CEO profile for a lifestyle magazine for CEOs and aliKe

1. Richard Branson
Sky is definitely not the limit for this unconventional businessman, who is currently in the process of
making history by commercializing space travel. This extravagant entrepreneur is Britain’s most popular
billionaire - Sir Richard Branson, founder and President of Virgin Group. With an estimated net worth of
$4.6 Billion, he ranks 272 on Forbes’ 2013 list of richest billionaires of the world. Outlandish and known
for his avid interest in creating new ventures, he has a sprawling business empire that comprises of 400
operations spread in over 30 countries. In addition to the prominent Virgin brands like the Virgin
Atlantic, Virgin money, Virgin Media and Virgin Trains, which are well-known to the world, he also has
many other lucrative businesses in partnership with some rich allies. His business ventures range from
air and rail travel, hospitality and leisure, telecommunications, health and wellness, clean energy to his
most recent space travel venture. Irrespective of the fact that a business is his own or a partnership, the
ideas originates in his mind, owing to his keen sense of being able to spot gaps in a market . However,
his immense success is due to his conviction to pursue his own ideas. In an interview with a popular
magazine, he had once said - “The challenge is to follow through on a great idea. I think if [you’ve] got a
great idea, you need to just give it a try”.
However, like all stories of success, his story too isn’t devoid of failures. And like all the entrepreneurs in
those success stories, this business magnate has also overcome many failures to build a brand that earns
him several millions of dollars by just lending its name. In recognition of his extraordinary and innovative
businesses and reputation for customer service, he was knighted for his 'services to entrepreneurship’ in
1998.
Renowned for being flamboyant and for his love for adventure, Sir Richard Branson surprised the world
when he announced the launch of the Virgin Galactic Space Program. He has already broken many
world-records since 1985. In 1986 he crossed the Atlantic Ocean on his Virgin Atlantic Challenger II in a
fastest ever recorded time. The following year he crossed the same ocean in a hot air balloon named the
Virgin Atlantic Flyer. He later crossed the Pacific Ocean in the same hot air balloon. After conquering the
land, ocean and the sky, he is all set to conquer the space with his maiden flight in SpaceShip Two, which
will take off from the first commercial spaceport built by his company in New Mexico. Priced at
$250,000 a seat, Virgin Galactic flight to space is already accepting reservations.
Richard Branson’s diverse interests are not limited to his business alone. From authoring books, acting in
films and TV series to undertaking humanitarian work, this maverick entrepreneur does it all.
Richard Branson, who is immensely inspired by Nelson Mandela, has led many humanitarian initiatives
in his attempt to address some of the pressing global issues. Amongst his contribution to various
humanitarian causes, he also gives away 100% of Virgin transportation companies ‘profits to clean tech
investments. He also donates the several millions of dollars, earned from giving inspiring speeches
around the world, to various charities. This year he joined Bill Gates’ $500 billion Philanthropy Club
pledging to give away more than half of his fortune to philanthropic causes.

2. His early life
Unlike the extraordinary stories of the child prodigies, who are prominent entrepreneurs today, young
Richard Branson’s is an ordinary story of a long haired, barefooted dyslexic teenager, who dropped out
of high school. To this day, he is not comfortable with numbers. However ever after many failed
attempts to get rich quickly in his early years, which even led to two arrests and a night in jail, he did not
give up on his desire to become a successful entrepreneur someday.
Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born on July 18, 1950, in Surrey, England to Edward James
Branson, a barrister and Eve Branson, a flight attendant. Richard, who struggled with dyslexia, had a
hard time with academics. He attended the all-boys Scaitcliffe School until the age of 13 and then
transferred to Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, England. 3 years later, at the age of 16, he dropped out
of school and started a youth culture magazine called Student. The publication made over $8000 in
advertising revenues in its very first issue, making it an overnight success.
Almost 3 years later in 1969 Branson, who was then living in a London commune surrounded by the
British music scene, came up with the idea to begin a mail-order record company to support his
magazine. The record company, which was named Virgin, made enough money for him to set up a
record shop in Oxford Street, London. His business was running so successfully that he was able to build
a recording studio in Oxfordshire, England in less than 2 years of starting his record company. The first
song to be recorded on the Virgin Records label was by an artist called Mike Oldfield in 1973. His single,
“Tubular Bells", became an instant hit, staying on the UK charts for 247 weeks. Following this initial
success, Branson went on to sign other aspiring musical groups, including the controversial band called
the Sex Pistols. Amongst others, music bands like Culture Club, the Rolling Stones, and Genesis put
Virgin Music in the top six record companies in the world.
His early experiences of doing business taught him many lessons, which were going to help him in his
entrepreneurial journey. One of the most important lessons learned was after he was arrested for
pretending to buy records for export to evade the excise tax on sales within Britain. Writing about this
incident in his autobiography, Losing My Virginity, he has said - “I vowed to myself that I would never
again do anything that would cause me to be imprisoned or, indeed, do any kind of business deal that
would embarrass me. My parents had always drummed into me that all you have in life is your
reputation: You may be very rich, but if you lose your good name, then you’ll never be happy”.
Branson was already on a roll following the success of his record company. He decided to expand his
business beyond music. In 1980 he launched a travel company, which he named the Voyager Group.
Four years later, he launched the Virgin Atlantic Airline and a series of Virgin Megastores.
However, his rapid pace of expansion was slowing down in 1992, when Virgin Group was suddenly
struggling to remain financially afloat. That same year, Branson sold his company to THORN EMI for $1
billion. Branson teared up as he signed the contract. It was not easy to part with the business that
marked the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey. But, like a true entrepreneur, he did not let this
setback deter him. Instead he emboldened himself and came up with a new strategy, which he termed

3. as Branded Venture Capitalism, for doing multiple businesses. The new strategy would give him control
over his many businesses and yet minimize his financial risks. Speaking on his entrepreneurial journey
and business choices, an ever enthusiastic Branson said – “I do a lot by gut feeling and a lot by personal
experience. I mean, if I relied on accountants to make decisions, I most certainly would have never gone
into the airline business. I most certainly would not have gone into the space business, and I certainly
wouldn’t have gone into most of the businesses that I’m in. So, in hindsight, it seems to have worked
pretty well to my advantage. And, remember, you’ve got to go make a real difference in people’s lives if
you’re going to be successful”.
Richard Branson is married to his second wife, Joan Templeton and they have 2 children, Holly and Sam.
He has recently quit Britain to live on his holiday island of Necker in the British Virgin Islands.
What would you buy, when you can afford everything?
Undoubtedly, Richard Branson has a lifestyle that many would envy. He has mentioned in his
autobiography – “My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges
and trying to rise above them…from the perspective of wanting to live life to the full, I felt that I had to
attempt it”. Truly so, this self-made billionaire lives his life to the fullest; jetting around the world in
fancy airplanes, exploring the oceans in submarines, kite- surfing with models and holidaying in his
private islands. And the charismatic Branson is constantly surrounded by beautiful women.
Branson is known to possess many adventurous luxe vehicles. His collection not only comprises of cars
but also his submarines, the magnificent 32 meter catamaran Necker Belle and a 3-person aero
submarine called Necker Nymph and more recently a spaceship. With so many luxury vehicles in his
possession he could travel to almost any spot on earth and beyond, but his favorite holiday destinations
are Bali and Aman resorts.
Of all his exclusive pride possessions, his private island, Necker, remains his most favorite as he says that
it is his only true home.
Branson has turned his personal expenditures into investments. Instead of costing him maintenance,
they rather earn for him. Virtually every property owned by Richard Branson is available for lease or rent
including his favorite Necker Island.
He truly is a shrewd businessman!