Richard Branson Quotes

Tough times are inevitable in life and in business. But how you compose yourself during those times defines your spirit and will define your future.

Protect your reputation. Don't be afraid of making mistakes.

You need lucky breaks to be successful.

Anyone who makes an effort at whatever they hope to accomplish can, and will, seriously improve their chances of succeeding.

I'd like to see the government back a programme of research into the medical properties of cannabis and I do not object to its responsible use as a recreational relaxant.

I don't think so, in that Virgin is already a global brand. Brands like Amazon have had to spend hundreds of millions of pounds you know, building their brands, whereas Virgin is already well-known around the world.

Believe in yourself and back yourself to come out on top. A fulfilling career is waiting for those brave enough to find it.

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

Screw the competition - focus on good customer service.

Business has to give people enriching, rewarding lives...or it's simply not worth doing.

A successful business must have a sound knowledge of its market and work on how its product or service will be different, stand out and improve people's lives. If you can ensure it responds to a real need in the market place, your business can punch well above its weight.

I'm hopeful that after Iraq, those in charge will think twice about taking us down that route again.

It isn't effective or productive to force your employees to do anything. Choice empowers people and makes for a more content workforce.

And from, you know, small ideas, bigger ideas emerge. So we're starting with suborbital space flights and we'll then go into orbital space flights and, you know, maybe one day we'll send people on a one-way voyage into the depths of space as per the science fiction trips.

If you look for the best in your employees, they'll flourish. If you criticize or look for the worst, they'll shrivel up. We all need lots of watering.

Embrace a mistake and learn from it; don't regret them.

There is no point in going into a business unless you can make a radical difference in other people’s lives.

The best way forward is to give more people everywhere greater power to build their own destinies.

An exceptional company is the one that gets all the little details right.

Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can’t be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them.

Loyal employees in any company create loyal customers, who in turn create happy shareholders.

I find it very difficult to think of mistakes; not that I don't make any but because I was brought up to look only at the good things in life ... As for what lost the most money, probably Virgin Cola. It is still No 1 in Bangladesh though.

If you want to be a Millionaire, start with a billion dollars and launch a new airline.

The time to go into a new business is when it’s badly run by others.

Branding is everything. A young girl once came up to me and told me I could be famous because I looked just like Richard Branson!

THE KEY TO GENERATING LOYALTY AND RISING ABOVE THE GENERAL NOISE SEEMS TO BE ALL ABOUT CREATING AN AUTHENTIC VOICE.

One thing is certain in business, you and everyone around you will make mistakes.

I myself have invested in Uber and Hailo, I think they offer great alternatives to disrupt markets that have remained unchanged for many years.

Good customer service begins at the top. If your senior people don't get it, even the strongest links further down the line can become compromised.

We've definitely cracked the technology. Now we're just trying to be able to produce the amount of fuels that we need to satisfy our own needs and then other people's needs.

I have no secret. There are no rules to follow in business. I just work hard and, as I always have done, believe I can do it. Most of all, though, I try to have fun.

I am convinced that companies should put staff first, customers second and shareholders third - ultimately that's in the best interest of customers and shareholders.

Success comes from delegating, risk-taking and having a good TEAM!

Space is hard - but worth it. We will persevere and move forward together.

Colleagues should take care of each other, have fun, celebrate success, learn by failure, look for reasons to praise not to criticize, communicate freely and respect each other.

Space travel will be like every other business. There will be competitors. . . . Thirty months from now, I'm confident we'll be flying people into space.

Whatever business you are in, every company can shoot for the start in their own way.

There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions – in a way that serves the world and you.

I doubt that I would have been successful in my career and happy in my personal life if I hadn't prioritized health and fitness. Staying active ensures mental preparedness and the courage to try new things. It helped me to stay focused on work but also to have fun and try new approaches and explore new places. That's the spirit behind Virgin Sport - we wanted to introduce fitness activities that are enjoyable, accessible and part of your overall lifestyle.

Life is a series of ups and clowns. Make it worth your wild!

As we drifted to earth I sat up on the glass roof of the capsule, watching the beauty of the golden dawn as it broke over the desert. This was a day I never thought I'd see and the rising sun and growing warmth of the day seemed very precious. It made me aware that hard-won things are more valuable than those that come too easily. It reminded me to always enjoy the moment.

Never take your eyes off the cash flow because it's the life blood of business.

Put your passions to work to make this world a better place.

The best lessons are usually learned from failure. You musn't beat yourself up if you fail - just pick yourself up, learn as much as you can from the experience and get on with the next challenge...The brave may not live forever, but the cautious never live at all.

Never to be frightened of taking risks and always follow your instincts!

It's far more difficult being a small-business owner starting a business than it is for me with thousands of people working for us and 400 companies. Building a business from scratch is 24 hours, 7 days a week, divorces, it's difficult to hold your family life together, it's bloody hard work and only one word really matters - and that's surviving.

Rather than getting nostalgic...embrace the new opportunities and challenges available to you now.

I have always lived my life by making lists: lists of people to call, lists of ideas, lists of companies to set up, lists of people who can make things happen. Each day I work through these lists, and that sequence of calls propels me forward.