Entrepreneurs and StartUp Mentality

For decades, Dyslexic Thinking has been responsible for some of our greatest inventions, brands, art and even icons. From the iPhone to Virgin. DreamWorks to Muhammad Ali.

Yet, this kind of thinking has rarely been taught, measured or treasured by traditional education systems or workplaces. But now, as we enter the 5^th Industrial Revolution – a world powered by human intelligence AND machines – the demand for this creative, innovative and adaptable thinking has never been greater.

In this course, you’ll find out why Dyslexic Thinking is now recognised.

   Welcome to DyslexicU, the University of Dyslexic Thinking

Timing: 4 minutes

Watch this video, in which Kate Griggs welcomes you to DyslexicU, the University of Dyslexic Thinking, a new school of thought where you can learn the intelligence the world needs now.

And Sir Richard Branson describes his own experience of how thinking differently has been a huge advantage to him in business.

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Transcript

KATE GRIGGS

Welcome to DyslexicU, the University of Dyslexic Thinking, a new school of thought where you can learn the intelligence the world needs now.

For decades, Dyslexic Thinking has been responsible for some of our greatest inventions, brands, art and even icons. From the iPhone to Virgin, DreamWorks to Muhammad Ali. Yet this kind of thinking has rarely been taught, measured or treasured by traditional education systems or workplaces.

But now as we enter the 5th Industrial Revolution, a world powered by human intelligence and machines, the demand for this creative, innovative and adaptable thinking has never been greater. Just as previous industrial revolutions, fuelled by steam power or electricity or computers and digital connectivity, transformed our world, modern day artificial intelligence is revolutionising the type of thinking that is critical for success today.

Because AI has learned to aggregate and recall knowledge faster and better than humans, making the skills that AI cannot easily replicate like problem solving, innovation, lateral thinking and interpersonal skills, the most sought after skills in every job, in every sector worldwide. And these skills are inherent to one particular group of people... dyslexics.

Now is the time for dyslexics to learn more about their Dyslexic Thinking skills and to shout about them. And it’s time for non-dyslexics to learn more about Dyslexic Thinking skills and develop them. Because these are the skills needed to thrive in this new AI-powered world. DyslexicU is here to help everyone to do just that.

In this course, I explain Dyslexic Thinking and the vital role it plays in creating successful entrepreneurs and startup mentality. During the course I'm joined by successful entrepreneurs who explain why their Dyslexic Thinking is so valuable and how it's turbocharged their careers. Alongside the film content you will find lots of links to useful resources to help you further your learning and discovery about entrepreneurs and startups.

This course on entrepreneurship is proudly supported by Virgin StartUp, the not-for-profit Virgin company helping UK entrepreneurs to get started and thrive. Let's jump straight in and hear from Virgin's founder, Sir Richard Branson.

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

Welcome to this DyslexicU course in entrepreneurship. In this session you'll hear from dyslexic thinkers like me who have used their Dyslexic Thinking to spot opportunities and disrupt markets. In my own experience thinking differently has been a huge advantage in business. If I hadn't relied on my intuition, lateral thinking, and willingness to take a risk I would have never jumped from growing a record company to launching an airline, which was a move that helped build Virgin into the global brand it is today.

My Dyslexic Thinking has helped me to see industries differently. I've always tried to listen carefully and spot where customers are getting a raw deal and I've imagined an alternative that makes people's lives better. There is no question that much of my success as an entrepreneur is due to my Dyslexic Thinking.

In this new world thinking differently is your biggest asset. It will help you succeed. It is a superpower that we all stand to gain from. And I wish you all the best in using it.

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If you complete all the elements of this course's learning (content and knowledge check), a digital badge will be sent to you via the email address you used to enrol on the course (usually within 36 hours).

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Let's move on to learn more about what Dyslexic Thinking is.

Dyslexic brains process information differently. Our neural pathways are different from someone who is not dyslexic meaning… we literally think differently. This gives us a pattern of valuable strengths, which are called Dyslexic Thinking skills.

This course will help you to understand what Dyslexic Thinking is and why it’s now seen as the world’s most sought-after skill.

   What exactly is Dyslexic Thinking?

Timing: 2 minutes

In this video, Kate describes how dyslexic brains process information differently.

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KATE GRIGGS

So what exactly is Dyslexic Thinking? Dyslexic brains process information differently. Our neural pathways are different from someone who is not dyslexic, meaning we literally think differently. This gives us a pattern of valuable strengths, which are called Dyslexic Thinking skills. The dictionary definition of Dyslexic Thinking is: 'An approach to problem-solving, assessing information, and learning, often used by people with dyslexia, that involves pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, latering thinking, and interpersonal skills.'

In 2022, LinkedIn, the world's largest career platform, added Dyslexic Thinking as an official skill, recognising that this type of thinking was becoming vital in the changing world of work. The 2024 Intelligence 5.0 report found that as a result of AI, the type of intelligence the world needs has changed. Creativity, communication, adaptability, complex problem solving are the skills that research tells us are vital to every job in every sector, across the world. They are the skills all humans need to thrive alongside AI and they are all Dyslexic Thinking skills.

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Next, we'll explore the 6 Dyslexic Thinking skills.

There are 6 Dyslexic Thinking skills. Most dyslexics are a combination of a few of these, rarely all!

   Dyslexic Thinking skills

Timing: 3 minutes

Watch this video, in which Kate describes each of these skills.

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KATE GRIGGS

There are 6 Dyslexic Thinking skills and most dyslexics are a combination of these, rarely all. Let me talk you through them.

The first Dyslexic Thinking skill is Visualising. Interacting with space, senses, physical ideas and new concepts. Dyslexic Thinkers who are good at visualising may be able to visualise complex user journeys, or see project plans come together in their mind. We may excel at product development, visualising how parts fit together and can see challenges from multiple angles, or see and sense business opportunities and how they come together.

Second, we have Imagining. Creating an original piece of work or giving ideas a new spin. Dyslexic thinkers who excel at imagining drive innovation. We see what could be, not what is. We come up with new ideas and approaches that no one else has thought of because we see the world differently, and this helps drive business forward.

Next, we have Communicating. Crafting and conveying clear and engaging messages. These kinds of dyslexic thinkers are great at simplifying concepts, building narratives, or selling a vision that helps to galvanise the rest of the organisation to make it happen. We are great at taking lengthy, complex information and simplifying it into short, easy to understand formats.

Next, Reasoning. Understanding patterns, evaluating possibilities and making decisions. Reasoners make connections across complex issues, subjects and data which others don't see. We use our intuition, think around problems, connecting the dots of insight. Brilliant big-picture thinkers, we cut through the noise, rise above a problem or situation to get a helicopter, big-picture view, rather than getting stuck in the detail.

Another Dyslexic Thinking skill is Connecting. Understanding self, connecting, empathising and influencing others. Dyslexic thinkers excel in empathising, negotiating and expressing themselves orally. We are also highly self-aware with high levels of emotional intelligence. These skills help make us great leaders who can build, support and empower teams, people and organisations.

The sixth and final Dyslexic Thinking skill is Exploring. Being curious and exploring ideas in a constant and energetic way. Dyslexic thinkers have endless curiosity for finding out new things, learning new skills and finding different ways to do things. We don't like the status quo. We have boundless energy and passion for digging into things and exploring subjects so the most is learned, and inspiring others to do this too.

Now you have a big-picture understanding of Dyslexic Thinking, let’s do a deeper dive into why it makes great entrepreneurs.

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Here is a summary of the 6 skills you learnt about in the video.

Now you have a big-picture understanding of Dyslexic Thinking, let’s move on and do a deeper dive into why it makes GREAT entrepreneurs.

BBC research (2003) found that 40 per cent of entrepreneurs are dyslexic!

This course introduces you to some of those incredible entrepreneurs who disrupted markets by asking ‘what if?’ and ‘why not?’. It also finds that being an entrepreneur is not just about building a successful business, as social entrepreneurs also do amazing things to make our world a better place too.

   Dyslexic entrepreneurs see the world differently

Timing: 2 minutes

Watch this video, in which Kate describes how dyslexic entrepreneurs possess a unique ability to see the world differently.

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KATE GRIGGS

Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Jo Malone. Each one possessed a unique ability to see the world differently, to ask, 'What if?' and 'Why not?', to turn their passion into a successful business that redefined their sector.

BBC Research found that 40% of entrepreneurs are dyslexic. That is certainly true on the BBC's flagship show for entrepreneurs, ‘Dragon's Den’, where in a previous series 40% of the panel were dyslexic, including Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis. And more recently the brilliant dyslexic entrepreneur, Emma Grede, who co-founded Skims shapewear with Kim Kardashian, joined the show. On the US counterpart, 'Shark Tank', more than 50% of the panel were dyslexic. Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran.

But being an entrepreneur is not just about building a successful business and having financial success like we see on these hit TV shows. Social entrepreneurs do amazing things to make our world a better place too. So in this course I'll talk about this and speak to some incredible dyslexics doing incredible things.

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Let's move on to explore the 5 reasons that dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

This short course sets out the 5 reasons dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

Setting out the big picture – before the course dives in and explores them, one by one.

   Reasons why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs

Timing: 1 minute

Watch this video which explains the five reasons why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

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Here are five reasons dyslexics make such great entrepreneurs.

1. We are imaginers and visionaries who see new possibilities.

2. We are big-picture thinkers who keep things simple.

3. We embrace failure making us super resilient and persistent.

4. We are passionate questioners – we don't accept the status quo.

5. We are 'people' people – great leaders, team builders and empathisers.

Now let's take a deeper dive into each one.

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Next, we'll learn more about each of the five reasons why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

Our Dyslexic Thinking skills of imagining and visualising help us to dream and think big. We see what could be – not what is.

This helps us to innovate in ways that others often couldn’t conceive possible.

   Imaginers and visionaries

Timing: 8 minutes

Watch this video, in which Kate looks at the first reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

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KATE GRIGGS

The first reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs is Dyslexics imagine new possibilities, the Dyslexic Thinking skills of Imagining and Visualising. Our Dyslexic Thinking skills of imagining and visualising help us to dream and think big. We see what could be, not what is. This helps us to innovate in ways that others often couldn't conceive possible.

In the world of business thinking differently gives you a competitive edge because imagining and creative thinking comes naturally to dyslexics. It helps us to spot gaps in the market or solve old problems in innovative new ways. We see solutions and business opportunities where others see problems. This helps us to disrupt industries and offer customers a better alternative.

British perfumer and entrepreneur, Jo Malone, says 'My dyslexia is an ability to think differently, and if this world needs anything at the moment, it is people who think differently. We've learned how to see around walls and spot the potential in something that others don't.' Thinking differently and imagining new possibilities is exactly what the Virgin brand is built on. Let's hear from Richard Branson talking about the power of imagination in business, from our Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking podcast.

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

It's really important in business to imagine what's possible and imagine what could be created, imagine what other people are not creating. And just say, let's do it and let's give it a go and magic can come from that.

KATE GRIGGS

And also another Dyslexic Thinking skill that I think you have in bounds is seeing the big picture. I remember hearing something in an interview where you said that when you're starting a business, you don't get accountants involved at the start. You bring them in later. Can you expand on that and how important the big picture is for you?

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

If you create the best in its field, the best, by and large, will always succeed. So we're just sitting in a new Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh, I think it's the best hotel in Edinburgh. It's definitely the kind of place that I or my friends would like to stay. And if you can do that then, at the end of the year, there should be more money coming in than going out. And by and large, we've been fortunate that where we've created the best in its field, they've succeeded.

KATE GRIGGS

That's great advice from Richard. Imagine what could be created, spot what others are missing and just give it a go. Now let's hear from Alex Wright, Co-Founder of DASH, who used his Dyslexic Thinking to disrupt the drinks market by turning wonky waste fruit into a best selling flavoured sparkling water brand that is storming the world.

ALEX WRIGHT

My Co-Founder and I both come from farming backgrounds, so myself from Sussex and Jack from Shropshire, and we saw first hand that 40% of fruit and veg doesn't end up on people's plates, which is just a crazy statistic. And so we wanted to try and use this fruit and veg that was rejected by the supermarkets, and when we were looking at products that we could create it into, we saw the beverage category up and down the country was just stuffed full of sugary and artificially filled ingredients. So we thought, great, why don't we buy this fruit and veg, initially from Jack's farm, and then infuse it into spring water, again from Jack's farm, to create a great tasting drink that doesn't have any of the bad stuff.

Latterly, when we were trying to understand how much it would cost to set up the facilities in order to buy the fruit and then infuse it on Jack's farm to create a canned beverage, we realised that a canning line cost about £17 million. We thought, ok, not not even the Virgin StartUp loan will be able to fund that, so we’ll park that.

And so we started small and just tried try to get the products out there, do lots of tests, learn. And then fast-forward six years, DASH is in 20 international markets, we've got teams in three different markets in the UK, Australia and France. This year we will sell nearly 40 million cans.

KATE GRIGGS

Of course many dyslexics with strong entrepreneurial skills often start putting them into practice early. Alex Wright, who you've just heard from, started a mini enterprise buying and selling goods in the playground. Social entrepreneur, Josh Turner, ran successful club nights from the age of 15. And Right to Dream Founder, Tom Vernon, started a business recording the school play and selling it to mums. But few are quite like vegan chef, TV star and entrepreneur, Omari McQueen, who at the age of just seven used his Dyslexic Thinking to solve a problem very close to his heart.

OMARI MCQUEEN

It was when I was researching about how to get my Mum back on her feet because she had hemiplegic migraines, where she has these little fits and she finds it hard with her walking and talking. And I found out about veganism when I was researching how to get her back on her feet and I didn't like the way animals are treated for food and clothes. So I decided to bring people together through food without harming animals and be vegan.

KATE GRIGGS

Omari, by the time you were twelve you had already become CEO of your own company, Dipalicious, you'd opened your own pop-up restaurant, you created your own cookbook and your own TV cooking show. Now you have two successful TV shows, over 50,000 YouTube subscribers and a brand new family cookery book. Plus you were named one of the top 25 entrepreneurs aged 25 and under. Incredible achievements. There really is no stopping you, is there?

You've said, 'My Dyslexic Thinking makes me imagine and create my vegan recipes and makes me passionate about teaching other people to cook.' Passion and imagination are certainly two things that dyslexics are incredibly good at. Tell me how do you think your Dyslexic Thinking helps you to do what you do?

OMARI MCQUEEN

Well, in the kitchen I’m a Maker and an Imaginer whilst creating new recipes, and when I'm doing this challenge with my Dad. So me and my Dad, we do this little challenge where my Dad will cook something that's non-vegan and I'll cook something that's vegan but with a twist to it, so I'm making my own recipe. And I use my imagination a lot in the kitchen. As science people do in the science lab, they add everything together and see how it goes, so that’s what I do.

KATE GRIGGS

As these brilliant examples show when you harness your Dyslexic Thinking skills of Imagining and Visualising as an entrepreneur, there is no end to what you can create or where they'll take you.

Here are three key takeaways from this section. One, Dyslexic Thinking skills of Imagining and Visualising help us to dream big and have bold ideas by imagining what could be. Two, we spot gaps in the market, see problems as opportunities to disrupt industries and find ways to offer customers a better service. Three, we jump in and give it a go because when you do magic can happen.

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Next, we'll look at the second reason.

There’s plenty of complexity in building your own business. However, dyslexics are brilliant at using their reasoning skills to see the bigger picture and simplify things.

Many dyslexics take this skill for granted, imagining everyone sees the world in the same way, but they really don’t.

   Big-picture thinkers

Timing: 9 minutes

Watch this video where Kate, Barbara Corcoran, Alex Wright, Nick Jones and Roy Schwartz explore the second reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

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KATE GRIGGS

The second reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs is we are big picture thinkers who keep it simple. The Dyslexic Thinking skill of Reasoning. There's plenty of complexity in building your own business, however dyslexics are brilliant at using their reasoning skills to see the bigger picture and simplify things. Many dyslexics take the skill for granted, imagining everyone sees the world in the same way, but they really don't.

Neuroscience and MRI scanning of dyslexic brains shows that dyslexics really are wired to think differently and to see the big picture. Our brains have a bias to long distance connections between the axons and mini columns of the brain which neuroscientists attribute to our big-picture processing skill. This allows dyslexics to make connections across complex issues, subjects and data, which others don't see. It also helps us to cut through the noise and see the big picture rather than getting stuck in the detail. US entrepreneur, star of 'Shark Tank' and real estate magnate, Barbara Corcoran, describes her big-picture thinking perfectly.

BARBARA CORCORAN

There's one gift that you always get with dyslexia, because I know so many dyslexic people who own businesses, and also contributes to why they do so well in their own shop, and that is the ability to see from the sky down. I have that gift. I had it as a kid. I have it as an adult. I would go into a business meeting. I don't care who I was with, I would have an idea – boom seen in my head as I was flying in the sky, look down and see who was going to do what, how the department was going to open, how we were going to make money, how many months it was going to take without knowing any math or anything.

And I would make my estimate accurate every time because I had the ability to see from the sky down. And, you know, some of the best coaches in the world are dyslexic because if you interview them, and maybe you have, they talk about being able to see the team from the sky down, with maybe different words but the same effect.

KATE GRIGGS

Helicopter view.

BARBARA CORCORAN

Helicopter view. Is there a word for that, helicopter view?

KATE GRIGGS

A lot of people refer to it.

BARBARA CORCORAN

Oh, you have heard that. Okay, so I'm not crazy thinking that. But it would sometimes startle me as to how well I could see it and in living colour. And it's also good for dreaming. I don't think back at that time in school daydreaming from 8.30 in the morning till 3.15 when that bell rang, I don't see that as a waste of time. I spent the whole day daydreaming, so I have a fertile imagination and that sky down, or as you call it the helicopter thinking, is about your imagination. You could just imagine it.

The first day I picked up the phone in my own business and answered Corcoran Simone – boom – I had an image of myself so clearly I could taste it. I could see myself as the Queen of New York real estate, people kissing my ring, having beautiful clothes, and everybody wondering what I had to say. And what do you think I did? I built exactly that person for myself. But could I have done it if I hadn't seen the view of it? The whole view in living colour? Never. I think that daydreaming ability to see a whole picture versus a digit or the numbers, gets you so much further than seeing the detail. You don't have to be good at the detail if you could see the whole picture.

KATE GRIGGS

Barbara isn't alone. 9 in 10 dyslexics describe their Dyslexic Thinking as being able to 'see past the detail to gain a strategic, big-picture view of a subject or problem'. And this helps us to simplify things. And while simplifying comes easy to dyslexics, it’s something others need to learn because it's a hugely valuable skill for entrepreneurs and everyone.

As fellow dyslexic thinker and Founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, explains in this brilliant quote: 'Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean and simple. But it's worth it in the end, because once you do, you can move mountains.' Apple built a brand on simplifying the complexities of technology by creating devices that not only look beautiful but are super simple and logical to use. And simple propositions explained clearly are the secret of many dyslexic entrepreneur's success.

Take IKEA. Its Founder, Ingvar Kamprad, used his Dyslexic Thinking to simplify his business. IKEA started out as a mail order sales business and its products were identified by long numerical codes. As many dyslexics would, he struggled to remember the numbers. So he decided to create a new system naming each set of furniture after memorable Swedish names and places. And he designed visual instruction guides to help customers assemble products instead of wordy instructions. This simple system has been used ever since and is renowned around the world.

Keeping things simple is also integral to the DASH brand. Let's hear more from its Co-Founder, Alex Wright.

ALEX WRIGHT

Keeping things simple is one of our brand values, which quite nicely aligns with Dyslexic Thinking skills, to keep things simple. Hence why it's one of our core brand values. And so a very simple ingredient deck, not having any sugar or sweeteners, so that very clear USP where consumers understand that they're getting something that is actually genuinely healthy as opposed to quite a lot of health claims that can be a bit more fabricated. And then being truly sustainable and having a very low impact on both people and the planet.

KATE GRIGGS

Whether it's keeping your ingredients, your product, or your messaging simple, it's good for all aspects of your business. And this focus on simplicity can help you to be bold, act fast and capitalise on opportunity. Nick Jones, Founder of Soho House, is also a fan of keeping it simple.

NICK JONES

Complication really panics me and I spend my life simplifying everything. If it’s more than one page I don’t read it because I can't and I don't have the attention span to do that. But it forces people to simplify things and once you simplify things you can make decisions much quicker. And I think when you make decisions much quicker then that's good for everyone in the business I'm in and more importantly it's good for the customer.

KATE GRIGGS

Simplifying is also the mantra of dyslexic thinker, Roy Schwartz, Axios Founder and co-author of the bestselling book, ‘Smart Brevity’. He points out that keeping it simple in a complex world is not just valued by your customers, it's important for your staff too.

ROY SCHWARTZ

We had all of this data from the web and we could see that people were reading less and scanning more. And in fact the number that really spoke to me was 80% of people stopped reading after 250 words. To give you some sense, the average article was a thousand words. So it would be if Netflix did a show and it lasted an hour and people only watched 15 minutes, they would never make the other 45 minutes.

But yet news organisations just keep churning out thousand word articles and I spoke to my friends at the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal or the Washington Post, it was the same across the board. People stopped reading after 250 words. We were trying to figure out why is that, what's happening? And we realised that people were overwhelmed. You get 300 emails plus a day. You get text messages, you might get Slack or Team messages, you get real news, you get fake news. And so you're overwhelmed and so you're trying to get caught up on information but it's really hard to do.

And so that was the insight that launched Axios. The idea of how do we give people news and information in what ended up being called 'Smart Brevity', this new format, and how do we do it in the most concise way possible? And 250 words happens to be the number of words that fit on one screen of your phone. And so we realised, oh, people want one screen of information. Maybe if they want to go deeper, two screens of information. So we basically put everything into, 'What's new?' and 'Why does it matter?' And very quickly we realised this is bigger than news, this is actually how people should communicate in this modern era. And that's why we wrote the book.

KATE GRIGGS

Here are three key takeaways from this section. One, neuroscience shows that dyslexic brains are literally wired to see the big picture. Two, we can naturally step back from the detail and have a helicopter view or big-picture view of a situation or market. And three, we use this insight to simplify our products, propositions and messages which is a recipe for success.

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Next, we'll look at the third reason.

Starting your own business, and running it successfully, is never a straight path – whether you are dyslexic or not.

But what distinguishes dyslexic entrepreneurs from others is that dyslexics are not afraid to fail. And when it happens, they are good at bouncing back fast, seeing their failures as an opportunity to learn.

   Embracing failure

Timing: 8 minutes

Watch this video where Kate, Barbara Corcoran, Rob Law and Daniel Singer explore the third reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

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KATE GRIGGS

The third reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs is we embrace failure making us super resilient and persistent. When you ask ChatGPT to give you the best quotes on failure leading to success, it’s no surprise that nearly all top ten are by dyslexic thinkers. My personal favourite is 'Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly', from Robert F. Kennedy. I think this sums up a dyslexic entrepreneur and startup mentality perfectly.

Starting your own business and running it successfully is never a straight path, whether you’re dyslexic or not. There are obstacles to overcome, setbacks to recover from and mistakes, however unintentional, to be made. But what distinguishes dyslexic entrepreneurs from others is that dyslexics are not afraid to fail. And when it happens they're good at bouncing back fast, seeing their failures as an opportunity to learn.

Dyslexic thinkers naturally have a growth mindset and we all know how important that is. Perhaps this comes from our school days when we get used to failing and bouncing back. Although what comes through time and time again in dyslexic entrepreneurs is a curiosity and an impatience to get started. That results in a willingness to just give it a go and see where it takes you. The willingness to fail means we build up high level of resilience quickly and become skilled at finding workarounds to problems when we face them. And apply this resilience, perseverance and flexibility as we go through the entrepreneurial journey. Let's hear again from entrepreneur and star of US show, 'Shark Tank', Barbara Corcoran.

BARBARA CORCORAN

When you fail early at something and something so important as school, which is how children define themselves. Until they get out of school that's kind of the definition of who they are. Failing is like second nature. You almost build up a hard crust and it just doesn't bother you. I always like to think of myself as a jack-in-the-box. You hit me on the head and I bounce up and I say, 'Hit me again'. Most people would say that's stupid, but I say, that's a gift that you can take that hit again and again and again because it's no big deal, you've been doing that since you were a little kid.

KATE GRIGGS

Yes, it's a fantastic asset that we build up.

BARBARA CORCORAN

Only in hindsight, I might add and there's the rub.

KATE GRIGGS

Yes, exactly. So what would you say to people who are starting a business, because entrepreneurs, we all fail, don't we? It's something that happens, and I know that Richard Branson and all of the people we've interviewed, talk about failure being important. What would you say to people about failure?

BARBARA CORCORAN

Well, failure, if you want to get ahead in life, is half of what life is. If you don't know how to fail and get back up, you don't move ahead in anything. So it's the greatest attribute to have.

KATE GRIGGS

Rob Law, the entrepreneur and Founder of Trunki, the ride-on suitcase that revolutionised how kids travel, is also no stranger to setbacks. Despite being rejected on 'Dragon's Den' and being told by one of the dragons that his company was worthless, he went on to sell 5 million suitcases in over 100 countries and won more than 120 awards. In 2022 he sold his company for over £12 million. He said 'Being an entrepreneur, you have to be incredibly passionate and believe in what you're trying to achieve, but you also have to be incredibly thick skinned and be driven and determined to get your product to market.' Rob talked about the importance of developing resilience in our podcast, Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking.

ROB LAW

Resilience, just in life in general, is an absolute key skill-set to develop and it's really what makes us who we are. It's really character building and it's how we learn. So when things don't go well that's such an important life lesson. Because I've faced quite a few challenges, I've ended up changing my mindset to think of challenges as things you can just face straight up to. Try and overcome them. You quite often don't end up exactly what you were hoping to get to, but you get the other side of the challenge and then you can carry on with your journey. So flipping challenges from, 'Oh, I’m going to throw the towel in. I don't want to face it. I'm going to put it off', to actually squaring straight onto it and taking it head on.

The one other key lesson I learned around challenges is you’ve got to spend your energy wisely. It takes a huge amount of energy to overcome these challenges, and actually you can't influence some things. So you can only spend that energy on what you can influence. Before I went on Dragons’ Den, we had the hand luggage ban. So it was at the height of the liquid bomb threat in 2006 and it's when we ended up having to put our liquids in a clear plastic bag. So I had just started Trunki, looking forward to the summer peak sales season. And I got home one night, and there was a news flash that the secret services had foiled a liquid bomb threat and we were all safe, however, the government have decided to ban hand luggage.

Once again, my face turned white, I turned to my flatmate and said, 'What did he just say?' 'The government has just banned hand luggage'. I said, 'I've just launched a hand luggage business. My product is banned in my home market, that's insane'. So I tried to contact the Department of Transport, British Airways, Heathrow, all these different places, and very quickly realised there's no way I can influence this outcome. What I can influence is my costs and my marketing message. So it was a big pivot to marketing Trunki to staycations and I actually started exporting a lot more around the world where they didn't have the hand luggage ban.

But using that energy wisely and just trying to put aside the things you can't influence. Like Covid, a massive problem for us, a huge drop in sales. But I'm not going to influence when that travel ban is going to be lifted, what I can influence is my costs and trying to conserve enough energy for myself and my team, so when it does lift we can bounce back strong.

KATE GRIGGS

Setbacks and mistakes will happen for any entrepreneur. But the most important thing is to fail fast and bounce back and see the good that comes from this. Let's hear from Daniel Singer, Founder of Filthy Foods, a gourmet cocktail company, as he explains his approach to failure.

DANIEL SINGER

I jump and build my wings on the way down and you hit a lot of branches during that fall. I own the mess ups and I apologise and we move on. There has to be a lot of humility in it, in the mistakes and in the failings. But as long as they're filled with intention and you're doing your best, then you can just own them and apologise and move on. And they're so valuable, so valuable.

KATE GRIGGS

We live in a society that seems to be, it doesn't embrace failure in the way that it should, I think as dyslexics we're just experts at failing because we did very early on and we bounce back and it builds our resilience. Everybody needs that don’t they?

DANIEL SINGER

Absolutely, as I said, there is no negativity, it's just energy. As I said, you can suffer in it and it can hold you back and you can waste energy on it or you could be grateful for it, and then you could just use it to push you in another direction or to make something better.

KATE GRIGGS

Here are three key takeaways from this section. One, dyslexic entrepreneurs embrace failure which means we build high levels of resilience and persistence. Two, when we fail we're good at bouncing back fast, pivoting, learning from our mistakes and finding workarounds. Three, we're keen and impatient which means we lean in, get started, learning and adapting as we go.

End transcript

 

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Next, we'll look at the fourth reason.

Dyslexics are curious and questioning, building businesses that are fuelled by our passion and curiosity.

We love to find ways to disrupt industries and challenge the status quo.

   Questioners who don't accept the status quo

Timing: 11 minutes

Watch this video where Kate, Nick Jones, Daniel Singer, Josh Turner and Tom Vernon explain the fourth reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

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Transcript

KATE GRIGGS

The fourth reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs is we are passionate questioners who don't accept the status quo. The Dyslexic Thinking skill of Exploring. Dyslexics are curious and questioning, building businesses that are fuelled by our passion and curiosity. We love to find ways to disrupt and challenge the status quo. And when it comes to customer experience we are motivated to go the extra mile. Soho House is a perfect example of this. They transformed the traditional, stuffy, old-fashioned members club model by creating a global network of super cool, comfortable, creative clubs that everyone wanted to hang out in. With cool décor, amazing locations and facilities, and great service and a ‘no tie’ policy, they still have a waiting list for every club around the world. As Nick Jones, Founder and CEO of Soho House, explains.

NICK JONES

Soho House, when I opened the first one, I didn't know if it would survive the first year so it was no grand plan to have them around the country or around the world. I strongly believe that you’ve got to get your four Ps in the right order. And I think dyslexia helps this. I think you've got to be passionate. That's the first P. You’ve got to have great people, that’s the second P. And you got to have a great product. And if you have those three then you get great profit. So you’ve got to concentrate not on the profit but on all the other things and then the profit will follow

KATE GRIGGS

Questioning existing business models to ask 'Why?' or 'Why not?' drives innovation. Virgin Atlantic were the first airline to offer passengers in-flight entertainment. The idea came from an observation that there's nothing worse than looking at the back of someone's chair for eight hours. So they thought why not fit a TV in the back of every seat on every Virgin Atlantic plane? It was an instant hit with customers. The status quo was disrupted and their competitors soon followed suit. Now every long haul flight has seatback entertainment.

This ability to challenge the status quo, do things differently and pursue them doggedly with passion is a valuable Dyslexic Thinking skillset linked to the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Exploring. Our passion motivates us and our teams to go further and deliver the best service or product for our customer. Let’s hear from Daniel Singer again as he explains how passion drives his business.

DANIEL SINGER

I like to see the space between all the noise. So there was this huge renaissance happening in cocktails, people were moving towards fresh ingredients, fresh juices behind the bar, everything was premiumising. But olives were in these big gallons, they were oily, they were salty, the brine would turn rancid before anybody went through them. There was really no love in the category. So I thought, what would it be like to go on a journey and explore? I’m super curious.

KATE GRIGGS

Another Dyslexic Thinking skill.

DANIEL SINGER

Yes, hundreds of varieties of olives. I could have stopped at 5 or 10 varieties. There are 700 varieties of olives on the planet. I spent two years looking at 230 varieties of olives. And then naturally cure everything. So while everyone's using chemicals to cure all the fruit, we naturally cure everything so it takes months instead of days. And I believe that people can feel that in what they taste. When a little olive might sit in the bottom of a drink, it contributes in some way to the feeling that that bar or that bartender's trying to create. So we should be part of that story. We should contribute in a positive way.

KATE GRIGGS

But it's very clear that your business is really built on passion. We often say that the dyslexics find one thing that they love to do and are brilliant at, and when they do, they're unstoppable. Is that is that how you would describe yourself?

DANIEL SINGER

I just put love into absolutely everything that I do. I want to be kind to people, that's part of being empathetic, it’s part of being a dyslexic thinker. You see what people need and you want to provide that for them.

KATE GRIGGS

Many dyslexics use their passion to become social entrepreneurs, righting wrongs and using their entrepreneurial skills to create positive change in the world. It's the reason social entrepreneur, Josh Turner, started his sock business, Stand4 Socks. Josh explains how his passion is helping him to create impact in the world.

JOSH TURNER

With friends over a beer I came out with this quote of 'Imagine if socks could change the world'. And it was always an off the cuff, joke comment. And 5 or 6 beers later it became a lot better idea. But it was this idea that everyone buys socks and socks are typically dull, a poorly made afterthought, and if we could give every single pair of socks a social purpose or make better quality socks, is it a crazy idea to think socks could change the world? Let's take a product that most of us wear every single day add a touch of social impact and I would say the rest is history, but that's where Stand4 Socks started back in 2014. And we've evolved a little bit over the years, but yes, this idea that let's make the best pair of socks in the world and support good causes around the world.

KATE GRIGGS

And I think what's really fascinating about that is that you just didn't make a pair of socks to give away, you actually really thought about the homeless people and the vulnerable people who needed the socks. What did they actually need? Because you made them thicker, didn't you?

JOSH TURNER

The homeless thing came around about a year and a half after launching. We'd been supporting all the United Nations’ Global Goals and having all these great social impacts around the world, but were ignoring a cause on our doorstep, literally. And it was one Christmas, we’d one design that basically completely flopped and I think I was just fed up with the business and fed up with this tough Christmas period that we’d had, and I was like, 'Let's just get rid of these socks and do some good'.

And we took them to a local homeless shelter and the reaction was just like the penny dropping. It was like the third or fourth shelter, I went and dropped 100 pairs of socks at each, and they were saying, 'Do you know that socks are the most requested items we get? No one ever donates socks. They’re a wear-through item. You wear them until you get holes in them and then you throw them away.' But if you’re homeless on the street walking more than the average person, probably up to ten miles a day, and you don't have the benefit of nice clean socks every day, that leads to a number of very serious foot health issues and trench foot, which most of us in our day to day take for granted.

And that's when the penny drops, and we were like, 'We need to donate socks.' These socks were made for consumer market and very fashionable and designer colours and bright stuff, but let's challenge what is possible for the needs of homeless people. We just kept pushing it. It was like, hardwearing colours, don’t want holes in the toes because they need to be worn more often, and you need to support the arch. And we basically started to look at how hiking socks are the best hardwearing socks, so let’s start with that and then go back to our factory and go, 'Right, we want to make this, but also for homeless people' and that's when naturally antibacterial material started to come into it.

Yes, I’ll still say today, they are the greatest socks ever made for homeless people in the world. Probably the most innovative sock we've ever created. It was just challenging that norm and thinking of the problem and trying to solve it to the best of our ability. And we still evolve it today with changing needs.

KATE GRIGGS

Using his passion to create change in the world and doing things differently is exactly what Tom Vernon, the Founder of football academy Right to Dream, is all about too.

Tom, Right to Dream is an incredible organisation. Can we start by you telling us a little bit more about it, explaining what it does and the real social purpose behind it, because it is truly inspiring.

TOM VERNON

We've come a long way from where we started, I’m sure we’ll get into it, but today Right to Dream is a fully residential, fully educational, 100% scholarship, football academic academy. And we have academies in Ghana, in Egypt, we're just building in San Diego now, and in Denmark as well, where we have a slightly hybrid model in Denmark.

We built a model for football and academic development that is quite different to how the normal football industry operates. And so we have a lot of core tenants that are different to how the rest of the industry works. So every child that comes into our academy gets a five year scholarship to be in the academy. We strategically admit, we like to say, kids who we believe can play in the Champions League one day, or kids who we believe can study in the Ivy League one day.

And so across Ghana, Ivory Coast, Egypt, now America, Mexico and Scandinavia, we scout for kids who have tremendous football ability and great academic ability. Boys and girls. And they come residentially into our academies. And then we build and structure the right pathway for every one of our kids.So the football industry is often criticised for the commoditisation of children, and once you're not good enough then you're out and the next one’s in. And we took a very different approach which was to treat every child as if they were our own and make decisions for the long term for every child.

One of the things that's transpired from that is that in elite football we are one of the most successful in the world now at producing world class players, both men and women, and have had over 100 professional footballers come through our academies. The last World Cup saw 7 or 8 of our players playing at the World Cup. And so, yes, it's been been a long journey where we've made some key decisions and choices to move away from standard industry norms in how football is operated, to create something that, as you kindly said, we think is quite special.

KATE GRIGGS

What an amazing difference Tom is making using his passion and Dyslexic Thinking. Here are three key takeaways from this section. One, dyslexic entrepreneurs get their three Ps in the right order. Passion. People. Product. Then profit will follow. Two, our curiosity makes us question the status quo and ask 'Why?' or 'Why not?'. And this drives innovation. And three, we love disrupting industries to deliver a better service or product for the customer or to right a wrong as a social entrepreneur.

End transcript

 

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Next, we'll look at the fifth and final reason.

Dyslexic entrepreneurs are skilled at motivating, leading and inspiring people. This is born out of our strong connecting skills and heightened emotional intelligence.

Great at leaning into our strengths and encouraging others to do the same, we’re able to create brilliant teams that grow companies faster.

   Great leaders, team builders and empathisers

Timing: 5 minutes

Watch this video where Kate describes the fifth and final reason why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs.

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Transcript

KATE GRIGGS

The final reason why dyslexic thinkers make great entrepreneurs is we are 'people' people. Great leaders, team builders, empathisers, the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Connecting.

Another skill that sets dyslexic entrepreneurs apart is their ability to motivate, lead and inspire people. This is born out of strong connecting skills and heightened emotional intelligence. Being aware of our weaknesses and the need to focus on our strengths, we also become expert delegators. This in turn builds and empowers great teams who are all encouraged to lean into their strengths. Something we all love to do.

Dyslexic thinkers recognise that their kryptonite will be someone else's superpower and vice versa. By having this greater understanding of ourselves and others’ superpowers we're able to create brilliant teams that grow companies faster. And when it comes to communicating with our customers, our high level of emotional intelligence, empathy and passion means we can put ourselves in their shoes to get greater understanding of what they need and how to reach and inspire them. This builds brands and products that truly connect with the customer in a powerful and authentic way.

Let's hear again from Richard Branson talking about the Dyslexic Thinking skill of Connecting in this brilliant clip.

SIR RICHARD BRANSON

I think dyslexics are particularly good at surrounding themselves with good people because they are not necessarily good at everything. And if somebody thinks, 'Oh, I know everything, I’m really good at everything', they're apt to talk down on people whereas I think dyslexics are much better listeners and much better at drawing on other people. And as a result, I think they're better leaders. By learning from other people, you're going to be able to achieve much more than thinking you know everything yourself because there are so many gems of ideas that you can pick up.

KATE GRIGGS

It’s a skill shared by US Shark, Barbara Corcoran, too. She explains her Connecting skill and the impact it had on her business.

BARBARA CORCORAN

I've always been great with people. You know, you get a couple of other little treats when you're dyslexic. One is you're naturally enormously empathetic. That's a great people building skill. And teams, I mean, unless you want a business of one just you making shoes or something, you have to be good with people. You build business on people. There's nothing else really. And so if you can spot a person, identify their talent very quickly because you're empathetic and sympathetic, you can build a huge business on the skills of so many different people with different skills and so teamsmanship and the ability to lead a team and pick the right people and motivate them the right way is all part of what you get.

I think, with the downside of being dyslexic, not being good with books or numbers or digits, but you could hire people for that stuff. That's the boring stuff anyway. You don't want to be doing that all day. You get to do the fun stuff with the people and the creative stuff with the design and the daydreaming and visualising where you want to go. I mean that's all the fun part of building a business. I got more A students working for my company that are great with numbers, great with digits. They could do it.

The best card for me on Shark Tank is my empathy. I can slip right into the entrepreneur’s shoes and I can also see through a phoney right away. I can see what doesn't fit the picture, so to speak. I am not even quite sure why it's not registering, but I've learned to trust my gut because I get a whole picture, whole feeling, and I either go or I don't. So no, it's a shortcut on Shark Tank if you have that ability, no doubt about it.

KATE GRIGGS

Here are the three key takeaways from this section. One, dyslexics are great delegators and brilliant at surrounding ourselves with the right team. Two, our ability to lean into our own strengths and to empower teams to do the same creates highly motivated, empowered teams. Three, our people skills and empathy enable us to stand in the customer's shoes and to really understand what they need. And this builds great authentic businesses.

End transcript

 

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Next, we'll hear some great tips on driving success in business.

We asked our circle of dyslexic entrepreneurs to share their top tips on becoming an entrepreneur and using their Dyslexic Thinking skills to drive success in business.

   Dyslexic entrepreneurs on driving success in business

Timing: 3 minutes

Watch this video to learn about the top tips from Rob Law, Founder of Trunki & Zeepy; Alex Wright, Co-Founder of Dash; and Josh Turner, Founder of Stand4 Socks.

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Transcript

KATE GRIGGS

We asked our circle of dyslexic entrepreneurs to share their top tips on becoming an entrepreneur and using their Dyslexic Thinking skills to drive success in business. Here are 3 of our favourites.

ROB LAW

I think for a dyslexic person, it's a phenomenal time. And the skill set, the superpower we have to think differently, is just going to be 10x through AI and all those smart kids at school who are going to be lawyers, doctors, accountants, etc are all going to really struggle because AI can do all that stuff, all the stuff that requires really good memory retention. And it's the people who harness these tools and use their creativity to get the best out of them, who are going to really thrive in the future. And that's that skill set of creative thinking, problem solving, and also dealing with people as well, and having really strong people skills.

ALEX WRIGHT

The first thing is make sure that you surround yourself with good people who are able to support you, like Virgin StartUp did by giving us the tools and then the know how to build our financial projections. So surround yourself with the right people, get the right tools to be able to do so, and then the third thing is, once you've got a plan, stick to it.

JOSH TURNER

Don't let other people's opinions influence you too much. Unless you're surrounded by other entrepreneurs, most people are in corporate jobs or very different parts of your life, however, they will want to give you a lot of advice on what you're doing. Listen to advice but don't take it as the gospel. Do what you frankly enjoy. I was doing an app idea, I didn’t enjoy it, I wasn't that motivated and passionate about it. I've always liked fun colourful socks. I like the creativity. I also, pretty much, like the randomness of it. So find what you're passionate about because frankly it's going to be very hard.

And I think lastly, it's a hard one, I think, again it's probably going back to the perception one. A lot of people don't follow creative projects because they feel they have to be really successful or it's a failure. And for that, we have it where, and I quite like it, I get called the Richard Branson of Socks amongst friends and stuff. They're like, 'Oh, it's the Richard Branson of Socks. Have you made your millions yet?' The bar for people in entrepreneurship or creative stuff is the expectation unless you make it really successful, you're a failure. So I think start something you're passionate about and enjoy and don't worry about the destination, just enjoy the journey.

End transcript

 

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Next, we'll look at all we've learnt in this short course.

Of course, not all successful entrepreneurs are dyslexic, but what this course has shown is that dyslexics tap into the skills they are hardwired with to approach business differently, and this gives them a competitive advantage.

   A unique competitive advantage

Timing: 3 minutes

Watch this video, in which Kate summarises all the reasons why dyslexics make such great entrepreneurs.

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Transcript

So there you have it. The five reasons dyslexics make such great entrepreneurs.

1. We are imaginers and visionaries who see new possibilities.

2. We are big-picture thinkers who keep things simple.

3. We embrace failure making us super resilient and persistent.

We are passionate questioners – we don't accept the status quo.

We are 'people' people – great leaders, team builders and empathisers.

But of course not all successful entrepreneurs are dyslexic, but what this course has shown is that dyslexics tap into the skills they are hardwired with to approach business differently. And this gives them a competitive advantage.

So if you are a dyslexic thinker, now is the time to lean into your Dyslexic Thinking skills to launch your startup or accelerate your business. And if you're not a dyslexic thinker, you'll have learned about the Dyslexic Thinking skills that turbocharge entrepreneurs and can use them to drive your business forward. And remember the most successful entrepreneurs are driven by the three Ps: Passion, People, Product. They dream big and jump in. As Richard Branson says, 'Imagine what could be created, imagine what other people are not creating, and just say, let's do it and let's give it a go. And magic can come from that.'

Thanks so much for taking this course. Please share the DyslexicU courses with your community, your friends and family. Because each ripple, however small, will lead to a sea change in how Dyslexic Thinking is understood and harnessed across the world. Be sure to check out the links and resources on the Entrepreneurs DyslexicU course page. You'll find lots more useful information to help you on your entrepreneurial journey.

End transcript

 

Interactive feature not available in single page view (see it in standard view).

So, if you’re a dyslexic thinker, now is the time to lean into your Dyslexic Thinking skills to launch your start-up or turbocharge your business.

If you’re not a dyslexic thinker, you’ll have learned about the Dyslexic Thinking skills that turbocharge entrepreneurs and you can use them to drive your business forward.

 

Now that you’ve completed this course, you should be able to:

 

• Understand the 6 Dyslexic Thinking skills: the new intelligence the world needs

• Explain the 5 reasons why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs

• Use these skills to turbocharge your business or startup

• Find links to useful resources to help you further.

Next, test your understanding of all that you've learnt in this short course by doing the knowledge check.

Now that you’ve completed the course, it’s time to try the knowledge check.

The quiz has 10 questions. It has a pass grade of 70% and provides you with feedback depending upon the mark you achieve. You can take the quiz as many times as you would like until you pass.

If you have completed all the elements of this course's learning and successfully pass the knowledge check, your digital badge will be sent to you via the email address you used to enrol on the course (usually within 36 hours). You can then add the badge to your LinkedIn profile as well as sharing it on other social media accounts.

Inspired by everything you’ve learned? Ready to use Dyslexic Thinking to turbocharge your entrepreneurial journey? Here are further resources to help you on your way:

• Learn how to Empower Dyslexic Thinking in the Workplace – with free training from Made By Dyslexia on LinkedIn Learning.
• Listen to interviews with inspiring entrepreneurs in our Lessons In Dyslexic Thinking podcasts – Richard Branson, Barbara Corcoran, Alex Wright and many more.
• Take your startup business to the next level with Virgin StartUp – find tools and resources to hone your skills, apply for a startup loan or join an accelerator programme.
• Connect with our Dyslexic Thinking Entrepreneurs and StartUp community on LinkedIn (COMING SOON).
• Learn more about Dyslexic Thinking in This Is Dyslexia, written by Dyslexic Thinking expert, Kate Griggs.
• Find out more about Made By Dyslexia, the brilliance of Dyslexic Thinking and access more free resources.

All done?

If you have completed all the elements of this course's learning and successfully passed the knowledge check, your digital badge will be sent to you via the email address you used to enrol on the course (usually within 36 hours). You can then add the badge to your LinkedIn profile as well as sharing it on other social media accounts.

References

BBC research reported by Ben Flanagan (2003) in Who wnats to be a millionaire? The Guardian.

Acknowledgements

531002: Image: Course banner: © Made By Dyslexia. All videos © Made By Dyslexia.