If you are seizing on a new business opportunity, deliberately move your customers' expectations up a few notches and consistently over-deliver on your promises - you will leave your competitors struggling to catch up.

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!

It is only by being bold that you get anywhere. If you are a risk-taker, then the art is to protect the downside.

Setting customer expectations at a level that is aligned with consistently deliverable levels of customer service requires that your whole staff, from product development to marketing, works in harmony with your brand image.

I have learnt so much over my 40 years of business which would have been valuable to me when I was younger.

Most skills can be learned, but it is difficult to train people on their personality.

I'm a great believer that saying yes is a lot more fun than saying no.