SIMON WOODROFFE
Simon Woodroffe: Author, Dragon's Den TV Panellist, Edinburgh Fringe Show performer, entrepreneur, visionary and founder of Yo! Sushi Restaurants.
Simon Woodroffe is a charismatic and engaging speaker with a very personal story on how he has built up YO! and the future for businesses in the next century. He has an energising presence and is a charismatic speaker. He talks common sense
which is of practical use and has an entertaining style which leaves audiences feeling inspired.
Former London Entrepreneur of the Year and Group Restaurateur of the Year , Simon
Woodroffe is the founder and creative driving force behind YO! Sushi, the internationally famous restaurants that use the very latest Japanese fast food technology to bring affordable sushi to London and You! Everything Else. The brand has been
mooted as the new Virgin.
With his new venture -
Yotel! - he is now also setting his sights on the hotel business.
· Yo! Sushi has sixteen restaurants in the UK and two franchise deals signed overseas with more to follow.
· Yo! To Go is licensed to Sainsburys.
· Yo! Japan is a clothing range with 70 retail stores across the UK and soon to open a branch in Italy.
· Yotel! Simon's much talked about cross between BA First Class and Japanese capsule hotel looks set to open 2004.
· Finally a Spa concept for Yo! is in development.
Simon also appeared on a BBC2 series - the
Dragon's Den - in which new venture founders presented their business ideas to
potential funders: a sort of "Pop Idol" for entrepreneurs.
After leaving school at sixteen, Simon spent almost thirty years in the entertainment business. Through the 1970s and 1980s his production companies, based in London and Los Angeles, designed rock 'n' roll stages for artistes like Rod Stewart, The Moody Blues and Stevie Wonder, and events like Live Aid.
A natural progression led Simon into television at the start of the 1990s. He spearheaded the development of television deals to show huge international rock concerts worldwide, organising the financing and distribution of the Nelson Mandela concerts, shows for Amnesty International and the Prince's Trust concerts. His television production deals included Japan's number one pop show, Hit Studio.
Simon believes that a divorce at the beginning of the 90s opened his eyes to the character defects that had held him back. This allowed him to develop personally and to lead a team using many of the tools he learnt in that development.
The YO! sushi concept was born out of Simon's feel for entertainment. YO! is intended to be a lifestyle brand and has grown naturally out of the initial restaurant concept. Simon's focus is now on the international market.
Simon won a 1999 Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Ernst & Young) and is a part of the CBI / BCC Ambassador of Entrepreneurism campaign.
He was a finalist in the Real Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year 1999. For YO! Sushi he has received awards from Design Week (Best Restaurant) Marketing Week 1998 ? Design Effectiveness Awards 1998 and Best Web Site for Hospitality Solutions 1999. The book of YO! has been a WH Smith business best seller. Simon hopes to follow the success of his first book with the publication of his second book and training videos.
COMMENTS:
'96% of respondents were 'dazzled' or 'delighted' by Simon Woodroffe's performance'
Marketing Director, Morison Stoneham
'Simon was on excellent form and very effectively opened up key issues for the participants'
Senior Fellow in Organisational Change, Manchester Business School
'A most honest and human presentation from a person of great maturity ... Passionate and refreshing'
Managing Director, Enterprise Masterclass