Richard Branson Quotes

The balloons only have one life and the only way of finding out whether they work is to attempt to fly around the world.

Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to.

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

You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.

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

Listen more than you talk. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak.

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

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

Never take your eyes off the cash flow because it's the life blood of business.

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.

If people aren't calling you crazy, you aren't thinking big enough.

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

Complexity is your enemy. Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to keep things simple.

Successful entrepreneurs don't wait for the perfect moment - they create it

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.

Whether we're fighting climate change or going to space, everything is moved forward by computers, and we don't have enough people who can code

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.

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

Ridiculous yachts and private planes and big limousines won't make people enjoy life more, and it sends out terrible messages to the people who work for them. It would be so much better if that money was spent in Africa - and it's about getting a balance.

I believe a good leader brings out the best in people by listening to them, trusting in them, believing in them, respecting them and letting them have a go.

If you don't have time for the small things, you won't have time for the big things

If you aim higher than you expect, you could reach higher than you dreamed.

As a leader of people, you have to be a great listener, a great motivator, be very good at praising and bringing out the best in people.

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.

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.

The way you treat your employees is the way they will treat your customers

Colleagues should take care of each other, have fun, celebrate success, learn by failure, look for reasons to praise not to criticize, communicate freely and respect each other.

I am convinced that companies should put staff first, customers second and shareholders third - ultimately that's in the best interest of customers and shareholders.

For a successful entrepreneur it can mean extreme wealth. But with extreme wealth comes extreme responsibility. And the responsibility for me is to invest in creating new businesses, create jobs, employ people, and to put money aside to tackle issues where we can make a difference.

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

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.

A company's employees are its greatest asset and your people are your product

Please don’t get hung up on this question of whether you need to have experience in an industry before you launch your startup.

Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.

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

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.

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

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

It can be a challenge not to let failure, or negativity from others, prevent you from going after what you believe in and what in your gut you know can work. However it is important to face these challenges head on and give them a go and importantly don'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 best way of learning about anything is by doing.

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

Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change.

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

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.

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

The key is to set realistic customer expectations, and then not to just meet them, but to exceed them - preferably in unexpected and helpful ways.

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

If you look for the best in your employees, they'll flourish. If you criticize or look for the worst, they'll shrivel up. We all need lots of watering.

There is no point in going into a business unless you can make a radical difference in other people’s lives.

My biggest motivation? Just to keep challenging myself. I see life almost like one long University education that I never had - everyday I'm learning something new.