The Rise and Fall of Richard Branson

[@strugglingengineer1465]

hyperloop, the billionaire breaker, transporting you at sound speed towards bankruptcy.

[@wtf_usa5597]

😂 😂 😂 😂 So true!

[@Dan-yf2df]

Elon Musk took lots of people for suckers with his hyperloop hyperbole. The idea in some form or another has been around for more than 200 years and was not invented by Musk. Even if the technological challenges could be overcome, the idea would make no economic sense. Couldn’t Branson have done a Wikipedia search before throwing his money at it?

[@testboga5991]

Elon screwed him over🤪

[@jaysdood]

Hyperloop wasn't the disease, it was the symptom. It was the symptom of someone lacking the most basic of critical thinking skills that allows you to look at Hyperloop and without spending a single cent, say "fuck that".

[@dopemusic6414]

@@Dan-yf2df 😂😂😂😂😂

[@anograsek]

Richard Branson says he didn't know the difference between 'net' and 'gross' until he was in his fifties. He is just a lucky risk-taker. Anybody that took 5 minutes to review the hyperloop's science knew it was impossible.

[@bradyanderson2404]

@@tripplefives1402 theoretical science as you basically state that the cost is too high to be practicable so will never be built and see if it is possible

[@bradyanderson2404]

@@tripplefives1402it’s like an air hockey table as Elon says lol. Comparing something that complex to a very basic thing is laughable and that is before you consider transporting humans

[@advancedomega]

@@tripplefives1402 "It's just like those tubes at the drive through at the bank, just bigger." -> By this logic, skyscraper is just like a glasshouse, just taller. No, the engineering challenge increase not proportionate to the increase of size, not even quadratically. The giant pipe, miles long, meters wide, has to be maintained. Smallest crack can be catastrophic. Speaking about catastrophic ... -> Add the fact that the pneumatic tubes in banks and hospitals brought receipts, not humans. That means hyperloop brings ALL the problem of space travel to the ground: "How to ensure a human survival in vacuum travel?"

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@tripplefives1402 Actually, it takes around half an inch of steel for a tube a couple of metres in diameter. I calculated it. Unfortunately it would have trouble keeping its shape so you'd be wise to use one inch thick steel at least and brace it regularly. I costed the bare steel sheet alone to fabricate a LA-San Francisco line at several billion dollars without it even being fabricated into a tube.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@tripplefives1402 NO they have NOT ! Don't tell LIES ! Those test tracks are too small and are completely unrepresentative of a real version. It takes around half an hour even to evacuate them.

[@tomkandy]

Ever since the earliest days of Virgin Galactic, I've been incredibly skeptical of there being enough market for it, and I'd love to see how Branson was convinced that there was. The tickets are $500k, a level where surely only UHNWI would be interested. There's only 80,000 of them, and how many of those would be young enough, and risk-taking enough to want to do it? How many would be willing to pay that much, still not pocket change even for a multimillionaire, for a few minutes of suborbital flight? It's mystifying.

[@A.C.Lawrence]

He surrounded himself by yes men.

[@InvestinginthePhillyBurbs]

The price is crazy. Need to be at $10k

[@stevel.3903]

Even if you get some of them to fly once: as it's a 'once in a lifetime' luxury it's unlikely to have returning customers. So 20 years developing this for a few paying customers who won't come back ever...

[@nictse500]

Hindsight is 5050. Did you short back then?

[@jeffshackleford3152]

@@nictse500 Yes, most SPACs are short plays that can be hedged with the free warrants from the SPAC units that you get refunded at the buy price.

[@begbieyabass]

I worked in one of Bransons hotel back in the 80s for my 21st birthday I got a return ticket to New York. An amazing people person .briliant business man. His staff love him.

[@EdwinSteiner]

Then I hope he recovers from morbus musk. One serial Elon is more than enough.

[@Volcano-Man]

No they don't. My niece met him, her description 'An octopus with a beard!' More recently a friend of hers said and I quote 'Think Jimmy Savile with a beard and he makes staff sign NDA's'

[@LEON.1717]

@@Volcano-Man💯

[@bigmedge]

@@EdwinSteinermusk has done more to help humanity than anyone since Thomas Edison & Henry ford, while you’re still a 0

[@stellviahohenheim]

​@@bigmedgeI don't get people who hates musk with a passion is it a trend?

[@tentimetex]

Branson purchased the uninhabited island back in 1978, early on his career when he was building Virgin Records, and not after the Virgin media sale. He bought it for ''next to nothing'' a couple thousand pounds at the time. @6:21

[@fabiokaya202]

adjusted for inflation?

[@stellviahohenheim]

How many children's can the island occupy?

[@patrickmckeag3215]

Excellent video. People like Branson are always brought down by their hubris. He could have stopped while he was ahead, but his massive ego led to his inevitable downfall. It's a classic story which has been going on since the dawn of civilization.

[@Harry._.Thompson]

Having a”hubris” is what got him to start his own business and become soo successful. U don’t get to be that successful with taking risks

[@zdrux]

How does one know when they are ahead? First $10k? First $100k? ... you keep trying, it's natural.

[@terrygerhart1485]

Sorry he understands money is a tool not an end. Richard is living life as life should be lived. What is the prize passing away with billions of wealth vs only enough for a funeral?

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@Harry._.Thompson You don't understand the meaning of the word obviously. hubris noun excessive pride or self-confidence Taking a business risk is NOT 'hubris'

[@whiskykilo]

What goes up must come down, eventually!🤷‍♂

[@blinkingred]

So he is a music/salesman who got insanely lucky and is now getting himself trapped in high complexity businesses beyond his scope of understanding.

[@methods3110]

Unlike your own wonderful “scope of understanding”, no doubt.

[@philfyphil]

I don’t think you could teach Richard Branson how to fry an egg

[@staffanlundberg]

Imo he is a risk-taker (as many entrepreneurs are) who got lucky ( as many entrepreneurs do ) but as he was never into the business mainly for profit and money he kept on taking risks to achieve even more with his life. As it now seems he may have run out of luck, but with a true entrepreneur You never know ! Btw I have been an entrepreneur for most of my life. I remember taking a test in the nineties in "Readers Digest" that claimed to estimate Your entreprenurial skills. When I wrote the answers how I think when building a company I thought the test would rate me a nutcase rather then as having entrepreneurial skills. But when I saw the testresult I started laughing as my appetite for risky and adventurous business had given me the test´s highest score 🤣

[@hb1338]

@@staffanlundberg He came from a very wealthy background. Even if his businesses had failed, his family would have bailed him out.

[@toddlavigne6441]

too much confidence and not enough expertise

[@patmat.]

... or when a Marketing guy tries to manage Engineering, how many times have we seen that failure.

[@HTHAMMACK1]

We've sort of seen it with Boeing. Penny pinching cost cutters taking over from engineers, which has resulted in disaster.

[@GaryARahn]

People are quick to criticize people who think big and fail. I admire him.

[@kevinrayner5812]

Thinking big and failing doesn't it depend on the reasons. Who else in the news recently thought big and was a complete chancer?

[@anyexpat]

Its like the fat men sitting at the sport ground criticising professional athletes. Bluntly a youtuber should try and learn from the Multi Billionairre Richard Branson, whose companies currently employ in excess of 70,000 people and turn over in excess of 20 Billion a year. Honestly, "The Fall" the shares in one of his companies took a drop, so wha. Things did not work perfect, so what,, they never do and he has always been an explorer. Bought his Island in 78 too not in 2015 or whenever this muppet said.

[@elizabethsohler6516]

You make a valid point.

[@elizabethsohler6516]

@@kevinrayner5812 Well, there was Donald Trump...

[@WhoAmEye_WhoAreEwe]

I could spend other people's money and fail, magnificently, with a big idea ........would that make me just like him!?! :)

[@BEATNIKMACHINE]

My Brothers ex girlfriend used to work for him in Cape Town and he is not an egotistical guy at all so all those talking about his ego might want to talk from experience or at least from someone that knows him or knew him. Poor guy. Wish him well but when you have that kind of money you never really run out.

[@chiefrocka8604]

So your brothers ex girlfriend works for someone so that automatically makes you a authority I think you should shut the hell up 😂

[@dakalodk]

Same expiríence here from south Africa. He is a nice guy

[@BEATNIKMACHINE]

She worked closely with him at Virgin Active and helped in establishing the brand in South Africa which was a big deal for Branson and knew him as well as a colleague that knows another one does, so yeah she may not have known him intimately admittedly but I knew some of my fellow workers pretty closely as much as I know my best friends.@Ben_Silverstein34

[@BEATNIKMACHINE]

Oh Nice buddy, heard Tel Aviv is an amazing place !@Ben_Silverstein34

[@butters1273]

He was the "Elon" while I was in school 😅

[@georgweingartner5086]

Good one. Many billionaires are actually morons. Often there is an inverse relationship of fame and compentence.

[@zenoblues7787]

It seems like every generation had them

[@jasonallen3678]

Not really,that was Bill Gates and a few others, because he was never that big

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

Not really. For those who might wish to learn more ~ "Branson: Behind the Mask" 2014 Tom Bower. The second Branson biography Bower has written. The first "Branson", republished August 2008, with added extras and even more business failures, was described by Branson as a "foul, foul piece of work".

[@jmitterii2]

Sort of. "Elon" is more scammer... but really they all got disconnected from reality sniffing their own farts and praise from others... and well... they made billions of their culties. And their culties got stuck holding a bag of shit.

[@nickmoloney9820]

Virgin success is founded solely on Tubular Bells , Mike Oldfield's Incredible album deserves a mention

[@Dan-lf2oj]

This is absolutely true and he screwed Oldfield in the process with the most miserly royalty rates...I got this from the Oldfield himself.

[@Wilko11]

Also must mention "The Exorcist"which used it in their soundtrack. Which gave it wide exposure with its memorably haunting theme. 😈

[@piratefleetau]

100%. Tubular Bells created Virgin Atlantic. Maybe Mike turns out to be the true talent...

[@Wilko11]

@@piratefleetau Along with Linda Blair's revolving head in "The Exorcist", which used Tubular Bells as the soundtrack.

[@robertsmelt6638]

Yep, so true.

[@mp-no9yv]

Good video as usual. As a Brit in my mid-60's I have known about Branson since he first came to fame in the earlly 1970's. He has always been a clever self-publicist with a huge ego, more style than substance. His first major success (after many failures, including an overnight stay in prison for VAT fraud) for Virgin records wasn't the Sex Pistols. It was Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield. It made him a millionaire in 1973. For the true story on him, try reading the unauthorised biography of him by acclaimed journalist Tom Bower. It was described by one major British reviewer as 'one of the most devastating books of the year. A damning indictment of one man and his methods.'

[@fx-studio]

Friend of Epstein with an island next door should be all you need to know...

[@mp-no9yv]

@@fx-studio Indeed. Bower's biography showed him to be a serial womaniser despite being married. In particular, in his promotional photos he was fond of posing with scantily clad young women, similar to the photo at 14.43 in this video. The claim that his 'Student' magazine had a circulation of 100k is also shown by Bower to be a huge exaggeration.

[@mp-no9yv]

Sorry, the picture with the scantlly-clad young woman is at 4.08 in this video, not 14.43.

[@adrianlloyd6403]

'Self-publicist with a huge ego' sums him up nicely.I have no criticism of his entrepreneurial spirit,in fact i say good luck to him and well done for some of his business successes.However i have little other respect for him.

[@creepystack1090]

elon musk sr. basically

[@telsurrey1]

My wife and I once got a partial refund of our air fare across the Atlantic from Virgin for price-fixing with British Airways. Not always the 'good guy'. BTW the record that 'made' Branson was Tubular Bells, an iconic album of the day. Another thing, he escaped a prison sentence for tax avoidance by his record company, because his daddy knew the 'right people'

[@Volcano-Man]

Mike Old field wrote and performed Tubular Bells! Branson allowed him to record it at Branson's studio for free, but then got a percentage of the profits for about 10 years.

[@Volcano-Man]

Bankruptcy for the beard! We live in hope. One of the most evil, arrogant lumps of excrement - debatable who - Epstein, Savill, or Branson is the top one!

[@Retroscoop]

@@Volcano-Man But what percentage of course....

[@TheNemocharlie]

I'm pretty certain he avoided prison because his mother mortgaged the family home to pay his tax penalty...

[@ttrjw]

Tax evasion not avoidance. But yes - he should have gone inside.

[@SK-le1gm]

Virgin Records was one of the key reggae labels of the 70s. and so, he took Johnny Rotten to Jamaica after the Pistols broke up and his friend Sid died. Richard Branson helped give the world Public Image Limited. Thank you, Richard.

[@DoYouHaveAnOpinion]

virgin screwed lydon and pil, so get your facts right

[@xScooterAZx]

Johnny did not like Sid. I know this for a fact.

[@dashuntas.m4045]

I had no idea about that

[@andrewjenery1783]

At least he was one of a very few that lived the dream and for many decades when most wouldn't know where to start.

[@aandwdabest]

Speaking of which, Donald Trump < Richard Branson, and it’s not even close.

[@Youtube_deleted_my_favourites]

I'm still living the dream - that of dreaming of having rich parents who could start me off on the path to riches

[@JamesSmith-ui2hv]

@@KZbin_deleted_my_favourites that is nice , good parenting making sure their children are better and more successful than them , congrats

[@truthbetold444]

The Hyperloop was not "scientificly sound" at all. It was always obvious that putting occupied vehicles in such a large vacuum would involve insurmountable hazards and difficulties.

[@seneca983]

I think you're ascribing a too far-reaching meaning to the phrase "scientifically sound". I'd say in this context it only means that achieving higher velocities in evacuated tubes is possible. However, the engineering challenge of doing that cheaply enough to make any economic sense is a completely different matter.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Indeed. The hyperloop was clearly an obvious fantasy to any sane individual. It's just typical of Elon Musk though. He too is very likely to come seriously unstuck with his rampant nonsense. Just TWO of his companies have any business credibility, the others are flim-flams.

[@encinobalboa]

Elon gave up on HL early on which says everything we need to know.

[@grahamstevenson1740]

@@encinobalboa Mush only promotes these absurd ideas for the popularity and media coverage it results in. He was clearly never serious about the idea. Nor will Spacex be transporting colonists to Mars, another completely insane idea. Nor will his companies be making bots, brain implants, tunnelling around the world or any other of his idiotic brain farts. Compare with Elizabeth Holmes.

[@leroy2576]

I am glad you called that out. I was about the post the same thing. To support a near vacuum in a tube system that large would take a lot of energy and be prone to issues, like sudden decompression and leaks. It was never scientifically sound.

[@blubb7711]

The "Hyperloop" is a terrible and dumb idea which will not work. Ever.

[@davidanalyst671]

neither will an online money, or wheels

[@Heretus]

@@davidanalyst671 Please do feel free to throw money at the amazing , not to mention BRAND NEW idea of hyperloop while chanting "White paper... white paper"

[@lexlayabout5757]

@@davidanalyst671 Some things work, others don't. Hyperloop might "work" as a demonstration track but it would fail to return on its investment and soon be abandoned like countless other vanity ideas built by crackpots like Musk and Branson. Both those two are basically lucky idiots but good salesmen.

[@MrCarnivoure]

Honestly mate, space travel is just to dangerous and tests rockets to the limits. So really its one off flight and rocket or ship should be scrapped due to cracks and other damage. Idea of reusing it several times is as dangerous as reusing condoms.

[@georgevue8175]

I will still admire him even if he does go bankrupt. He has lived an amazing life.

[@tomlxyz]

I've never admired him, always seemed like something's wrong to me

[@WhoAmEye_WhoAreEwe]

para-social relationship!?! Live and enjoy your own life, first and foremost :)

[@archimedes2261]

He probably tugged away 100s of millions to retire and leave some for his nexus of kins 😄

[@nunya2954]

He has plenty of money

[@niner8275]

Apart from being very informative, I like the style a lot. Especially the lack of an narrator's face constantly being jump-zoomed in and out every few seconds! Something I can actually comfortably watch without getting anger issues! 😊👍... And so I hit the subscribe button! 😎

[@TooLateForIeago]

Ah yes, the Hyperloop, where everyone who knows literally anything about trains looked at it and went, "All the things Hyperloop wants to do have been done by trains. Better, cheaper, and a hundred years ago."

[@letsburn00]

Pretty much their entire advantage was that they could get right of way cheaper because there would be less sound so it could be in the middle of cities. But that's simply not enough of an advantage. That's pretty much it for advantage. High speed trains high cost in California vs say China was 90% due to right of way problems. The US doesn't just let you steal land.

[@TooLateForIeago]

@@letsburn00 I could go on all day about America's iffy right-of-way and land-seizure regs, and how China's are somehow worse. What galls me the most about Hyperloop is the same thing that irritates me about schemes like Tesla, cryptocurrency, Bodega Box, and Carvana: the insipid non-innovation of it all.

[@sirranhaal3099]

Bitcoin solves the Byzantine general problem and allows the un-censorable and decentralized transmission of currency anywhere on earth within minutes and without any permission. Pretty innovative

[@insomniacresurrected1000]

Honestly, the company that nails hyperloop will kill trains. 😂

[@Neil070]

Isambard Kingdom Brunel built much of the British railway network, the first in the world, built great tunnels, bridges, almost all still in use today. He built huge steam ships. He built a prototype hyperloop railway, not called that, obviously, but exactly the same. A partial vacuum was created, drawing the carriage along at then unimaginable speeds. Unfortunately, 19th century Britain was unable to produce materials able to deal with the forces involved without quickly deteriorating. Rubber seals were just too costly to replace and the maintenance requirements meant it would be out of action much of the time. Also, people were scared by trains exceeding 30 mph. It would be a brave man who used the system. I imagine the journey would be dark, as gas lights in a sealed vehicle would be both impractical and dangerous

[@sanjaybhatikar]

The Hyperloop was EM's genius plan to bankrupt fellow billionaires :))

[@ianmuir3640]

His company might be near bankruptcy but he will never be bankrupt ever

[@pwm8277]

😂😂

[@reetpateet8656]

Spot on!

[@hb1338]

He has sold most of his holdings. Not a very good look, given that every company he owns is so easily identified.

[@michaelharris5370]

Always have a roof over his head , unlike many !

[@Winspur1982]

I don't know. He has a penchant for buying tiny islands in hot climates, the sort of places that are VERY vulnerable to hurricanes or cyclones. Like Trump, he is taking massive risks living in these places. You can't just call the roofing company to come over when really bad weather happens.

[@Klaus80804]

I remember when he wanted to take over the fleet of Concorde planes from British Airways as they were about to retire them. To bad it did not happen. Running the only supersonic airline company in the world would have been a business he knows about, satisfies him, and might have been a success.

[@Volcano-Man]

BULLSHIT! He was only thrust in to the limelight because of his moaning that BA were playing his game and he was losing. He is a lousy smarmy boss many of his cabin crews have been made to sign NDA's and they know he can sue the nickers off them.

[@slackerman9758]

Might? Only the slimmest of chances if you judge success as profitability. Repairing 30 year old planes was getting crazy expensive. And low bypass gas guzzling jet engines slurped down insane fuel. And everyone banned their overflights for sonic booms.

[@bryanwilson928]

You work for 40yrs to have $1m in your retirement, Meanwhile some people are putting just $10k in a meme coin for just few months and now they are multi millionaires. I pray that anyone who reads this will be successful in life

[@kevinandrews4]

YES!!! That's exactly her name (Deborah Davis) so many people have recommended highly about her and am just starting with her 😊 from Brisbane Australia🇦🇺

[@joshgullicksrud3444]

Oh my, I remember my first beer. Please tell me no one falls for this

[@Alexx_111]

on average people that put money in meme coins lost a ton of money so...

[@got2bharmony]

Pretty accurate analysis of Branson. He undoubtedly had that special factor with Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic, perceiving what customers wanted. I regularly flew between UK and US when Virgin came on the scene, and his Upper Class was way superior to anything BA or the major US airlines offered. His fleet of 747s were old and limited but he painted them and kitted them out brilliantly, and his lounges were the best for many innovations. BA's dirty tricks were numerous, but they hadn't bargained for Branson's penchant for publicity and business determination. It was a good day when he successfully sued BA and started their long overdue fall from a position where they behaved as though they had a god-given right to be the leading airline, made worse by the odious chairman Lord King. Sadly, Branson's downfall was a result of his ventures into things that appealed to his ego but made little business sense. As others have commented, the rise and fall of entrepreneurs is an age old phenomenon. The only billionaires who tend not to fall are those who ride the system, like the heads of the major banks, who have no specific skills other than networking and ruthless corporate ladder climbing. Let's not over hype Elon Musk's achievements. He would also be bankrupt if not for US tax payer handouts to support SpaceX which has enabled the US government to cease pouring billions into NASA. Elon is unique, but he also needs luck and being in the right place at the right time. If/when Elon has to succeed without government assistance he could easily fall too. And he may lose government support if he goes against the state narrative too often. Highly successful business is either about genuine innovation and business acumen, risk taking akin to gambling or corruption. Hard working competent business people do OK but they don't become billionaires.

[@alastairleith8612]

@Charles White you think the iPad is all Steve Jobs? Apple took an industry trope, the tablet and refined it using iOS. Ives was on the product design (physical device) thousands of others on the software. I still think iPad is clumsy with a lot of details, much prefer my iPhone and my Macs. iPad has it's place, but it's not nearly as great as I hoped it would be.

[@stanspb763]

SpaceX was privately funded and still is. The NASA contracts were a win-win, and saved NASA from having its budget eliminated. Reliable high performance rockets that were reusable saved more than just NASA. Failures were many but so were the NASA failures but the difference was taking years to solve problems and billions of dollars, SpaceX innovated very quickly and were back launching the next week with corrections and major advances. So what handouts are you referring to. They signed contracts which allowed funds to flow from private investors. In his other ventures such as Tesla and the solar/utility level battery system never got anything from the goverment while GM and Ford were showered with money for things they could not deliver.

[@raylopez99]

Good analysis. Indeed the US taxpayer unknowingly subsidizes many things, for example road travel over rail travel, airlines in general, and of course the farm industry.

[@hb1338]

@Charles White You got the wrong man. The man at the heart of turning a state-owned airline into a modern commercial business was Colin Marshall. BA's profits were made almost entirely in first and club class on long-haul routes - it has never offered a budget service. Fwiw, King was never the chief exec (that was Marshall), he was the Chairman.

[@justbecauseOK]

you obviously never flew QANTAS.

[@jantschierschky3461]

I have friends in the music industry, and all of them hate his guts. Often have to wait 4-6 months for payment, if paid at all

[@jasoncreighton5140]

Yeah thats what Ive been told by a neighbour who had dealings with him. He tried to bankrupt his business but got paid just in time

[@hb1338]

He didn't pay the companies who leased him his aircraft for more than five years, and they only got their money when they threatened to break his legs. There was a delicious rumour that the enforcer was Michael O'Leary's brother.

[@christopheripad477]

Rich people don’t get rich by paying bills.

[@Zomfoo]

Remember when Virgin Cola stormed the soda market and took 40% of the market? Me neither.

[@anguswilliam2141]

What a name for cola. That was never going to work.

[@Zomfoo]

@@anguswilliam2141 If I’m going to be drinking it at least tell me if it’s a male or female virgin!

[@alexandermutune6131]

Airline business is no joke ... Richard Branson has tried his best but effects of covid-19 on business still looms large on his airline business.I hope he comes out strong after all the challenges.

[@timmytimpster3807]

Why he is a hypocrite

[@BusArch42]

He won’t. People will remember what VA did when they tried to keep peoples money after cancelling flights.

[@Mrz-sb1hw]

I used to go to virgin stores many years ago they were very well presented and the staff were always nice.

[@conradmanove8749]

I am an admire of risk takers... ALL off us will just sit, watch, criticise or Adore them... Branson has not failed.. he will only fail when he gives up...God bless him

[@captainotto]

Things just aren't the same since Jeffrey stopped being his neighbour.

[@Lordslothable]

Reddit is especially dull and mundane since the disappearance of maxwellhill admin. Hope reddit recovers and has at least tripled down on getting prize mods like that back…

[@dnomyarnostaw]

Branson should have watched Thunderfoot

[@strugglingengineer1465]

and common sense skeptic

[@moonbeamz8207]

Thunderfoots science and arguments are very solid. I just can't stand watching his videos because he acts like a pompous douche.

[@djsmithe]

And Adam Something

[@samsonsoturian6013]

Screw that guy. He's an asshole that likes to berate people regardless if it makes sense.

[@waldopepper4069]

or better still, Thunderbirds.

[@blueyhis.zarsoff1147]

The record company was about the only company that made money, selling companies is where his money comes from.

[@musiclover5023]

Selling successful business companies is where a Lot of money comes from, I was reading the success story of Elon Musk, he earned multi Million Dollars from the Sales of successful firms that he founded with other people

[@blueyhis.zarsoff1147]

@@musiclover5023 Bransons sells large companies that dont make any money, slight difference. Plus the capital gain on that depends where he is tax domiciled, never been disclosed over the years...

[@musiclover5023]

@@blueyhis.zarsoff1147 I Think his USA biz a Delaware Company, tax Free área of the states.

[@nicklaus8536]

Too much ambition could lead to reckless competition. It is people like Branson who make real changes in history, because of their high-risk nature. However, they can also fall very hard.

[@anyexpat]

Not really, he has billions of personal worth beyond his shareholdings in any single company. If a company fails, he is still on Necker lsland rich as hell

[@truthteller6161]

A man with balls that most wouldn’t have the guts to risk. He’s demonstrated that hard work and vision (dreams) you can achieve your goals. Respect

[@pbreedu]

Branson did well when he was using established technologies planes and records to better service customers. His focus on good customer relations and his knack for getting publicity helped him do very well in these areas. However, he does not seem to have a knack for establishing new technologies. He is a marketing genius but not a tech guru!

[@mikeh.1130]

Emerging Technology is obviously where he fails. His strength is making existing systems better.

[@dannylo5875]

It takes a set of skills specifically to make something really work.

[@hahinrichsen]

His strength is actually just marketing

[@davidbrinkman2768]

@@hahinrichsen the name Virgin and taking the license fee for its use.

[@staffanlundberg]

Did he fail ? And Bill Gates did not fail ? It all depends on your goals , what You want to achieve in life. Getting rich and keeping it is not that difficult if that is all You want to do. The ruthless monopolist Gates was/is all about that. Branson is another type of entrepreneur and have higher goals in life then just profit. In my eyes he is more human that Gates. And You must admit Branson has achieved a lot in his entreprenurial life so far.

[@hb1338]

Name any existing system that he made better.

[@gabecodina]

tubular bells was what gave Branson his start.

[@warrenpeece1726]

He's actually very good at marketing - himself. He has reinvented himself as a climate warrior, angrily criticizing Trump for ignoring climate meetings while running businesses that pump huge amounts of "greenhouse gases" into the atmosphere.

[@tonysanderson7741]

I remember Virgin cola also I don 't think Virgin media was ever owned by Richard Branson, he might have had a small share in return of them using his branding and work cultures. Even though he has had many failures and taken large risks he's still a true pioneer.

[@exeuropean]

I do understand Mr. Branson very well. Money to him is not that important. It is a tool to achieve dreams with. Of course he could have put all his money is buildings but where is the fun in that? The guy is living his life. I admire him to no end. Amazing man.

[@lexlayabout5757]

Dreams like burning thousands of tons of hydrocarbon fuel just to give a few other billionaires a 40 minute space ride? Pity he cannot have some less expensive dreams.

[@Lordslothable]

Jimmy Savile got knighted as well, not much of an honor tbh.

[@Puzzoozoo]

And now if you were to be, it'd be by King Charles doing it, and HRH unlike his mother may she RIP has himself got a somewhat chequered personal history.

[@Lordslothable]

@@Puzzoozoo gee ya don’t say? Sorry to be a buzzkill but the evil queen is burning in hell. The smoke from her torment will rise forever and ever.

[@davec8921]

The beginning of the end for me was when he sold all the profitable businesses to prop up the failing airline

[@walkietalkietraveller2932]

i think you hit the nail on the head there, Dave.

[@skydeclair]

To me he's always been a good conman a visionary conman

[@BusArch42]

We bought tickets on VA to go to England in 2000. When Covid hit VA cancelled our flights. They slow rolled processing our 10k ( big group) refund and played games with people. The goal was to keep our money. We went to our credit card company after being told there was a two month waiting list to start processing a refund. Conveniently this pushed the refund date past the credit card dispute time. When we rebooked this year we used BA. They didn’t try to keep customers money illegally

[@dan-tv1kp]

From what little I knew about him, he'd always struck me as a clown. I was completely unaware of his financial peril.

[@hb1338]

The worst type of enthusiastic amateur.

[@Nickbaldeagle02]

He's in no financial peril. His company is.

[@daryl9799]

Well that "clown" has and will have more money then you will ever see. At least he has the balls to be a clown which made him billions.

[@anyexpat]

He is way way way less financial peril than you are. Unless you are worth Billions and your companies are turning over in excess of 20 Billion a year? Let us know, is this financial peril?

[@TheMusicHeals.kjhjhhg]

a clown?lmao that fits you more than him i'm sure of it. how much money do you have in the bank clown?

[@Sadreath]

In which world is the hyperloop scientifically sound? At best it works in theory but in practice it will be nearly impossible to get a working system. The whole idea is based around a train sized pipe that is hundreds of miles long to be made into a vacuum tube. That in itself is nearly an impossible task. The amount of air that would have to be removed is staggering. Not even mentioning the safety concerns. Unless the definition of scientifically sound is that it is correct that things can move faster in vacuums than no it is not scientifically sound because it is pretty much impossible to create a hundreds of mile long pipe and keep it at nearly a vacuum for extended periods of time.

[@enricol5974]

Maybe it will work on the moon

[@davidbeppler3032]

Airplanes are also impossible. "Putting occupied vehicles in such a large vacuum would involve insurmountable hazards and difficulties."

[@allykid4720]

Large hadron collider?

[@Sadreath]

@@allykid4720 really? The LHG is 17 miles long and the inner diameter is measured in millimeters. Oh and not to forget they don't need to get train sized vehicles with people in them in and out of the LHG.

[@allykid4720]

@@Sadreath what is LHG?

[@rogerfouchong181]

People like him don't see that as failure, but a learning process, technological pioneer always try new idea in their life time, there are people who push the limit, also there are external forces that may lead to set backs and failure, not that you didn't have a good idea that would have succeeded under favourable conditions, the pandemic and the high interest rate cause many businesses to fail, we cannot always blame the innovativeness of the person.

[@lesterjohnston8888]

But there are strange phenomenals in the outerlimits (or space) which man has no understanding and will never ever have

[@lexlayabout5757]

Branson has left it a bit late to learn anything - he is over 70.

[@anyexpat]

If you aint failing sometimes you are not being ambitious enough

[@anyexpat]

@@lexlayabout5757 I bet he learns many times more than you do each year.

[@lexlayabout5757]

@@anyexpat Of course he does, but I don't rate people by how much money they have. FWIW I am not short of money, I have all I want and lead the life I want. To use a meme, people like Branson lead the rat race but they are still rats.

[@MovieGasm]

Great job man. That’s a high view count for this niche.

[@internet_userr]

Update for the video: I'm pretty sure they're gonna start flying customers up now

[@Mrz-sb1hw]

I live in UK and all this technology is like future sci go stuff we're in caveman age, but we have planes, trains cars buses and skateboards.

[@Brockthedog315]

He has always done what he has wanted to do. We all could learn a lesson from it. He is not a failure but an inspiration. Follow your dreams with courage. Making him look weak is your own insecurity.

[@SenorZorrozzz]

His father was wealthy. He reported used his dad’s money to start up one failed business after another. His record company hit it big. He was reported to be a money making genius. He spoke about success etc. Like others , the public thought that this was a magic man. People build up celebs as godlike. He’s just a man. I hope that he doesn’t fail. I don’t want to see him suffer.

[@marinakaye8284]

I do...# lol

[@lexlayabout5757]

"Falling" in the case of people like Branson, Musk, Gates and Bezos means having to sell their art treasures, islands, factories, private plane etc, and going to live in a mere 6-bedroom house on a gated estate, and eating in ordinary 5-star restaurants. Going from billionaires to ordinary millionaires in fact. I hope it happens to them.

[@cdean2789]

“I had always thought that only criminals were arrested: it hadn’t occurred to me that I had become one,” he wrote. “It wasn’t some great game about my getting one up on the Customs and Excise office and getting off scot-free: I was guilty.” He spent the night in jail, before his mother showed up and posted a family home as bail. Branson’s headmaster at school had once predicted that the young man would either become a millionaire or go to prison.

[@midbc1midbc199]

He is like trump......horrible businessman

[@skycloud4802]

People like Branson and Musk show that billionaires aren't geniuses. They simply already have the capital and connections to have a go for it. Branson begged the UK taxpayer to bail out his airlines. No ordinary citizen would have to cheek to ask for a publicly funded get out of bankruptcy.

[@Hiraeth-zq8ze]

The hyper loop seems like a giant money sink for billionaires to waste money on. I don’t think it will ever really work

[@Heretus]

It never will , ThunderF00t and many others have explained why in great detail , it is a idea that goes back quite the many years, never happened for a reason.

[@jmitterii2]

It won't. It's not a new idea, dates back to the early 1900's. It's bogus. Like wishing unicorns could be bread complete with wings and rainbows that fart out of their ass. This is the problem with today's idiocracy. The rich oligarchs though they could pull a fast one on the unwashed masses and they the rich started drinking the same piss; they thought wow I'm mega ridiculous richer than even nations... therefore I must be god's gift to everything including engineering and science. When in reality they were generally dumber and more riskier than most, and others in those stupider enterprises they got lucky as well as already being well connected... and really they're just fucking stupider then most. And at the reigns of these clown cars are the pompous shit head dictator that drives everyone along with them into a concrete wall while they shout praise and holiness to their new vapid deity as that turd and everyone around them turn into hamburger against the concrete.

[@FrankHeuvelman]

I've heard that the subdivision Virgin Trek burned a lot of cash while developing, or at least trying to develop a transport beam between the Earth an Mars for instant travel. Not everybody knows that.

[@_TPE_TW_]

what you said in the end is 100% correct! follow your own dreams and not someones else or the hype.

[@Noosa21]

Ive only breifly met Branson twice. But all I can say is he's a risk taker at a much higher level than most regular business owners and with a celeb status it places higher pressure on results and holding onto your investments. If he has the tenacity we shall wait and see. But even if some things fail he wont lose his celebrity status, in fact it might legitamise his other ventures all the more.

[@moldyshowercurtain7697]

He went from acting like a smart businessman to a lottery winner..😂🤣

[@royhenderson9826]

No matter how hard up he gets, I wouldn't mind being a few grand behind him. 🇬🇧✌

[@seneca983]

Investing into Hyperloop was an idea with almost no prospect of commercial success. Even normal maglev trains are still an expensive rarity. Where's the demand for going a step further and putting those trains into tubes with a vacuum inside? Evacuating such a large volume can't be cheap.

[@dworkin7110]

Even small lab based vaccum vessels are tough to maintain. Imagine having hundreds of them the size of busses with rubber seals between them sat outside in rain, snow and sunshine 365 days a year. Never, ever going to work. It is hard to believe anyone with a brain of any sort would not look at the whole thing properly before throwing their money in.

[@misterwhipple2870]

Even Maglevs are nothing but a publicity stunt meant to pump up the egoes of world leaders. China's magnificent trains run nearly empty. Chinese people can't begin to afford it.

[@1arritechno]

Fabricating trains like a Spaceship plus cost of Aircraft type Maintenance would be impractical.!

[@Mark-lj1dj]

Space flight and vacuum tubes were definite mistakes but I still have a lot of respect for the man. He provided employment for thousands over the years and did so much for Britain and its economy.

[@tonespeaks]

@Wall Street Millennial I think the video missed Sir Richard Branson real motivation, for the tech ventures. I don't think it had much to do about any comparison to Elon Musk and more to do with accessing easy money. Some of those failed ventures probably didn't cost him any money, it was the stock holders that was left holding the bag. Before FAA put a halt to operations, Branson had sold quite a bit of shares. The Loop venture was more PR than anything else.

[@JohninHouston1969]

Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class cabin and service was the best in the business back in the 90's and early 2000's. It's sad to see where they are now.

[@lesterjohnston8888]

Will always happen especially with Tony Blair in toe the complete bandit

[@albertinapettenon355]

He knows exactly how to get back on track 😉the guy is super duper smart & positive, “screw it ! Let’s do it” 😃💪🏾 He won’t let anything stop him from moving forwards 👏he learns from his mistakes & failings 😉screw it ! Let’s try again one more time 😂I love his positive attitude ❤️

[@nicholasgigaba2779]

A happy employee is equal to happy clients, employees comes first and client last ,those line are still stuck with me till today, and my business is doing well by applying the same strategy by Branson

[@luxushauseragency]

There's nothing wrong with reaching for the stars. 🎉😮 Timing is the one aspect that makes or breaks most entrepreneurs.

[@musiclover5023]

But you need to know what It takes to reach for the stars, its a heck of a long journey !

[@maloudelosreyes661]

​@@musiclover5023 nice one there👌

[@FellaHAILIRA]

Unfortunately both UK and Branson fall faster than a super sonic bullet aiming for the stars. Both are now a mere shadow of their former past. It's bad, really bad when India is doing better in all fields than the UK. I honestly feel like "fastest falling soon-to-be a third world" is a better tag for UK. I send donations to the poor UK every month. I feel like at this rate they have to go back to a grass diet like cattle on the fields. I will always help them, hell I will even buy a large estate, open up a luxury range for Brits to grass upon the green pastures. Prayers and love 😘.

[@musiclover5023]

@@FellaHAILIRA As one who is UK born, ALL i Will Say is youre only hoping for the worst. The UK Will bê OK, my country Will get past this period in its history, a Mere blip thats ALL.

[@FellaHAILIRA]

@@musiclover5023 A mere blip into a third world country. My god, all the buildings in central London are sitting empty. The ones buying anything are the rich tourists and English looking at their spending habits with their mouth wide open. You could park a semi there. The towns and cities in North are dying. Endless poverty as far as the eyes could see. Even the main squares are empty and deserted. People can't afford anything but cheap chow-mein and asian foods. Every street Conor is filled with pawn shops and drift stores. In every pawn shop you see English people pawning their last valuables handed down by their ancestors from looting other nations. The sad part is, these fools have fought with every country on the planet not leaving behind even small island nations. Nobody will help a drowning English man. What goes up must come down and now you are on your way down. By definition, UK is already a third world excluding London. London has nothing going on but fashion and forex trading. I seriously doubt both industries can keep up especially with slums forming around the city.

[@mervynsullivan]

I remember in the early years when Branson was about to go under. Thanks to Mike Oldfield and the enormous success of Tubular Bells, Branson survived to enjoy great success. But his problem has been his delving in areas from which he really should have stayed well away. He is a legend in his won mind and, sadly, his ego will probably be his downfall.

[@devon896]

Virgin as a whole is overhyped. Virgin Trains for example was cr*p but because it was "Virgin" it was somehow wonderful.

[@anyexpat]

@@devon896 Do you own a train company? Just wondering

[@devon896]

@@anyexpat Yes.

[@anyexpat]

@@devon896 Which is your favourite Thomas or Gordon?

[@Volcano-Man]

Jimmy Savill MK2!

[@jaysdood]

I've got a great new idea for a new transport technology. It's called Hyperfibre. You build an international network of fibre optic cables 3 metres in diameter. Load people into the fibre and transport them at the speed of light. *I swear it's not that hard* 😂

[@robertwalker5521]

It is the sudden STOP that creates the problem.

[@ronnoman61]

​@@robertwalker5521 Just like falling off a roof.

[@simontaylor2319]

I remember going into his shop called Serendipity, in Notting Hill Gate, many times in 1970/71, whilst at school round the corner. He owned a house off Holland Park. I met him once and he signed his autobiography

[@paulmcgeever5343]

Branson grew up in a sucessful family that supported his financial failures and he was surrounded by influencial people. As Bransons empire grew he expanded his Virgin brand into ventures where he had no direct control over. He had the financial resources to put his visionary ideas into practice and that takes guts that not many people have. His financial losses in this project won't break him he wouldn't risk that. The whole space travel venture is a step too far at this time but i do believe it will be something the uber rich will be able to experience but i doubt in branson life time.

[@MR_THINQ]

What goes up always comes down, all empires eventually fall - especially when it comes to business. These are challenging times for everyone.

[@brianthesnail3815]

I flew to the USA on Virgin Atlantic in around 1993 when it was really quite popular. It wasn't my choice but my company was paying. Anyway, for reasons I didn't quite understand the Virgin plane was forced to land at an air base in the USA instead of JFK. We waited freezing on the ground for several hours. It would not have happened if we had been on a BA jet. We missed our connection and eventually got to our destination in the Southern USA straight to our business meeting without food for pretty much 24 hours. The Virgin in flight service was certainly different to BA which at the time was genuinely the Worlds Favourite Airline although a bit old fashioned. Virgin's skill was just being very good at marketing and not running a very large airline. Never flew with Virgin again as a result.

[@naveenswarnkar4180]

Is this loving Virgin Atlantic still working or not? Please tell me about it!

[@belindadunne4312]

Virginia Airlines canceled a flight without notifying us (this was in 2005) whatsoever. Just happened to find out by checking up on it myself because I was so excited about the trip from California to London. As a result, we quickly booked an available BA flight instead and never looked back. Customer service on all BA flights has been outstanding.

[@naveenswarnkar4180]

@@belindadunne4312 Thankyou for your replying. Is it still working now a days or not? Or is it declared as bankrupt?

[@belindadunne4312]

@@naveenswarnkar4180 hi, I have no idea. :)

[@naveenswarnkar4180]

@@belindadunne4312 Thankyou for your replying. Can you confirm it, through it's working employees or sales person who sold it's flight ticket or through it's website. It's all a guidelines but I am not forcing to investigate about it. I reaching out from you!

[@erikschmidt476]

I think that despite his "fall", he's got a few more cents than I do

[@trommelbiel]

He is not comparing himself to you. At the level he has falling to he already feels like a homeless man. We should pray for him

[@ndirangugichuki6260]

​@Charles White I've actually seen a documentary on Trump, and he actually said that.

[@vytautasgaldikas7588]

Hyperloop IS NOT scientifically sound

[@AmirPershiski]

I hope things get better for him and his companies

[@SinkingSinkers]

I read the book “the rise and fall of Alan Bond” the billionaire from Perth, Australia 🇦🇺 that won the American Cup in 1988 and Branson wanted to connect with him in the late 80s to bring Virgin to Australia and Alan Bond refused, Alan Bond went bankrupt 3 years later…

[@AnthonyTolhurst-dw1nc]

America’s Cup 1983

[@huzcer]

Virgin went to Australia anyway with Virgin Blue and that went bankrupt eventually too. Branson has a history of attaching his name to many ventures and many have gone bankrupt leaving employees done. Eg virgin orbit, virgin cola, virgin vodka, virgin cars, virgin brides, virgin active etc

[@AMD7027]

“Cash incinerator” classic!

[@juliet7703]

Wow never knew BA had acted in such a way 😮 shame on them. Glad he managed to sue them. On another note I have fond memories of listening to music in Virgin records. Was a great store at the time

[@hb1338]

Like so much of Branson's life. the stories about what BA did to his business were vastly exaggerated and in many areas completely untrue. The serious financial difficulties that BA alluded to were true and remained so for at least the first fifteen years of Virgin Atlantic. BA did attempt to steal Virgin customers, but there was no hacking involved, nor did the hunters (BA staff who did the stealing) claim that Virgin flights were cancelled, they just offered seats on BA at heavily discounted prices.

[@OffGridInvestor]

He sued BA so many times it was ridiculous

[@lisabrightly]

I miss the store so much!

[@keithbill310]

Richard is a dreamer and he has the money to live his dreams in reality...

[@cdean2789]

“I had always thought that only criminals were arrested: it hadn’t occurred to me that I had become one,” he wrote. “It wasn’t some great game about my getting one up on the Customs and Excise office and getting off scot-free: I was guilty.” He spent the night in jail, before his mother showed up and posted a family home as bail. Branson’s headmaster at school had once predicted that the young man would either become a millionaire or go to prison.

[@D3xterJettster]

Those options are not mutually exclusive 😅

[@limeyosu2000]

This guy keeps posting the same paragraph over and over def a bot for sure😜

[@cdean2789]

@@limeyosu2000 what's a bot?

[@cdean2789]

@@limeyosu2000 only place

[@jamiecleeves7921]

that man charged me 90 quid on a train ticket once and i had to stand up so good news

[@DaveTheBird]

No mention of tubular bells, I think it was mainly the success of that album that gave virgin music it's big start ? Great video anyway thanks....

[@TG-ok4ty]

RB has ALWAYS been a crook. I recall news in the 80's on how his companies seemed to be dirty.

[@waltondennis8208]

Regardless of his failures Mr.Branson is a remarkable entrepreneur and pioneer. I one million % wish him well and sincerely hope he rebounds and continues to succeed..

[@CATANOVA]

Your cheque is in the mail.

[@antonkishkin]

Its only shows that you can make mistakes even when your are a billionaire. Business is an endless game when you should always to adapt and see one step forward. Hope that he would go trough this. This niche needs many players to progress faster.

[@Ontheroadtourism]

I remember reading an article on Richard Branson and it said he never really made money. Everything was built on debt.

[@lesterjohnston8888]

He got a lot from Tony Blair when he was priminister Blair gave him the railway to run

[@financesdomatter]

Many entrepreneurs begin to believe in their own invincibility having had previous success , which tempts them into areas in which they have little knowledge and virtually zero experience. Innovation is good, necessary and exciting but sticking to what you are good at usually delivers better results for the bottom line.

[@hb1338]

Branson has never had any specialist skills - he either hired people to run his business for him or he sold his name to existing businesses.

[@firestarter1888]

Just to clarify, Branson basically rented the Virgin name in a part exchange share deal with NTL and Virgin Mobile. He never benefitted from the sale of Virgin Media or had any oversight of the operations.

[@krisb-travel]

Hmmm no, read his book

[@stevegardiner4457]

Totally wrong - i was there! - where do u get this fake news?

[@keithedwards9337]

Basically?

[@firestarter1888]

@@keithedwards9337 It was a complicated deal and this is a synopsis, therefore basically...

[@firestarter1888]

@@krisb-travel The merger will see NTL:Telewest adopt the Virgin brand in the near future, following a 30 year brand licencing agreement to “harness” the power of Virgin’s well known marque. The merger sees the cable giant purchase Virgin Mobile for £962 million in cash and shares. The deal will see existing shareholders offered either 3725 pence per share in cash for their stock, shares in NTL:Telewest, or a mixture of the two

[@pravinshingadia7337]

Branson was always seen as the people’s champion but lost it when he tried to stop Brexit - a democratic vote. Showed his true colours.

[@lenakrupinski6303]

I stopped with my virgin broadband in. 2020 when at the start of the pandemic they hicked up prices a lot. I'm now with sky. I thought it's not good with people struggling that a billionaire company does this to their customers at such a bad time .Saying that he s did give a lot of musicians a start in life , like Mike Oldfield & others !! 🙏🎶🙏

[@kevanhubbard9673]

Don't forget the Sir as Sir Richard is ever such a modest fellow!

[@geoffreycoury1171]

You didn't mention Virgin Australia, first marketed as Virgin Blue Airlines. Basically he was handed a massive gift when Ansett Australia Airlines was sent into receivership by it's owner Air New Zealand who couldn't afford to run both after 9/11. Air New Zealand was re-nationalised as a consequence. Virgin Blue grew rapidly and was floated for AUD$2.25 per share to much of Branson's fanfare. It last traded as low as 5 cents before going bankrupt. In the process Branson sold off a large percentage to other airlines who ultimately lost their investment. As we speak it has been restarted but without anything to do with Branson.

[@OffGridInvestor]

He also had virgin mobile which ran thru optus. It was great. EARLY buyers got a keyring with virgin mobile on a metal disk. Only happened in like the first couple of years. I still have mine in my house keys.

[@krisjackson5967]

I was in Perth Western Australia on 9/11 & had flown there from Sydney using Ansett points. 2 days later I received a text message saying that Anset had gone bust & I was stranded. Fortunately I managed to get a seat on Quantas Airlines to get back to my family.

[@commonsense7754]

Elon not drawing back and then pulling the "didn't do a thing" face still makes me laugh every time. He's such a flog

[@chengong748]

He is trying to do something new and good for the world. He has a big dream. I admire him.

[@technomad900]

My Nan used to say , solve problems on the earth before solving problems in space ..

[@user-cw2py6wh8l]

I don't cry for billionaires.

[@dimitriosglous4156]

I don’t think the video is made to make u cry rather than learn.

[@rolandsuch]

Richard will be 73 this year, even if the Virgin Group goes bankrupt he has a large enough personal fortune to allow him a comfortable life for the next 20-30 years!

[@rolandsuch]

@Charles White Why? It is his fortune. My parents worked hard and gave us a good start in life. They then had a very comfortable retirement spending all that they had saved. My wife and I are doing the same!

[@crumplezone1]

Without Mike oldfield and Tubular Bells and The Sex Pistols he`d still selling vinyl on a street stall

[@hzleyes7087]

DP purchase of majority shares makes a lot of sense. I worked in Dubai in 2007-2009 and Dubai was testing this concept for the Emirates

[@josevi5835]

If Branson is under bankruptcy I am not going to admire him less. Great entrepreneur and humble guy, always pursuing his dreams. He will recover for sure.

[@Chris-ci8vs]

lol

[@AGS363]

He should have named it the "Chad Hyperloop" instead!

[@PerfectInterview]

Excellent video, especially the very end where you analyze why Branson made these foolish bets.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

For those who might wish to learn more about why they do ~ "Branson: Behind the Mask" 2014 Tom Bower. The second Branson biography Bower has written. The first "Branson", republished August 2008, with added extras and even more business failures, was described by Branson as a "foul, foul piece of work". Tom Bower really doesn't like Richard Branson and Richard Branson really doesn't like Tom Bower, then again, apart from Old Beardie himself, who does like Branson?

[@Iron-Bridge]

The Air Asia guy likes him.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

@Charles White Both books exposed B's tainted past; the coke part might have been the most revealing?