Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

Be Like Branson Is the man who treats life--and business--as an extreme sport more like you than you think?

By Sara Wilson

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

If Richard Branson has nine lives, he's on at least his fourth or fifth. He has attempted to navigate the Atlantic in a powerboat, cross the Pacific in a hot air balloon and leap into thin air on a skydiving expedition. The boat sank, the balloon caught on fire and, during his skydiving freefall, Branson pulled the wrong releas e tag, jettisoning his parachute. He's a high roller gambling with the biggest stake of all: his life. Yet somehow he always comes out alive--and ahead. He's not only the closest thing we have to a real James Bond, he's also living proof that big risks do pay off. Parlaying his daredevil approach for life to the business world, he's built the Virgin brand to encompass approximately 200 companies spanning dozens of countries and industries, and a net worth valued at $5 billion.

So it's fitting that I'm scheduled to interview Branson, 58, on the southern tip of Manhattan, moments before he announces that he'll be attempting to set yet another world record. This time, he's sailing across the Atlantic. The time to beat: six days, 17 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds. His transportation of choice: a 99-foot Super Maxi yacht sporting the Virgin Money brand on its sweeping sails. (Having just forged into the U.S. financial services industry last year, Branson couldn't pass up the strategic opportunity to create some buzz around the new brand.) Icebergs, severe temperatures and 3,000 miles await, and in true Branson style, the departure time is designed to coincide with hurricane winds. "We're about to head off, we're looking for a hurricane to come behind us, and we're going to see if we can be the fastest people to cross the Atlantic," says Branson, who is dressed casually in red-and-white sneakers and a blue collared shirt tucked into jeans, but will soon change into Virgin-branded sailing clothes for the upcoming press conference. Not to be missed is his trademark all-encompassing Branson smile. For the first time ever, Branson will be racing against time accompanied by his two children, Holly, 26, and Sam, 23. And because Branson is Branson, the world is poised to watch.

Continue reading this article — and all of our other premium content with Entrepreneur+

Join the internet’s leading entrepreneur community! With your subscription you’ll get:

  • Access to all of our premium content and an ad-free experience
  • A complimentary subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Four free e-books a year and 20% off everything from our bookstore
  • Exclusive events with business celebrities and successful entrepreneurs

Editor's Pick

She's Been Coding Since Age 7 and Presented Her Life-Saving App to Tim Cook Last Year. Now 17, She's on Track to Solve Even Bigger Problems.
Lock
I Helped Grow 4 Unicorns Over 10 Years That Generated $18 Billion in Online Revenues. Here's What I've Learned.
Lock
Want to Break Bad Habits and Supercharge Your Business? Use This Technique.
Lock
Don't Have Any Clients But Need Customer Testimonials? Follow These 3 Tricks To Boost Your Rep.
Why Are Some Wines More Expensive Than Others? A Top Winemaker Gives a Full-Bodied Explanation.

Related Topics

Growing a Business

The Best Way to Run a Business Meeting

All too often, meetings run longer than they should and fail to keep attendees engaged. Here's how to run a meeting the right way.

Fundraising

Working Remote? These Are the Biggest Dos and Don'ts of Video Conferencing

As more and more businesses go remote, these are ways to be more effective and efficient on conference calls.

Growing a Business

Subscribers Exclusive Event: Discover How These 2 Founders Turned Their Side Hustle into a Million-Dollar Lifestyle Brand

Learn how you can transform your personal brand into a thriving business empire with co-founders of The Skinny Confidential

Devices

Take Your Social Media Earning Potential Sky-High With This $79.97 Quadcopter

Get this beginner-friendly drone for a great price for Father's Day.

Health & Wellness

Sleep Better, Snore Less, and Stay Cool with This Tech-Packed Pillow, Now $49.99

Let technology help you sleep better with this 8-in-1 cooling pillow.

Leadership

How do You Turn Employees Into Problem-Solvers? Follow This 3-Step Leadership Formula.

As leaders, we need to solve company problems effectively. We often have the urge to fix everything quickly, but is this system of problem-solving really sustainable?