In Africa, villagers look up to elders; they are the moral voice of their community.

All good leaders listen to their people and empower them to go away and turn any innovative ideas they have into a reality.

And if after all this you eventually fail; don't take it personal. Don't be ashamed to start all over again.

I am no stranger to healthy competition-wor king hard and playing hard

I was a risk-taker as a young man, and I don't regret it. I'm not adventurous in quite the same way now, but I still love the challenge of testing myself to the limits, flying around the world, or seeing if I can be the first to fly a balloon across the Atlantic, or trying to take people into space at an affordable price in an environmentally friendly way. I'll be going into space with three generations of my family!

I just love life. I mean, you know, I love every second of it. I love people.

It's so graceful to be blown by the wind, to go where the wind takes you. Just drifting over beautiful rivers in a balloon is perfect.