SIR RICHARD BRANSON

Founder, Virgin Group

“I never go into a venture with the idea of making a profit. If you can create the best in its field, generally speaking you’ll find that you’ll pay the bills and you’ll make a profit.”

Richard Branson has led a life most entrepreneurs, indeed most people, probably dream about: successful creator of many diverse businesses (all under the Virgin brand); legendary daredevil-stunt survivor; wealthy business leader; global philanthropist; forty-plus-year marriage; close relationships with his parents and children; owner and resident of an idyllic Caribbean island; friend of the rich and famous from throughout the world; knighted by Queen Elizabeth II; a face and image recognized and admired throughout the world; and, not inconsequently, a very happy person.

What more could one want from life?

Richard Branson always seems to want more from life, and is always pursuing new—and sometimes dangerous—ventures. His latest has been Virgin Galactic, offering paying passengers a brief trip into space. That seemed a long shot to many when he first announced it, and this undertaking has confronted more than a few challenges. But few have made money over the years betting against Richard Branson.

Some might have thought he could not overcome early obstacles. He dropped out of school at fifteen, had severe dyslexia, and had little money at the outset. But Branson is a born entrepreneur. He has started several hundred different companies, many becoming for a time fabulously successful (e.g., Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic). Every company was inspired by his vision: be daring; offer something new and exciting; appeal to people’s willingness to take a chance; and sell an enjoyable experience as well as a product or service.

What has been the key to Branson’s success as an entrepreneur and as a leader? In his view, surrounding himself with talented, innovative, and bold people.

But unlike other entrepreneurs who often say they want to be surrounded by these types of people, Richard Branson is actually willing to listen to these “smarter” individuals, and to make the midcourse changes they might suggest to his initial “brilliant” idea. He is secure enough to recognize that not all of his many ideas will work—a real strength in his success.

No doubt pursuing this worldview is helped by being talented, innovative, and bold. No doubt it also helps to be likable, modest, and self-deprecating—which was what I found him to be when I interviewed him for Peer to Peer at a Giving Pledge gathering in May 2018 in the San Francisco area. It was easy to see why Richard Branson, unlike many other self-made, highly successful entrepreneurs, is quite popular and well liked among those who regularly interact with him.