Richard Branson is seen as a billionaire with a penchant for eccentricity, known for his outrageous and unique actions.
Richard Branson doesn’t remember exactly how many companies he owns
Since starting his career in 1996, his Virgin Group has expanded to include over 400 companies. From beverages, fashion, and airlines to social media and record labels, the billionaire has seemingly bought and opened everything. Yet, the quality of service that Virgin provides to its customers always remains high.
Once Considered the Dumbest Student
Despite being a billionaire and highly successful today, not everyone knows that he was once the worst student in his school. Even his teachers thought Richard was a clinical idiot. After a few months, they realized he had a rare learning disability known as dyslexia. He struggled significantly with reading and writing, resulting in consistently poor academic performance. Later, he dropped out of school at the age of 16. The principal believed Richard would either end up in jail or become a millionaire.
Wearing a Wedding Dress
Branson has a quirky personality and always seeks to make surprising and bold appearances in public. Therefore, at the launch of the Virgin Bride wedding shop, he shocked all the guests by showing up in a wedding dress and full makeup. Although Richard’s publicity stunt attracted media attention, the wedding dress shop struggled and eventually closed.
Shooting Coca-Cola Billboards from a Tank
In the 1990s, Virgin launched Virgin Cola to compete with major brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. One of Virgin Cola’s outrageous advertising campaigns involved Richard Branson firing shots at a competitor’s billboard from his tank while passing through Times Square. He explained this act calmly, stating that advertising in media or on billboards is quite expensive, and this stunt landed him on the front pages of newspapers.
Skiing Naked
Branson searched for someone to debate for a long time, with the idea of skiing naked for £10. However, even though he never found a competitor, Richard chose one of the most beautiful slopes in Switzerland to strip down and showcase his skiing skills.
Spilling Champagne on Princess Diana
During the launch of a new aircraft joining the Virgin Atlantic fleet, Princess Diana was present. Branson accidentally spilled champagne on the royal representative while popping the cork. Princess Diana appreciated the joke and even posed for photographers in the airline’s signature jacket.
Dressing as a Flight Attendant
In 2010, Branson made a bet with AirAsia founder Tony Fernandes that the Formula One racing team that finished lower at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix would have to dress as a female flight attendant on the opposing airline’s flight. As a result, Richard Branson shaved his legs, put on makeup, and donned AirAsia’s flight attendant uniform to serve on a flight from Malaysia to Perth, Australia. This was probably the shortest job he ever had, as he was fired just six hours later for spilling a tray of orange juice on the “boss”.
Branson’s Company Doesn’t Micromanage Employees
His company is famous for creating a relaxed environment for employees and fostering a unique corporate culture that prioritizes employee benefits. There are no strict dress codes, no need for formalities in relationships between subordinates and managers (everyone is on friendly terms, and people can even give each other backslaps and drink beer at work). He is also known for being generous to his staff. Historically, when Virgin Group won a lawsuit against British Airways, the billionaire distributed nearly $945,000 in compensation to his employees. He even announced unlimited vacation time for his staff.
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