Picked up this book because it comprises quotes, which promises a short and sassy read. I’m also intrigued by Richard Branson’s irreverent character. Maybe it’s my way of injecting some spice into my quotidian life by absorbing the essence of his famous lines.
He turned out to be more grounded than I had expected. The parts about him mentioning the importance of fun and pioneering unprecedented ventures didn’t surprise me because hey, look at where he is today. But I was a bit surprised at how he constantly mentioned about treating people right, calling his employees “brand ambassadors”, fulfilling our duty to take care of the environment. I don’t know how much of his words are genuine and how much of them are PR propaganda - but at least he was consistent throughout the years, reverting to the same talking points repeatedly.
For me, it was a good reminder that we should set out to provide value and solve a problem that plagues people - rather than be fixated on earning money. I also relearnt that he’s dyslexic. His condition probably accounts for some of the unorthodox choices that he has made with his life. He claims to have a lively imagination and is not suited for formal schooling. The school teacher in me has received a timely reminder that our educational system shouldn’t be the be all and end all of a child’s identity.
