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Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business School
7 hrs and 55 mins
Business advice from the best in the business
Looking for advice in setting up your own company, improving your career prospects, or developing your leadership skills? Why not ask Richard Branson?
In Like a Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business School, Richard distils and shares the wisdom and experience that have made him one of the world's most recognised and respected entrepreneurs. From his top tips on succeeding in business to some hard-hitting opinions on the global finance crisis, this book brings together his best advice on all things business.
It's business school, the Branson way.
Business advice from the best in the business
Looking for advice in setting up your own company, improving your career prospects, or developing your leadership skills? Why not ask Richard Branson?
In Like a Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business School, Richard distils and shares the wisdom and experience that have made him one of the world's most recognised and respected entrepreneurs. From his top tips on succeeding in business to some hard-hitting opinions on the global finance crisis, this book brings together his best advice on all things business.
It's business school, the Branson way.
343 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2012
515 people are currently reading
4186 people want to read
About the author
Richard Branson
86 books1,367 followersSir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin brand of over 360 companies. Branson's first successful business venture was at age 16, when he published a magazine called Student. He then set up a record mail-order business in 1970. In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as Virgin Megastores and rebranded as zavvi in late 2007. With his flamboyant and competitive style, Branson's Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s - as he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label. Richard Branson is the 236th richest person according to Forbes' 2008 list of billionaires as he has an estimated net worth of approximately $7.9 billion USD.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
January 2, 2013
This book is like reading a blog, but in book format.
By that I mean it's a hotchpotch collection of Richard Branson's musings on a wide range of topics.
If you're trying to better understand Branson the man, then perhaps this 'essay/blog post collection' can enable you to achieve that.
But the subheading "Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business" implies a self-help element - and in picking up such a book, I'm not out to learn about Richard Branson, I'm out to learn specific expertise.
With all Branson's exhortations on being a nice person, one could read this book and gain a stronger sense of the power of good virtue as something that can enable and strengthen a business. But that's pretty non-specific knowledge, and not the type of 'secrets' that I was looking for in a book. Keep this sort of stuff on the blog, Branson.
I think the publishers kind of dropped the ball on this one, and unfortunately its put me off picking up any of Branson's other books.
By that I mean it's a hotchpotch collection of Richard Branson's musings on a wide range of topics.
If you're trying to better understand Branson the man, then perhaps this 'essay/blog post collection' can enable you to achieve that.
But the subheading "Secrets They Won't Teach You at Business" implies a self-help element - and in picking up such a book, I'm not out to learn about Richard Branson, I'm out to learn specific expertise.
With all Branson's exhortations on being a nice person, one could read this book and gain a stronger sense of the power of good virtue as something that can enable and strengthen a business. But that's pretty non-specific knowledge, and not the type of 'secrets' that I was looking for in a book. Keep this sort of stuff on the blog, Branson.
I think the publishers kind of dropped the ball on this one, and unfortunately its put me off picking up any of Branson's other books.
January 15, 2013
Sir Richard Branson has been taking questions from journalists for years on how he runs the Virgin brand so successfully. He's always willing to answer because he believes that the more successful entrepreneurs there are in the world, the better it will be.
This book has dozens of short chapters, as it's essentially a guide book for entrepreneurs in question-and-answer format. Branson approaches the topics with his idiosyncratic humour, and they cover everything from starting a business to making a difference in the world.
A lot of the advice he gives can be picked up from reading Branson's other books, or other good business books. That, combined with my dislike of the question-and-answer format, is the reason I only gave this book three stars. I do love Branson and I'm a big fan of his companies, how he does business, and his lifestyle.
If you can learn easily from the question-and-answer format then you'd get a lot more out of this book than I did. Entrepreneurs do have a lot to gain from it, especially if you don't read a lot of other business books.
This book has dozens of short chapters, as it's essentially a guide book for entrepreneurs in question-and-answer format. Branson approaches the topics with his idiosyncratic humour, and they cover everything from starting a business to making a difference in the world.
A lot of the advice he gives can be picked up from reading Branson's other books, or other good business books. That, combined with my dislike of the question-and-answer format, is the reason I only gave this book three stars. I do love Branson and I'm a big fan of his companies, how he does business, and his lifestyle.
If you can learn easily from the question-and-answer format then you'd get a lot more out of this book than I did. Entrepreneurs do have a lot to gain from it, especially if you don't read a lot of other business books.
June 21, 2012
By (Sir) Richard Branson. Grade: A
If the same content had been published under a name unknown to the whole world, this book would have drawn few eyes. Fortunately, when Richard Brandon offers you business advice, you listen. Why? Because it's Richard Branson. He is a hugely successful international entrepreneur, adventurer and icon, and is the founder of the Virgin Group. His first business venture was a magazine called Student at the age of 16. In 1970, this progressed to an audio record mail-order business. The Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s, as he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label. Virgin Group now has 400 companies under its belt.
Branson is the 4th richest citizen of the United Kingdom, according to the Forbes 2011 list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of US$4.2 billion.
Thank you, Google. Have I made my point?
Looking for advice on setting up your own company, improving your career prospects, or developing your leadership skills? Why not ask Richard Branson?
In Like A Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School, Richard distils and shares the wisdom and experience that have made him one of the world’s most recognized and respected entrepreneurs. A blend of responses to some of the most popular questions he has been asked by people across the globe and an assortment of his reflections on the ups and downs of running successful companies, this book brings together his best advice on all things business.
From his top secrets on succeeding in business to some hard-hitting opinions on the global financial crisis, this is business school, the Branson way.
The first thing that grabs your attention is the sense of humour. A person once asked Richard, why Virgin? This is what he replied:
Virgin is called Virgin because we were new to business and a little bit nervous but also very excited to get started.
It is completely unexpected but extremely welcome. Business moguls all over the world describe RB as the man who "just wants to have fun" but not until you start reading what he has written do you realize that it's not just a corny line printed to increase sales. His writing is exactly what people say he is: relaxed, funny but focused, and 332 pages of pure fun.
We all know starting a business takes a huge amount of hard work and time. In that case, according to the author, you should naturally enjoy it. In keeping with this tune, the book is refreshingly free of business jargon. He's not one to overcomplicate things, and keeps things short and simple. There were times when I was underlining some points and nodding at the text and there times I was hooting with laughter at his stories. For how many business management books can you say the same?
He also gives some sage advice without being preachy and manages to list his accomplishments without sounding boastful. I was skeptical at the tag line: Secrets They Won't Teach You At Business School. Not secrets, per se, but small things that big business schools overlook, which as we see, make all the difference.
Brimming with real life experiences, this is also a valuable insight into Richard the person. His innate sense of curiosity and the ability to laugh at himself bring to light his humility. The role of luck, serendipity or synchronicity, as well as hard work and following your gut are all brought to life. There is no subject he has not explored, no matter how embarrassing. The cherry on top? It's also excellently written. He probably won't be hailed as the literary find of our times but he writes with no holds barred, inspires and entertains!
Here's an interesting tidbit: When he started Virgin Atlantic in 1984, they had great people and great ideas but sadly not enough money. Compared to the big players, they had a tiny fleet and minuscule advertising budget. To grab headlines, RB became a willing victim in all kinds of crazy adventures. Virgin also started Jugular Marketing, wherein they printed hilarious in-your-face advertisements, based on the latest news. When General Manuel Noriega, the former leader of Panama, was extradited by the US Justice Department to Miami for trial, they ran a big picture of him with the caption: Only one person has flown to Miami cheaper than on Virgin Atlantic.
The ads were irreverent and cheeky, and help give Virgin Atlantic a real personality in the early days. Underneath the salt and pepper shakers, they stamped: Pinched from Virgin Atlantic. When British Airways - their biggest competitor - sponsored London's Millennium Wheel in the late 1990s, they planned to make a big splash for the official opening and the world's press were there to see it being erected. On the day the wheel was to be raised, the engineers had great trouble lifting it. Virgin immediately scrambled a small airship to drag a banner across London's skyline: BA can't get it up.
To sum it up, I will recommend it to everyone, no matter how old or young. It kicks butt and will leave you feeling like you're going to change the world. Buy it.
Originally reviewed at : www.the-vault.co.cc
If the same content had been published under a name unknown to the whole world, this book would have drawn few eyes. Fortunately, when Richard Brandon offers you business advice, you listen. Why? Because it's Richard Branson. He is a hugely successful international entrepreneur, adventurer and icon, and is the founder of the Virgin Group. His first business venture was a magazine called Student at the age of 16. In 1970, this progressed to an audio record mail-order business. The Virgin brand grew rapidly during the 1980s, as he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and expanded the Virgin Records music label. Virgin Group now has 400 companies under its belt.
Branson is the 4th richest citizen of the United Kingdom, according to the Forbes 2011 list of billionaires, with an estimated net worth of US$4.2 billion.
Thank you, Google. Have I made my point?
Looking for advice on setting up your own company, improving your career prospects, or developing your leadership skills? Why not ask Richard Branson?
In Like A Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School, Richard distils and shares the wisdom and experience that have made him one of the world’s most recognized and respected entrepreneurs. A blend of responses to some of the most popular questions he has been asked by people across the globe and an assortment of his reflections on the ups and downs of running successful companies, this book brings together his best advice on all things business.
From his top secrets on succeeding in business to some hard-hitting opinions on the global financial crisis, this is business school, the Branson way.
The first thing that grabs your attention is the sense of humour. A person once asked Richard, why Virgin? This is what he replied:
Virgin is called Virgin because we were new to business and a little bit nervous but also very excited to get started.
It is completely unexpected but extremely welcome. Business moguls all over the world describe RB as the man who "just wants to have fun" but not until you start reading what he has written do you realize that it's not just a corny line printed to increase sales. His writing is exactly what people say he is: relaxed, funny but focused, and 332 pages of pure fun.
We all know starting a business takes a huge amount of hard work and time. In that case, according to the author, you should naturally enjoy it. In keeping with this tune, the book is refreshingly free of business jargon. He's not one to overcomplicate things, and keeps things short and simple. There were times when I was underlining some points and nodding at the text and there times I was hooting with laughter at his stories. For how many business management books can you say the same?
He also gives some sage advice without being preachy and manages to list his accomplishments without sounding boastful. I was skeptical at the tag line: Secrets They Won't Teach You At Business School. Not secrets, per se, but small things that big business schools overlook, which as we see, make all the difference.
Brimming with real life experiences, this is also a valuable insight into Richard the person. His innate sense of curiosity and the ability to laugh at himself bring to light his humility. The role of luck, serendipity or synchronicity, as well as hard work and following your gut are all brought to life. There is no subject he has not explored, no matter how embarrassing. The cherry on top? It's also excellently written. He probably won't be hailed as the literary find of our times but he writes with no holds barred, inspires and entertains!
Here's an interesting tidbit: When he started Virgin Atlantic in 1984, they had great people and great ideas but sadly not enough money. Compared to the big players, they had a tiny fleet and minuscule advertising budget. To grab headlines, RB became a willing victim in all kinds of crazy adventures. Virgin also started Jugular Marketing, wherein they printed hilarious in-your-face advertisements, based on the latest news. When General Manuel Noriega, the former leader of Panama, was extradited by the US Justice Department to Miami for trial, they ran a big picture of him with the caption: Only one person has flown to Miami cheaper than on Virgin Atlantic.
The ads were irreverent and cheeky, and help give Virgin Atlantic a real personality in the early days. Underneath the salt and pepper shakers, they stamped: Pinched from Virgin Atlantic. When British Airways - their biggest competitor - sponsored London's Millennium Wheel in the late 1990s, they planned to make a big splash for the official opening and the world's press were there to see it being erected. On the day the wheel was to be raised, the engineers had great trouble lifting it. Virgin immediately scrambled a small airship to drag a banner across London's skyline: BA can't get it up.
To sum it up, I will recommend it to everyone, no matter how old or young. It kicks butt and will leave you feeling like you're going to change the world. Buy it.
Originally reviewed at : www.the-vault.co.cc
September 24, 2012
This was a quick read for me-- I read it on the plane last night. Since I never thought I would be an "entrepreneur" I never thought about reading books about those that are. Now that I'm running my own company, I'm all about learning from those that have been there, done that. This was a fast, easy read but with really good insights, particularly about managing people, trusting your "gut" and learning from mistakes. I'm definitely going to read his others.
December 31, 2020
Business advice from the best in the business
Richard Branson teaches some of the overlooked and often ignored by most companies
Most books on business covers the framework and guidelines on how business should function
But miss out on the writing on the 'culture' around which the business grows
I really had fun reading this book, this is a book that any entrepreneur at any level and in any domain should be reading.
What makes a good company great,
This books clearly points out that the key success of any company is serving people, not just the customers but having a culture where the employees are looked as leaders and intrapreneurs and given their own sense of ownership and freedom in their work
Richard Branson gives you clear answers to some of most easiest question that most business fail to incorporate in their culture
After all business is build for people and with people
Super Easy to read,
If I had to underline all the important stuff the entire book will have series of lines...lol
Branson teaches his way of looking at business, not hard shelled approach but a friendly and fun approach of doing business, approach of making the life of other people easy in the places they least look for, Which says most of his business since Virgin group diversified in hundreds of industries
Bottom line, I will buy more of his other books A.K.A Business Study material
Richard Branson teaches some of the overlooked and often ignored by most companies
Most books on business covers the framework and guidelines on how business should function
But miss out on the writing on the 'culture' around which the business grows
I really had fun reading this book, this is a book that any entrepreneur at any level and in any domain should be reading.
What makes a good company great,
This books clearly points out that the key success of any company is serving people, not just the customers but having a culture where the employees are looked as leaders and intrapreneurs and given their own sense of ownership and freedom in their work
Richard Branson gives you clear answers to some of most easiest question that most business fail to incorporate in their culture
After all business is build for people and with people
Super Easy to read,
If I had to underline all the important stuff the entire book will have series of lines...lol
Branson teaches his way of looking at business, not hard shelled approach but a friendly and fun approach of doing business, approach of making the life of other people easy in the places they least look for, Which says most of his business since Virgin group diversified in hundreds of industries
Bottom line, I will buy more of his other books A.K.A Business Study material
January 19, 2013
What better way is there, for a sixty year old billionaire, than to quiet his frequent hangovers by swimming around his private island in the Caribbean? Richard Branson is unconventional. His parents wisely agreed that he should drop out of high school to start a magazine business. Yet he is a better businessman than most folks who graduate from college. Richard Branson views the business transaction in the customers’ shoes, leads rather than bosses and micromanages, puts his employees first (as opposed to a minority of unreasonable customers), empowers employees and listens to them, among other simplistic management methods that dictatorial-type CEOs don’t practice. According to Branson, a service industry executive or employee should be all about passion and fun. Branson views his success as an opportunity to help remedy poverty and disease. He is a political progressive that also champions space travel, reverse of global warming, and alternate fuel development. He seems like an all around great guy.
April 8, 2019
Absolutely stunning stories of Richard's brand, his successes and failures.
Entrepreneurship knowledge written in a compact form.
Short chapters make this book a great deal to continue reading easily without losing the context.
Entrepreneurship knowledge written in a compact form.
Short chapters make this book a great deal to continue reading easily without losing the context.
October 11, 2015
Apenas uma coleção de conselhos empresariais de Richard Branson. Abandonei..
February 23, 2018
This is a great book about the Virgin group of companies: how they were able to reach success and how we will be able to apply it to our own lives and businesses. I found a lot of very useful insights that I would be able to use for my start-up and business plans for the future. Just to give you a small preview, one of the lessons that stuck to me the most is "UNDER PROMISE THEN OVER DELIVER" which is pretty much self-explanatory. I would note that some of the tips and learnings aren't all that new for those who read quite a lot of business books already- but it really is different seeing how Richard Branson dealt with things and how he was able to grow Virgin from a mere record-store to a corporation with over 60 companies worldwide.
October 2, 2020
Like a virgin by Sir Richard Branson book is an excellent book for the people who would like to start the small business or startup owners.
This book gave great insight into how an entrepreneur can come challenges while going through an exciting journey from solopreneurs to million business.
This book gave great insight into how an entrepreneur can come challenges while going through an exciting journey from solopreneurs to million business.
February 1, 2019
This book felt like it was going on forever and not in a good way it follows too much of his previous books so it feels like you know it all already very boring sadly
August 30, 2020
I love his smooth writing style with stories. Overall a good relaxed read
July 18, 2019
The important lines could be well summarized in no more than a 100 pages. The author stresses on the importance of satisfied personnel, which is quite important in the service industry, as customer service is, logically, the product really.
Not impressive. Not providing the "Secrets they don't teach you at Business School" as it promises. Simply a self-advertising, short-term seller.
Not impressive. Not providing the "Secrets they don't teach you at Business School" as it promises. Simply a self-advertising, short-term seller.
December 24, 2018
Missing a good storyline and flow. Some interesting stories, but not what I expected. The man is more interesting than this book.
March 10, 2020
Thể hiện những quan điểm của tác giả về khía cạnh nhân sự, định hướng, nghĩa vụ xã hội và bảo vệ môi trường của một tổ chức, cá nhân kinh doanh. Dẫn đến đối tượng của cuốn này nên là những người đã bắt đầu kinh doanh, làm quản lý khoảng vài ba năm đang gặp một số vướng mắc hoặc muốn mở rộng mô hình, ảnh hưởng.
Bên cạnh đó cũng là một số kinh nghiệm về sự lạc quan, kỹ năng cạnh tranh với những đối thủ có quy mô lớn, nhiều ảnh hưởng.
Nếu là một người chưa bắt đầu kinh doanh nhiều khả năng chỉ khai thác được sách trên khí cạnh ý tưởng tham khảo, động lực.
Bên cạnh đó cũng là một số kinh nghiệm về sự lạc quan, kỹ năng cạnh tranh với những đối thủ có quy mô lớn, nhiều ảnh hưởng.
Nếu là một người chưa bắt đầu kinh doanh nhiều khả năng chỉ khai thác được sách trên khí cạnh ý tưởng tham khảo, động lực.
February 2, 2020
RB is a unique individual who has redefined entrepreneurship in the modern era. This book provides an outline of his approach to doing business and for me it’s nudge to get out there and to launch a business of my own.
The book is simple and very informative.
The book is simple and very informative.
March 1, 2018
Sir Richard Branson is the billionaire founder of the Virgin group of companies and one of the world's foremost business icons. As such, I expected a lot from this book touted to be full of "secrets" that you won't learn at business school. I was disappointed.
The book is made up of what feels like hundreds of short chapters, that read very much like blog posts. Although Branson does give a few actionable insights, most of the book is personal anecdotes from his own experience. Not bad necessarily, just not what I signed up for!
Key takeaways
If you are starting a business, make sure you are either doing something that has never been done or doing something better than the current providers are. Good customer service is a gap that can be filled in many industries.
People are the biggest asset of any business. Treat them well by listening to them and giving them the tools to succeed.
Intrapreneurs drive a company forward with ongoing innovations. Encourage people to pursue their visions, so they feel like they’re building their own company, rather than simply working for one.
Keep a notebook with you to jot down ideas or questions.
What I liked about the book
Simple to read.
The chapters were short enough to digest the main points easily.
What I didn't like about the book
The format is strange - the chapters are not connected to each other. One could be about raising capital and the next about climate change. Also the prose stops half way through the book and Branson starts answering questions that come out of the blue.
The book doesn't really give you any "secrets" per se. Most of the advice is not unique to Branson.
Repetitive.
Conclusion
It was unfortunate that this is the first book I have read by Richard Branson. It doesn't encourage me to read his others - which I have heard to be quite good.
In short, this book is a hard pass. Unless you're a hardcore fan of Virgin and/or Richard Branson. There really is little that is new or groundbreaking here.
The book is made up of what feels like hundreds of short chapters, that read very much like blog posts. Although Branson does give a few actionable insights, most of the book is personal anecdotes from his own experience. Not bad necessarily, just not what I signed up for!
Key takeaways
If you are starting a business, make sure you are either doing something that has never been done or doing something better than the current providers are. Good customer service is a gap that can be filled in many industries.
People are the biggest asset of any business. Treat them well by listening to them and giving them the tools to succeed.
Intrapreneurs drive a company forward with ongoing innovations. Encourage people to pursue their visions, so they feel like they’re building their own company, rather than simply working for one.
Keep a notebook with you to jot down ideas or questions.
What I liked about the book
Simple to read.
The chapters were short enough to digest the main points easily.
What I didn't like about the book
The format is strange - the chapters are not connected to each other. One could be about raising capital and the next about climate change. Also the prose stops half way through the book and Branson starts answering questions that come out of the blue.
The book doesn't really give you any "secrets" per se. Most of the advice is not unique to Branson.
Repetitive.
Conclusion
It was unfortunate that this is the first book I have read by Richard Branson. It doesn't encourage me to read his others - which I have heard to be quite good.
In short, this book is a hard pass. Unless you're a hardcore fan of Virgin and/or Richard Branson. There really is little that is new or groundbreaking here.
June 9, 2015
The author of this book is Richard Branson, business mogul and the founder and CEO of Virgin. The photo of him on the cover makes me think the book should have been titled, “I'm a Rich Asshole, Let Me Tell You All About It.” Which is a shame, because the content is excellent.
Two major principles drive Branson's work:
- Customer service as a core value. Empowering people on the front lines to solve problems (rather than reading from a script or following a set of regulations). Having everyone in the company take their turn at handling customer problems. Treating customer service as a critical part of the entire customer experience.
- Brand. As he puts it, “Brands exist as a means of what to expect from a product or service.” In Virgin's case, he believes what you can expect is a great customer experience, fun, and a bit of irreverence.
These things together help explain why Virgin is in so many seemingly unrelated businesses (music, airline, banking, fitness...). Branson sees opportunity to disrupt in any market dominated by established giants who don't offer a satisfying customer experience.
His writing style is almost childlike which made it difficult to take seriously at first. But he knows his stuff. (And I also noticed his tips overlap quite a bit with what you'd find in, say, Jack Welch's work.) One slightly bothersome thing is that there's no particular flow to the book, it's just 300+ pages of short, blog-post-like chapters in seemingly random order.
Two major principles drive Branson's work:
- Customer service as a core value. Empowering people on the front lines to solve problems (rather than reading from a script or following a set of regulations). Having everyone in the company take their turn at handling customer problems. Treating customer service as a critical part of the entire customer experience.
- Brand. As he puts it, “Brands exist as a means of what to expect from a product or service.” In Virgin's case, he believes what you can expect is a great customer experience, fun, and a bit of irreverence.
These things together help explain why Virgin is in so many seemingly unrelated businesses (music, airline, banking, fitness...). Branson sees opportunity to disrupt in any market dominated by established giants who don't offer a satisfying customer experience.
His writing style is almost childlike which made it difficult to take seriously at first. But he knows his stuff. (And I also noticed his tips overlap quite a bit with what you'd find in, say, Jack Welch's work.) One slightly bothersome thing is that there's no particular flow to the book, it's just 300+ pages of short, blog-post-like chapters in seemingly random order.
February 15, 2016
Catchy title. Nothing profound, yet I enjoyed it, simply because I agreed with most of his concepts. Like a Virgin targets entrepreneurs wanting to start their own business. Although concepts 'could' equally apply to the corporate world, I have seen no recognition or reward for proficient soft skills in leadership! Richard Branson regularly brought his focus back to "people". I wish more senior leaders could stop giving this lip-service and truly embrace the importance of respecting people as a worthy asset and investment!
A few highlights:
• CEO needs to be a Chief Enabling Officer
• People are the heart and soul of the brand. Having fun attracts people!
• Follow team decisions with conviction
• Live & Learn. Try it! Listen to people and act on what they tell you.
• It really irks me when someone calls me boss, so I need to remember and use this..... If someone says “you’re the boss”, ask them to speak as if “we’re in this together or tell me as if you were in my place?”
• Give people the chance to make a difference and they will tackle the project with enthusiasm and true engagement!
• An investment in your people is an investment in the company
• Hire people you need, not people you like.
• Follow up on problems uncovered and resolve them!
A few highlights:
• CEO needs to be a Chief Enabling Officer
• People are the heart and soul of the brand. Having fun attracts people!
• Follow team decisions with conviction
• Live & Learn. Try it! Listen to people and act on what they tell you.
• It really irks me when someone calls me boss, so I need to remember and use this..... If someone says “you’re the boss”, ask them to speak as if “we’re in this together or tell me as if you were in my place?”
• Give people the chance to make a difference and they will tackle the project with enthusiasm and true engagement!
• An investment in your people is an investment in the company
• Hire people you need, not people you like.
• Follow up on problems uncovered and resolve them!
March 3, 2018
Good book on motivating young generations of doing, or should I say, starting, something that they deeply love and passionate about. Doesn't have to be a billions, or millions-worth company, but just a wild, even a crazy dream that everyone once harnessed in their youth.
Unlike unrealistic bullshit that movies have been feeding us the whole time, something like "follow your heart" or etc,. Richard Branson just literally points out all the harsh, rough aspects of doing something that you like but you aren't good at, or doing something that you both like and good at, but the market does not need it. But that's not all to it, he also taught what one must prepare, mentally , financially and, friendly (which here means preparing good, long-term friendship that could last with you for life!), in order to step into making his/her dream come true (of at least parts of it come true).
Anyway, it is not too heavy to read up. A very light and enjoyable book actually, in my opinion.
Unlike unrealistic bullshit that movies have been feeding us the whole time, something like "follow your heart" or etc,. Richard Branson just literally points out all the harsh, rough aspects of doing something that you like but you aren't good at, or doing something that you both like and good at, but the market does not need it. But that's not all to it, he also taught what one must prepare, mentally , financially and, friendly (which here means preparing good, long-term friendship that could last with you for life!), in order to step into making his/her dream come true (of at least parts of it come true).
Anyway, it is not too heavy to read up. A very light and enjoyable book actually, in my opinion.
January 19, 2021
Lekka pozycja, zawierająca zbiór dość ogólnych prawd, którymi kierował i kieruje się Richard Branson. Na pierwszy rzut oka może nawet wydawać się banalnych. Jak jednak pokazuje praktyka managerska, utrzymanie dyscypliny w kierowaniu się tymi regułami wcale nie jest takie proste i banalne. Szczególnie zapamiętam jeden cytat: „Najlepsi menadżerowie starają się przyłapać swoich ludzi na tym co robią dobrze” - genialny! :)
February 27, 2015
I liked the book and the concept behind it at the beginning, but after page 100 it all became a little bit boring to me. The book might be more valuable to entrepreneurs, I don't know :)
Richard Branson is far more impressive as a person and businessman, than a writer.
Richard Branson is far more impressive as a person and businessman, than a writer.
November 10, 2017
All the questions you've ever had and the ones you didn't know you had are answered here by the best in the business. An honest and straight to the point account of the do's and the don'ts for all those already involved in business or about to embark on their next venture. A fantastic read.
August 16, 2013
Fun book, Branson is an interesting character, some good tips for business/life! Good summer feel good book.
October 30, 2014
Good insights and lessons for start ups and budding entrepreneurs.
October 4, 2018
Es ilustrativo más que motivador. Me habría gustado tener un hilo conductor más que anécdotas sueltas y temas independientes.
January 29, 2021
Better than expected. The book is concise in providing business advice.
December 20, 2016
Title: Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School
Author: Richard Branson
Place of publication: United Kingdom
Publisher: Virgin Books. A Random House Group Company
Date of publication: 2012
Number of pages: 376
INTRODUCTION
Sir Richard Branson and his Virgin Group need no introduction, his business interests are numbered in hundreds and span several industries including music, publishing, media, entertainment, beverages, banking, rail transportation, aviation, under water travel and outer space voyages. His numerous stunts like crossing the Atlantic in a speed boat and crossing the globe in a hot air balloon are indelible in my memory and his adventures have set and broken several world records.
Richard is the average Joe on your street that followed his passions, did things he loved and ended up making huge successes of them. This book contains his experiences, trial, tribulations, failures and triumphs in explicit detail. He approaches issues with candour and an originality that cannot be written or feigned, it can only be lived. Through the pages of this book you will realise the man Richard Branson is fun loving, having fun and enjoying whatever it is you do is his personal philosophy and the underlining core character of all his business concerns. This is not Richard Branson the billionaire instructing you about business in a school of marketing or management. This is Richard, your friend, telling you how he went out daily, had fun and made billions while doing it.
The book contains an astronomical amount of chapters, 82 in all! But amazingly they are all between 3 and 5 pages. The writing style is largely informal, the grammar is simple and easily understandable and a lot of the chapters are actual responses to questions mailed to him from people all over the world. Just like the title ‘Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School,’ all chapter titles have two sentences, a rider and a sub script, which is usually a witty punch line. For example the first chapter is titled ‘FIVE SECRETS TO STARTING A BUSINESS - And making it work.’ Other chapter titles contain dual sentences like ‘PEOPLE POWER- The real engine of any business,’ ‘NICE GUYS CAN FINISH FIRST- Teaming beats steaming’ ‘BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY- Five quick questions’ ‘SCREW YOU GOLIATH-Fighting the big boys’ ‘THE PERFECT PITCH- Have plan-need money’ ‘THEY SAY – Third person problems’ ‘A PERFECT 10 – there’s no such thing’ three of my personal favourites are ‘THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT – Except when he’s wrong,’ 'DONT LIKE THE SECOND OPINION? - Get a third' and ‘FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE HUGE – But don’t blow it with the second.’ Honestly, the chapter titles make you want to lap up all the subsequent words. Let’s not spoil the thrill of the read by giving it all to you.
This is the most sincere book on entrepreneurship I’ve ever read. I found one nugget quite interesting, Richard said we fail in wooing investments into our business mostly because we dwell on too many things (especially numbers) which clutter our view and vision, this clutter also doesn’t give prospective investors a clear view of what the company is and where it is headed. He advises that we adopt the strategy of KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid. LOL. I hope you enjoy this work as much as I did but most of all I hope it inspires you to start your business and chase your passions…. Like a virgin.
From somewhere out there,
Michael Ombu
Author: Richard Branson
Place of publication: United Kingdom
Publisher: Virgin Books. A Random House Group Company
Date of publication: 2012
Number of pages: 376
INTRODUCTION
Sir Richard Branson and his Virgin Group need no introduction, his business interests are numbered in hundreds and span several industries including music, publishing, media, entertainment, beverages, banking, rail transportation, aviation, under water travel and outer space voyages. His numerous stunts like crossing the Atlantic in a speed boat and crossing the globe in a hot air balloon are indelible in my memory and his adventures have set and broken several world records.
Richard is the average Joe on your street that followed his passions, did things he loved and ended up making huge successes of them. This book contains his experiences, trial, tribulations, failures and triumphs in explicit detail. He approaches issues with candour and an originality that cannot be written or feigned, it can only be lived. Through the pages of this book you will realise the man Richard Branson is fun loving, having fun and enjoying whatever it is you do is his personal philosophy and the underlining core character of all his business concerns. This is not Richard Branson the billionaire instructing you about business in a school of marketing or management. This is Richard, your friend, telling you how he went out daily, had fun and made billions while doing it.
The book contains an astronomical amount of chapters, 82 in all! But amazingly they are all between 3 and 5 pages. The writing style is largely informal, the grammar is simple and easily understandable and a lot of the chapters are actual responses to questions mailed to him from people all over the world. Just like the title ‘Like a Virgin: Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School,’ all chapter titles have two sentences, a rider and a sub script, which is usually a witty punch line. For example the first chapter is titled ‘FIVE SECRETS TO STARTING A BUSINESS - And making it work.’ Other chapter titles contain dual sentences like ‘PEOPLE POWER- The real engine of any business,’ ‘NICE GUYS CAN FINISH FIRST- Teaming beats steaming’ ‘BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY- Five quick questions’ ‘SCREW YOU GOLIATH-Fighting the big boys’ ‘THE PERFECT PITCH- Have plan-need money’ ‘THEY SAY – Third person problems’ ‘A PERFECT 10 – there’s no such thing’ three of my personal favourites are ‘THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT – Except when he’s wrong,’ 'DONT LIKE THE SECOND OPINION? - Get a third' and ‘FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE HUGE – But don’t blow it with the second.’ Honestly, the chapter titles make you want to lap up all the subsequent words. Let’s not spoil the thrill of the read by giving it all to you.
This is the most sincere book on entrepreneurship I’ve ever read. I found one nugget quite interesting, Richard said we fail in wooing investments into our business mostly because we dwell on too many things (especially numbers) which clutter our view and vision, this clutter also doesn’t give prospective investors a clear view of what the company is and where it is headed. He advises that we adopt the strategy of KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid. LOL. I hope you enjoy this work as much as I did but most of all I hope it inspires you to start your business and chase your passions…. Like a virgin.
From somewhere out there,
Michael Ombu
July 2, 2020
I think he might have oversold it by subtitling the book “Secrets They Won’t Teach You at Business School”. The book regurgitates a lot of principles and knowledge you would get from reading Peter F. Drucker or, actually, the memoirs of other business leaders such as Phil Knight or Ray Kroc. It seemed most valuable to me for giving examples he’s applied in his own businesses. For instance, he writes and explains his approach to addressing topics like workplace romances, how he keeps abreast of what consumers of his products want, what kind of behavior he incentivises in people who work for him, what the basics of his successful marketing strategies have been, and lots more.
There’s some distinctions he makes that I thought were very helpful to read from someone who at least has proven their principles successful in some way. For instance, he highlights for persons in a chapter that a good entrepreneur doesn’t necessarily make a good manager and that most should prepare to hand off their work to a more successful administrator. He also asks honest questions from his readers about how much they really fit the entrepreneur “type” at least as well as he knows it.
I was glad to see that he’s not someone who shuns the principle that successful businesses tend to be the ones that focus on a well defined mission. For readers who don’t know, the ‘Virgin’ brand is a conglomerate that has companies in telecommunications, aviation, music, and many others. It just turns out that the Virgin mission does lend itself to successfully being active in a variety of fields. Insight like that into his philosophy would be helpful to give more perspective to budding entrepreneurs.
There’s at least one point in the book where I would bet dollars to cents that he is painting his business and work with a more idealistic brush than the reality. What I mean is, his suggested philosophy would be great in theory but not likely to be entirely in sync with the reality. Not surprisingly his companies always look like shining models of corporate behavior in his book. If you read this book imagining that a politician was writing it - i.e. it was being carefully drafted to avoid any unappetizing truths - then you can still get a lot out of it without being saddled with an unrealistic impression of what you have to achieve in your entrepreneurial endeavors.
I think what I’ll remember most from this book is the role that Richard Branson seems to give himself to carefully observe the world around him (he repeatedly espouses keeping a notepad and pen everywhere) and come up with creative solutions. I take him at his word that a certain rebelliousness in his character allows him to not mind breaking from conventional wisdom to pioneer new solutions to the worlds problems. Probably the only secret here that you wouldn’t necessarily learn at business school is the character and mindset of the born entrepreneur.
There’s some distinctions he makes that I thought were very helpful to read from someone who at least has proven their principles successful in some way. For instance, he highlights for persons in a chapter that a good entrepreneur doesn’t necessarily make a good manager and that most should prepare to hand off their work to a more successful administrator. He also asks honest questions from his readers about how much they really fit the entrepreneur “type” at least as well as he knows it.
I was glad to see that he’s not someone who shuns the principle that successful businesses tend to be the ones that focus on a well defined mission. For readers who don’t know, the ‘Virgin’ brand is a conglomerate that has companies in telecommunications, aviation, music, and many others. It just turns out that the Virgin mission does lend itself to successfully being active in a variety of fields. Insight like that into his philosophy would be helpful to give more perspective to budding entrepreneurs.
There’s at least one point in the book where I would bet dollars to cents that he is painting his business and work with a more idealistic brush than the reality. What I mean is, his suggested philosophy would be great in theory but not likely to be entirely in sync with the reality. Not surprisingly his companies always look like shining models of corporate behavior in his book. If you read this book imagining that a politician was writing it - i.e. it was being carefully drafted to avoid any unappetizing truths - then you can still get a lot out of it without being saddled with an unrealistic impression of what you have to achieve in your entrepreneurial endeavors.
I think what I’ll remember most from this book is the role that Richard Branson seems to give himself to carefully observe the world around him (he repeatedly espouses keeping a notepad and pen everywhere) and come up with creative solutions. I take him at his word that a certain rebelliousness in his character allows him to not mind breaking from conventional wisdom to pioneer new solutions to the worlds problems. Probably the only secret here that you wouldn’t necessarily learn at business school is the character and mindset of the born entrepreneur.
July 6, 2022
The editing of this book is atrocious. Others have pointed this out. The Q&A format and the back and forth is at some times bizarre and other times brings Mr. Branson way off topic (no, they don't teach climate change in Business School because it's called BUSINESS SCHOOL). Read this to try and understand Sir Branson better - not to read as a pathway to success or (as the title puts it) as a make-up for a business school education.
That said, if we narrow in on the one thing this book is good at (which is to get to know Sir Branson's thinking a bit better), this book is GREAT. He's a bit all over the place, but it feels like you are actually talking to the gent because of it. He's one of the great business minds of the 20/21st century, and his legacy will endure as a CEO who has built a very large business 1. respectively and 2. that people want to work for. He lays out his belief that taking care of employees comes first, customers second and - having gotten those two things right - the finances of the business are a positive side effect. Not everyone can make the switch in thinking. But I applaud Sir Richard Branson in publishing whatever he can on his thought process, as the business community should be students of his success to find a nexus between his approach and one's unique business.
For a demonstratively better book on a rich Englishman's journey to wealth and how to exactly do it, How to Get Rich is how, tactically, it's done.
That said, if we narrow in on the one thing this book is good at (which is to get to know Sir Branson's thinking a bit better), this book is GREAT. He's a bit all over the place, but it feels like you are actually talking to the gent because of it. He's one of the great business minds of the 20/21st century, and his legacy will endure as a CEO who has built a very large business 1. respectively and 2. that people want to work for. He lays out his belief that taking care of employees comes first, customers second and - having gotten those two things right - the finances of the business are a positive side effect. Not everyone can make the switch in thinking. But I applaud Sir Richard Branson in publishing whatever he can on his thought process, as the business community should be students of his success to find a nexus between his approach and one's unique business.
For a demonstratively better book on a rich Englishman's journey to wealth and how to exactly do it, How to Get Rich is how, tactically, it's done.
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