Sir Richard Branson is an exemplary illustration of an entrepreneur and an esteemed business leader. He is also a humanitarian that is proactive in politics. His innovative and groundbreaking ventures demonstrate a fearless maverick style that supports risk taking. His many successful achievements include founding the Virgin Group Company with branches that extend into the media; airlines and rail; wine and mobile phone services; and a trustee of several charities including the Virgin Healthcare Foundation and Virgin Unite. In December of 1999, The Queen of England honored him with a knighthood for his services to entrepreneurship. Not afraid of adventure or failure, this internationally renowned explorer has been involved in numerous world record breaking attempts, including the first hot-air balloon to cross the Atlantic. Consistent with his lively ambitious and expansionist attitude, Sir Richard’s latest enterprise is Virgin Galactic, a space tourism company that will take passengers into suborbital space (Entrepreneur, adventurer and businessman Richard Branson challenges financial profesionals to have a ‘planetary point of view’, 2006).

Branson is also one of the most respected entrepreneurs in the world. His philosophy, “Oh, screw it, let’s do it” (Branson, 2011, p. 14), drives his ambitious spirit as the locomotive to his success. He recommends four simple principles that can help us achieve higher levels of success:

1.  Live in the moment – In the world of business, quick decisive actions can have big pay offs.
2.  Have fun – Chances for success is much greater when you do what you love and are joyful doing it.
3. Give back – Show good stewardship and help others even if it is minimal and do so with gratitude and appreciation.
4. Never give up – The word defeat is anathema in any endeavor (What I learned about entrepreneurship from Richard Branson, 2011).

The Branson Centre

He also opened the Branson Centre, a facility in the Caribbean committed to developing entrepreneurship. The Centre offers a mentorship program to help budding entrepreneurs with networking and exposure, and also assists with the coaching and financing aspects of their needs. Jamaicans lacked technical support, adhered to a complicated tax structure, and were in need of additional capital. The Centre offers an arena that helped them launch new entrepreneurial businesses to stimulate job creation and provide opportunities for the locals in the region as well as improve their communities and fuel their economy (Branson Centre, 2011).

To sum up, Branson’s humanitarian endeavors and his concerns for environmental impact are inspirational leadership qualities in an entrepreneur. For example, another one of his companies is called Seascape Caribbean. It is focused on the restoration of the coral reefs in the coastal region and another, Leanne Talbot of Island Cycle, is dedicated to recycling waste into usable products (Branson Centre, 2011). Sir Richard’s innovative ideas and contributions help enable economic freedom for the employers of the future that support the creation of new jobs. In conclusion, as the founder of many successful business ventures that continue to create opportunities with environmental consciousness, Sir Richard Branson still remains relevant as one of the most commendable visionary entrepreneurs and humanitarians of the modern era.

Well that’s it for this week … until next time … keep honing your management skills!

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“We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds… Claim and consciously use your power.” ― Louise L. Hay

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References

Entrepreneur, adventurer and businessman Richard Branson challenges financial profesionals to have a ‘planetary point of view’. (2006, October 15). Retrieved February 14, 2013, from ProQuest: http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/447141732?accountid=32521

Branson Centre. (2011, September 13). Retrieved February 14, 2013, from ProQuest Central: http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/888611281?accountid=32521

What I learned about entrepreneurship from Richard Branson. (2011, November 22). Retrieved February 14, 2013, from ProQuest Central: http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/1030937503?accountid=32521

Branson, R. (2011). Losing my virginity: How I survived, had fun, and made a fortune doing business my way (Updated ed., p. 14). London, UK: Crown Publishing Group.