Fun is at the core of the way I like to do business, and it has been key to everything I've done from the outset. More than any other element, fun is the secret of Virgin's success. I am aware that the ideas of business as being fun and creative goes right against the grain of convention, and it's certainly not how the teach it at some of those business schools, where business means hard grind and lots of 'discounted cash flows' and net' present values'.

— Richard Branson

Fun is one of the most important - and underrated - ingredients in any successful venture. If you're not having fun, then it's probably time to call it quits and try something else.

— Richard Branson

Good brands reflect the histories of the time and the group of people that made them. They can not be copied. They can not be recycled.

— Richard Branson

I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive then I believe you are better off not doing it. A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

— Richard Branson

I don’t believe it can be taught as if it were a recipe. There aren’t ingredients and techniques that will guarantee success. Parameters exist that, if followed, will ensure a business can continue, but you cannot clearly define our business success and then bottle it as you would a perfume. It’s not that simple: to be successful, you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running; and, if you have a good team round you and more than your fair share of luck, you might make something happen. But you certainly can’t guarantee it just by following someone else’s formula. Business is a fluid, changing substance.

— Richard Branson

If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity, but you are not sure if you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!

— Richard Branson

If you are a small company taking on a big company, you need to have a sense of humor.

— Richard Branson

If you want to be more productive, then start at the start: get there on time. Whether it is a meeting, a flight, an appointment or a date, it's important to ensure you are there when you say you will be there. This may feel like an old-fashioned tip to give, but it has served me well for five decades in business.

— Richard Branson

I love Africa, and Lusaka, our home in South Africa, is pretty special. It's on a rocky hill overlooking the bush, and from your room, you can see lions stalking zebras by the waterhole.

— Richard Branson

I'm a lad of the '60s. I started a magazine to try and end the Vietnam War, but it was a number of years before I had the profile, the financial resources and the time to do more.

— Richard Branson