Your Dream Is the Business Plan: Simon Squibb

In this live episode of Virgin StartUp Changemakers, Natalie Pearce sits down with entrepreneur and investor Simon Squibb to explore why building a business should start with what you care about, not simply where you've spotted a gap in the market. From becoming an entrepreneur at 15 after finding himself homeless to building and selling businesses and creating HelpBnk, Simon shares the lessons that shaped his unconventional approach to entrepreneurship. He explores why ideas matter less than execution, the importance of asking for help, finding purpose and why founders should resist building businesses around opportunities they don't genuinely care about. Whether you're searching for your first business idea, questioning the direction of your startup or trying to reconnect with why you became a founder, this episode offers a provocative perspective on entrepreneurship, purpose and turning the things you care about into action. In this episode: How necessity pushed Simon into entrepreneurship at 15 Why everyone can develop their entrepreneurial skills Why execution matters more than having an original idea Sharing your business idea instead of protecting it The difference between your purpose and your dream Why asking for help can be harder than giving it Getting more value from mentors by asking better questions Why raising investment might not be the problem you actually need to solve The importance of protecting your business with a trademark Why founders should follow what they care about rather than simply filling a market gap Changemakers is brought to you by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit organisation helping founders start and scale the businesses they're passionate about. Recorded live at Virgin StartUp's Changemakers events, every episode features honest conversations with entrepreneurs, founders and business leaders sharing the lessons, challenges and ideas shaping the future of business. Looking to start or grow your own business? Find out more at virginstartup.org Brought to you in partnership with our friends at Virgin Money - the home of brighter business banking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.