Richard Branson: Like a Virgin

maintaining your connection with 221-4, 228

problem 56

research to find your most likely 186

resistance to change 65-8

retention of 230

second impression of 76

selling customers is easy 157-1

service 11, 12, 22-5, 31, 39, 41, 72, 154-5, 156, 190, 209, 216-20, 257-60

social media and 248-2

staff and see employees/people

websites and 77-8

word-of-mouth and 229

De Freitas, Randall 285

deep-sea exploration 44, 84-8, 150, 151

Deepsea Challenger 85

delegating 19, 72-3, 74, 103, 106-10, 109, 291, 315, 328

details, keep an eye on 112, 266-8

differentiation 11, 227, 286-8

digital downloading 236-7

Disease Control Hub, South Africa 312

diversification 67, 68, 95, 106, 156, 253-6, 302

downturn, surviving a 169-72

Drake, Sir Francis 4, 87

Draper, Simon 125, 126

dress 160, 200-3

drugs, war on 79-83

dumb idea, no such thing as a 57-8

Dynamotive Energy Systems and Renewable Oil 118

early endeavours 183-7

economy, kick-start the: ten tips 318-22

abandon student warehouses 321

adopt ‘talent without borders’ 320

improve the infrastructure 319

keep it simple 320

look overseas for investors 319

offer flexitime as well as full-time 321

restore stability 321-2

show us the money 319

teach people to make things 320-1

zoom past fossil fuels 320

education 1, 183, 184, 212-15, 327-30

Elders 8, 29, 181, 312

Ellis, Richard 142

email 55, 91, 106-8, 110, 133-4, 162, 181, 223, 249, 250, 267, 287, 289, 309

emergency planning 137-40

EMI 236

Emissions Trading Scheme, European Union (ETS) 116

employees/people 14-17

being visible and approachable to 91

blaming the rules 258

‘catch employees doing something right’ 25, 224, 260, 326

empower to come up with ideas 222-3

empower to make mistakes 60, 90

empower to use common sense 89-92, 258

establishing a culture and 17

‘first to know, first to handle’ 258

flexible guidelines for 239-42

gauging mood of 303

getting them to talk to each other 55

hire the people you need, not the people you like 264

investing in 229-33

keeping happy during launch stage 192-5

leadership and see leadership

make sure they have the tools they need to succeed 232-3, 239-40

mistakes 17, 90, 104, 109, 139-40, 154, 184, 196, 198, 199, 204, 206

retirement 241

rulebook 257-60

‘sorry, but we’re really busy today’ 268

talent without borders 320

training 239-42

transfers 241-2

‘we’ and ‘they’ 52-5

work-life balance 96, 241, 289-92, 306, 308, 314-17

see also under individual company name

empowerment 60, 89, 154, 155, 189, 211, 244, 257-60, 302, 304

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

English Channel, fastest amphibious vehicle crossing of 94, 173, 309

Entrepreneur 204

entrepreneurs:

bouncing back 61, 62, 300

change for good 208-11

exercise and fitness 306-9, 316

how to bake an 111-14

investors and see investors

lonely 269-72

mentors 297-300

mistakes, common 261-5

overcoming adversity 161

ruthlessness of 20

success as 162-5

support systems 269-72

teaching 297-300

term 1, 112

what’s the plan? Keep your team informed 324

work-life balance 96, 241, 289-92, 306, 308, 314-17

young 27-8, 183-7

ethanol plants 117

exercise and fitness 306-9, 316

Facebook 10-11, 160, 218, 222, 237, 248-9, 251

face-to-face meetings 134

failure:

bouncing back, ability to 61, 62, 196-9, 300

learning from 32-3, 61, 62, 65-6, 196-9, 300

family:

and friends, borrowing money from 131-2, 186

making time for 292, 308, 314-17

RB’s life and 5, 6, 120-3, 138, 179, 180

Virgin 17, 100, 241, 244, 281-2, 284

feedback 27, 54, 65, 123, 160, 218, 223, 259, 262-3, 316

Ferry, Joe 113

first impressions are huge 75-8

flexibility 149, 162, 193, 240-1, 258, 263, 289-90, 317

flexible working 193, 289-92, 290, 317

Fossett, Steve 180

Four Ps 34

Freakonomics (Dubner/Levitt) 79

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

fun, importance of 8, 10, 20, 21, 27-8, 34-8, 195

funding, finding 130-2, 157-61, 225-8 see also investors

Gabriel, Peter 179-80, 181

Gaming Zone 271

gap in the market 46, 130, 206

Gates, Bill 164

Gems, Jonny 131

General Electric: ‘Ecomagination’ 211

Genesis 3

Gevo Inc. 117

Godfrey, Brett 15-16, 103

Google 10-11, 160, 174-5, 218, 249, 265

Haiti 310-11

handshake 277-80

‘harm-reduction’ strategies 81

Henson, William 143

Herriges, Felipe 327

HMV 235-6

holidays/time off 96, 150, 289-92, 314-17

home and/or office 314-17

hot-air ballooning 4, 7, 29, 35, 37, 84, 143, 151-2, 173, 180, 287

hotel industry 78

humour 35, 36, 37, 41, 69-70, 187, 245, 251, 288

IBM 74

innovation 8, 10-11, 41, 42, 60, 61, 65, 66, 71, 73, 90, 99, 113, 116-17, 119, 139, 143, 176, 190, 197, 199, 200, 208, 229, 255, 256, 259, 261, 274, 290, 320, 327

instincts, trust your 45, 152, 183, 204-5

Interface Global 210-11

International Energy Agency 274

International Space Station 50

intrapreneurs 90, 91-2, 112-14

investors/investment:

choosing a partner 225-8

finding funding 130-2, 157-61, 225-8

looking overseas for 319

pitch, the perfect 39-43, 157-61

iPad 71, 72 130, 266

iPhone 71, 72, 74, 130

iPod 71, 72, 129, 196-7, 199, 238

iTunes 72, 129, 197

Jamaica 271, 298, 299

Japan 145, 275

Jetblue 263-4

Jobs, Steve 32-3, 71-4, 129-30, 164

Kagwe, Winfred 277

Kasbah Tamadot, Morocco 317

Kelleher, Herb 64

KISS strategy 158, 282-3, 320

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

Laker Airways 179

Laker, Sir Freddie 26-7, 31, 35, 155, 179, 287, 300

LanzaTech 117

launch stage of business 102-5

be realistic about costs 263-4

four mistakes 261-5

hire the people you need, not the people you like 264

know when to step down as CEO 264-5

managing 192-5

stay on target 262-3

lawyers 279-80

lay-offs 171

leadership 15, 18-21

aggression and 18-19, 20

bad 15

be a leader not a boss 212-15

by example 91

delegating see delegating

getting people to talk to each other 55

listening and 11-12

mentors and see mentors

negotiation and 19-20

ruthless 20

Steve Jobs and 71-4

see also CEO

Liebenberg, David 219

Lindbergh, Charles 48, 143

Lindstrand, Per 143

listening 11-12, 19, 20, 53, 66, 91, 109, 120-3, 135-6, 154, 155, 168, 194-5, 218

London Array 147

London Fashion Week 298

London Marathon 8, 121, 308-9

London Triathlon 309

Malatsi, Lesego 298

mallee 118

management:

communication and see communication

delegation and see delegation

restructuring and 188-91

staff and see employees/people

structure, decentralised 60, 89-92

surrounding yourself with great 19

teams 19

walkabout 134-6, 166-8, 202

manager see CEO and leadership

Mandela, Nelson 7, 16, 179, 181, 328

Manor, The 132

Maphongwane, Musa 271

marketing 35-8, 54, 65-6, 100, 151, 154, 218, 229, 237, 244, 249, 250, 286, 287, 288, 294, 295, 300

Marks & Spencer ‘Plan A’ 211

Mars, colonising 175, 328