Get All Access for $5/mo

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.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Franchise 500 Annual Ranking

50 Franchise CMOs Who Are Changing the Game

Get to know the industry's most influential marketing power players.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.