Richard Branson Shares Letter He Wrote to 12-Year-Old Fan About Keys to Success The Virgin Group founder recently received a letter from a 12-year-old girl asking about his skills. He took to LinkedIn on Thursday to share his response with the world.

By Lyneka Little

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Paul Morigi, Invision
Richard Branson

It's hard to remember a time when Richard Branson wasn't a larger-than-life business mogul. But he remembers, and he's happy to talk about it.

The billionaire founder of Virgin Group recently received a letter from a 12-year-old girl asking him what skills he needed when he was first starting out. He replied to her and took to LinkedIn on Thursday to share his response with the world.

"The key enterprising skills I used when first starting out are the very same ones I use today: the art of delegation, risk-taking, surrounding yourself with a great team and working on projects you really believe in," he wrote.

Branson also referenced his difficulties in growing up with a learning disability and how he learned to make the best of it when he started a publication called Student Magazine. "As you mentioned in your letter, I suffer from dyslexia but was able to turn this to my advantage. I delegated the areas I struggled with to people who also believed in the project. This freed up my time to focus on what I was good at -- the strategy of the magazine, making contacts and developing marketing."

Read the full letter here

The CEO, who is currently tackling space through Virgin Galactic, said a lack of money drove him to take risks in the past.

"We had very little money so had to take risks to get our magazine on the map. I approached to be in Student people like Mick Jagger and David Hockney, whom somebody with more experience may have been too intimidated to contact. For some reason, they said yes!"

Read: Richard Branson on Turning a Disadvantage Into an Advantage

Is a freelance writer in New York. She's written about personal finance and small business for such publications as The Wall Street Journal, MainStreet.com, Walletpop.com, People magazine. She also works as a freelance producer covering money at ABCNews.com. Little attended Howard University where she studied journalism. She loves drinking wine and tweeting, preferably at the same time. Follow Little on Twitter @Lyneka.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

What's Open on Easter Sunday? Costco and Target Will Close, But One Major Retailer Will Be Open. Here's What To Know.

The stock market was closed for Good Friday on April 18. Here's what's closed for Easter Sunday, April 20.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Living

The 3 Lifestyle Habits That Made Me Sharper, Stronger and More Successful

These three simple yet powerful lifestyle changes transformed my productivity, energy and mindset. Here's how you can do the same.

Side Hustle

This Couple Started a Side Hustle to Improve a 'Terribly Made' Bathroom Essential. Now the Business Earns More Than $3 Million a Year.

Michael Fine and Lisa Schulner-Fine launched lifestyle brand Quiet Town in 2016 and have been growing it ever since.

Social Media

With This LinkedIn Algorithm Change, Your Best Posts Could Reach New Readers for Months

It's one of many new features rolling out on the platform in 2024.

Leadership

Lead From the Top: 5 Core Responsibilities of a CEO

Knowing exactly what the chief executive's role entails is critical for steering a company to success.