Richard Branson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Richard Branson
Branson in 2015
Born	Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (1950-07-18) 18 July 1950 (age 75) Blackheath, London, England
Occupation	Business magnate Author
Years active	1966–present
Known for	Founder of the Virgin Group
Spouse(s)	Kristen Tomassi ​ ​ (m. 1972; div. 1979)​ Joan Templeman ​ ​ (m. 1989; died 2025)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Eve Branson (mother)
Relatives	G. A. H. Branson (grandfather) Vanessa Branson (sister) Isabella Calthorpe (daughter-in-law)
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Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a famous English entrepreneur, adventurer, and the founder of the Virgin Group. He is known for creating many successful companies, including Virgin Records, the airline Virgin Atlantic, and the space tourism company Virgin Galactic.

Branson showed an interest in business from a very young age. His first project, at age 16, was a magazine called Student. In 1970, he started a business that sold music records through the mail. This led to him opening a chain of record stores called Virgin Records in 1972. The Virgin brand grew quickly in the 1980s when he launched the Virgin Atlantic airline.

In 2004, he founded Virgin Galactic, a company with the goal of making space travel possible for tourists. On 11 July 2021, Branson flew to the edge of space on a Virgin Galactic test flight, becoming one of the first founders of a space company to make the journey himself.

In March 2000, Branson was knighted by the Queen for his services to entrepreneurship. He is known around the world for his work in business, his love for adventure, and his charity work.

Early life

Richard Branson was born in Blackheath, London. His father, Edward James Branson, was a lawyer, and his mother, Eve Branson, was a former ballet dancer and flight attendant. His mother was also an entrepreneur and encouraged his business ideas from a young age.

Branson has dyslexia, which made schoolwork challenging for him. He did not perform well in his classes. On his last day at school, his headmaster told him he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire. Branson has said this comment inspired him to work hard and prove he could be successful.

Starting the Virgin Brand

The Student Magazine

When he was 16, Branson started his first business, a magazine called Student. He interviewed famous people for the magazine, like Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. The magazine helped him advertise and sell popular music albums by mail, which was the start of his music business.

Virgin Records

The Manor Studio, Richard Branson's recording studio in Oxfordshire, England.

In 1972, Branson opened his first record store on Oxford Street in London. Soon after, he launched his own record label, Virgin Records. An employee suggested the name "Virgin" because they were all new to the business.

The first album released by Virgin Records was Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield. It became a huge bestseller. The label also became famous for signing new and exciting bands that other companies were unsure about, such as the Sex Pistols and Culture Club. Virgin Records grew to become one of the largest independent record labels in the world.

Expanding the Empire

Virgin Atlantic Airline

A Virgin Atlantic airplane approaching a London airport in 2015.

The idea for Virgin Atlantic came to Branson when his flight to Puerto Rico was cancelled. Instead of waiting, he rented his own plane, wrote "Virgin Airlines" on a blackboard, and sold tickets to the other stranded passengers. In 1984, he officially launched Virgin Atlantic.

The airline grew quickly and became a major competitor to other airlines, like British Airways. The two companies had a famous rivalry for many years. Branson also started Virgin Holidays in 1985 to sell package holidays.

Trains, Phones, and More

A Virgin Trains West Coast train at a station in Lichfield in 2011.

In the 1990s, Branson continued to expand the Virgin brand. In 1992, he sold Virgin Records to the company EMI for £500 million to get more money to support his growing airline. He later said he was very sad to sell the company that started his empire.

In 1997, he started the Virgin Rail Group, which ran train services in the United Kingdom for over 20 years. He also launched Virgin Mobile in 1999 and the airline Virgin Australia in 2000.

Journey to Space

Branson in 2001.

In 2004, Branson announced his most ambitious project yet: Virgin Galactic, a company created to fly tourists into space. Virgin Galactic developed a special spaceplane called SpaceShipTwo to take paying passengers on short trips to see the Earth from above.

Branson had long dreamed of going to space himself. On July 11, 2021, his dream came true when he flew aboard the VSS Unity spaceplane on its first fully crewed test flight. The flight reached an altitude of 53.5 miles (about 86 kilometers), and Branson and the crew experienced a few minutes of weightlessness. At age 70, he became one of the oldest people to fly to space.

Other Business Ventures

Over the years, Branson has launched hundreds of companies under the Virgin brand. These include:

• Virgin Money: A bank and financial services company.
• Virgin Hotels: A chain of hotels located in cities around the world.
• Virgin Voyages: A cruise line for adults.
• Virgin Hyperloop: A company that worked on developing a new, super-fast form of transportation, though it later shut down.

Not all of his ideas were successful. Ventures like Virgin Cola and Virgin Cars did not last long. However, Branson is known for seeing failure as a learning opportunity. He once said, "There's nothing wrong with making mistakes as long as you don't make the same ones over and over again."

World Record Attempts

The capsule from the Virgin Atlantic Flyer balloon, which crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

Branson is famous for his adventurous spirit and has attempted to break several world records.

• Atlantic Crossing by Boat: In 1986, he set a record for the fastest boat crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in his boat, the Virgin Atlantic Challenger II.
• Balloon Flights: In 1987, he became the first person to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon. In 1991, he crossed the Pacific Ocean in a balloon, setting another record.
• Kitesurfing: As an avid kitesurfer, he set a record as the oldest person to kitesurf across the English Channel.

Charity and Humanitarian Work

Branson is involved in many humanitarian causes. In 2007, he helped Nelson Mandela create The Elders, a group of former world leaders who work together to promote peace and human rights.

He is also passionate about protecting the environment. In 2006, he promised to invest $3 billion in profits from his travel companies to help fight global warming. He also founded the Carbon War Room, an organization that works with businesses to find ways to reduce carbon emissions.

Personal Life

Branson was married to Joan Templeman from 1989 until she passed away in 2025. They had two children, Holly and Sam, who are both involved in the family's businesses and charity work.

He owns Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, where his family often lives. The island has been a place for environmental discussions and has hosted many world leaders and celebrities. Branson is also a big fan of the TV show Star Trek and even named one of his Virgin Galactic spaceships the VSS Enterprise.

Honours and Awards

• In 1993, he received an honorary doctorate degree from Loughborough University.
• In 2000, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his "services to entrepreneurship."
• In 2007, Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
• In 2018, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the music industry with Virgin Records.

See also

In Spanish: Richard Branson para niños