Branson Quotes & Sayings

Your employees are your company's real competitive advantage. They're the ones making the magic happen-so long as their needs are being met. — Richard Branson

I'm a great believer in life to saying yes and not saying no, and hopefully making people smile and just having fun in life. — Richard Branson

Above all, you want to create something you're proud of. — Richard Branson

You see, it's essential that one of us stays awake during the flight [ballon]. So, rather than using the comfortable Virgin seats which we used to cross the Atlantic, we've asked British Airways for two of theirs. — Richard Branson

To have created one of the most respected companies in the world. Not necessarily the biggest. — Richard Branson

If you are glass half empty type of person, maybe you just haven't been holding the right glass — Richard Branson

Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again. — Richard Branson

My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them. — Richard Branson

I have always believed that personal relationships are vital in business and that people should be directly accountable for their actions. — Richard Branson

As men, we all have something to give. We all have the power to do our own part to stop the global pandemic of violence against women and girls. It is holding us all back. — Richard Branson

It's better to say nothing than spend 1,000 words or an hour speech saying nothing. Get to the point. — Richard Branson

We'll not be sending anyone into space before it is safe and the vehicle is well and truly tested. — Richard Branson

Incarceration has become a business. It is in the interest of the police and the prisons to keep locking people up. — Sam Branson

Have always found it to be one of the more intriguing idiosyncrasies of the human condition that a problem that is handled quickly and effectively will almost always serve to generate more long-term customer loyalty than when the original service was delivered satisfactorily. — Richard Branson

Screw it, let's do it - Just get on with it and do it — Richard Branson

Be the best at what you do — Richard Branson

One of the best bits of advice I can give is, early on, when you're building a new business, try to find somebody to run it on a day-to-day basis to free yourself up to look at the bigger picture. — Richard Branson

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. — Richard Branson

Bakers bake bread, accountants manage accounts and entrepreneurs turn ideas into reality. — Richard Branson

I think entrepreneurship is our natural state
a big adult word that probably boils down to something much more obvious like playfulness. — Richard Branson

I always have Moleskine notebooks on my desk. I am a big journaler. Every day I write down where I went, who I spoke to and what it was all about. Richard Branson told me to do that. — Alexa Von Tobel

In the beginning it was just about the business - now it's about the brand. — Richard Branson

Life's too short. If you're passionate - stand up. — Richard Branson

And in the process, we have come up with fuels - algae-based fuels, isobutanol-based fuels and other fuels - that we think will power the planes in the future so that, you know, by 2020 I hope that our planes will be powered on fuels that are clean fuels and are not polluting the environment so that we'll have a green airline and an airline that actually has fuels that will be hopefully cheaper than the dirty fuels of the past. So [we're] doing good and also turning a profit at the same time. — Richard Branson

Be creative. Innovate consistently on the little things that the big companies ignore. Little things often make big differences in business. — Richard Branson

We'd love to be involved with the creation of something very special, something quite large and something quite exciting. — Richard Branson

People have to decide on priorities if they want to get anywhere. The best lessons I learned was to just do it. — Richard Branson

New Rule: Since Glenn Beck is clearly onto us, liberals must launch our plan for socialist domination immediately. Listen closely, comrades, I've received word from General Soros and our partners in the UN
Operation Streisand is a go. Markos Moulitsas, you and your Daily Kos-controlled army of gay Mexican day laborers will join with Michael Moore's Prius tank division north of Branson, where you will seize the guns of everyone who doesn't blame America first, forcing them into the FEMA concentration camps. That's where ACORN and I will re-educate them as atheists and declare victory in the war on Christmas. — Bill Maher

If you are seizing on a new business opportunity, deliberately move your customers' expectations up a few notches and consistently over-deliver on your promises - you will leave your competitors struggling to catch up. — Richard Branson

I read a fair amount [of science fiction], and you know it was certainly inspirational. I have to pinch myself to think that we might be able to make some of [what I've read in science fiction books] come true. — Richard Branson

Our first priority should be the people who work for the companies, then the customers, then the shareholders. Because if the staff are motivated then the customers will be happy, and the shareholders will then benefit through the company's success. — Richard Branson

If you don't take risks you won't achieve anything. — Richard Branson

I never learned the rules in the first place. To change the game is at the heart of what Virgin stands for, so the company culture has always been: "Don't sweat it: rules were meant to be broken." — Richard Branson

When you are making a decision about how best to serve your customers, your own experience is often a better guide than a more sophisticated analysis of the market. — Richard Branson

Brave people don't live forever, but cautious people don't live at all. — Richard Branson

Whenever I see people getting a bad deal I want to step in and do something about it. Of course, this is not pure altruism - there's a profit to be made too. — Richard Branson

Whether that expansion is towards the beings around you or flora, fauna, and creatures. Love has so many unique yet consistent forms. People like Branson - he's an idea guru. Guys like Allan Savory - he's like Father Earth. Allan has literally discovered how to stop desertification and make Africa come alive with plant life. In each of its forms, love has an infinite scope of potential expansion, all of which I see leading to growth. — Ian Somerhalder

I moved into a nice houseboat in Little Venice when I was 15 years old. I found a girlfriend called Monday and a houseboat called Friday, so I had the week sewn up. — Richard Branson

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. The thought will always lurk at the back of your mind that people don't trust you. — Richard Branson

Whatever your goal is you will never succeed unless you let go of your fears and fly. — Richard Branson

Half the art of ballooning is to make your crashes so gentle that you can fool yourself into calling them landings. — Richard Branson

Don't wait till you are big before you begin building your brand. Build a brand from scratch alongside your business. — Richard Branson

Just start. You will learn so many lessons just by doing. — Richard Branson

Having 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 Branson

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

Those who achieve great things are the ones willing to be scared but not scared off. If you dream big and take risks, impossible becomes just a word. — Richard Branson

If you follow your dreams and spend your life doing what brings you joy, you are more likely to find success — Richard Branson

The brands that will thrive in the coming years are the ones that have a purpose beyond profit. — Richard Branson

I think that you're going to get so much more out of life if you just say yes at every opportunity. — Richard Branson

If you go back into military history, the person who's leading the troops ought to be in with the troops and not just standing on the backline sending them into battle. — Richard Branson

Drive, determination, passion and hard work are all free and more valuable than a pot of cash. — Richard Branson

Don't bother doing something unless you're radically different from the competition. — Richard Branson

I just wanted to create things that I could be proud of. Money was just an evil byproduct to pay the bills at the end of the year. — Richard Branson

Every risk is worth taking as long as it's for a good cause, and contributes to a good life. — Richard Branson

Dream big by setting yourself seemingly impossible challenges. You then have to catch up with them. — Richard Branson

Making profits is important because it keeps all our people in jobs and, you know, it keeps what we - what we've created going, but, you know, what we're - what I get my - what I'm proud about doing is creating companies which we're really proud of, you know, which we can really be proud of and a byproduct of that hopefully will be that they'll be profitable and be able to pay the bills. — Richard Branson

Every business, like a painting, operates according to its own rules. There are many ways to run a successful company. What works once may never work again. What everyone tells you never to do may just work, once. — Richard Branson

To be successful, you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running — Richard Branson

I was trouble - and always in trouble. Aged eight I still couldn't read. In fact, I was dyslexic and short-sighted. Despite sitting at the front of the class, I couldn't read the blackboard. Only after a couple of terms did anyone think to have my eyes tested. Even when I could see, the letters and numbers made no sense at all. — Richard Branson

We should focus on what people get done, not on how many hours or days worked. Just as we don't have a nine-to-five policy, we don't need a vacation policy. — Richard Branson

Don't think what's the cheapest way to do it or what's the fastest way to do it. Think what's the most amazing way to do it. — Richard Branson

So unlike having to convert, you know, all the cars' or all the lorries' petrol stations, once you've actually got the clean fuels, it's relatively easy to, you know, get it to the airplanes. — Richard Branson

Entrepreneur, you're either raising the bar of excellence or your exhaling at the bar which is expensive. — Onyi Anyado

Screw the competition - focus on good customer service. — Richard Branson

Realize that the people who are working with you, this is their life. You know, 80% of their time is spent at work. Make sure that they're proud of what they're doing, that they're enjoying what they're doing. — Richard Branson

I was struck dumb by his incredibly beautiful blue eyes, which shone like sapphires in the soft light of the torches. One look was all he needed to win over any woman. Everything about him oozed confidence, greatness, power, and sex appeal. — Sharlyn G. Branson

To get the respect of people, I think you've got to roll up your sleeves and lead with your people. The absolute key is treating your people well. Looking for the best in your people. Lots and lots of praise, no criticism. — Richard Branson

When you're first thinking through an idea, it's important not to get bogged down in complexity. Thinking simply and clearly is hard to do. — Richard Branson

Ultimately, brands are built by people who passionately believe in their brands. Indeed, many of the world's best brands can be linked to a single person: Howard Schultz created Starbucks, Steve Jobs built Apple, Pleasant Roland formed American Girl, Richard Branson developed Virgin, and Phil Knight was the driving force behind Nike. Brand builders understand and believe in the power of brands. Tim — Alice M. Tybout

the best motto to follow is 'Nothing ventured; nothing gained'. — Richard Branson

The best lesson I learned was to just do it. It doesn't matter what it is, or how hard it might seem, as the ancient Greek, Plato, said, 'The beginning is the most important part of any work. — Richard Branson

Every single astronaut who has come back from space comes back determined to do more to protect it. — Richard Branson

Act Different, Think Different, Make a Difference "Care about something enough to do something about it." - Richard Branson, founder, Virgin Inc. — Jeffrey H. Dyer

Life is a helluva lot more fun if you say yes rather than no — Richard Branson

You get the idea. Every business, like a painting, operates according to its own rules. There are many ways to run a successful company. What works once may never work again. What everyone tells you never to do may just work, once. There are no rules. You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over, and it's because you fall over that you learn to save yourself from falling over. It's the greatest thrill in the world and it runs away screaming at the first sight of bullet points. — Richard Branson

Commitment is not letting people down. That's very important in life. — Richard Branson

Throwing yourself into a job you enjoy is one of the life's greatest pleasures! — Richard Branson

If you're lucky enough to have a few hundred thousand dollars in the bank account, that should be sufficient for your own personal needs, and anything more than that you've got to put to good use. — Richard Branson

This is the new paradigm. Everything is changing! You cannot deny that the world is changing at such a fast pace and that what the children learn this year is already becoming outdated next year.
The children who are allowed freedom to pursue their own interests (also known as the "rebels and troublemakers") are creating the business structures of this new paradigm.
You know who I am talking about. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson ... — Kytka Hilmar-Jezek

If you love what you do and if you believe in what you do, others will share your enthusiasm. Passionate people find their way to the Virgin Group, and when they do, we snap them up and try to keep them within the family. — Richard Branson

I wanted to be an editor or a journalist, I wasn't really interested in being an entrepreneur, but I soon found I had to become an entrepreneur in order to keep my magazine going. — Richard Branson

I just kind of dive in if I think I can create something that will make a difference and then try to get the numbers to stack up after the event. So most of the things I've done I would not have done if I'd have asked the accountants to look at them before. — Richard Branson

There are quite a few things I've done that even I thought might have been one step too far. But if you are willing to make a fool of yourself and make people smile, as long as you do it with a sense of fun, you can get away with it. — Richard Branson

I think the thing about capitalism is it's an evil necessity, capitalism. Communism has been tried and failed, and socialism, that doesn't work very well. Capitalism works, but the problem about capitalism is it does mean that a few individuals become very wealthy. Therefore, I think those individuals have enormous responsibility to redistribute that wealth either by creating new businesses or creating new jobs and making sure that money just doesn't lie in a bank account for future generations. — Richard Branson

I think bands will actually make more money without record companies; a much bigger share of the money will go to the bands. You won't have record shops taking 40 percent of the money. You won't have record labels taking 40 percent of the money. So they don't have to sell as many albums as they used to in the past. So it's not necessarily a bad thing if record companies disappear. — Richard Branson

If you're looking to become an entrepreneur then don't waste your time going to university or business school - just get on and do it. — Richard Branson

Set impossible challenges. Then catch up with them. — Richard Branson

Dream big and you will be presented with the opportunity to lead the world on an incredible adventure. — Richard Branson

I am impressed with just the enthusiasm for life and the fact that some of these people are in their 80's, even 90's, and they're absolutely determined to get out there and make a difference. — Richard Branson

If you are a new startup company, try not to arouse the interest or suspicion of your competition; especially if they are a bigger company. They can crush you while you are still in your startup phase. Lie low while still strengthening your bottom line. — Richard Branson

Any idea can be a great idea if you think differently, dream big and commit to seeing it realized — Richard Branson

I think a lot of becoming an entrepreneur is something which people have to learn just from getting out there and giving it a go, and having to learn the art of survival. — Richard Branson

I just love every minute of my life. I love the variety. Every minute of every day I'm meeting fascinating new people, learning and working with wonderful teams of people creating wonderful things. — Richard Branson

If you aren't having fun, you are doing it wrong. If you feel like getting up in the morning to work on your business is a chore, then it's time to try something else. — Richard Branson

We [Virgin Group] have been successful not by wasting time scrutinising our competitors but by looking at ourselves from the point of view of our customers do and seeking feedback through listening. — Richard Branson

In the '80's my gut feeling was that airlines were crap. I hated spending time on planes. I thought we could create the kind of airline I'd like. So we got a secondhand 747 and gave it a go. — Richard Branson

It's never easy to set up any business, but it comes back to determination and drive and the love of what you do! — Richard Branson

Success is more than luck. You have to believe in yourself and make it happen. — Richard Branson

Ideas Are The Lifeblood Of Business. Capture Every Fleeting Idea And Drive For Change. — Richard Branson

Most entrepreneurs are not doing it for financial motives in the first place. They're just people who love creating. — Richard Branson