Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVIII

1 4 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I S ir Richard Branson is easily one of the most recognisable and respected figures on the world stage. With a head for business, a heart of a philanthropist and a soul of an adventurer, Sir Richard is nothing if not a true visionary. We were honoured that he sat down to talk to Simply Abu Dhabi for this interview. What was your first job? I launched Student magazine, my first business, aged 16. It was a huge amount of hard work, and I had a steep learning curve to overcome, but it was worth it and made me realise how much I loved being an entrepreneur. In your early life, what moments stand out that encouraged you to become an entrepreneur? For me, one of the great appeals of becoming an entrepreneur is the independence of being your own boss. My mother, Eve, brought me up to believe in myself and trust my instincts. One very clear memory I have frommy childhood is being told to make my own way home after my mother stopped the car a few miles from our house. I made it back safely and learnt a huge amount about standing on my own two feet in life. What advice can you give budding entrepreneurs? Starting a business is a huge amount of hard work. If you think it is a quick path to making money, you shouldn’t pursue a career as an entrepreneur. You simply won’t have the motivation to stick with the business during the tough times. Financial gain isn’t a strong enough incentive. There are only two reasons to start a business: passion or frustration. Often the two are inter-linked. If there is a problem in a market that frustrates you, such as a poor product or service, and it is a problem that you passionately want to solve and think will benefit the lives of many, then there is nobody better than you to go out and find a solution. What are your main objectives and responsibilities as the Virgin Group Chairman? Over the years I have built up a very strong management team who look after the day-to-day running of the Virgin Group. This allows me to free up my time to work more with Virgin Unite, the not-for-profit arm of Virgin, on their initiatives to make business and entrepreneurship a positive force for good in our world. What do you believe is the secret behind creating a successful brand and business? A brand must stand for something customers can relate to. There needs to be one or two very potent values which a brand stands for when you distil all of a company’s communications, marketing and messaging down. Apple believes technology should be an extension of the body and constantly re- imagines design concepts to make their products second nature to use. Nike honours great athletes and respects the hours of hard work and training behind the scenes that goes into sporting success. Virgin believes entrepreneurship is a powerful tool to improve people’s lives and leave this world in a better position for each generation. Prometheus72 / Shutterstock.com