Richard Branson is a businessman, investor and is involved in over 400 companies. As one of the most successful and well-known entrepreneurs in the world today, he’s also one of the most sought after when it comes to his expertise and knowledge as well — which is exactly what are are focusing on in today’s article.
He seems fearless when it comes to the business world and likes to take on the biggest competitors. He also likes to break the rules and try to go after world records just to see if he can break them.
He has been successful with most things he has been involved in and has an excellent record for success when it comes to independent entrepreneurship.
He’s worth an estimated $4.9 billion. But, more than that, he has such a positive attitude that it emanates to others and influences them in a positive way as well.
In this video, Branson talks about his 10 best tips for success for entrepreneurs. We have highlighted the ten factors that he mentioned in the video to help break down the importance of each one.
1. Keep it Simple.– Branson is dyslexic, so he states that he has learned to compensate for his disability by keeping things simple. This is an idea he has always abided by, he says and that it has always worked for him. He believes that some of the best ideas are the most simple ones and that you just have to find a way to make that simple idea marketable to make it succeed. His Airlines, Virgin Record Label, and any of the other successes he has experienced stand as testimonials to his idea that simple is better.
2. Give it a try.– Branson believes that the best thing you can do is just to try your dream and see what works. There are dreamers, and there are doers. He believes that one factor that is most likely correlated to his success is that he was daring enough to try something that seemed risky to everyone else. He encourages entrepreneurs just to give it a try and see what you can accomplish and forget the naysayers who say it cannot be done.
3. Be a leader.– Branson states that a company is just a group of people that are all working toward a common goal. Using this idea, he states that you have to be a strong leader in order to make your company a success. Learning how to deal with people in a positive way is one of the key factors in being able to reach your goals. You have to learn to listen, to make adjustments, and handle the stresses of the daily grind. This is especially true in a real-world business where you must deal with people on a daily basis and in person.
4. Don’t Give Up!– Never give up no matter what, Branson says. He reminds entrepreneurs that you should just keep going and learning while you go. Entrepreneurs are made of tougher stuff than the average person. We know that the going may get tough. But we are determined to make it work despite the challenges. Branson encourages entrepreneurs to always look toward the horizon toward the goal and not be discouraged by the temporary fallbacks that can and will happen on the road to success.
5. Delegate.– Look for people who have the skills to take your business to the next level. You also need to learn to delegate responsibility to people, even on the managerial level so that you can concentrate on the other aspects of your business. Business owners who refused to delegate responsibility will find themselves overwhelmed as their business grows because it will become impossible to keep up with the demands of your growing company. You should be careful who you let into your organization and make sure you have people who are loyal to you and your brand. Then delegate some of the responsibilities to these “A players.”
6. Treat people well.– Branson referred to the idea that some business people believe that you have to step all over people to make a success. But he doesn’t believe in doing that. He likes to treat people well, and he believes that, when you do this, you create a network of loyal workers and followers who will help you when you need it. He uses back human psychology to get people motivated to doing what he wants, and he finds the results are usually positive.
7. Shake Things Up.– Branson uses the phrase, “Screw it; let’s do it,” to illustrate his desire to keep things going and trying new things. He talks about how he likes to do things in a different way that will impact things not only for his company but for the world and industries in which he worked. He likes to “shake things up” when it comes to the work he does and tries new things whenever he can.
8. Remember that People Will Be Skeptical– No matter what you do, no matter how good you are, and no matter how much you improve the world, there are always going to be skeptics. You will also find that the reasons for their skepticism are as diverse as the number of skeptics themselves. You will see everything from jealousy among competitors or individuals who wish they could do what you are doing to people who just don’t like you. Ignore them and go on. The work you are doing is more important than any of their reasons not to do it.
9. Affect Lives Positively.– In the end, it’s about the work and how you effect positive change. Always think about how you can create a positive atmosphere around the work that you do with your company that will impact the world in a way that will help your branding and make a difference. The best entrepreneurs are those who ignore the rules of business management and just do what they know will work in reality.
10. Do things differently.– Richard Branson believes that you should strive to do things differently than anyone else. Identify your strategies and think about how you can set your brand apart from the rest by creating your reality within your brand for your customers.
In a Nutshell
After you look over these great tips by a successful billionaire, Richard Branson, think about what you can do to apply some of these ideas to your own business. Even if you have only been in business for a few months or if you are just starting out, we can all learn from those who have gone before and are willing to share their tips and ideas with us.
The most important factor for success which keeps surfacing with all of these successful people is that they never gave up. If you had to eliminate every factor but this one, I believe you could still be a success as long as you are continually looking for ways that you can achieve what you want to achieve and never losing your resolve to do it.
Using a bit of practical thinking also help. So if you are starting a new business or a product or service within your already established business, write down the steps you will take to get there. Have a plan. Then go for it!
Amazing things can be accomplished with determination. Even people with handicaps (which Branson has, as he mentioned in the video), you can defy all odds and accomplish amazing tasks simply by having the will to do it.
Because if you have the will to do it, you’ll find a way.