Entrepreneur, investor, and self-proclaimed “professional dreamer” Simon Squibb took to the Elite Business Live stage with a message that resonated far beyond business: if you want your dreams to come true, start by helping someone else achieve theirs.
From the moment he began, Squibb pulled no punches on a subject close to his heart: the education system. “It’s broken,” he declared. “Designed by industrialists like Henry Ford to produce workers, not dreamers.” For Simon, the rigidity of traditional schooling stifles creativity and collaboration, the very qualities that drive entrepreneurial success.
Having sold his business and gained the financial freedom to reflect, Squibb turned his attention to understanding how dreams become reality. His journey took him around the world, interviewing over 4,000 people about their aspirations. What he discovered was sobering: many people are too consumed by survival mode to even articulate their dreams. “When you’re worried about paying the bills, your creative brain shuts down,” he explained. “The world needs dreamers, but more importantly, we need to create space for dreams to flourish.”
For Squibb, unlocking this potential starts with three core principles: community, commitment, and kindness.
The power of community
“Nothing successful happens alone,” Squibb stated. “The school system might teach you to pass an exam solo, but in the real world, it’s a community that changes lives.”
Simon shared how his own journey was shaped by his first business partner, Helen Griffiths. “She believed in me before I believed in myself,” he reflected. That first connection grew into a community of millions. Today, Squibb’s content reaches 400 million views monthly, but it’s not the numbers that drive him. It’s the collective power of people working together.
Community, he argued, is the greatest untapped advantage small businesses have over large corporations. “Amazon’s community is a complaint hotline. Google doesn’t have a community. But you? You can build a tribe of people who care about the same problem you do. That’s your superpower.”
Commitment: The rare trait of the top 1%
If community is the foundation, commitment is what separates success from failure. “To be in the top 1%, just do what you say you’re going to do,” Squibb challenged the audience. “That’s it. Follow through.”
He shared the story of a well-known figure who recently told him, “Simon, you said five years ago you’d fix education, and you’ve done it! You built HelpBnk. You gave people a way to dream.” Squibb was blunt with his next comment: too many people speak, too few act. “Commitment isn’t ink on a contract. It’s doing the thing, especially when no one’s watching.”
Give without take: The happiness hack
Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from Squibb’s talk was his philosophy on giving. “The system taught us ‘give and take’. But that’s wrong,” he said. “True happiness comes from giving without expectation.”
He challenged the audience to try it: help someone every day, with NO strings attached. Whether promoting a fellow business owner online, sharing knowledge, or offering a connection, Squibb promised two results: “You’ll sleep better, and your dreams will come true.”
Why? Because giving triggers oxytocin, the hormone of trust and connection. “It’s why giving someone a gift feels so good,” he smiled. “We are wired to help.”
He warned, however, that the transactional world we live in is driven by algorithms, social media, and economic pressure, which strains us to see every action through the lens of cost and return. “But when you drop the expectation, everything changes. Your life gets lighter.”
Redefining success
For Squibb, success is freedom, not wealth! “Money’s only value is that it can buy you time,” he said. “I don’t chase money anymore. I chase moments, people, impact.”
His advice was simple yet hit the audience with an impact, “If we each help one person daily, the ripple effect is immense. Forget the system. Forget the rules. Help someone because you can. That’s how we win.”
Squibb’s parting words were clear: “Commit to helping others consistently. Not for a like, not for a favour, but because it’s what we’re meant to do.”
It’s a radical yet refreshingly human message in an increasingly digital world. One that reminds entrepreneurs that their greatest resource isn’t capital but simply kindness.
