When Richard Branson dropped out of school at the age of 16, the principal told him he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire. He settled on the latter. Being discouraged was never an option for the go-getter. He also fell for the charm of the Caribbean early on, setting up base on the Virgin Islands.
There is only one place in the world where the CEO and founder of the Virgin Group can really relax: Necker Island. That's why the UK's most successful entrepreneur spends Christmas, Easter and every summer with his family in his Caribbean paradise, which he acquired in 1979.
Richard Branson learned of the smallest of the British Virgin Islands by chance: during a trip to New York, someone asked him if he had named his company, Virgin Records, after the Caribbean archipelago. "Although they were not the inspiration for our company name, it sounded like a romantic retreat, which I and my wife needed at the time," he explains in his autobiography, Losing My Virginity. The two spontaneously decided to visit the archipelago. They were immediately mesmerzied by the crystal-clear, turquoise sea, the coral reefs, the palm trees, the long sandy beaches and the flocks of pelicans.
Branson quickly decided to acquire the still completely undeveloped island. The seller demanded three million pounds for it; Branson's counteroffer was 180,000 pounds – and was accepted. Today, Necker Island is worth over 100 million pounds. The adventurer and entrepreneur has invested a lot into the 30-hectare sanctuary over the past few decades to create "a big playground" for himself and his family. When Branson feels like it, he invites friends, employees or even Barack and Michelle Obama to join him at the "Great House": "We eat together, celebrate, relax and think about our lives."
As an avid athlete, Branson doesn't think much of chilling out in a deckchair. Even on Necker Island, Branson sticks to his daily routine: his day starts at five in the morning with a run on the beach, a tennis match or kitesurfing. Only then does he have a hearty breakfast with his family. He uses his mornings to work. However, he dislikes conventional workplaces – and has never used a desk. He prefers to do business in unorthodox spots like in hammocks, on an exercycle or in the bathtub. "Surprisingly, I always get the most interesting calls when I'm in the bathtub. It was the same when Nelson Mandela called me one day. He asked me if I would like to buy out a gym chain in South Africa that had just gone bankrupt. I did - and Nelson and I became close friends."
Branson prefers to discuss business over a light lunch or while walking. The more informal and relaxed, the more the billionaire prefers it. He always has his notebook with him so he can write down his ideas. Eternally young-at-heart, he also enjoys dinner in large groups. He says he loves listening and asking questions to find out as much as possible about his conversation partner.
As sociable and exuberant as Branson can be, there's only one thing he wants to do by 23:00 at the latest: go to bed. To cope with his daily workload, he needs his six hours of sleep. "I seriously doubt that I would have been as successful professionally (and as happy personally) if I hadn't always placed so much emphasis on health and fitness," he writes in his blog.
But regular endurance and strength training is only part of the equation, a healthy diet is equally paramount. To avoid getting sick in the first place, Branson follows the nutritional advice of Dr. William Li, who wrote the bestseller "Eat to beat disease". Sourdough bread, lots of vegetables, berries, kiwi, nuts, hard cheese, oatmeal, olive oil, fish, dark chocolate and plenty of green tea are among the foods that help protect cells from oxidative damage, lower blood pressure and keep cholesterol levels low, according to Li. "Those are all foods that I really like to eat anyway," writes the Virgin boss, who has been a vegetarian for some time.
As Branson is in peak form at the age of 74, he is not even thinking of retiring or slowing down. There is still too much for the philanthropist to do. He now devotes 80 percent of his working time to non-profit ventures instead of his business. After all, the Brit is committed to stopping climate change, campaigning for human rights, improving education and much more. "What is good for our planet? What is good for humanity?" These are the questions that concern him – and not how much money he has earned, Branson emphasizes. That's why he's offended if people just call him a "billionaire". Savoring life to the full has always been his motto, says the adventurer. "And that's what I did. I have had an extraordinary life full of interesting and unexpected twists and turns. But there is nothing I regret."
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group, which consists of over 400 companies like Virgin Atlantic Airlines and Virgin Galactic. With a fortune of over $2.5 billion, the dyslexic Branson is one of the UK's most successful entrepreneurs.
Branson was born in London on July 18, 1950. He dropped out of school at 16 to found a magazine. In 1971, he opened his first record store, Virgin Records. Branson became successful with his music label, which signed artists such as Mike Oldfield, the Sex Pistols and Genesis. In 1992, he sold Virgin Records for $1 billion.
An avid adventurer, Branson undertook several world record attempts: in 1986, for example, he set off on the fastest Atlantic crossing in a boat. In 1987, he crossed the Atlantic in a hot air balloon for the first time, followed by a Pacific crossing in 1991. In 2021, he flew into space shuttle, making him the first billionaire to do so.
Richard Branson owns Necker Island, which is part of the British Virgin Islands. He also runs luxury resorts in the Caribbean, Africa, the Swiss Alps and Mallorca.
In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elisabeth II. for his services to British entrepreneurship.
Branson has been married to Joan Templeman since 1989 and has two children with her.
