Due to me doing a case study for business on “virgin blue” i had a look at the owner, Richard Branson. Who has had an intriguing life i must admit. I think for the next couple of weeks i am going to try and blog out at least a couple of blogs about the great business men. anyway ….
Branson started off in the early seventies selling records out of the back of his car. He then started his own shop selling records. In 1971, Branson was arrested and charged for selling records in Virgin stores that had been declared export stock. His mother payed the charges by taking out a second mortgage.
After this he started a record company called “Virgin Records” which signed bands such as The Sex pistols and The clash who no one else would sign. He bought a couple old clubs and turned them into hot new disco’s. In 1992 he sold his record company for $1 billion, apparently he cried on this day.
He has formed Virgin Atlantic ways, Virgin mobile, Virgin blue and even Virgin Trains. He is now worth just over $3 billion. Branson has been involved in humanitarian activities, as well as in film and television, he has attempted to break world records involving him being the fastest man to cross the atlantic ocean and he has also been knighted for all the money he has given to charities and the work he has done.
oh and to end this, did i mention he was dyslexic and practically illiterate.
