As one of the most recognizable business magnates from the United Kingdom, Richard Branson is an entrepreneur who seems to have tried his hand at every business imaginable.
His first real success was in magazines in the 1960s, and he has ventured into other fields with varying degrees of success. Virgin Megastore was a colossal brand that generated millions of dollars of profit for Branson over the years.
It allowed him the time and resources to go into other fields that interested him, such as space travel. However, The Virgin Group, which he is the CEO of, has hundreds of companies under its umbrella, from fashion to music to gambling.
If you are looking to gamble online at a digital casino, there are plenty of ways to do it. However, gambling with digital assets such as Bitcoin is one of the lesser-known ways that are beginning to gather some traction.
Cryptocurrencies are known for providing direct wallet-to-wallet transactions and offer an extra layer of security between you and the gambling provider compared to a traditional casino. You can connect your wallet and play without having your financial details saved on their website.
A crypto casino works similarly, but they have been praised for their innovative approach to customer deposits and heightened security. It isn’t an idea that Richard Branson had, but it is proving to be a success for companies within this space.
Humble Beginnings
As we discussed in our introduction, Branson’s first business success was a magazine called Student which he set up in 1970. Despite suffering from dyslexia and ADHD, he was able to turn this literary-based business venture into a resounding success.
This allowed him the springboard to enter the world of vinyl sales, which was a massive business in the 1970s and 1980s.
Although this industry has experienced a revival somewhat over the last decade, the amount of money available in this field was astonishing, and Branson wanted to tap into that. In the modern market, almost all music is streamed.
However, before the internet, music was purchased in multiple forms such as vinyl, cassette, and later via CD. Virgin Records became one of the biggest record labels in the UK, signing some of the biggest acts in the country at the time, from The Human League to Simple Minds.
The Empire Business
The tentacles of this behemoth began to spread throughout this period, and Virgin became a conglomerate. Not only did it become a successful record label for its artists, it also became a successful airline and looked to take a slice of the rail industry in the United Kingdom.
Richard Branson became one of the wealthiest men in the UK due to the multiple successful large businesses he managed simultaneously. His business mantra and incredible success rate are down to sheer business acumen.
This doesn’t mean he factors in the standard economic stuff, such as GDP and other economic indicators, but he has his ear to the ground and has the skill to manage an idea and see it through to completion.
The complete list of businesses under The Virgin Group’s umbrella is astonishing. Very few significant businesses anywhere in the world can boast a range of services and companies like Branson does with his iconic brand.
He has successfully branched into healthcare and has come under fire for several business dealings. Nevertheless, the empire continued to grow, and the growth of Virgin Galactic yet again showed how hungry Branson was to continue to innovate and make money.Â
As somebody who has mastered the art of travelling by hot air balloon, he has also been to space. At one stage, there was even a plan to move into Formula 1, but this idea didn’t materialize.
Outside Of Business
The Englishman has lived a long and exciting life. He has attempted and failed to break multiple world records and spearheaded several failed businesses despite starting them with millions of pounds.
He broke the hot air balloon airspeed record in the early 1990s when he crossed the Pacific Ocean. In addition, he is the third oldest man who has travelled in space.
He has made a cameo in several high-profile TV series and movies. This includes Casino Royale and Only Fools And Horses. In addition, he has been named in the TIME 100 and knighted for his business and entrepreneurship services.Â
Conclusion
It would have been easier for us to compile a list of things Richard Branson hasn’t done in his life. He is a fountain of ideas, from flying into space to setting world records to owning a record label, an airline and a cola drink company.
As he begins to get on in age, he seems to be in good shape. This is probably helped by the fact that he has a top-of-the-range private healthcare system he owns! So don’t be surprised to see him break one last world record or start one previous business before he decides to retire into the sunset.
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