inspired by airline and premium-cabin design to compact hotel rooms.

The conversation explores YOTEL’s airport beginnings, international expansion and the experience of seeing the concept reach Ginza, Tokyo.

Technology & the Future

Looking ahead, Simon discusses AI, humanoid robotics, construction, augmented reality and emerging technologies.

Despite acknowledging risks, he remains optimistic about technological progress and humanity’s ability to solve problems.