5.1 We are imaginers and visionaries

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.