“Can you afford to ignore China? It's like saying you can afford to ignore the internet. I don't think so.” ThinkingInternetChina Author:Richard Branson
“I had no plans to be an entrepreneur. I just wanted to be a journalist and write for a magazine. At 15, I just decided to leave school and launch a national student magazine.” WritingWantedSchoolPlansStudentsDecidedEntrepreneurMagazinesJournalist Author:Richard Branson
“I never learned the rules in the first place. To change the game is at the heart of what Virgin stands for, so the company culture has always been: "Don't sweat it: rules were meant to be broken."” FirstsHeartCultureGamesCompanyBrokenMeant To BeSweatVirginsWere Meant To BeCompany Culture Author:Richard Branson
“I like to take chances on people, and whenever possible, promote from within - it sends a great message to everyone in the company when someone demonstrates a passion for the job and leadership skills at every step along the way and is rewarded with a leadership role.” PeopleWayJobsPassionChanceCompanyStepsRolesSkillsMessagesTake A ChanceEvery StepLeadership SkillsLeadership Roles Author:Richard Branson
“If you love what you do and if you believe in what you do, others will share your enthusiasm. Passionate people find their way to the Virgin Group, and when they do, we snap them up and try to keep them within the family.” PeopleIfsWayTryingBelieveGroupsSharePassionateEnthusiasmVirginsIf You BelieveSnaps Author:Richard Branson
“We [Virgin Group] have been successful not by wasting time scrutinising our competitors but by looking at ourselves from the point of view of our customers do and seeking feedback through listening.” Has BeensViewsSuccessfulGroupsListeningSeekingCustomersPoint Of ViewWasting TimeVirginsCompetitorsFeedback Author:Richard Branson
“Learning and leadership go together. Too much credit goes to me for what we have achieved at Virgin but the successes happen from working and learning with some of the world's most inspiring and inspired people.” PeopleWorldHappensTogetherToo MuchInspiredCreditVirginsMost Inspiring Author:Richard Branson
“My number one rule in business, and in life, is to enjoy what you do. Running a business involves long hours and hard decisions; if you don't have the passion to keep you going, your business will more than likely fail. If you don't enjoy what you are doing, then you shouldn't be doing it.” IfsLongHardRunningLife IsPassionEnjoyHoursDecisionNumbersFailingLong HoursHard DecisionRunning A Business Author:Richard Branson
“If you take care of your workers they'll take care of your business.” IfsCareWorkersTake Care Author:Richard Branson
“Most skills can be learned, but it is difficult to train people on their personality.” PeopleDifficultPersonalitySkillsTrainCompany Culture Author:Richard Branson
“We always enter markets where the leaders are not doing a great job, so we can go in and disrupt them by offering better quality services.” JobsQualityLeaderOfferingGreat JobQuality Service Author:Richard Branson
“There is no planet B. We have to take care of the one we have” CarePlanetsTake Care Author:Richard Branson
“The bigger the dream, the greater the opportunity” DreamOpportunityGreaterBigger Author:Richard Branson
“You're offering a great service. People are tuning in. So continue to find great people, continue to do what you're doing. And do it better than your rivals. I know that's easier said than done.” PeopleKnowsSaidDoneEasierOfferingRivalsGreat PeopleTuningGreat ServiceEasier Said Than Done Author:Richard Branson
“I think great businessmen are more likely made than born. I don't know if it's from your upbringing, your parental background, the struggles you go through. In my own particular situation, I left school at 15 and I was struggling to survive in the jungle and that was a great education. So I think just getting out there, hands on, learning to survive teaches you a lot.” IfsThinkingKnowsMadeHandsSchoolLeftBornMy OwnSituationTeachStruggleParticularBackgroundsBusinessmanJungleUpbringingParentalGreat EducationGreat BusinessGreat BusinessmanStruggling To Survive Author:Richard Branson
“I just kind of dive in if I think I can create something that will make a difference and then try to get the numbers to stack up after the event. So most of the things I've done I would not have done if I'd have asked the accountants to look at them before.” IfsThinkingTryingLooksKindI CanDoneDifferencesNumbersEventsMaking A DifferenceAccountants Author:Richard Branson
“I think business needs to have a heart and to have a heart a company must be more than just a moneymaking machine.” ThinkingNeedsHeartCompanyMachines Author:Richard Branson
“Universities are fantastic places to gain knowledge on a subject, develop a personal network, explore your character and learn new techniques to approach problems. I do however believe that there is a strong argument for students who have an idea they are passionate about to just try and turn it into a reality. I fell into this category and I don't regret not going to University.” TryingBelieveIdeasCharacterProblemRealityTurnsStrongSubjectsStudentsRegretApproachGainsArgumentUniversityPassionateTechniqueFantasticCategoriesDon't Regret Author:Richard Branson
“Realize that the people who are working with you, this is their life. You know, 80% of their time is spent at work. Make sure that they're proud of what they're doing, that they're enjoying what they're doing.” PeopleKnowsEnjoyRealizingProud Author:Richard Branson
“If people are jumping down people's throats all the time, in the end, they'll just shrivel up like a flower shrivels up that's not watered.” PeopleIfsEndsFlowerThroatJumping Author:Richard Branson
“I learnt from an early age this need to delegate responsibility out to other team members as there is just too much for one person to do themselves. What is the point of hiring talented team members if you don't give them the freedom to make the most of the chance you have given them?” IfsNeedsGivingPersonsAgeGivenChanceResponsibilityToo MuchTeamMembersHiringDelegatesTeam Member Author:Richard Branson
“I've been lucky to have survived balloon trips, boating trips, you know, a lot of rather foolish things in my life, so I was definitely born under a lucky star.” KnowsStarsBornLuckyFoolishBoatSurvivedBalloonsLucky Star Author:Richard Branson
“By working hard, by making the right moves, you can create your own luck, I think. But certainly luck plays a part.” ThinkingHardPlayMovingLuck Author:Richard Branson
“I would not be able to change a sparking plug and I would not be able to fly a spaceship or build a rocket or whatever. But what I am good at doing is finding brilliant people and surrounding myself with brilliant people.” PeopleAbleFindingsBrilliantRocketsSpaceshipsPlugsSparking Author:Richard Branson
“Breaking the rules and challenging convention is in the DNA of every successful entrepreneur. Doing things differently and solving problems with new, innovative and fresh approaches are the very reason many start-ups are able to compete and sometimes outpace the established market leaders.” SometimesReasonProblemAbleChallengesLeaderSuccessfulApproachEntrepreneurConventionsProblem SolvingDnaInnovativeSuccessful EntrepreneursMarket Leaders Author:Richard Branson
“There are millions of people out there who would love to become astronauts, who'd love to go to space - they'd love to look back at this wonderful world from space. That will be the engine that will enable us then to develop spaceships to transport people around the world at tremendous speeds in an environmentally friendly way.” PeopleWorldWayLooksSpaceMillionsWonderfulSpeedAround The WorldFriendlyEnginesAstronautTransportSpaceshipsWonderful WorldEnvironmentally Friendly Author:Richard Branson
“I think in life the key thing is just to fight really hard to make sure something survives. If it looks like you've done everything you can to avoid failure, just move forward, move on and learn from it.” IfsThinkingLooksHardDoneMovingFightingLike YouKeysMoving ForwardKey Things Author:Richard Branson
“People do not mind people who try things and fail. If you're a good entrepreneur, you're not going to succeed in every single thing you try. You've got to try to succeed at more things than fail.” PeopleIfsTryingMindFailingSucceedEntrepreneur Author:Richard Branson
“I'm a great believer that saying yes is a lot more fun than saying no.” FunBelieverSaying NoSaying Yes Author:Richard Branson
“It's really important to find an hour or two to a day to make sure that you keep healthy, keep fit. It's very easy just to forget that aspect. And if you're feeling really good and fit, I think you can get two or three extra hours a day of hard work in as well.” IfsThinkingWellsTwoImportantHardFeelingsThreeEasyHoursForgetHard WorkFitHealthyAspectExtras Author:Richard Branson
“Two heads are definitely better than one and by sourcing ideas from each other, you have a better chance of coming up with a strategy that will allow your business to overcome a setback or challenge.” TwoIdeasChallengesChanceTeamOvercomingStrategySetbackBrainstormingTwo Heads Author:Richard Branson
“Having a good network can be invaluable. It opens doors for you and allows you to enter into opportunities that are beneficial to your business. In this sense, 'who you know' is undoubtedly important, but to me 'what you know' is more important because once an opportunity shows itself, it is up to you to make the most of it, and this is down to your knowledge and skill.” KnowsImportantShowsOpportunityDoorsSkillsBeneficialUp To YouInvaluableWho You Know Author:Richard Branson
“I moved into a nice houseboat in Little Venice when I was 15 years old. I found a girlfriend called Monday and a houseboat called Friday, so I had the week sewn up.” YearsLittlesFoundNiceWeekMovedGirlfriendMondayFridayVenice Author:Richard Branson
“I have always believed that there is no point in having regrets as you learn far more from mistakes than successes. Embrace a mistake and learn from it; don't regret them.” MistakeRegretEmbraceAlways BelieveNo PointDon't Regret Author:Richard Branson
“I am always working on the go. I have never had an office that I work out of and work has become intertwined with my personal life. Fortunately I am able to work from my home and can answer my e-mails in the morning, play tennis or kitesurf in the afternoon to keep fit and have meetings or phone calls in between.” PlayHomeAbleAnswersMorningFitOfficeMeetingsPhonesWork OutTennisAfternoonMailPersonal LifePhone CallsIntertwinedAlways Working Author:Richard Branson
“I think that being a business a leader that treads all over people to get to the top is actually not the way I think to become a successful business leader.” PeopleThinkingWayLeaderSuccessfulSuccessful BusinessBusiness Leaders Author:Richard Branson
“If you run your business fairly; if you treat people well; if you try to move your business into areas that are making a real positive difference to other peoples lives; I think you'll A. have much pleasant life, but B. I think you'll have a much more successful business.” PeopleIfsThinkingTryingWellsRealRunningMovingDifferencesSuccessfulAreasTreatsPleasantSuccessful Business Author:Richard Branson
“You know I think if the people who work for a business are proud of the business they work for, they'll work that much harder, and therefore, I think turning your business into a real force for good is good business sense as well.” PeopleIfsThinkingKnowsWellsRealForceProudHarderGood BusinessBusiness Sense Author:Richard Branson
“If you offer people a decent service, if you give them you know Internet access, if their phones are not cut off on the trains, you know if you have plugs where they can plug in their computers, and if you have a smiling, cheerful staff; and if you can travel really quickly, then you can make a success out of the rail business.” PeopleIfsKnowsGivingCuttingInternetOffersComputerTrainPhonesAccessDecentStaffCheerfulRailPlugsInternet Access Author:Richard Branson
“I think business leaders all over the world should not just think of how we can make lots of money, which is fine, but to take some of the problems in the world and get out there and tackle them using business. I think that if businesses do that we can get on top of these problems.” IfsThinkingWorldShouldProblemLeaderFineLots Of MoneyBusiness Leaders Author:Richard Branson
“Happiness doesn't come from making a fortune and owning lots of possessions. 'Stuff' doesn't bring happiness. Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matter.” MatterStuffDifferencesFortuneSatisfactionPossessionGood HealthFamily Friends Author:Richard Branson
“If you have an idea that's going to make a big difference to people's lives, and other people are not doing it, you know, just say "screw it," do it and get on with it, and give it a go.” PeopleIfsKnowsGivingIdeasBigsDifferencesScrews Author:Richard Branson
“It always pays off to focus on things that will make you feel proud. Remember this during every difficult decision you face.” FeelsRememberFacesDifficultDecisionPayFocusProudDifficult Decisions Author:Richard Branson
“There's no better satisfaction than watching the people around you, who have worked day and night to get something right, realising the dream.” PeopleDreamNightSatisfactionRealisingDay And Night Author:Richard Branson
“It's never easy to set up any business, but it comes back to determination and drive and the love of what you do!” EasyDetermination Author:Richard Branson
“Most entrepreneurs are not doing it for financial motives in the first place. They're just people who love creating.” PeopleFirstsCreatingEntrepreneurFinancialMotive Author:Richard Branson
“I just wanted to create things that I could be proud of. Money was just an evil byproduct to pay the bills at the end of the year.” YearsEndsWantedEvilPayProudBillsBe Proud Author:Richard Branson
“An entrepreneur is somebody who is taking bold risks, is often doing things that have never been done before, trying to do things better. And an adventurer is challenging themselves, often doing things that have never been done before, seeing what they're capable of. In both cases, you've got to protect against the downside.” TryingDoneChallengesCasesSeeingRiskProtectCapableEntrepreneurAdventurer Author:Richard Branson
