Despite never interested in becoming an entrepreneur, Richard Branson evolved into one of the most successful and wealthy business men of the 20th century. Born in England, Branson was raised by encouraging yet unorthodox parents. He struggled with dyslexia as a teenager, but overcame his many school related issues to thrive as a young adult. At the young age of 16, Branson started a Student magazine at Stowe School, and later went on to turn a record retail shop into one of the top six record companies in the world. Richard Branson had the courage to take necessary risks, and learn from trial and error at the beginning of his career which contributed to his incredible success with his many Virgin Group companies. He not only wanted to be successful, but he took time thinking about how he could also be a positive influence to the world around him. Branson made certain he passed on his knowledge and skills to his employees. Not only did he want his CEO’s and employees to possess knowledge and managerial skills, but he was much focused on keeping them motivated and maintaining high morale. His leadership was empowering. Branson put heavy emphasis on his staff, but was also a dedicated family man. Richard Branson remained a kind person, but stayed focus on what he needed to do to keep money flowing. He remained opened minded, and always looked to the future with hopes to continue growing globally. Weaknesses in academic achievements and possessing a “never-satisfied” attitude resulted in challenges for the Virgin Company, but an optimistic Branson worked to turn his weaknesses into strengths. “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over,” he quoted. Much can be learned from studying Richard Branson’s path to becoming one of the most prominent business leaders in history.
In 1950, Ted and Eve Branson had a son, Richard Branson, born in Surrey, England. Their strong parental guidance and encouraging behavior