Everyone needs something to aim for. You can call it a challenge, or you can call it a goal. It is what makes us human. It was challenges that took us from being cavemen to reaching for the stars.
Richard BransonEntrepreneursh ip is not about getting one over on the customer. It’s not about working on your own. It’s not about looking out for number one. It’s not necessarily about making a lot of money. It is absolutely not about letting work take over your life. On the contrary, it’s about turning what excites you in life into capital, so that you can do more of it and move forward with it.
Richard BransonPlease don’t get hung up on this question of whether you need to have experience in an industry before you launch your startup.
Richard BransonIt is important to remember that life is not a dress rehearsal and that none of us should waste our time on doing things that don’t spark fires within us. My golden rule for business and life is: We should all enjoy what we do and do what we enjoy.
Richard BransonMy mother was determined to make us independent. When I was four years old, she stopped the car a few miles from our house and made me find my own way home across the fields. I got hopelessly lost.
Richard BransonEntrepreneurial business favours the open mind. It favours people whose optimism drives them to prepare for many possible futures, pretty much purely for the joy of doing so.
Richard BransonIf you get into business solely to make money, you won’t. If you try to make a real difference, you’ll find success.
Richard BransonSo I've seen life as one long learning process. And if I see - you know, if I fly on somebody else's airline and find the experience is not a pleasant one, which it wasn't in - 21 years ago, then I'd think, well, you know, maybe I can create the kind of airline that I'd like to fly on.
Richard BransonThe important thing is that you've got a strong foundation before you start to try to save the world or help other people.
Richard BransonThere are some nasty, nasty incidents taking place in the world, but [it's] much better than it used to be.
Richard BransonHaving no regrets makes way for the best piece of advice I can give - don't be afraid of failure.
Richard BransonHaving 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.
Richard BransonI have had a lot of fun pushing the boundaries on my balloon and kitesurf adventures, breaking some world records in the process, and I think this attitude of having fun whilst working hard is one that lends itself very well to successful entrepreneurship.
Richard BransonMaking the extra effort to say thanks in a genuine, personal manner goes a long way. It is pleasurable to do, and it encourages more of the same good behavior.
Richard BransonI am constantly pushing myself and my own expectations and have always found that I've always come out better for it. Fear is human nature, but turning fear into opportunity is what will make a difference. I would much rather look back at my life saying "I can't believe I did that," than, "What if I had done that?"
Richard BransonEverything in your business can be outsourced... if you're not emotionally attached to doing it all.
Richard BransonI think because I have great difficulty saying the word, 'no,' almost every day's a different adventure.
Richard BransonThere is so much to be learned from listening to people's hopes, frustrations, and points of view
Richard BransonI love creating things, and as an entrepreneur, I've taken on quite a lot of major corporations and done well. Capitalism is the only system that works, but it has its flaws; for one, it brings great wealth to only a few people. That wealth obviously brings extreme responsibility.
Richard BransonAll in all, the internet is a force for good, providing young entrepreneurs with access to an incredible wealth of information, has changed the way we see the world and is also a great source of innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Richard BransonAs an entrepreneur, you've got to protect against the company going bust. And as an adventurer, you've got to protect against losing your life. It's even more important as an adventurer to get it right.
Richard BransonAny idea can be a great idea if you think differently, dream big and commit to seeing it realized
Richard BransonPlay fair, be prepared for others to play dirty, and don't let them drag you into the mud.
Richard BransonLEARN FROM FAILURE. If you are an entrepreneur and your first venture wasn't a success, welcome to the club.
Richard BransonSuccess cannot be measured in wealth, fame or power, but by whether you have made a positive difference for others.
Richard BransonWe're introducing separate rooms with double beds in all of our planes so people can actually go with their partner and have a proper night's sleep...
Richard BransonBecause I don't see Virgin as a company but as a way of life and I fully enjoy it, I don't think I'll ever retire.
Richard BransonMost people assume that a record shop's success lies in selling records. In fact, Virgin's success both in mail order and the record shops lay in skill at buying records.
Richard BransonThe funny thing is people won't let me pay for things. I'll be in a restaurant and the manager will say, 'Oh no, it's on the house.'
Richard BransonI 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.
Richard BransonYou can't run a business without taking risks. The brave may not live forever - but the cautious do not live at all!
Richard BransonWhat does the name Virgin mean? We are a company that likes to take on the giants. In too many businesses, these giants have had things their own way. We are going to have fun competing with them.
Richard BransonWhether we're fighting climate change or going to space, everything is moved forward by computers, and we don't have enough people who can code
Richard BransonNot enough people realize the satisfaction you can get from really pushing yourself to the limits.
Richard BransonThe brand is only as good as your products, so.. if people have a good experience on Virgin Atlantic or if they have a good experience on Virgin trains or.. if they have a Virgin mobile phone and they can get straight through to our people and they're well looked after and then they'll try the next product that we launch.
Richard BransonSo I became a publisher by mistake - well, not quite by mistake, because I wanted to be an editor but I had to make sure the magazine would survive. The point is this: Most businesses fail, so if you're going to succeed, it has to be about more than making money.
Richard BransonNo matter where my travels take me, my day starts with a good work out, preferably kitesurfing or tennis. Exercise puts me in the right state of mind for the day. Dedicating time in the morning to exercise your body will make a big difference when you have to focus your mind on the day's work.
Richard BransonTwo bricklayers work side by side. The first lays bricks. The second builds magnificent cathedrals. Think small vs. think big.
Richard BransonGood brands reflect the histories of the time and the group of people that made them. They can not be copied. They can not be recycled.
Richard BransonWith space travel, [it's] no different. You know, in 1990 I read the name Virgin Galactic Airways. Loved the name. And set out to try to find an engineer or rocket scientist in the world who could build a safe, reusable rocket that could take people to and from space and we could start a whole new era of commercial space travel.
Richard Branson