Simon Woodroffe
Encyclopedia
Simon Woodroffe OBE (born 14 February 1952) is a British
motivational speaker
and entrepreneur
. He started the sushi
chain YO! Sushi
in 1997, and has appeared as a 'Dragon' on the first UK series of Dragons' Den
.
Simon left Marlborough College
towards the end of the 1960s, at the age of 16, with 2 O-level
s. He went on the road with the likes of Rod Stewart
and The Moody Blues
before becoming a stage designer.
After a spell in television, he conceived and launched YO! Sushi
in 1997. The business established conveyor belt sushi
bars featuring call buttons, robot drinks trolleys, Japanese TV, self heating plates and other such novelties.
Woodroffe was able to launch the business without start-up capital. At the time that his first restaurant opened, despite having customers queuing down the block to get in, he could not get finance from his bank – and he preferred not to work with angel investors. Instead, Woodroffe went to his largest supplier and asked them for extended terms to pay off his debt. To his surprise, the supplier agreed.
Some years later when Woodroffe asked the supplier why they had agreed to help him, the supplier responded that they had believed YO! Sushi would be a 'safe bet' because it had the support of very large Japanese backers Honda
, Sony
, and All Nippon Airways
. In a 2008 interview, Woodroffe joked that in fact those three companies had provided only very limited sponsorship for the business: some cheap televisions and a motorcycle.
In September 2003, Woodroffe sold his controlling interest in YO! Sushi in a £10m deal, backed by private equity firm Primary Capital. Woodroffe retained a 22% stake and continued working as a business entrepreneur, also taking time to present TV programmes. Primary Capital has since sold YO! Sushi. Woodroffe no longer owns a stake in the company.
He currently speaks around the world at corporate and promotional events, and has appeared on stage at the Edinburgh Festival to discuss his YO! ventures including YO! Company
.
He has now launched the YOTEL
brand.
Woodroffe received an OBE
on 17 June 2006.
, whose flat is near the Kings Road
, Chelsea
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. He started the sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
chain YO! Sushi
Yo! Sushi
YO! Sushi is a British restaurant chain which was started in 1997 and is owned by Quilvest and the YO! Sushi Senior Management team. YO! Sushi specialises in delivering sushi to customers using the Japanese style 'kaiten' conveyor belt method...
in 1997, and has appeared as a 'Dragon' on the first UK series of Dragons' Den
Dragons' Den (UK)
Dragons' Den is a British television series, hosted by Evan Davis. The format of the show is owned by Sony Pictures and is based on the original Japanese series, which has been sold around the world...
.
Simon left Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
towards the end of the 1960s, at the age of 16, with 2 O-level
General Certificate of Education
The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
s. He went on the road with the likes of Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
and The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
before becoming a stage designer.
After a spell in television, he conceived and launched YO! Sushi
Yo! Sushi
YO! Sushi is a British restaurant chain which was started in 1997 and is owned by Quilvest and the YO! Sushi Senior Management team. YO! Sushi specialises in delivering sushi to customers using the Japanese style 'kaiten' conveyor belt method...
in 1997. The business established conveyor belt sushi
Conveyor belt sushi
is the popular English translation for Japanese fast-food sushi. In Australia, it is also known as sushi train...
bars featuring call buttons, robot drinks trolleys, Japanese TV, self heating plates and other such novelties.
Woodroffe was able to launch the business without start-up capital. At the time that his first restaurant opened, despite having customers queuing down the block to get in, he could not get finance from his bank – and he preferred not to work with angel investors. Instead, Woodroffe went to his largest supplier and asked them for extended terms to pay off his debt. To his surprise, the supplier agreed.
Some years later when Woodroffe asked the supplier why they had agreed to help him, the supplier responded that they had believed YO! Sushi would be a 'safe bet' because it had the support of very large Japanese backers Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, and All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
. In a 2008 interview, Woodroffe joked that in fact those three companies had provided only very limited sponsorship for the business: some cheap televisions and a motorcycle.
In September 2003, Woodroffe sold his controlling interest in YO! Sushi in a £10m deal, backed by private equity firm Primary Capital. Woodroffe retained a 22% stake and continued working as a business entrepreneur, also taking time to present TV programmes. Primary Capital has since sold YO! Sushi. Woodroffe no longer owns a stake in the company.
He currently speaks around the world at corporate and promotional events, and has appeared on stage at the Edinburgh Festival to discuss his YO! ventures including YO! Company
YO! Company
YO! Company is a British holding company wholly owned by entrepreneur Simon Woodroffe. The most prominent company in the YO! group is the YO! Sushi chain.The YO! Company has several subsidiary companies and brands including:...
.
He has now launched the YOTEL
YOtel
Yotel is a YO! Company hotel brand with hotels at airports founded by Simon Woodroffe and Gerard Greene. Its rooms are larger than those in capsule hotels but are very small relative to traditional hotel rooms. Room sizes are Premium , Twin and Standard...
brand.
Woodroffe received an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
on 17 June 2006.
Personal life
Woodroffe is divorced from his first wife, with whom he has a daughter. He lives on a house boat, a walking distance from his former partner, actress Cherie LunghiCherie Lunghi
Cherie M. Lunghi is an English film, television and theatre actress. She is probably best known for her role as Guinevere in the 1981 film Excalibur, as football manageress Gabriella Benson in the 1990s television series The Manageress and for starring in a series of adverts for Kenco coffee. She...
, whose flat is near the Kings Road
Kings Road
King's Road or Kings Road, known popularly as The King's Road or The KR, is a major, well-known street stretching through Chelsea and Fulham, both in west London, England...
, Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
.