Richard Branson

Well, I think that there’s a very thin dividing line between success and failure. And I think if you start a business without financial backing, you’re likely to go the wrong side of that dividing line.

We, we – as I say, we go in and shake up other industries and I think, you know, we do it differently and I think that industries are not quite the same as a result of Virgin attacking the market.

So I’ve seen life as one long learning process. And if I see – you know, if I fly on somebody else’s airline and find the experience is not a pleasant one, which it wasn’t in – 21 years ago, then I’d think, well, you know, maybe I can create the kind of airline that I’d like to fly on.

If you’re bringing up kids, you just want to smother them with love and praise and enthusiasm. So I don’t think you can mollycoddle your kids too much really.

It’s all too easy to miss out on the important moments in life because you’re too busy staring at your phone.

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.

About half my time is spent on business operation type stuff.

Every man must decide for himself whether he shall master his world or be mastered by it.

If you need a machine and don’t buy it, then you will ultimately find that you have paid for it and don’t have it.

We wish all users of Ford cars to know what they are entitled to.

Burdening people with debt is an old deal not a new deal.

Do not spend too much time planning or trying to anticipate and solve problems before they happen. That is just another kind of excuse for procrastination. Until you start, you won’t know where the problems will occur. You won’t have the experience to solve them. Instead, get into action, and solve the problems as they arise.

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

This is serious business. But it doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun along the way.

We get real results only in proportion to the real values we give.

We’ve created a recognisable brand that has the ability to be the Louis Vuitton of our era.

[In 1990 on the president of MCA calling and saying ‘We’re going to make you the biggest offer this company has ever made, and I’m going to send it to you by messenger right now.’] It’s 1990. Send me a fax.

You can’t do this! We have an arrangement! We have a contract!

Advertising is only evil when it advertises evil things.

Your business, and your brand must first let people know what you care about and that you care about them.

This is a perverse thing, personally, but I would rather be in the cycle where people are underestimating us. It gives us latitude to go out and make big bets that excite and amaze people.