Richard Branson: Like a Virgin

jugular marketing and 35-6

open and frank 288

social media and 253, 254, 255

use of RB in 26-7, 35, 39, 287, 300

Virgin Atlantic 34-5, 36, 255

Virgin Media 246

Virgin Mobile 37

word-of-mouth as 218

advice:

CEO and 103, 107, 108, 110

don’t be afraid of asking for 140

getting a second or third opinion 120-3

RB’s best received 26-7

RB’s to young entrepreneurs 27-8

RB’s to newly unemployed 171

RB’s worst received 27

see also mentors

Afghanistan 80

Africa 5, 16, 80, 175-7, 179, 218-19, 224, 271, 307, 308, 312, 317

ageing, benefits of 93-7

aggression, leadership and 18-19, 20

Alcock, John 48

Al-Qaeda 80

American Airlines 136

American Express Open Forum 204

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) 251-2

Annan, Kofi 80, 312, 328

Ansett 16

ANZ Bank 61

Apple 10-11, 32-3, 70, 75-8, 133-4, 168, 200-1, 233-4

Aunt Joyce 132

Australia 3, 15-16, 65-6, 71-2, 73, 74, 129-30, 164, 196-7, 229-30

aviation, sustainable 115-19 see also Virgin Galactic and under individual airline name

bad news, dealing with 221-4

Bader, Douglas 143

banking 30, 39-40, 41, 42, 61-2, 77, 131-2, 200-1, 207, 243-4, 256, 281, 319, 321 see also Virgin Money

BBC 138

Berkett, Neil 250

biofuels 44, 116, 117, 118, 275

Black, Iain 139

BlackBerry 107

Blackwell, Chris 129

Blair, Tony 202, 323, 324

Bodislav, Alex 128

Boeing 35, 46, 99, 158, 159

Bolt, Usain 246

Bosco, Emily 192

boss 212-15

Boss, Lee 257

bouncing back 61, 62, 300

brainstorming 55

brand:

accountability 187

awareness 59, 67-70

business name, logo and 99, 100-1, 245

employees as ambassadors for 64, 91, 303 see also employees

from the outside in 57

if you don’t define what it is, your competitors will 70

new business damaging 44-5

rebranding 39, 201, 207, 243-7, 281

values 65, 99, 231, 256, 293-6

Virgin see Virgin Group

Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship 271, 298, 329

Branson, Eve (mother) 26, 75, 131, 185, 206, 212, 270, 329

Branson, Holly (daughter) 121, 308-9

Branson, Joan (wife) 3, 6, 121-3, 182, 315

Branson, Richard:

anybody of whom you are still in awe? 8

anything left for you to achieve? 8

anything you still want? 6

anything you’d like to change about yourself? 5

are you stressed? 6

are you ticklish? 6

best country ever visited? 3

business philosophy: five quick questions 26-9

childhood 1, 212-15, 270, 307, 328-9

curiosity 178

did running in the London Marathon hurt you as much as it did me? 8

dyslexia 1, 163, 212, 299, 328

education 1, 184, 185, 212-15, 327-30

ever thought of running for political office? 7

first record brought 3

hammock, view from 178

has anyone ever mistaken you for someone else? 4

has there ever been an event that changed your life? 7

how do you spoil yourself/guilty pleasures? 182

if you could do it all over again 128-32

if you could meet a legend, dead or alive, who would it be? 4

if you were given $60 to start a business, how would you do it? 5

if you were not you, who would you want to be and why? 7-8

is there anything you’d have done differently? 8

is there anything you’d like to change about yourself? 5

kite-surfing 4, 8, 94, 182, 307, 308, 309

lifestyle 178-82

marathon running 8, 94, 121, 308-9

motivation 6, 178, 309

regrets 36, 29, 236, 270

teenage businesses 17, 57, 158, 184-5

the key to your success in three words 6

three most adventurous things you have done so far? 4

what advice would you give to young entrepreneurs on how best to start? 27-8

what’s contributed most to your success? 5

what do you love and hate? 5

what drives you crazy? 6

what is the best advice you ever got? 26-7

what is the greatest piece of wisdom you’ve ever heard? 4

what is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done? 7

what keeps you awake at night? 6

what makes you cry? 5

what makes you laugh? 5

what motivates you to carry on? 6

what single word gets you out of bed in the morning? 3

what’s the first thing you think of when you wake up? 3

what’s your favourite song? 4

what’s your favourite sport? 8

which is your favourite band? 3

which one of the seven dwarves would you be? 7

which single word gets you out of bed in the morning? 3

who is you mentor? 4

who or what inspires? 180-1

who would play you in the movie of your life? 7

whom do I admire personally and professionally? 179-80

world records 28-9, 287

worst advice you have received? 27

Branson, Sam (son) 121, 182, 308-9

breaking up a business partnership 124-7

BRIC countries 318

British Airways:

biofuel testing 116

customer service 22-3

Millennium Wheel and 37

size as a disadvantage 34

Virgin rivalry with 22, 23, 27, 34, 36, 37

British Virgin Islands 3, 4, 85, 87, 111, 114, 181

broadening services you offer 186

Brown, Arthur Whitten 48

Brown, Gordon 207

Bryn, Sergey 175

Bucknall, Matthew 16, 227

Buffett, Warren 164

bureaucracy 28, 106, 109, 320

business philosophy: five quick questions 26-9

business schools 1, 67, 295

buzz, creating 11, 262

Cahling, Hans 239

Camelot 29

Cameron, James 85

‘Capitalism 24902’ 210-11

carbon emissions 116-19, 146, 210, 211, 276

Carbon War Room 29, 210

Cardoso, Fernando 80

Carter, Jimmy 312

CEO 71, 114

channels of communication 304-5

gauging the mood of your workforce 303-4

goodbye to a company, know when to say 288-9

leading by example 91, 231-2

mistakes 196-9

nurturing ‘intrapreneurs’ 91-2

so, you want to be? 102-5

stepping down as 264-5

volunteering to coach young entrepreneurs 297-8

walkabout 134-6, 166-8, 202

change for good 208-11

charity 175-7, 187, 312

Charles, Jacques 144

climate change 29, 49-50, 108, 146, 175, 210, 271, 275, 311, 312, 328

carbon emissions 116-19, 146, 210, 211, 276

energy efficiency and 115, 118, 145-8, 152, 172, 210, 211, 274-6, 320

fuels and 44, 115-19, 172, 275, 320

Clinton, Hilary 37

Coca-Cola 61, 67

Collins, Tony 138, 304

Columbus, Christopher 4, 111

Commonwealth Bank of Australia 61

communication 53, 54, 104-5, 106-10, 133-6, 139, 140, 167-8, 214, 217-18, 231, 240, 248-52, 262, 267-8, 287, 288, 303, 304, 324, 326

community spirit 136

compact discs 235

competitors:

cumbersome 30, 31, 32

defining your brand 70

differentiation from 11, 227, 286-8

forming alliances with 74, 141

complaints 53, 110, 189, 216, 217, 222, 232, 259

Crandall, Robert 136

criticising other people 12, 26, 104

Culture Club 17, 194

culture, establishing a 17, 19, 31, 72, 82, 91, 153-6, 189, 217, 219, 244, 246, 258, 259, 260, 267, 303, 304

curiosity 51, 109, 178

Cush, David 217, 231, 251

customers:

brand and 244-7, 256, 287, 293-6 see also brand

cannot tell what they want 65

coming first 301-5

complaints 53, 110, 189, 216, 217, 222, 232, 259

earning their trust 285-8

employees and see employees/people

empowerment and appreciation 257-60

first impression of/point of contact 75-8

helplines 57, 76-7, 78

hotel industry and 78

is always right, except when he’s wrong 63-6