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richard branson

5 Daily Habits to Steal From Richard Branson, Including Accepting Failure
Skills

5 Daily Habits to Steal From Richard Branson, Including Accepting Failure

You know him as Richard Branson, the iconic leader behind Virgin Airlines but his technical title? Well, it’s a mouthful: Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson. Nope, he’s not a royal — but pretty much as close as it gets. As one of the most well-known business powerhouses who takes a revolutionary approach to everything he touches, he’s earned his recognition. Believe it or not, his conglomerate — The Virgin Group — owns more than 400 companies, with his latest venture attempting to bring space travel to the masses. Branson's been an entrepreneur all of his life, initially launching a magazine at the age of 16, and then a mail-order record business post-college. His career took off when he opened a chain of record stores called Virgin Records in the '70s. By the '80s, he developed his airline and eventually, his music label.Buckingham Palace knighted the English-born Branson in the year 2000 for his "services to entrepreneurship," and in 2007, he was named one of Time’s most influential people in the world. With a net worth of $4.1 billion — he’s among the richest self-made billionaires on the planet. Here, a few of Richard Branson's habits, rituals, and values he abides by, day-in and day-out:He writes.In a blog for Virgin Airlines, Branson got nitty-gritty about his day. Though he definitely subscribes to some of the same regimes that the top leaders adopt, like getting up early and a structured day, he also lets his creativity flow freely. When he’s not responding to emails or taking calls, he catches up on the news, which inevitably inspires him to write blogs: “I find myself speaking out more and more about the things I cannot accept — like the failed war on drugs, mistreatment of refugees, prejudice against the LGBT community, or the fact that the death penalty still exists despite being proven to not deter crime. But my blog is not always filled with calls to action. No two days are the same: one day I’ll be writing about conservation, the next I’ll sharing family photos from Necker Island, and then the following day I’ll be offering business tips to help young entrepreneurs find their stride.”Even if you’re not leading a mega company — or a tiny one — getting your thoughts out helps you to understand your own mind. And it will lower your stress levels, improve your focus and give you power over worries or anxieties. He takes notes for everything -- on paper!If you ever showed up to a meeting early in your career without a pen-and-paper in hand, you may have been sent back to your desk by a manager. Sure, most work has gone digital these days, but there is still something effective — and satisfying — about physically writing notes. In fact, many leaders (including Sheryl Sandberg) are known for this ritual. Branson is one of ‘em. “Regardless of where I am or what I’m doing – perhaps with the exception of kitesurfing or swimming – I always have a notebook on hand. My secret ‘life hack’ has also been to write it down! I can’t tell you where I’d be if I hadn’t had a pen on hand to write down my ideas as soon as they came to me,” he wrote.He listens to everyone about everything.In an interview Branson's daughter Holly did with CNBC, she shared how her father is an expert listener. In fact, it’s something he taught her to value in her own career. He doesn’t just take notes from the wealthiest or the most successful — but literally anyone and everyone, even strangers. “Listen as much as you speak, or listen more than you speak. There are a lot of great things my dad has found by listening to everyone,” she continued. “If he is sitting on Virgin Atlantic he will sit and chat with the customers and ask, ‘Do you have any advice for me? Do you have any tips? Is there anything you don’t like today? What can I change?’” Branson's desire to reap feedback is tied to his ultimate goal: make the planet — and its people — better, happier, and healthier. As he wrote on Virgin’s blog: “I feel that fulfillment and purpose are very closely linked. Most people feel the most fulfilled and happiest when they are having a positive impact on those around them. Business should be a driving force in creating a better world, so if you can combine your entrepreneurial skills with a social purpose, you can have a great effect on the world.”He focuses on living.To build an empire, create products and tools that make life easier for millions, and to always be photographed with a big ‘ole smile on your face, you have to love life. And that’s exactly what Branson tries to focus on: living each day. When you’re a billionaire, it definitely seems a bit easier to enjoy the ride, but more responsibilities add more pressure, and learning the fine juggling act of it all has proved instrumental for Branson’s psyche. “I don’t really separate work and play — it’s all living. This doesn’t mean I’m always working, it means I’ve learned the art of balance,” he wrote. “It’s so important to carve a little time for yourself to breathe. I find the best way to do this is to make a cup of tea and take ten minutes to reflect. Often this time sparks new ideas as your mind wanders, or helps you find solutions to problems that have been bugging you. I find that taking a break helps me rest rather than give up. If you burn yourself out, you’re no good to anyone.”He believes mistakes are a part of the game.You may or may not remember 1994, but here’s a refresher on one of Virgin’s biggest failures: Virgin Cola. Doesn’t ring a bell? That’s because it was a major flop. As Branson wrote on Virgin’s blog, they drove a tank through the streets of New York, smashing through a wall of Coca-Cola cans, making for some headlines. They thought they could drive sales far past Pepsi and Coke — but they bombed. In fact, he said it was one of the biggest mistakes in the company’s history. Does Branson let it get him down? Nope, he takes it as a learning opportunity — and smashes forward. And he hopes to pave the way for others to do the same. "Perhaps the biggest positive to come from Virgin Cola, however indirectly, was the launch of Innocent Drinks. Co-founder Richard Reed, a former employee at Virgin Cola, was inspired by his experience, and later started selling his own smoothies with a couple of friends. He now heads one of the biggest, most purposeful drinks brands in Britain. And it’s very satisfying to know that he got his start at one of our Virgin businesses,” he wrote.

Richard Branson Says His Best Ideas Happened In These Super Strange Locations
Creativity

Richard Branson Says His Best Ideas Happened In These Super Strange Locations

Creative ideas tend to strike in the oddest places. In the shower, on the commute to work, or precisely when you're supposed to be asleep. Creativity doesn't occur in a specific location, although sometimes it certainly helps to have a safe hub where you can sit and dream up your wildest plans. For some, this is their office, but for Richard Branson, it's in the places you'd least expect. Here are four places the beloved billionaire says have inspired his most creative ideas. Spoiler alert: none are at his desk. 1. Friend's basement In a blog post on Virgin, Branson described how he and a group of friends began working on Student Magazine, his first entrepreneurial venture. This was when he was 16 years old and had just dropped out of school to start the magazine which would cover everything from pop-culture to the Vietnam war. Of course, as it was not entirely a "legal operation," it had to be done in secret. So Branson and his rebellious friends worked in the basement of his friend's house in London. It was cramped and chaotic, but ideas were flying and energy was high. They were once inspected by officers and had to hide everything. Unfortunately, a phone stuffed inside a cupboard rang during the inspection! 2. Church crypt After the teens were kicked out of the basement, they went in search of a new underground workspace. A local minister loaned them the church crypt, where Branson used a slab of rock on top of two coffins to work on. The group rushed to finish the new issue while in an even more cramped (and definitely creepy) place. Makes your office cubicle seem a little less depressing, doesn't it? 3. Houseboat As Branson's ventures grew bigger and he jumped from magazines to creating Virgin, he didn't have enough money to buy a house. So, according to CNCB, he bought a houseboat instead. At the time, it cost him less than $3000 and it turned out to be one his most productive workspaces ever. He ended up keeping the houseboat even after Virgin took off and he had the chance to work in an actual office. He spent most of his time on the boat, spending time with his kids and conducting business meetings. As he wrote in his blog post, "Some of our happiest days, and greatest business deals, took place on the houseboat." 4. Hammock As Branson's success soared, he began upgrading his workspace. Nowadays, he works out of a comfy chair or a hammock on his private island. Necker Island, as he named it, was initially meant to be a hideaway for bands to record their music in private. But it ended up becoming a hotspot for entrepreneurs and company events. Branson explains how the island allows him to be surrounded by what inspires him the most: nature, fun, and family. Now his best ideas happen while rocking gently in a hammock, after a morning of running and kayaking. While buying your own private island may be a stretch, the fact that Branson used to work out of a crypt just goes to show that you don't need to spend money prepping your perfect office for creative ideas to hit. They can happen anywhere you want them to, so take a pen and a notebook and head out to a park, café, or even a church. Your most creative ideas are waiting.

4 Life-Altering Lessons Richard Branson Learned From His Dad
Skills

4 Life-Altering Lessons Richard Branson Learned From His Dad

What have you learned from your dad?Father’s Day is an opportunity to remember just how much our fathers -- or the men in ur lives we look up to -- have taught us, and thank them for it. The lessons of strength, wisdom, and love that permeate our life and have made us who we are today.One person who attributes a huge part of his success to his father is Virgin CEO and billionaire Richard Branson.“My father was also hugely instrumental in shaping me to become the man I am today,” said Branson.Why not? It’s as close to heaven as I'll ever get!– Ted BransonHere are four lessons Richard Branson learned from his dad.1. The power of the unspoken word can be frighteningly impactful (and the power of forgiveness just as much so)“When I was a child, I helped myself to dad’s loose change drawer – I didn’t see it as stealing, but rather as just borrowing without an established repayment plan – and bought chocolate from our local corner store,” says Branson.One day, on a quick visit to the store with his father Ted, the counter clerk mentioned to his father that Richard had been coming in to the store frequently, spending quite a bit of money.His father’s response? His father looked the clerk straight in the eye and said, “Madam, how dare you accuse my son of stealing.” His father would never say anything about the incident and adopted a careful silence for the rest of the day. This one incident remained clear in Branson’s mind ever since.“By defending my integrity, he made me feel more guilt-ridden than if he had berated me. I also learned the power of forgiveness and second chances, and about the importance of giving people the benefit of the doubt – even though I was certainly guilty. These lessons have served me well in life and in business,” reflects Branson.2. If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing wellA second lesson Branson learned from his father can be summed up in the phrase, “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”Branson says this has been one of the most significant lessons he’s learned in his lifetime, with it being a big part of what helped shape Virgin.At Virgin, we don’t do anything half-heartedly, and always reach and strive to change things for good. This desire to achieve great feats was spurred by my father, and has ultimately led to the success of the brand.3. It’s vital to dream– and go after that dream with all your heartIn addition, working hard and striving to achieve great feats was coupled with dreaming big and doing everything possible to achieve those dreams.Branson explains that because his father didn’t have the opportunity to realize his dream of becoming an archaeologist, he made sure his son learned from his mistakes and had the chance to follow his own heart.“Even when I messed up, which I have done many times throughout my life, he always stood by me; knowing that by showing me unconditional love I would become the man I was meant to be,” says Branson.4. Isn’t life wonderful?The final lesson Branson learned from his dad is summed up in three simple words, “Isn’t life wonderful?”My parents once said: ‘We didn't know whether he was 99 percent stupid and one per cent rather exceptional. We hung on to that one per cent .’ I’m so grateful that they did.Without their enduring love and support I wouldn’t be half the man I am today.Sometimes, life appears quite dark and without hope. However, if you hold on, things always have a way of turning around.

Feeling Stuck? Here Are Richard Branson's 3 Secrets for Getting Out of a Mental Slump
Motivation

Feeling Stuck? Here Are Richard Branson's 3 Secrets for Getting Out of a Mental Slump

We've all had "one of those days" where our brain seems to be on strike. You simply can't get yourself to focus on a task long enough to get it done. Or no matter how hard you try, everything you do comes out wrong. So instead of doing the work, you spend hours scrolling through social media or taking yet another online quiz to find out where your next vacation should be. It happens. Sometimes the feeling persists over several days and weeks. As your productivity plummets, your anxiety shoots through the roof. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Here are some smart tips to overcome a mental slump from none other than billionaire business magnate, Sir Richard Branson. 1. Never feel guilty about taking a break Taking a break seems counterproductive when you need to get something done. But not taking a break just forces you to drag your mind through hours of mediocre work. Richard Branson tweeted that you should never feel guilty about taking a break during an afternoon slump. He wrote in a blog post that "one of the best things you can learn to do is rest, rather than give up." A break doesn't have to be an hour long. It can be just 5-10 minutes where you turn away from your station and drink something soothing while being mindful of your surroundings. Take a moment to be in the moment. When you get back into action, you'll find that your mind has renewed focus and creativity. 2. When the mind is inactive, make the body active There's a saying that "mood follows action."If your current mood is, "I don't want to work", then getting up and doing some stretches or just walking around the house can turn that mood around. Richard Branson has repeatedly stated that his number one productivity tip is "working out." His own daily routine consists of tennis games, kitesurfing, and cycling. His body is always up and running, and that spurs his mind to do the same. Science has also proven that even 10 minutes of exercise can reinvigorate your mind. So kick that mental slump to the side with a little dancing, walking, or playing with your pet. 3. Dig deep and pull through Sometimes our mental slump is caused by the fact we're simply tired of working on the same task. It could be your business or a project you've been struggling to finish and feel like you can't do it any longer. Branson once wrote about a moment during a cycling challenge when he felt completely worn out and unable to continue. But then his son cycled past, and Branson felt a final surge of energy. He managed to cycle 45km in an hour while whooping like a schoolboy, ultimately crossing the finish line. At the end of the post, he refers to an old Navy SEAL idea that suggests we have the potential to dig deep and shine even at our most exhausted. He also mentions the "40% rule," which states that when our mind tells us we're done, we're only really 40% done. Branson concludes his insightful post by saying, "In the dark moments, we all have the power to pull ourselves up to keep going."

Richard Branson's Smart Strategy for Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking
Skills

Richard Branson's Smart Strategy for Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking

Few things are as intimidating as speaking in front of a large crowd. They all have their eyes on you, they're listening closely and scrutinizing every word, they may even be judging you. Of course, none of that is true half of the time, but that's what's going through your head. But you know who else absolutely hates public speaking? Virgin Group billionaire and British eccentric Richard Branson. It's hard to believe that someone who was constantly pitching ideas, meeting with investors, and giving interviews would detest speaking in public, but it's true. “I loathe making speeches, and always have,” said Branson in a blog post on Entrepreneur. He still cringes at the memory of having to give his very first speech in front of his classmates at school. But over the years, Branson has become accustomed to facing the dreaded crowds, thanks to a few valuable tips he's picked up along the way. They may very well help you overcome your own fear too. 1. Imagine you're having a friendly chat In an interview with Business Insider, Branson almost bashfully explained how someone once told him to imagine he was having a chat with a friend in his living room. After receiving this seemingly simple advice, every time Branson is tasked with public speaking, he ignores the fact there are millions of people watching him. Instead, he casually sits on stage and pretends he's telling a story to a group of friends. It takes practice to fully convince yourself, but once you do, it removes a lot of the anxiety that makes public speaking difficult. 2. Always prepare You don't have to be an expert at improv to be good at public speaking. Branson mentions in his blog post on Virgin how one of his favorite authors, Mark Twain, once said: “Impromptu speaking – that is a difficult thing. I used to begin about a week ahead, and write out my impromptu speech and get it by heart.” So don't panic if you're not the best at making spontaneous jokes. Prepare them, rehearse them, and learn to recite them so well that they sound like you just thought of them on the spot. 3. Practice, practice, practice You probably sighed at this one. Everyone says the same thing, "practice makes perfect!" While it's not the magic solution you were hoping for, practice is truly how anyone gets better at anything. To support this point, Branson always refers to Winston Churchill, who said he averaged an hour’s preparation for every minute of a speech. Put it this way: if you're not hearing your speech in your dreams, then you haven't practiced enough. Branson ends his post with another Mark Twain quote: There are only two types of speakers in the world: 1. The nervous. 2. Liars. So if you’re nervous, you’re in good company. Now here's an exercise for you. Take these tips and use them while practicing a speech in front of a mirror, or your pets, or your partner. You'll feel silly at first, but the only way you'll stop feeling anxious about public speaking is if you get so accustomed to doing it that it almost becomes second nature. If an entrepreneur like Branson who constantly lives in the public eye can do it practically every day, then you can certainly do it for that one meeting or event. Good luck!

Richard Branson's Most Powerful Success Tool Isn't What You'd Expect
Productivity

Richard Branson's Most Powerful Success Tool Isn't What You'd Expect

Richard Branson is a well-known entrepreneur whose journey started when he founded the Virgin Group, (named after his inexperience in business, by the way). Virgin became a powerful, billion-dollar company and set the stage for Branson's many other entrepreneurial successes. But even with over 400 companies under his reign, the business magnate still finds time to go kitesurfing, play tennis, and even swim while wearing a mermaid tail. So when Branson says he's about to reveal "one of the most powerful tools" he has in his "bag of business tricks," you'd expect something mind-blowing. But in reality, his secret weapon is this: A notebook and pen. Hold on, don't roll your eyes and click away just yet. You'd be surprised at the ways Branson uses his notebook to aid his career and even his personal life. Here are a few of his secrets: 1. Critiquing his own company experience One of Branson's favorite hobbies is to be his own customer and note any questions or observations that pop up along the way. On one occasion, he left Las Vegas on a Virgin America flight and noticed something crucial. It was a swelteringly hot day, and his flight attendants came by kindly offering hot towels. Understandably, neither he nor the other customers wanted them. Branson wrote it down in his trusty notebook and later read it out to his employees back at the company. The result? All flights leaving hot destinations began offering cold towels. Who knows when or if this important detail would have been caught if Branson hadn't experienced it himself and written about it. 2. Evidence for management and negotiation Sometimes entrepreneurs have meetings and forget to write down a few details. It happens. But not to Branson. His notebook never leaves his side and he makes sure to jot down very specific observations during all his work-related interactions. This has proved to be a highly useful habit and has helped him settle countless client arguments. Whenever past agreements are questioned, Branson can simply flip open his notebook and say, "Actually, on April 7th at 3:57 pm, you said..." Branson's notes have become so valuable in this respect that they have even served as evidence in court. Bet you didn't expect a notebook could be that important, right? 3. Keeping track of amusing stories Unsurprisingly, Branson doesn't use his notebook for all work and no play. One of the things he loves to write down is whatever he finds entertaining at the time. It could be something to use in a future blog post or a funny story his daughter told him. In fact, he used the anecdotes in his notebook for his speech on his daughter's wedding day. So don't limit your own notebook to strictly business, you may end up finding golden nuggets buried in your personal scribblings too. 4. Lists and goals Okay, you probably saw this one coming. To be fair, Branson has a lot going on in his life so if he doesn't make lists, he'll probably forget what he has to do. On his blog, he explained his strategy for getting everything done. "I make lists — lots of them," ranging from lists of people to call and upcoming plans to lists of ideas and companies to set up." Aside from making lists of small daily tasks, Branson recommends also noting far off, outlandish goals. "What do you want to have achieved by 2020? How about 2050?" These should be personal as well as business-oriented goals, he says. So, you see? There's nothing quite like an old-fashioned notebook and pen to jot down from what your client said to your most amazing ideas. To wrap this up, here's a bonus tip from Branson: Always choose to write in a notebook over typing. Your laptop or phone has many distracting temptations, whereas a blank page simply lets you focus. An idea not written down is an idea lost. When inspiration calls, you've got to capture it. -- Richard Branson

Richard Branson Shares the Single Best Piece of Advice He Ever Received (It Came From His Mom)
Entrepreneurs

Richard Branson Shares the Single Best Piece of Advice He Ever Received (It Came From His Mom)

Richard Branson isn't your average billionaire. And despite the fact he has probably accumulated enough life and business experience for several lifetimes, he always gets back to a piece of advice that his mom once shared with him: Never look back in regret. Move on to the next thing. He began learning this lesson early on in life. As a young boy, he struggled in school due to dyslexia and was painfully shy around people. When he was five, his fearless mother decided it was time to teach her son a tough life lesson. On the way back from a shopping trip, she stopped the car on the side of a countryside road and gave little Ricky instructions on how to get home (about three miles away). Then, she drove off. Ricky spent the first few minutes regretting causing such a fuss in the backseat of the car, which was probably why he was being punished. But he soon realized that lamenting the past was doing nothing to serve his future. So he mustered up the courage to ask people for directions and eventually found his way back home. It was a bold parenting move, but it paid off. Richard Branson began to go through life always looking at challenges as just new opportunities. It was so clear now. Just move onto the next big thing. There's no point in wasting time looking back on your mistakes and feeling sorry for yourself. Dwelling on the past is counter-productive, it's stressful and negatively impacts your self-confidence. Use that energy to fuel new projects instead. Using this childhood lesson to fuel his entrepreneurship journey As a young boy, he dreamed of entrepreneurship and made his first business move at 16 by founding Student magazine to give '60s youth a voice on issues such as the Vietnam War. At 20 years old, he set up his own mail-order records operation. Nowadays, we know him as the business magnate behind the Virgin Group, which controls over 400 companies and has a revenue of over 20 billion dollars (as of 2016). Branson has also been awarded for his humanitarian initiatives, made cameos on various TV shows, set the world record for fastest crossing of the English Channel, and even been knighted at Buckingham Palace for his "services to entrepreneurship". And he has also made a reputation for himself as quite the compassionate leader. The act of donating half of his 5 billion-dollar wealth to charity gives us a tiny peek into his altruistic views on the meaning of wealth, which essentially boil down to: "Stuff really doesn't matter." It also applies to his personal life When talking about his immensely generous act, he described how he and his wife used to live on a boat, and one day it sank. They realized they missed nothing except their family photo albums. They felt the same detachment after their London house caught fire, destroying everything inside. Not everyone would be able to move on so easily after losing all the personal possessions they collected over their lifetime. But Richard Branson follows one small piece of advice, given to him by his mother, which he applies to both his career and his personal life. How you can use this knowledge to improve Here's some quick and easy advice for you to follow in Richard Branson's steps. When you catch yourself focusing on lost opportunities or past mistakes, stand up and take a deep breath. Interrupt your thoughts by changing your actions. Take a walk somewhere peaceful, play with your pets, listen to upbeat music and dance like you're drunk at a concert. Then sit down, take a notepad, and write what you're going to focus on next. That's when the real magic happens.

Richard Branson Reveals the Key to Happiness and Success
Purpose

Richard Branson Reveals the Key to Happiness and Success

No, Sir Richard Branson's key to happiness and success isn't to chill with a coconut on his private island – though, that's certainly part of it. The billionaire entrepreneur believes you need to unplug. To celebrate the National Day of Unplugging on March 10, Branson joined thousands of others by turning off his cell phone and staying away from his computer. Branson's team at Virgin.com joined him as they refused to blog, post or even look at social media for a full 24 hours, CNBC reports. Branson said in a recent blog post that "being constantly glued to your phone can have a big impact on your relationships." While I love technology and social media, a text or a tweet can never replace the real value of conversation. Don't skip the important moments Branson has a million things to worry about, but during meetings, he focuses by simply listening and taking notes. At home, there aren't any TV dinners. Instead, he catches up with family the old fashioned way, but chatting at the dinner table. It's all too easy to miss out on the important moments in life because you're too busy staring at your phone. Find a hobby Ditching your phone doesn't mean you need to stare at a wall for hours on end. Branson says hobbies are key for maintaining your own happiness, especially if they involve going outdoors. If you're finding it hard to be in the moment because you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, don't be afraid to take a break to recharge. We all need time to rest. Branson, who took Barack Obama kitesurfing on his private island last year, likes to hike, cycle and do water sports. But even walking your dog can help you feel "connected to nature and re-energized." It's all too easy to miss out on the important moments in life because you're too busy staring at your phone... We need to remember that we are the masters of technology, it is not the master of us.

Richard Branson Predicts the Next 'Big Thing' and It's Not What You Would Expect
Entrepreneurs

Richard Branson Predicts the Next 'Big Thing' and It's Not What You Would Expect

Remember the Concorde? If you don't, it was a supersonic passenger airliner able to fly across the Atlantic in about three-and-a-half hours. The Concorde was retired in 2003, but supersonic travel is making a comeback, according to billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson. “The next big thing, hopefully in my lifetime, will be supersonic travel coming back and people traveling around the world in next to no time,” Branson told Bloomberg Television. “And hopefully in a relatively environmentally friendly way." Virgin Galactic is currently working on the development of a supersonic jet in collaboration with Boom. If Branson's entrepreneurial record is any indication, the way we travel could be changed forever in a relatively near future. And beyond the economical and business implications that such a change would bring, this technological advancement could also have a considerable impact on human connection and personal development. Imagine a world where anyone would be able to reach foreign destinations in a fraction of the time. It is said that traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer -- this would literally expand your horizons, allowing you to get out of your comfort zone and broaden your perspective in the time span of a road trip. And how about those friends or family members that live abroad but that you never get to see? Faster air travel would bring you closer to them. Isn't it kind of funny when you think about the fact social media and Skype were the "big thing" that fulfilled that role until now? Given the digital revolution of the past two decades, it's easy to automatically think of tech as an expansion of our daily, physical lives into the digital universe, which has also affected the way we learn, grow and connect to others. But we shouldn't underestimate the power of more traditional industries to change our worlds in an equally impactful way.

Top 15 Richard Branson Quotes on Doing Business
Quotes

Top 15 Richard Branson Quotes on Doing Business

British business magnate and entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson is the founder and chairman of Virginia Group and one of the richest people out there.In school, Branson struggled with dyslexia and couldn’t really adapt, so at 16 he decided to drop-out of school and start a youth culture magazine called “Student”. The magazine proved to be a success and was practically the starting point for a humble music store called Virgin Records.Today, Virgin Group holds more than 400 companies in 30 countries around the world and is still expanding.Richard Branson is also the author of ‘Losing my Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way’ (among other books), which is an outrageous autobiography of an iconic business genius of our time. Looking back, it is clear that Branson's goal-oriented nature is responsible for his success whether it be in travel, music or fitness.Here are 15 Richard Branson quotes to ignite the entrepreneur in you:Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to.There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions – in a way that serves the world and you.As soon as something stops being fun, I think it’s time to move on. Life is too short to be unhappy. Waking up stressed and miserable is not a good way to live.You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.I have always believed that the way you treat your employees is the way they will treat your customers, and that people flourish when they are praised.Whatever your goal is you will never succeed unless you let go of your fears and fly.Capitalism – which in its purest form is entrepreneurism even among the poorest of the poor – does work; but those who make money from it should put it back into society, not just sit on it as if they are hatching eggs.Hard-won things are more valuable than those that come too easily.If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!How slim the line is between genius and insanity and between determination and stubbornness.To be successful you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running.