Thread by @mar15sa

The best quotes from the @richardbranson interview in 'How to Lead' by David M. Rubenstein:

"I never go into a venture with the idea of making a profit. If you can create the best in its field, generally speaking you'll find that you'll pay the bills and you'll make a profit."

"My first $200 that I got to start my business - my mum found a necklace and went to the police station and handed it in, and nobody claimed it. She managed to sell it for $200. That was the critical money that helped me start."

"The only reason we would go into a new sector is if we felt it was being badly run by other people. The reason we went into trains was that the government were running trains. British Rail had dilapidated trains, miserable service...

and we felt we could go in, get fantastic new rail stock, motivate the staff, and we could make a big difference."

"I think that transformed the experience for the people. In every new sector we've gone into, we've seen a gaping gap in the market where the big guys have not been doing it very well and we can come in and shake up an industry."

On how many companies he's started with the name Virgin:

"It's in excess of three hundred... We've been fortunate we've never had a bankrupt company. If something doesn't work out, we'll make sure we settle all the debts and then move on to the next company."

On whether he has regrets on taking risks:

"I think as a family we live life to the full. Quite often, when you're actually completely focused on an adventure, it's less likely in some way that you're going to die, because you're ready and sharp and know how to deal with it."

"We once put out a record called 'God Save the Queen' by the Sex Pistols on the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Then I found myself 25 years later being knighted. I was slightly nervous that if she had remembered the words on the record...

it would have been a slice of the head rather than a tap on the shoulder. But she forgave us anyway."

On meeting and bringing great leaders together:

"We set up the Elders, 12 incredible men and women who go into conflicts and try to resolve them. Conflicts are maybe the most important thing to focus on, because if you have a conflict, everything else breaks down."

On what makes great leadership:

"Being a really good listener is one of the most key things. When I sit around listening to the Elders talk in meetings, I realize they've become Elders because they spent their lifetimes listening and absorbing and then only speaking...

by choosing their words carefully.

Another key thing is loving people - a genuine love of everybody, and looking for the best in people. Even if they're being a pain, you can normally find the best in pretty well anybody."

On if he wished he got a degree:

"No. At age 40, I turned to my wife and said, 'I think I might give everything up and go to university.' And she said, 'You just want to go and chat up those young ladies at the university. You go straight back to work.' And it was good advice."

"I'd be a very sad person if I wasn't a very happy person. I've been blessed to have an absolutely lovely lady. We're complete opposites, but we get on great. Blessed to have been together most of our lives. Blessed to have wonderful children, wonderful grandchildren...

And every day I'm learning. I see life as the one long university education I never had. I'm learning something new from getting out there, listening to people; I scribble everything down. I feel like I am a perpetual student."

On the key ingredient to being Richard Branson:

"Surrounding yourself with great people. Learning to delegate early on - not trying to do everything yourself. Making sure you've got the kind of people who are praising the team around them, not criticizing them...

And having people who are willing to really innovate, be bold, and create something that everybody who works for the company can be really proud of."

If you liked this thread, you might also like the quote thread for @BillGates: