Richard Branson: 1950-1993

I would say more than anyone else, Richard Branson was the guy who inspired me to become an entrepreneur- I have a terrible memory but I remember so vividly Branson’s first appearance on the Late Late Show- that was Ireland’s biggest talk show - and it was 1986 - and it was the first time I’d ever seen a businessman who didn’t act like a businessman- woolly jumper and jeans, big hair, big teeth and when he talked he just made business sound like fun, an adventure- which for most of us who love business, that’s exactly how we see it - yeah it’s tough, it’s challenging but that’s all part of the fun and adventure.

And the story I’m going to tell today where Branson leaves school at 16 to set up an anti-establishment magazine, gets arrested for cheating the tax man, signs the Sex Pistols when no one else would touch them, starts a transatlantic airline, using his hair-raising escapades on boats and hot air balloons to publicise his businesses, brings the mighty British Airways to its knees- it makes for a cracking story- enjoy.