Knighted with Knowledge: What I learnt from a week with Richard Branson
In a pre-pandemic world, I was presented with the opportunity to experience something that had been sitting on my bucket list for almost a decade - to meet Sir Richard Branson.
And despite a worldwide pandemic pausing these plans, fast forward two years later, I was finally sitting on the plane, beginning a 30-hour journey to meet the iconic entrepreneur, with feelings of excitement and adrenaline.
It was just a month ago that I joined 30 of the world’s leading entrepreneurs and innovators, in the idyllic Caribbean oasis that is famously known as Necker Island.
Reflecting on one of the most transformational weeks of my life, here are my key takeaways from my time spent with Sir Richard Branson.
Don’t lose your human element
Hanging out with a billionaire isn’t something any of us get to do very often, and I would be stupid to pretend I wasn’t at least a little intimidated by the magnitude of the person sitting across from me.
One of the amazing things I learned from Richard was the importance of never losing sight of your human element.
He just has this amazing energy that is almost indescribable. You can tell that making an impact in the world is important to him.
It might sound trivial, but I was very surprised that he makes his own cups of tea.
You can just have a conversation with him and feel like there is no agenda, no judgment, that he is just really genuine and cares about what you have to say.
Coming together to learn and grow helped me to forge amazing connections with people that really care about this world and the people in it. Human connection is key!
We need to do our part (as small as it might be) to be kind and help others where we can. I learned that my business can be the vehicle I need to help and leave a lasting legacy behind.
Age is just a number
Perhaps due to his pure competitive spirit, Richard has never let anything or anyone stand in the way of achieving his personal and professional goals.
I have to say it, Richard is active as f#ck. He is an absolute weapon. If I am even half as fit as he is at 72, I will be one happy man.
But, the Virgin mogul has proved time and time again that his entrepreneurial spirit runs deep.
He started his business ventures with his Magazine called Student, which he launched when he was still a teenager.
At 21, he opened his first record store which transitioned into Virgin Records just two years later - claiming the brand name “Virgin” for his self-declared inexperience in business.
Even now, at 72 when a lot of people would be happily retired, he still is at the helm of his Virgin empire, dedicating time to his personal development and continuing to grow.
Your perspective matters
As I mentioned earlier, amongst the fame and money, Richard has never lost sight of who he is or what’s important to him.
Surely, with billions in the bank, you could hire your own tea-maker? To be honest, I would have happily made him as many cups as his heart desired…so sign me up.
But back to the point, you see a lot of people lose their perspective when they rise up in the world. Priorities shift, and people change.
I was just so in awe of Richard’s empathy and humility.
He has written many books on his success, but from what I picked up, his family unit is what keeps him going - and I really resonated with that.
So, yes we spent a week in the absolutely stunning Caribbean. But I left feeling more inspired than I have in a long time.
Thank you to Richard and this experience, I am keen to add a lot more personal and professional development to my bucket list - and tick them off!