Richard Branson, businessman - Like a Virgin

Source: eKapija Tuesday, 01.09.2015. 13:12
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Richard Branson (Photo: YouTube/screenshot)Richard Branson
When the hero of our story once lost a bet he had to shave his legs, puts make up and serves guests as a stewardess at the flight of Air Asia between Perth and Kuala Lumpur.

It would not be possible of course if he had not lost the bet with the owner of the company Tony Fernandez and that kind of a bet would not be offered by any other man than the one whose life is more like a Hollywood movie than a resume of one of the most successful world businessmen.

In 1966 as a 16-year old student of high school Stow, he delivered to the dean a letter with detailed explanation how school should be managed and soon after that he abandoned it forever. A dean, a veteran of World War II, Robert Dryson, told him then that he “will either end up in a jail or become a millionaire”.

And really, this dyslexic, shy boy with weak grades almost ended up in jail in ‘70s for “tax gymnastics”. Soon after that he became a millionaire. He is a billionaire now.

The hero of this story is, of course, Richard Branson. He was born in London, in exactly mid-twentieth century as the oldest child in a family of Edward, a lawyer and Eve, a ballet dancer and a stewardess. For dyslexia, he has been insecure since he was a kid and his mother had unusual methods for this problem solving.

When he was four, he stopped a car on the road and made him find his way back home on his own, miles away. He was 12 when she sent him to visit his cousins by bicycles who were 150 km away. Branson says today these were valuable experiences with which his mother built up his self-esteem.

He needed self-esteem when, having abandoned school, he gathered a team of young people who wanted to make something different and he set up the Student magazine. Although still under 18, he succeeded through his magazine which wrote about music and culture and against the war in Vietnam and other serious topics, to build a reputation in London circles.

He earned his first money advertising and selling records in his magazine in 1970, brand which has been inseparable until today from the name of Richard Branson, Virgin, emerged.

In the beginning, Virgin was only a record shop but it soon turned into a music studio and a publishing company. The first big success was the album produced by Mike Oldfield for Virgin. The record made a million copies and provided, apart from money, reputation which helped Branson bring many famous names to his company.

He proved he will not run away from challenges when he brought to "Virgin Records" young punkers, "Sex Pistols", whom none discographic company wanted. One of the first hits they produced for "Virgin", "God Save the Queen" song, was immediately banned by British censors which only helped Virgin get to the top of music business of that era.

Boy George, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Janet Jackson and Rolling Stones recoded for Branson, among other ones.

Striving for stars


(Photo: Jelena Đelić)

It was perhaps for the fact that his mother was a stewardess or for his head has always been a bit in clouds, in 1984 he set up Virgin Atlantic company. In order to collect funds for that business, he unwillingly sold his music business which made him fortune and glory.

Then he received an advice from his mentor, Sir Freddy Laker. Knowing they will not be able to compete with the existing airlines when it comes to marketing budget, Laker told him: "You will have to step out and sell yourself. Use yourself, male a fool out of yourself, otherwise you will not survive".

His has been sticking to that advice still. Since then until today, although being the company head which comprises more than 400 different businesses, Branson always finds time to attract public attention to his steps.

One of definitely interesting ideas is Virgin Galactic – a company whose objective is to enable tourist flights to space to the ones who can afford it. There is no doubt Richard Branson will be the first passenger.

Live one’s own dreams


(Photo: vovan/shutterstock.com)

However, Branson is not just a “silly” billionaire who got lucky with a good idea. He is first of all an excellent businessman with a serious approach to every business move. That, among other things, in 1999 brought him the award of the knight of the British kingdom and the Sir title.

His Virgin Group today has more than 50.000 people worldwide and has an annual turnover of almost USD 20 billion and his personal fortune is estimated at more than USD 4 billion.

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