Quotes by Richard Branson

If you're hurt, lick your wounds and get up again. If you've given it your absolute best, it's time to move forward.

Have passion for what you do; believe in yourself and your product and your customer; persevere; delegate; listen. Have fun. Today, I add: Do good.

Respect is how to treat everyone.

The most talented, thought-provoking, game-changing people are never normal.

Forgiveness equals inner peace -- more peaceful people equals more world peace.

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.

If you get your face and your name out there enough, people will start to recognize you.

There is no planet B. We have to take care of the one we have.

Exploration is a wonderful way to open our eyes to the world, and to truly see that impossible is just a word.

Business opportunities are like buses: there's always another one coming.

A setback is never a bad experience, just another one of life's lessons.

It's only by being bold that you get anywhere.

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.

So I've seen life as one long learning process.

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

Dreaming is one of humanity's greatest gifts; it champions aspiration, spurs innovation, leads to change, and propels the world forward.

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

However tight things are, you still need to have the big picture at the forefront of your mind.

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

The true cost to the world of a burger is far greater than the money you hand over to buy it.

I never wanted to be a businessman, I just wanted to change the world.

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

We must rapidly wean ourselves off our dependence on coal and fossil fuels.

If you look after your staff, they'll look after your customers. It's that simple.

Doing good is good for business.

Travel the world and meet people. I've been fortunate enough to see so much of the world, and being able to do so has brought me so many wonderful friends and experiences. There is no better way to learn than exploring new places.

The first thing that has to be recognized is that one cannot train someone to be passionate -- it's either in their DNA or it's not.

I just like to enjoy life and push myself. Of course, there is method to my madness. When you are entering into a new industry, for example, it helps to do something to get your name on the front pages.

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.

Companies need to have a lot more flexibility with their people... . If somebody wants to golf around the world for two months, okay, well, maybe on an unpaid basis, let them do it. That sort of flexibility I think is incredibly important because most of our time, we spend at work.

Steve did not have a death wish. He had the exact opposite. His appetite for life was so strong, it outweighed all fear. So what if his choices shortened his life? His choices filled his life, and enriched the lives of those around him.

Remain focused on fulfilling your business mission. Never allow adversity divert your attention and efforts.

At Virgin, we have always backed the power of the entrepreneur and inventor to find solutions to tricky problems. Why should climate change and the battle against carbon be any different?

To be a great leader, you must be a great listener.

I truly believe that capitalism was created to help people live better lives, but sadly over the years it has lost its way a bit. The short-term focus on profit has driven most businesses to forget about the important long-term role they have in taking care of people and the planet.

I make up my mind about whether I can trust someone within 60 seconds of meeting them.

Wine, like life, is meant to be enjoyed.

If someone offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes -- then learn how to do it later!

Most necessary evils are far more evil than necessary.

There are no quick wins in business -- it takes years to become an overnight success.

If you do something for fun and create the best possible product, then the profit will come.

Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.

The amount of time people waste dwelling on failures rather than putting that energy into another project, always amazes me.

Just watching Israel bombarding Palestine and Palestine sending one or two little rockets over to Israel -- it's just too sad for words.

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.

I'm not superstitious. I don't really believe in star signs, sorry, or superstitions.

Learn to look after your staff first and the rest will follow.

Build your own business team. Survival in business requires a synergy of skills.

Take a chance -- it's the best way to test yourself, have fund and push boundaries.

You can't run a business without taking risks. The brave may not live forever -- but the cautious do not live at all!

Screwing business as usual fundamentally recognises that doing good is good for business.

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.

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

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

As an entrepreneur, you've got to protect against the company going bust. And as an adventurer, you've got to protect against losing your life. It's even more important as an adventurer to get it right.

It always pays off to focus on things that will make you feel proud. Remember this during every difficult decision you face.

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

Making money never was my incentive. I just want to fight big companies.

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

I think business leaders all over the world should not just think of how we can make lots of money, which is fine, but to take some of the problems in the world and get out there and tackle them using business. I think that if businesses do that we can get on top of these problems.

Business leaders take things far too seriously, and forget that most of the time people spend in their lives is at work, and it should be fun.

Grow internally first. Strengthen your bottom line first before considering external growth.

As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end, you have to take calculated risks; otherwise you're going to sit in mothballs all day and do nothing.

Good people have always been at the heart of the Virgin business, and that's largely because we have tried to keep our business small, and our management teams tight-knit. I feel that small, compact companies, are better run. That is partly because people feel more connected in small companies.

What matters is working with a few close friends, people you respect, knowing that if times did turn bad these people would hold together.

It's clear that it is in the best interest of business to be part of the conservation, along with governments and civil society.

I am a believer in trying to treat people properly and trying to respond and making sure that I find the time to be courteous.

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 believe that today's businesses -- regardless of their size -- must be prepared to do good in societies around the globe. I am cautiously optimistic that we can make the world a far better, safer and more equitable place -- but business and enterprise must sit at the heart of this process.

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

I have always believed that business should be a force for good.

Having no regrets makes way for the best piece of advice I can give -- don't be afraid of failure.

Seek out strategic alliances; they are essential to growth and provide resistance to bigger competition.

You've got to take risks if you're going to succeed. I would much rather ask forgiveness than permission.

Every aspect of life is magnificent and wonderful. It's so important to keep fit and healthy.

Actually, we did a fun April Fools' thing with Google a couple of years ago, which we called Virgle. And we looked for volunteers to go on a one-way trip to Mars.

It's so graceful to be blown by the wind, to go where the wind takes you. Just drifting over beautiful rivers in a balloon is perfect.

The best advice I could give anyone is to spend your time working on whatever you are passionate about in life.

If you don't make bold moves, the world doesn't move forward.

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.

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!

Play fair, be prepared for others to play dirty, and don't let them drag you into the mud.

Be swift to take advantage of business opportunities. Bigger companies are too cumbersome to move quickly; this can be a competitive advantage for you.

Meet regularly with your business team and brainstorm. Intricate business problems are mostly resolved at brainstorming sessions.

If you create something that makes a difference in people's lives, you are likely to become a business success as well.

I want Virgin to be as well-known around the world as Coca-Cola.

Taking bold climate action now has the potential to unleash the full power of business and at the same time lift millions of people out of poverty. We're the first generation to recognize this and the last generation that will have this opportunity.

The best advice I got from my dad? Wear a condom.

Most skills can be learned, but it is difficult to train people on their personality.

My definition of success? The more you are actively and practically engaged, the more successful you will feel.

Confidence breeds confidence and negativity breeds negativity. Treat those around you with respect and dignity and they will thrive.

Unless you dream, nothing will happen. If you dream, you might be able to make your dreams come true.

Please be polite. Nothing in life should erode the habit of saying thank you to people or praising them.

Making the extra effort to say thanks in a genuine, personal manner goes a long way. It is pleasurable to do, and it encourages more of the same good behavior.

Happiness doesn't come from making a fortune and owning lots of possessions. 'Stuff' doesn't bring happiness. Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matter.

Smiling can be a competitive advantage. It makes everyone feel better and every situation brighter.

If you have conflicts, everything breaks down in society. Kids can't go to school. Basic health can't be looked after. Every aspect of society falls apart.

All of us have just got to find that time to look after our bodies. That helps us make sure that our mind is sharp. I know that when I'm feeling great and really fit, I can get in three or four hours more of really productive work.

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.

It is important to remember that life is not a dress rehearsal and that none of us should waste our time on doing things that don't spark fires within us. My golden rule for business and life is: We should all enjoy what we do and do what we enjoy.

If you can make peoples lives a lot better, you've got a really good business.

A generation ago, the image was that you had to trample everyone else down to succeed; but I don't believe that makes good business sense.

You know I think if the people who work for a business are proud of the business they work for, they'll work that much harder, and therefore, I think turning your business into a real force for good is good business sense as well.

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.

Screw the competition -- focus on good customer service.

Lead by listening -- to be a good leader you have to be a great listener.

The first thing to look for when searching for a great employee is somebody with a personality that fits with your company culture. Most skills can be learned, but it is difficult to train people on their personality.

About 40 percent of my time is spent on social issues and building new organizations, more for the benefit of the climate or health issues.

I am no stranger to healthy competition-wor king hard and playing hard.

A good leader leads from the front. Don't get stuck in the office. Get out, meet people and listen to their stories.

If people are crazy enough to dare, impossible things happen.

There is no such thing as a boring person: everyone has stories and insights worth sharing. While on the road, we let our phones or laptops take up our attention. By doing that, we might miss out on the chance to learn and absorb ideas and inspiration from an unexpected source: our fellow travelers.

I believe in myself. I believe in the hands that work, in the brains that think, and in the hearts that love.

I have always lived my life by thriving on opportunity and adventure. Some of the best ideas come out of the blue, and you have to keep an open mind to see their virtue.

All good leaders listen to their people and empower them to go away and turn any innovative ideas they have into a reality.

It's worrying to think more than half the world's population lacks internet access and therefore lacks an equal opportunity to improve their lives.

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

Have faith in yourself.
Think yes not no.
Live life to the full.
Never give up.

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

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.

You need lucky breaks to be successful.

Set impossible challenges. Then catch up with them.

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.

Ever since I saw the moon landing as a young teenager, I was determined I would go into space one day.

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.

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.

First of all, if you're setting up a new company, you want to try to find a brand that can work on a global basis.

Smoking marijuana, as long as you leave the nicotine out of it, is certainly no more damaging than having a drink, and I suspect better for you than having a drink.

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

Irreverence ran on both sides of our family...my parents brought me up to think we could all change the world.

Be bold, brave and not afraid to fall on your face and ultimately you will succeed.

There is no point in starting your own business unless you do it out of a sense of frustration.

Everything in your business can be outsourced... if you're not emotionally attached to doing it all.

Past failures unlock future successes.

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.

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.

And we hope to sell the clean fuels to other airlines. I mean, the exciting thing about the breakthrough with clean fuels for the airline industry is there's only 1,700 pumps in the world that fill up the airlines.

When I was young, every time I criticized someone, my mother would stand me in front of the mirror and say: 'The flaws you see in others are actually a reflection of yourself.' That taught me to pay close attention when I looked at others.

Everyone needs something to aim for. You can call it a challenge, or you can call it a goal. It is what makes us human. It was challenges that took us from being cavemen to reaching for the stars.

Not enough people realize the satisfaction you can get from really pushing yourself to the limits.

Some 80% of your life is spent working. You want to have fun at home; why shouldn't you have fun at work?

My number one rule in business, and in life, is to enjoy what you do. Running a business involves long hours and hard decisions; if you don't have the passion to keep you going, your business will more than likely fail. If you don't enjoy what you are doing, then you shouldn't be doing it.

I have enjoyed life a lot more by saying yes than by saying no.

Succeeding in business is all about making connections.

If you find yourself stuck in the middle there is only one way to go, forward.

For a successful entrepreneur it can mean extreme wealth. But with extreme wealth comes extreme responsibility.

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.

I learnt from an early age this need to delegate responsibility out to other team members as there is just too much for one person to do themselves. What is the point of hiring talented team members if you don't give them the freedom to make the most of the chance you have given them?

What's the most critical factor in any business decision you'll ever have to make? Basically, it boils down to this question: If this all crashes, will it bring the whole house tumbling down like a pack of cards? One business matra remains embedded in my brain -- protect the downside.

At the end, entrepreneurship is not about wearing expensive suits and earning a lot of money. It is all about being true to yourself, to your values in life. Your dreams.

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

I have had fun running all of the Virgin businesses, so I never see a setback as a bad experience; it is just a learning curve.

There is no real difference between work and play -- it's all living.

Allowing my people to have a good work-life balance by working flexibly is very important to me.

You only live once, and I just don't want to waste a minute of my life.

My philosophy in life is that you only live once. Live life to its fullest.

All in all, the internet is a force for good, providing young entrepreneurs with access to an incredible wealth of information, has changed the way we see the world and is also a great source of innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Create the kind of workplace and company culture that will attract great talent. If you hire brilliant people, they will make work feel more like play.

We should all seek to innovate, or be curious about innovation. Innovation truly is one of our greatest gifts.

It took me years to work out the difference between net and gross. In meetings I just used to say, 'Tell me if it's good or bad news.'

I think in life the key thing is just to fight really hard to make sure something survives. If it looks like you've done everything you can to avoid failure, just move forward, move on and learn from it.

I am a great believer that you need passion and energy to create a truly successful business. Remember many new businesses do not make it and running a business will be a tough experience, involving long hours and many hard decisions -- it helps to have that passion to keep you going.

Whether you are launching a start-up or leading an established company, you should start establishing your social media presence if you haven't already.

Launching a business is essentially an adventure in problem-solving.

A business can be started with very little money.

Don't be afraid to take that leap into the unknown.

No failure means no risk, which means nothing new.

We Experiment Endlessly, With New Products, New Methods, New Companies And New Marketing. A Successful Business The Emphasis Is On Experiment And Development, Ideas Are The Lifeblood Of Business.

I never really felt secure until I was well into my 30s, because anytime I had success, I would invest in new projects.

Explore this next great frontier where the boundaries between work and higher purpose are merging into one, where doing good really is good for business.

The quality of business communications has become poorer in recent years as people avoid phone calls and face-to-face meetings, I can only assume, in some misguided quest for efficiency.

We hope to create thousands of astronauts over the next few years and bring alive their dream of seeing the majestic beauty of our planet from above, the stars in all their glory and the amazing sensations of weightlessness and space flight.

Being dyslexic can actually help in the outside world. I see some things clearer than other people do because I have to simplify things to help me and that has helped others.

We don't actually plan to launch new businesses over the next few years, but we are planning to take the ones we have into new territories.

I've been taught not to have any regrets. If we were to add up all of the hours spent regretting mistakes and use that time to develop new ideas, who knows how many brilliant new businesses would be created.

I think the most important thing is that in the last seven days we've just had the greatest adventure of our lifetimes.

I'm inquisitive ... and I love a new challenge... and if I feel that we can do it better than it's been done by other people, we'll have a go.

I have never had an office that I work out of and work has become intertwined with my personal life.

My people are at the core of everything I do, and I recognize the importance of giving them the flexibility to balance work around their personal lives.

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.

In the same way that I tend to make up my mind about people within thirty seconds of meeting them, I also make up my mind about whether a business proposal excites me within about thirty seconds of looking at it. I rely far more on gut instinct than researching huge amounts of statistics.

Failing can provide invaluable lessons and making mistakes and experiencing setbacks is part of the DNA of every successful entrepreneur.

Two heads are definitely better than one and by sourcing ideas from each other, you have a better chance of coming up with a strategy that will allow your business to overcome a setback or challenge.

The ability to bounce back after a setback is the single most important trait an entrepreneurial venture can possess.

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.

Your company should act as a springboard for ambitious employees, not a set of shackles.

If you want milk, don't sit on a stool in the middle of a field in the hope that a cow will back up to you.