British business magnate Richard Branson was born in Blackheath, London on July 18, 1950. He was the eldest of three children of Eve Branson, a former ballet dancer and air hostess, and Edward James Branson, a barrister.
From the age of seven to about ten Branson's school friends called him "Letsgo" because he was always saying "let’s go" to get everyone on to the next thing.
Branson says that the worst job he ever had was trying to breed budgies as a business aged 11 during the summer holidays. He recalled to Event magazine: "They multiplied faster than I could sell them and my mother had to let them fly away."
The dyslexic Richard Branson dropped out of school at the age of 15.
On his last day at school, Sir Richard Branson's headmaster told him he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire.
Despite being dyslexic, he started a magazine called Student whilst at school, which was relatively successful at selling ads.
Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin. He chose the company name after it was suggested by one of his friends that they were all 'virgins' in business.
When he started his record label, the first artist Richard Branson signed was his school friend Mike Oldfield. His album length composition Tubular Bells became a multi- million seller after an extract was used as the theme to the film The Exorcist (1973).
From the age of seven to about ten Branson's school friends called him "Letsgo" because he was always saying "let’s go" to get everyone on to the next thing.
Branson says that the worst job he ever had was trying to breed budgies as a business aged 11 during the summer holidays. He recalled to Event magazine: "They multiplied faster than I could sell them and my mother had to let them fly away."
The dyslexic Richard Branson dropped out of school at the age of 15.
On his last day at school, Sir Richard Branson's headmaster told him he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire.
Despite being dyslexic, he started a magazine called Student whilst at school, which was relatively successful at selling ads.
Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin. He chose the company name after it was suggested by one of his friends that they were all 'virgins' in business.
When he started his record label, the first artist Richard Branson signed was his school friend Mike Oldfield. His album length composition Tubular Bells became a multi- million seller after an extract was used as the theme to the film The Exorcist (1973).
Richard Branson started Virgin Atlantic Airways after a flight he was scheduled for was cancelled. Upon hearing of the cancellation, he quickly had a charter jet liner secured, and invited the passengers of the cancelled flight to fly for free. He jokingly posted a hand-lettered sign above the entryway, reading, "Virgin Atlantic Airways - Flight 1." Several of the passengers of that flight became investors of the airline.
His businesses include the Virgin Music label (launched 1973, sold to Thorn-EMI for $1 billion in 1992), Virgin Radio (launched in 1993), Virgin Trains (launched 1997 superseded by London North Eastern Railway and Avanti West Coast), Virgin Mobile (launched 1999), Virgin Galactic (founded 2004), Virgin Hotels (launched 2010).
Richard Branson once lost a bet with AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes on the winner of the 2010 F1 Grand Prix. The loser had to work as a female flight attendant on the winner's airline. Branson shaved his legs, dressed in drag, and hosted passengers on a 5 hour Air Asia flight that raised $200,000 for charity.
Richard Branson wakes up at 5.30 am and goes to bed at 11 pm.
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| Richard Branson 2015. By Chatham House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/chathamhouse/16528067458/, |
In 1978, Richard Branson was trying to impress his girlfriend by pretending to buy a private island in the BVI. It was on sale for $6 million and the 28-year-old entrepreneur offered $100,000 as a joke. The owner settled for $120,000 and Branson bought Necker Island. He would marry the same girl there 11 years later.
Richard Branson dislikes the formality of neck ties so much that he often carries around a pair of scissors with him, ready to cut the ties off of unsuspecting tie wearers. He even has a cushion that he keeps at his Necker Island home made up from the ties of some of his victims.
Branson is also known for his attempts to break records of distance, in both boats and hot-air balloons.
He often drinks more than 20 cups of tea a day.
He was knighted in 1999 for services to entrepreneurship.
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