This article lists 50 of Richard Branson’s most memorable quotes reflecting his approach to entrepreneurship, learning, adventure, business, risk-taking, and life. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or looking for a spark of motivation, these quotes can offer clarity and encouragement.
- “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” – Richard Branson
- “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming.” – Richard Branson
- “If your dreams don’t scare you, they are too small.” – Richard Branson
- “The best way to learn about anything is by doing.” – Richard Branson
- Entrepreneurship is about turning what excites you in life into capital, so that you can do more of it and move forward with it.” – Richard Branson
- “Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.” – Richard Branson
- “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.” – Richard Branson
- “Complexity is your enemy. Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to keep things simple.” – Richard Branson
- “My philosophy is that if I have any money I invest it in new ventures and not have it sitting around.” – Richard Branson
- “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!” – Richard Branson
- “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Richard Branson
- “One thing is certain in business. You and everyone around you will make mistakes.” – Richard Branson
- “Every risk is worth taking as long as it’s for a good cause, and contributes to a good life.” – Richard Branson
- “To me, business isn’t about wearing suits or pleasing stockholders. It’s about being true to yourself, your ideas and focusing on the essentials.” – Richard Branson
- “A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.” – Richard Branson
- “Life is a helluva lot more fun if you say yes rather than no.” – Richard Branson
- “I believe in benevolent dictatorship provided I am the dictator.” – Richard Branson
- “You can’t do a good business with a bad person. Find the right people to work with and you can’t go wrong.” – Richard Branson
- “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” – Richard Branson
- “Whatever your goal is you will never succeed unless you let go of your fears and fly.” – Richard Branson
- “Throwing yourself into a job you enjoy is one of the life’s greatest pleasures!” – Richard Branson
- “There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions – in a way that serves the world and you.” – Richard Branson
- “The brave may not live forever – but the cautious do not live at all!” – Richard Branson
- “Take a chance. It’s the best way to test yourself. Have fun and push boundaries.” – Richard Branson
- “The best advice I could give anyone is to spend your time working on whatever you are passionate about in life.” – Richard Branson
- “Engage your emotions at work. Your instincts and emotions are there to help you.” – Richard Branson
- “If you want to stand out from the crowd, give people a reason not to forget you.” – Richard Branson
- “I never see a competitor as a threat, as much as an opportunity to improve my own strategy and learn something new.” – Richard Branson
- “Material things are delightful, but they’re not important.” – Richard Branson
- “Don’t be a slave to technology – manage your phone, don’t let it manage you.” – Richard Branson
- “Your company should act as a springboard for ambitious employees, not a set of shackles.” – Richard Branson
- “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.” – Richard Branson
- “Find the right people to work with and you can’t go wrong.” – Richard Branson
- “Keep it simple, stupid!” – Richard Branson
- “Learn from failure. If you are an entrepreneur and your first venture wasn’t a success, welcome to the club!” – Richard Branson
- “My general attitude to life is to enjoy every minute of every day. I never do anything with a feeling of, ‘Oh God, I’ve got to do this today.'” – Richard Branson
- “Screw it, let’s do it!” – Richard Branson
- “Don’t think what’s the cheapest way to do it or what’s the fastest way to do it… think ‘what’s the most amazing way to do it’.” – Richard Branson
- “Having a personality of caring about people is important. You can’t be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them.” – Richard Branson
- “By putting the employee first, the customer effectively comes first by default, and in the end, the shareholder comes first by default as well.” – Richard Branson
- “The time to go into a new business is when it’s badly run by others.” – Richard Branson
- “I am prepared to try anything once.” – Richard Branson
- “Building a business is not rocket science, it’s about having a great idea and seeing it through with integrity.” – Richard Branson
- “I think it’s quite great to set yourself a big challenge, and then you’ve got another reason for keeping fit.” – Richard Branson
- “Listening is one of the best ways to learn; listening is a skill that can make you a better leader.” – Richard Branson
- “When you’re first thinking through an idea, it’s important not to get bogged down in complexity. Thinking simply and clearly, is hard to do.” – Richard Branson
- “Business is not just doing deals; business is having great products, doing great engineering, and providing tremendous service to customers. Finally, business is a cobweb of human relationships.” – Richard Branson
- “Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealized, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character.” – Richard Branson
- “Entrepreneurs must be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time.” – Richard Branson
- “Ridiculous yachts and private planes and big limousines won’t make people enjoy life more, and it sends out terrible messages to the people who work for them. It would be so much better if that money was spent in Africa—and it’s about getting a balance.” – Richard Branson
