Why we need Richard Branson.

Now, it is no secret that I am a big fan of Britain’s most famous entrepreneurial export Sir Richard Branson. His book ‘Losing My Virginity’ was the first thing I ever read about business and entrepreneurship back when I was just a kids entertainer with a dream!

Like many other business owners who have been inspired by Sir RB, it was his unorthodox views on certain subjects that enabled me to have the belief that I too could create something special. I remember reading his views on buying in talent and his uncommon sense approach to completely ignoring the old credence of ‘if at first you don’t succeed try, try again’.

I have gone on to do around ￡100,000,000 in sales and our group of business now generates around ￡12 million in annual sales and employs roughly 450 people… so, whilst I don’t attribute the entire success to Richard, he was definitely the spark of inspiration that a clown from Essex needed to get up and running!

So, the above sets out my feelings on RB, but my concern with the recent witch hunt isn’t for Richard himself. I worry about Virgin’s staff.

Yes, the 70,000 people that are usually emblazoned in bright red on a daily basis — the people who don’t have full control of what happens next to the company, those men and women who feed their families with the wage packets that Virgin pay.

It’s this group of people that I feel for the most right now.

I know myself that sitting down face to face with about 30 of my senior team the day we had to furlough the majority of the company made me feel sick to my stomach. So I can only imagine the level of anxiety that Virgin staff must feel with the general uncertainty that is everywhere right now plus the level of ’anti Uber-rich Richard’ news agenda that is doing the rounds.

I am a proper brand advocate of the Virgin brand — whilst I have huge respect for RB — it is actually the energy, enthusiasm and effort to deliver incredible customer service from their team that I believe makes them unique.

Great culture leads to your team giving you their heart, which is why I know that the current situation and media spin will be hurting the staff even more right now.

￡3,500,000,000

I think one of the big issues is this misnomer about ‘net worth’. It is estimated that Richard Branson is ‘worth’ around ￡3.5 billion, but what the majority don’t understand is that is not the amount of liquid cash he has in his pocket!

Like most super successful people Sir Richard will take profits generated by his brands and business, invest that money back into his companies, which employs more people, which drives growth which creates more revenue, which generates more profits. And so on.

Quite simply, regardless of what you think of the owner (and in a lot of cases RB is not actually the majority owner of the company) the world needs competition. And Virgin has always been a willing underdog that is committed to fight the stagnant incumbent organisation.

Let’s look at Virgin Atlantic… especially as a lot of this recent barrage of bad press has been caused by the much-loved airline seeking a ￡500 million loan, which would be repaid, with interest, I might add.

No Virgin Atlantic means there would be a severe lack of competition for the likes of British Airways. Lack of competition would see a sharp rise in airfares, a steep decline in customer services, a reduction in destinations and dangerous monopolisation of our skies.

Competition drives innovation, we need businesses to need to compete for our cash.

And the knock on effect is huge… did you know that planes are created from up to 4 million parts manufactured by 1500 companies from 30 countries around the world.

So no Virgin Atlantic means no planes. No planes means no parts manufactured, no parts manufactured means 1500 companies are surplus to requirements, which means their staff have no job, which means they don’t have wages, which means they don’t spend, which means their local economy stalls.

You get the idea.

Why do we do this, especially in the UK? Build someone up and then try to knock them down again.

The witch hunt is aimed at Sir Richard on his sunny island but the collateral damage is the everyday folk who work in the businesses he has spent 50 years creating.

I get that we are living in uncertain and strange times where worry, fear and concern is at an all time high, but let get our facts straight before we start taking shots at people.

Virgin Atlantic (not Richard Branson) are asking for ￡500 million loan (repayable with interest) in order to try and protect the company and the job that is provides. I notice that no-one seems to be as annoyed about Easyjet getting ￡600,000,000??

Regardless of your standpoint and view on this lets remember that attacks on Virgin don’t just hurt RB, they hurt every single member of Virgin staff who are just hoping they have a job to go back to when the world reopens.

Imagine all the madness that is happening right now and then having a baying crowd throwing eggs at your windows the whole time too — can’t be a nice experience can it?

I for one — God willing — will fly Virgin again. I will go on a Virgin Holiday in the future and I will sail the seven seas on its gorgeous boats one day… the only thing I might swerve is the trip to the moon. I’d rather stay here if I am honest.

To all 70,000 Virgin staff; stay strong, try not to take it personally and when the day comes to don the gleaming red outfits again, do so with pride.

Check out my recent YouTube video where I share more on the subject!