Richard Branson

Fuck business as always

Translation Mikhail Vershovsky

Project manager A. Vasilenko

Corrector M. Smirnova

Computer layout K. Svishchev

Art Director S. Timonov

© Sir Richard Branson, 2011

© Edition in Russian, translation, design. Alpina Publisher LLC, 2013

© Electronic edition. LitRes, 2013

Branson R.

To hell with "business as always" / Richard Branson; Per. from English. – M.: Alpina Publisher, 2013.

ISBN 978-5-9614-2869-8

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic copy of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Preface to the Russian edition

Global brands have built their own powerful communities around their products and services. Now imagine what it would be like if all these companies focused on mobilizing these communities to fight to remake the world!

Richard Branson

I read this book in one breath, it contains many ideas, thoughts and practical solutions that are consonant with me.

Richard Branson is one of the most influential businessmen in the world, the founder of the Virgin Group, a leading international investment group with more than $20 billion in annual turnover, which includes more than 400 companies. A successful revolutionary in many fields, Branson is a captivating and captivating leader. His current revolutionary idea is to change the fundamental guidelines of business.

In his new book, Richard Branson invites everyone to discard the old understanding of business and charity, entertainment and politics, and seriously think about what will happen to our planet and society in the very near future.

Revolutions in the Middle East, earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan, famine in East Africa, near default in the US due to debt, financial collapse in Greece, pogroms in London, climate warming and the point of no return in this process (only 4 degrees Celsius!) - Branson cites these events as an example of the fact that humanity is on the verge of global changes. And today it concerns each of us.

The author is convinced that the time has come for "Capitalism 24,902" (24,902 is the circumference of the Earth in miles), when every company will find the strength and wisdom to send "business as usual" to hell and herald a new path. Today, it is no longer enough to do charity by solemnly writing a check once a year. Branson talks about the world's progressive companies that are multiplying their steps in the field of philanthropy, social and environmental responsibility a thousand times, firstly, by enabling their employees and managers to be involved in this process and, secondly, by not just helping those in need in various countries, but by creating special economic models that allow those in need to change and improve their lives forever.

Hundreds of life lessons, sayings and thoughts, stories of victories and tragic experiences merge in Branson's book into an exciting kaleidoscope of events. Lemurs, endangered sharks and tigers, Walmart, eBay, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Puma, Virgine Group, General Electric, Marks & Spencer, Africa, AIDS, Arab Spring, Palestine and Israel, Al Gore, Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank, Danone , Lady Gaga, Peter Gabriel, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ban Ki-moon, Coca-Cola, Nelson Mandela, Saddam Hussein, Kofi Annan, REM rock band, Unilever, salesforce.com, kimberly-clark. com is a partial list of organizations, people, countries and global issues described or mentioned in Branson's book in the context of the need to send "business as usual" to hell.

This book is addressed to owners of large and small businesses, experienced managers and young employees. Everyone, after reading it, will change their understanding of their own role and the role of their company in rebuilding the world. Everyone will think about how you can change our planet for the better and at the same time strengthen your business and improve the atmosphere in the team.

In recent decades, people have been immersed in the “find yourself” movement, which is very important. “But I urge all of us to start a new movement: find each other,” says Richard Branson.

The businesses that benefit by delivering value will be the most successful in the coming decades. Those that continue to conduct "business as usual", concentrating solely on the growth of the profits of their companies, will not last long.

I write about Branson's book with such enthusiasm because we came up with many of the ideas described in this book on our own.

We are me and my colleagues, the founders of the Ayb Educational Foundation. For 7 years we have been creating a progressive school. Among ourselves, we call it the school of the future.

We do not just give knowledge, but also create an environment that allows people from school age to acquire leadership skills, creativity, stimulates the manifestation of an active life position. People can get the best education in the best universities in the world and then go back and change their country.

I absolutely agree with Branson that we need to help in such a way that people learn to change their lives on their own. This is real help. And education plays a key role in this process.

David Yan, Chairman of the Board of Directors and founder of ABBYY, Ph.D.

On the night of August 22, 2011, this book was completed. I finished the last words of the epilogue. Hurricane Irene was raging outside—still a tropical storm at the time—but we had already weathered many serious storms, so life went on as usual, as usual.

After a noisy family party at our beautiful house on Necker Island with my guests - Kate Winslet and a group of her friends - we went to bed. My mother Eva, my daughter Holly, all my nephews and nieces were accommodated in the big house. There were enough places for twenty people, but the premises were packed to capacity. My wife, Joan, and son, Sam, and I had to fight our way through the storm through the storm up the hill to the guest house where we camped.

I confess right away: I drank too much wine, so I did not immediately understand what was happening. I heard a crash, then Sam yelled, “Fire! There's a fire in the main house!" He immediately barefoot, jumping like a deer over cacti, rushed to run down. To my horror, orange flames shone through the downpour, and flames fanned by a powerful wind littered the night sky. Nearly naked, I ran after Sam, flying right into the cacti. I must have been in pain, but at the time I didn't really feel it.

People ran out of fire and smoke. Kate Winslet led my mother down the steps, followed by her two children, followed by Holly and her cousins. Her face was covered in soot. One by one, my family and guests ran out into the tropical downpour. What started as a nightmare turned into joy when we made sure that everyone was alive and well.

The flash, which we saw at night, caused the fire when lightning struck directly on the roof, lined with reeds. Sam, hugging everyone, was crying. A few minutes ago, we were sure that we had lost all our relatives, and now the happiness of seeing them - sooty, smeared in soot, but alive - overwhelmed him. Holly called the manager, who lived on the other side of the island. Branson's cruel jokes are common, so at first he did not believe her. (The last words that our manager said to his deputy, leaving for his place the day before the incident, were: “And most importantly, do not burn the house!”) As soon as he arrived, he, along with the workers, immediately rushed to fight the fire in order to prevent him to spread over the grass.

Everyone else and I somehow squeezed into the outbuilding, watching in horror as the wind at a speed of one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour fanned the flames, completely ignoring the shower jets. It is at such moments that you begin to understand how insignificant a role things play in a person's life. Our family and friends survived. They had lost everything they had with them, and now they were shifting on bare feet in only their underwear. The house itself kept the memory of many years of both my personal life and the life of my family. Children grew up here, Joan and I made friends here—amazing, precious times. I thought I was seeing my father, Ted, who had recently died. I see him sitting in a comfortable wicker chair in the large living room, sipping a glass of wine and laughing at someone else's joke. Yes, all this lived in our memory, and no fire could destroy the memories of the brilliant projects that were born here, under this roof.

The next morning I gathered everyone.

– Now we will have breakfast, and then we will talk about the new house that we will build.

Everyone seized on the idea of ​​a new house, which, like a phoenix, will rise on the ashes of the old one. It should become more modern, beautiful, even inspiring. He will acquire new memories, new friendly parties will make noise in him. Joan and I got married on Necker Island, which means that Holly and her lucky fiancé Fred Andrews will be getting married in December on the same magical island and in the same place - even if it is the ashes of an old house!

I can only hope that future generations of Branson will love the new house as much as we have. The future is in our hands - to build it and share it.

Richard Branson September 2011

Foreword

Over the past decades, as I've started one business after another, each more interesting and adventurous than the next, I often thought that neither life nor work could be better. But as I worked on this book, I began to realize that everything we had done before was a warm-up, a rehearsal, a test run for the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity. We have a chance to work together to turn our own ideas about how we approach the challenges of the time on its head - and look at them in a completely different, enterprising and active way. Never before have we had the opportunity to explore those frontiers where the boundary between work, business and high goals merges into a single whole, where it is really good for business to be useful. In this book, I will share with you the stories of the people who pioneered this journey. As the Virgin Group matures into a force dedicated to doing good for people and the planet, we are learning a lot from these pioneers. I will tell you something about our own path. I hope this helps you get a closer look at success and yes, it happens even at Virgin! - failures that fell to our lot.

First of all, I wrote this book for a new wave of entrepreneurs, as well as for those who are already in business, but working to transform their companies, trying, on the one hand, to grow their business and make money, and on the other hand, to help people and the planet, on which we live. This reflects a vigorous and distinct change from the usual business approach, where profit was the only driving force. Today, people are no longer afraid to say out loud: “To hell with “business as always”!” – and they mean it seriously.

Most recently, I spoke with James Kidd, former UK Marketing Director for Virgin Media, and we talked about how a new attitude to life and business is entering the flesh and blood of the younger generation.

“Now there is a whole generation of young people whose views are very different from the views of politicians, and many business leaders,” said James. They have a more balanced view of things. Just making money and then giving it to charity is outdated. Now there is a powerful tectonic shift of generations, which will destroy the border between the concepts of “benefit for people” and “benefit for business”.

– Benefiting people means improving your own prospects, increasing profits and adding value to your business.

Fabio Barbosa, chairman of the board of directors and former president of Santander Brasil, summed up this idea perfectly in a recent interview with the magazine upsides:

“It is becoming increasingly clear that there is no contradiction between doing business ethically and transparently and achieving good financial results. This false "dilemma" should be eliminated from the business vocabulary altogether. Our analysis of social and environmental risks at Santander showed that, in the long run, companies that operate within the framework of an adequate environmental policy and well-defined working relationships, who establish balanced contacts with the social environment, achieve more stable financial results and become an attractive brand. It is in the company's own interests to build a corporate policy in harmony with the development of the country.

The amazing thing is that I hear this same call everywhere: from vibrant metropolises to small towns in England, from South African slums to villages in India, from G8 climate conferences to medical centers and schools. And the call is always the same: we must do business differently. In the slums, active youth seize every chance to start their own business and get out of poverty. Women in tiny villages are finding new opportunities in microloans on the order of $15. Entrepreneurs in developing economies build their businesses by responding to adverse events such as lack of sanitation or electricity. Successful industrial waste disposal companies are emerging, and giants like General Electric are investing millions to redesign and modernize their product line - while protecting the planet at the same time.

I apologize in advance if what I'm about to say comes across as bragging and trumping names (and what ones, too), but this subject is being discussed at Buckingham Palace as well.

By the way, about trump cards. I remember a cute joke from Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

“People constantly accuse me of boasting about knowing this or that. Yes, just last week I was at Buckingham Palace, and the Queen reproachfully said: “Archi, did you boast of our acquaintance again?”

However, to the point. Most recently, I had the honor of being invited to a dinner where I managed to see Barack Obama among other guests. What do you think about what Her Majesty and the President of the United States had an extremely animated conversation about? They discussed climate change issues, foreign policy challenges that need to be addressed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya, but also talked about what to do with falling living standards and how to restore the post-crisis economy.

That so many different people are talking about the same problem and, more importantly, actively trying to solve it, is not just a coincidence. They do so because, in our new and interconnected world on all levels, no one can afford to ignore emerging threats. And maybe the best thing about all this is that people are beginning to understand that the solution is not in charity (throw a piece and forget). The solution is to partner with people at the forefront of critical issues and then turn problems into opportunities. This is how change happens.

People often associate my name with seeking new adventures, trying to break records, breaking existing limits - and sometimes trying to break your neck, whether it's crossing the Atlantic on a yacht, flying in a hot air balloon in a three hundred kilometers per hour jet stream, or striving to get out. into earth orbit with Virgin Galactic. But the book you're holding in your hands isn't just about adventure, fun, and making your wildest dreams come true (although, of course, there's room for that too!). It's a business book, but... a different kind. It's about revolution. And its main idea is simple: “business as usual” no longer works. On the contrary, it is “business as usual” that is destroying our planet. All its resources are depleted: air, oceans, land - everything is polluted to the limit. The poor are getting poorer. Many die of starvation or because they cannot afford the $1 drug that would save their lives. All this needs to be corrected - and immediately. Even those who don't believe in climate change, those who don't care about pollution, poverty and wars - "I don't see it, it doesn't exist!" – have to admit that people everywhere are turning the planet into a pile of rubbish.

And yet every morning I wake up with joy, because I am convinced that we - ordinary people in all corners of the Earth - not only want, but we will change everything for the better. We will do this not because we have no choice, but because this life and this world is all we have. As former President of Costa Rica and my esteemed CO2 Abatement Committee colleague José María Figueres says, “We don’t have a spare planet.”

All my life I have striven for achievement: in business, sports, games. They energized me. Making this book was a huge challenge: I think it's incredibly important to get the message across to people. It's surprisingly simple: it can't go on like this anymore.

In the book, we will discuss why things need to change. What needs to change. And what will change must become. Until now, business and capitalism have almost without exception been a means of making money for company directors and shareholders. Rarely did anyone think about the benefits for everyone else. And this means that the ways in which money was obtained were secondary in relation to the goals, to the final result, regardless of the harm that these methods could cause to humanity and the environment. We will have to make every effort to change this situation.

People are beginning to feel more and more acutely the injustice of the existing situation. It is not normal when almost half of the world's population lives on $2 a day, and two-thirds of these people do not even have access to clean drinking water. This imbalance is not limited to the poorest countries. In wealthy countries such as the US, over two million teenagers live on the streets. We are all familiar with these statistics. Fortunately, we live in a new world where one of the advances of technology is that people are now directly connected to those who are in need, those who suffer from such injustice. And people no longer agree to accept the “normality” of such a situation. Those of us who have been lucky enough to earn impressive fortunes must now look for solutions: how to use this money to make our world a much better place. It's not about self-denial. It's about balance, empathy and finding solutions to the core problem: how can we live together in a new way, in a single global community where prosperity is available to everyone. I am not talking about rebellion or revolution in the Marxist sense of the word. I'm talking about the ability of the average person to become an entrepreneur, change agent, creator of their own business, creator of their own happiness, and master of their own destiny. I'm talking about his right to say, "Fuck “ business as usual ", we can do it!» Yes, we can turn everything 180 degrees - and it will be a huge change.

In the pages of this book, you will see how the power of communication tools - from mobile phones to the Internet - allows people to have a voice. Previously, they did not have the means for this; now, if they don't like the way a business is run, they talk about it out loud. No government or company will be able to hide behind a wall of secrecy or idle talk anymore. Now ordinary people control their brands and their destinies.

Ordinary people have colossal power - you just need to release it. I repeat and will repeat my call: realize that you can, and - as the Nike slogan says - do it!

I know it's possible because - in my own way - I did it myself. At the age of nine I became an entrepreneur - yes, fledgling, yes, there were more failures than successes, but my family believed in me and supported me. And at fifteen I already had my own path in life and my first venture - a magazine for schoolchildren.

Let me reflect on this aphorism for a moment. That's what I mean - in the most concise way.

By doing good, by doing good—by doing what is right—the business will prosper. Working on good deeds can be a source of income (you will understand this from the stories of people and companies that do this). This is the main idea of ​​the book. I used to say: “Work with pleasure - and the money will come!” I still think so, but the slogan itself has changed a bit. "Be useful, work with pleasure - and the money will come!"

Each chapter contains examples of how all types of businesses, from commercial enterprises to social structures, regardless of their size, can grow, doing what is right, doing what is right, and delivering value.

A wise economics professor once said, "Bet on people doing the right thing." Excellent and well said. People instinctively strive to do the right thing. After all, that's what makes us human.

The words "benefit" mean different things to different people. In this book, “benefit” means caring for the environment. And it's not just about not polluting it, but about eliminating the consequences of pollution of the last two centuries - since the beginning of the industrial revolution. It is about restoring harmony with nature. Once again, the goal is not to cause less harm, but to improve the lives of people and the condition of the planet itself with the means and tools of business. Those who are less fortunate than us need to be helped to create their own business, such work so that they can live a decent life - which everyone deserves. It is a fundamental and absolutely essential right of every person: to be able to earn a living, to provide food for himself and his family, a roof over his head, access to medicines and medical care. And this means that we need to radically revise our current way of life so that the earth becomes a more peaceful, healthy and harmonious place. I am convinced that the new - revolutionary - form of capitalism, which I have called "Capitalism 24902" (I will explain what this means later), will work with full social responsibility, which will allow the poor to gain economic freedom and new opportunities for entrepreneurship.

Even as a child, I felt a social responsibility. Over the years, this feeling has grown stronger, and today I spend as much time and energy on solving social problems as on my own business projects. At Virgin, we have the Virgin Unite Foundation, where we work hard to find new business solutions to existing problems. In the pages of this book, you will meet some of the wonderful partners of our foundation.

When talking about my principles of philanthropy recently, someone said:

- So this is Richard ... He does everything differently.

I would like to believe that this was meant: I never donate money for no reason, without wondering in what hands it will fall into and how it will be used. I run the Virgin Unite fund just like any other business, striving to ensure that all of our investments bring the greatest social and environmental benefits. And I am absolutely convinced that the essence of all this work is not only about money. Moreover, money is often the least important factor. And the key factor is people putting their talents and efforts into finding ways through which business will not only generate income, but also work to create a better world. A written check may affect the lives of hundreds of people, but the readiness of your entire business for change will affect the lives of millions, while giving new meaning to life and creativity to all your employees. It is this philosophy that became the basis of the book that you hold in your hands. It will unfold before you in the stories of people who take a radically different approach to business, benefiting humanity and the planet, initiating change for the better.

As I write these lines in my home on Necker Island, I sometimes wonder: am I dreaming all this? At times my life really seems unreal, it seems that one day I will take it and wake up. This spring I had an amazing week during which I touched - in the most literal sense - the depths and heights of our planet. It has been a week full of adventure and excitement. All this is truly a gift from above, and sometimes I myself marvel at my luck and my happiness. Earlier this week we launched Virgin's first submarine, designed to dive into the deepest parts of the ocean. And at the end of the same week, I flew a Virgin America jet over San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, escorted by two Virgin Galactic spaceplanes.

By the way, what about buying Pluto in the same week? No, not the famous cartoon dog, but a real planet, the smallest in the solar system. On April 1, 2011, I called a press conference and without blinking an eye made the following statement:

– The Virgin group of companies has conquered more and more territories over the past years, but we still did not have our own planet. This could be a new breakthrough in space tourism.

What was said did not reach the audience too quickly!

The plane that took me to Virgin America's new green building terminal was emblazoned with self-confident humour: "And my other car is a spaceplane!" I was flying with a lot of people from Virgin Galactic and Virgin America, plus a group of young people from the CCD ("Knowledge is Power Program"). By the way, the PZS created an extensive network of excellent "charter" schools for students from low-income families. Also flying with us was a group of young people from Student Start, a partner company associated with the spaceport in New Mexico, where students were trained by engineers and pilots from Virgin America, who in turn learned a lot from communicating with young people.

Another group that flew with us were future astronauts who worked - in conjunction with Virgin Galactic and Virgin Unite - to promote the non-profit Galactic Unite initiative. On that one day alone, they were able to raise $385,000 in donations to support low-income young people to specialize in math, science and technology - including training courses with Virgin America engineers and pilots. All of our aviation divisions are focused on minimizing carbon emissions, and we have taken a wide range of approaches to this task, from innovative projects like reducing aircraft takeoff weight to developing new types of biofuels (which will be discussed in subsequent chapters). For me, all this is a great example of how Capitalism 24902 can and should work: making changes to the essence of the business itself, uniting the efforts of the civil society and organizations that are on the front line. Everything we do should contribute to change for the better.

I hope that you will experience the same enthusiasm that I experienced collecting the stories for this book. Each of us has the ability to become the initiator of change, and change is now more important than ever. We will be happy to get acquainted with your own stories, and with the stories of people who have inspired you in some way. To do this, we have created discussion platforms on the Internet, Twitter and Facebook:

And at the end of the book, you'll find great examples of how you can radically change the way you run your business.

And a warning. Until you've read the entire book, until you've been able to explain to others what it's about, my advice to you is: don't leave the volume entitled "Fuck 'Business As Always'" lying around on your desktop.

Enjoy reading!

1. Capitalism 24,902

Fifteen years ago, people started talking about social responsibility, but it sounded, to put it mildly, strained. It was either a marketing strategy or a publicity stunt coming from the president of the company, and people didn't believe it. This time, it seems to me, the movement is from the bottom up. It is born from the simple fact that a person working in business is at the same time a citizen. We read newspapers, listen to the news, watch and discuss An Inconvenient Truth - we understand what is happening in the world. How then can you just work the day and not give a damn about everything?

Richard Reed, founder of Innocent Drinks

I've always liked the question, "How old would you feel if you didn't know your age?" My answer would be: "Twenty-something." True, my dear wife Joan, with classic Scottish frankness, would certainly add:

“Not really, Richard. You act like a twenty-year-old - and this is not the same thing.

Believe it or not, I really am twenty. Everything else is a matter of ratio.

Moreover, unlike people of my age, I always enjoy my birthdays and try to make them as memorable as possible. Just like this year, by the way. (“You’re absolutely crazy,” Joan says as I’m about to fly a hot air balloon across the Pacific Ocean or ride a dog sled across the Arctic.)

And here I am, on a windy day in August 2010. With the secret hope that no one will notice me dragging my surfboard barefoot across the prickly pebbles of the south coast of England. Me, my daughter Holly, my son Sam, nephew Ivo and the other members of the family team - twelve people - are going to cross the English Channel on kites. Our plan: to set a world record, and therefore we have a man from the Guinness Book of Records with us.

Speaking of dangerous adventures, kitesurfing from England to France - twenty-four miles - is not a topic of conversation at all, especially considering all my attempts to break my neck under other circumstances. (Joan was not with us. She had imagined what it meant to be a widow more than once in all her years of marriage.) It was windy, but the sun shone over the lighthouse and the sea as we entered the water. I yearned to do it. Kitesurfing is my favorite sport. Nothing compares to the feeling of freedom and adrenaline rush when you cut through the waves and the kite soars above your head. I'd rather do it on the azure waters of the Caribbean, but to paraphrase the late stuntman Evel Knievel, the challenge has to be risky to be interesting, otherwise what's the point? The wind was about 6 on the Beaufort scale - strong enough for us to break the record. But after we had gone ten miles, the wind increased to 7-8, and the escort boats had to return. I was sure that the kiters could manage without them, but I found it unwise to lead all my nephews and children through the busiest sea route in the world. We are back. The next day the weather was even worse, and we decided to walk around the ancient town of Paradise, with its cobbled streets, secret tunnels and ghosts of smugglers.

The day before, we were stocking up on food for family, friends, and local lifeguards. Once at Jempson's, a small grocery store in Peasmarsh near Rye, I became interested in a section called Local Heroes. There were exhibited products grown or produced in the vicinity of the town: seasonal vegetables, hand-picked fruits, homemade cakes, cheeses, sausages, pickles, jams and English wines. All of these were pure organic products, and they were sold as part of the "fair trade" . Moreover, the prices were very moderate, comparable to prices in cities or large retail chains. As I learned, the Jempson's family business purchased products directly from local suppliers, farmers and other small producers, without spending significant amounts on transportation. Thus, everyone benefited: from store owners to customers. The store guaranteed itself a constant reliable clientele, and the buyer purchased clean fresh products at a very affordable price. I also learned that the store participates in various charity events.

In this small town, I found a great example of how to run a business that helps the people around you while not harming the planet. These changes are felt everywhere. I thought about our recent beach adventure. Many of us were wearing warm surf suits made by Finisterre, a small company from Cornwall. Finisterre products are environmentally friendly, made from 100% wool, and the company conducts its business with full social responsibility. So in two days I came across classic examples of companies that benefit both people and their business.

This is the message I want to convey to the reader: to understand why we need to change the way we do business - and how best to do it. I have always tried to be socially responsible and believed that everyone has the right to live in abundance. This is probably why every business I do is somehow connected with giving others a chance in life. While still a student, having started publishing a magazine student, I opened a counseling center for students and schoolchildren, where young people could receive information and help with issues such as sexually transmitted and psychiatric diseases, safer sex and pregnancy. The center still exists in London on Portobello Road, and for forty years now people have been going there for help. During the HIV/AIDS outbreak in 1987, we started Mates, the lowest priced condom company. And the profits from the sale were sent to educate young people about AIDS. The first commercial was on the BBC, a mini skit (not without humor) where a young man walks in to buy condoms and doesn't know how to address the young woman behind the counter. This is one of my favorite campaigns because it opened the eyes of many - and because it reminded everyone once again that it's easier to change people's behavior through humor, not fear. If Martin Luther King's famous phrase had not sounded "I have a dream", but "I am haunted by a nightmare", it would never have been such a success.

As Virgin has grown, so have our ideas about how to treat our employees with dignity and be environmentally responsible. People have always been a priority for us, we tried to give them the opportunity to participate in decision-making, let them feel that they are part of a company for which money is not the only goal. I am convinced that by taking care of my employees, I take care of the business.

The methods can be very different. You can give a person the opportunity to combine two professions, allow him to implement his own initiatives. In our case, it not only worked, it brought together extraordinary people who are not only enthusiastic about everything Virgin does, but also want to change the world. The most important thing is that now many companies and firms around the planet instinctively do the same, and people everywhere are beginning to understand that each of them has the ability to change the world, even in the smallest area. Socially responsible business does not have to be huge for in order to influence what is happening around. It is important that the right people are in the right place. From the suburbs of Johannesburg to Indian villages, from cheese producers in France to organic vineyards in Australia to llama wool cooperatives in Ecuador, there are a myriad of mini-businesses on the planet that are changing business for the better. There are also huge transnational corporations that are changing from the inside to serve good. The people in all these organizations, large and small, together have the power of a hurricane that can change the world. This is no longer the old classic "corporate social responsibility", where "responsibility", as a rule, consisted of a few people sitting in the basement of the company. Now every person in business must take responsibility for making a difference in everything they do, both at work and in their personal lives.

It is also great that, thanks to technology, we now know much more not only about what is happening in the neighborhood, but also on the other side of the Earth. These technologies have crushed the old top-down governance structure and given power to the people. I had the privilege of meeting Pam Omidyar, who, along with her husband Pierre, the founder of eBay, has joined us in funding and supporting the Elders project (more on that later). A couple of years ago, Pam, Pierre, and I were traveling in Morocco, and Pierre's words about a paradigm shift stuck in my mind.

“Long-term sustainable development,” he said, “occurs when people discover their strengths and capabilities. The solution to the problem is to shift the center of gravity of decision-making, move it to the periphery, to the community, to the field - and so on. Move it from its previous place, where decisions always went from top to bottom. For the first time in human history, technology has enabled people to connect with a previously unthinkable number of their own kind.

The names of this new approach to business have already appeared: “Capitalism 2.0”, philanthrocapitalism and others. However, none of them captures the power and potential of a new tectonic shift, which should be the work of our hands. At a recent event at Virgin Unite, we had a short brainstorming session and after a couple of shots (and a heated debate) decided on the name we now use for the new type of business: Capitalism 24902. I agree, it may sound a bit like Beverly Hills, 90210, but I assure you, they are completely different things. But then what does this mean? First we talked about the fact that the desired name should reflect the level of responsibility that goes beyond the group of companies or one single country. And when someone mentioned that the circumference of the Earth is 24,902 miles...

It was then that the name was born: "Capitalism 24902"! The meaning is simple: every businessman is responsible for both people and the planet - for our entire global village, for each of its 24,902 miles of circumference. I am convinced that if the planet as we know it and life as we know it survive, it will be only thanks to our efforts, our progress. I am not talking only about the catastrophe that threatens people and the Earth due to climate change. I am talking about one of the key causes of climate change, one of the main threats facing humanity: the accelerating depletion of natural resources. In the next couple of decades, we may be left without oil, minerals, fresh water, fish. Alas, as I write these words, East Africa's worst drought in 60 years is taking place, bringing untold suffering to countries like Somalia. And if we do not move to Capitalism 24902 as soon as possible, we will witness massive wars for land, food, water and fuel.

This book took seven years to complete. This is the story of my seven-year journey to the realization that business is the world's greatest economic growth engine, yet Virgin and others have done very little to bring the world out of the catastrophic tailspin we've all been in. Moreover, as the financial crises of recent years have shown, we have helped to make this tailspin faster and more irreversible. We are all part of the problem. We litter the planet with garbage, we spend left and right, and - to be honest - we totally screwed up. Natural resources run out faster than they can be replenished. Without going into subtleties, we can say that many resources - such as oil, forests, minerals - are in principle irreplaceable. If they disappear, then forever. Capitalism as we know it developed during the Industrial Revolution. Yes, he created opportunities for economic growth, gave people many useful inventions, but all this had its price, but it was not reflected in any way in the "balance sheet". The “profit is king” principle has led to serious negative, albeit unintended, consequences. A century and a half of meager wages, ruined lives, a devastated planet, polluted seas were nothing compared to the main goal: profit. But now everything is changing.

Therefore, a new type of capitalism has been gaining momentum in the last 10–20 years. In the 1930s, the Back to Earth movement began. In the 1960s and 1970s - peace, love, brown rice and "flower children". The modern green movement began in Germany and Scandinavia at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, but has not gained sufficient strength. It boiled down to protecting the environment, promoting recycling and moving towards healthy food consumption. Many "green" cooperatives and mini-farms for the production of organic fruits and vegetables have sprung up. But too few people, under the influence of "green" ideas, changed their way of thinking or even asked the question: "How will we survive when all this is over?" More recently, we have realized that, geographically, minerals and other natural resources are being depleted at an alarming rate. Many scientists believe that in some areas this will happen in our lifetime.

James Lovelock is one such scientist. He had the courage to defend his point of view for years and warn us of the coming danger. One day my friend and colleague Will Whitehorn and I were dining at James's, and he said, "Instead of thinking about how we can survive on our own planet, Earth, we are killing it faster and faster, which in the end will lead to our death" . Here is his point of view:

The earth can feed one billion people. Six billion is too much, too much. The planet is about to fizzle out.

To understand why depletion occurs so quickly, let's take a simple device that most people would probably survive without: a regular laptop. The average laptop weighs about ten pounds, but it doesn't take ten pounds of raw material to make it. If you count everything that's been recycled and cleaned up for those ten pounds, you'll find that your laptop doesn't weigh ten pounds or even a hundred. The total figure will amaze you: 40,000 pounds- or almost ten tons. They include minerals mined in mines, the use of a huge amount of fuel, which, in turn, is nothing more than a product of drilling. Year after year, our laptops are getting lighter and more powerful, but the way we extract and refine the materials needed to create a laptop computer is neither cleaner nor more technologically advanced than it was forty years ago. Now this is changing.

William McDonagh is one of the pioneers in developing ways to transform production, inspired by natural systems. I immediately fell in love with his ideas. There was neither gloom, nor doom, nor demands to abandon economic growth. It was about doing things differently, listening to and learning from Mother Nature. I had the honor of hosting him on Necker Island at one of the first meetings of our Carbon War Room. His speech was truly inspiring, and he began it like this:

“Imagine a world where everything we do, use, consume feeds nature and industry. A world where economic growth is a plus and all human activity creates a great ecological environment.

For the next hour, everyone present listened to Bill, mesmerized. And he told us about the work he had already done, about the combination of urban architecture with the beauty of the environment, what needs to be done so that everything where a person lives becomes much more spectacular, efficient, aesthetic, with no negative impact on nature. He showed us buildings - living buildings! - with amazing farms on walls and roofs, with solar energy storage, fresh air and flowering plants. He is absolutely convinced that all the problems since the beginning of the industrial revolution are problems of design error, in technological solutions and that we have the opportunity to change all this if we start learning from Mother Nature with her research experience of three billion years. Later I will tell you about several companies that have gone down this path.

Seven years ago, when this adventure of mine began, I imagined myself to be quite a successful entrepreneur and caring person. My business life flowed smoothly, and my personal life was very happy. I was a firm believer in delegation, and the 300 Virgin companies around the world were run by very good people. They were so competent that it was often enough for me to talk with them once a week for a few minutes on the phone to keep my finger on the pulse. They, too, could contact me without problems and at any time. I always tried to meet each of them in person at least once a year. But in principle everything went so smoothly that I felt comfortable and relaxed on my beloved Necker Island.

And yet something was missing. With age, I began to feel that I myself contributed too little to change for the better, especially considering my constant incredible luck. There was a transition in me: from satisfaction with life and business, my contribution to society, to the realization that I had not really touched to help our planet and do something so that life on it would not disappear. I have always understood that there is too much poverty in this world. In some parts of the planet, people got rich, in others they suffered, dying of hunger and diseases such as malaria and AIDS. And yes, I've always wanted Virgin to be the epitome of social entrepreneurship. However, now I began to understand that beautiful words alone, alas, are not enough, and in order to change the situation, every Virgin employee must become part of the change.

Many smart and decent people have long worked to convey to the minds of governments and peoples not only that it is time to stop using the planet's resources as if they were inexhaustible, but that something must be done in this direction. However, now everyone must add their voice and their energy to the common efforts to stop the catastrophe that could break out over all of us. It takes all our voices and all our energy to make change happen. And I realized that these efforts are good for business! This is better for both people and business. Companies that follow this path begin to see real economic benefits. This is also shown by the analysis done by the FTSE global business consulting and analytical group: “Companies that consistently build and manage their social activity show higher revenues in seven out of eight years.”

One person who was able to better express the urgent need for change and the necessary scope for it was my good friend Peter Gabriel. We have known him for a very long time - since the days when he was the frontman of the Genesis band. Virgin signed Genesis two years before I had to—with great regret—sell EMI to buy my first airline. I'm glad that Peter and I have remained friends. But during the years that I struggled to make Virgin a global company, Peter went in a different direction. He closely associated himself and his work with the movement for peace. He became an early supporter of Amnesty International and hosted (and participated in) all twenty human rights concerts. In 1986, he performed his magically powerful song "Biko" during Amnesty International's "Conspiracy of Hope" tour. Steve Biko was a student leader associated with the Black Consciousness Movement. It was he who was the author of the phrase "Black is beautiful!" and finally gave his life in the fight against the horrors of apartheid.

The song had – and still has – a huge impact, including on Peter himself. He calls it his "calling card", emphasizing the constant involvement in social problems. This, in turn, led him to collaborate with World Music. It was the concept of World Music that gave new strength to his conviction that if the world is viewed as a global village, then people are closer to each other. However, he says that ten years ago he did not fully understand what a "social-oriented entrepreneur" was - and, frankly, I did not understand either. In the lyrics of the song "Biko" there were the words "business as usual" - a phrase that began to mean a lot to me.

My mother Eva has always believed in giving people a chance in life. When our non-profit Virgin Unite started, she was on a plane a couple of days later to start a project in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The aim of the project was to teach young girls the basics of home and small business. When I was growing up, she constantly told me that happy and healthy children are those who help both family and neighbors (I will not say that I always agreed with her). In those days—shortly after World War II—helping neighbors or neighbors wasn’t considered charity; it was the norm. And charity itself played a big role in the life of every person - those who had something shared with those who had nothing. However, most often it was about simply taking money out of your pocket and giving it to someone else. In our family, money was tight, so it was only possible to help with some kind of service. We lived in a small friendly village in Surrey, where everyone knew everything about everyone. If someone needed help around the house, it was a task for my sisters, but if it was necessary to chop wood, walk the dog, or weed the lawn, I was allocated for this. If I finished work earlier than expected, I was sent to do something else. Lying on the bed - even when I had a leg in a cast after an injury at school - was not good.

My first conscious act of charity was when I took off my clothes and gave them to a tramp. It happened on busy Oxford Street in the heart of London, along which my mother and sister and I were walking, trying to sell the very first issue of the magazine. student. I didn’t have a change of clothes with me, and for the rest of the day I walked along the sidewalk, wrapped in a tattered blanket.

Mom shook her head, hiding her smile.

- Ricky, dear, what else can you think of? You shouldn't give away clothes directly from yourself.

The father chuckled.

- Poor tramp! He needed a couple of copper coins, but instead he got a littered rag from you!

At the same time, I dropped out of Stowe School to start a magazine. student(more on that in a moment) and lived with his friend and co-owner of the magazine, Johnny Holland-James, in the basement of his parents' house, off Oxford Street. We lived from hand to mouth, and I remember that every time my mother came to us with a Red Cross picnic basket, she would ask:

- When was the last time you showered?

And upstairs, Johnny's incredibly bohemian parents hosted the coolest guys in London: from the editors of the magazine Private Eye to the actors from the Garrick Club, many of whom gave us interviews afterwards. I had never lived in London before - nor did I dream that it could come true. To me, a half-educated schoolboy, all this seemed like a fantastic mirage.

Yes, it was 1967 - "Summer of Love" - ​​and Johnny and I suddenly became part of the famous Swinging Sixties. Incredibly, our magazine opened doors for us that we never dreamed of seeing open. Mick Jagger invited us to his house on Cheney Walk and my knees buckled when I saw Marianne Faithfull in the living room. However, she quickly disappeared upstairs, accompanied by our greedy glances. We were interviewing John Lennon and, to impress him, we started with some bullshit about T.S. Eliot and The Waste Land being like the Beatles' Day in the Life. He simply replied, in his classic Liverpool accent:

- I can’t say anything about it, it’s not cool to compare such things with us.

However, in addition to interviews with the stars, there were also stellar moments, such as the general rage against the Vietnam War. I marched through the streets of London alongside Tariq Ali and Vanessa Redgrave (they later interviewed us) to protest in front of the American embassy. With the same passion, we participated in raising money for the starving orphans of Biafra - it was then that the victims of war and famine became known to the ordinary European public. student became very popular in a very short time. He drove the wave. I was blissed out like crazy, but at the same time my future was laid: the defender of the underprivileged and the opponent of injustice, right then, on the streets of London, during the years of the “flower children” and the furious sixties, when times really changed.

Years passed, Virgin grew, we started to make a solid profit - but I wanted to find a mechanism through which we could use our business levers for positive change. I wanted to offer targeted help and focus entrepreneurial thinking where it would be most effective, and not just take money out of your pocket. I spent a lot of time thinking about this problem. Around the same time, I met Jean Elwang.

After university, Jean spent several years helping to set up a mobile phone company in the United States. Her work was intense, interesting, and yet she felt that she was missing something. She always wanted to try to bring business and social issues together in order to help improve the lives of people who had never had a chance before. Her decision was to join VISTA- a little-known organization, something like domestic peacekeepers. She signed a one-year contract to work at the Nyon Street Shelter, organized for homeless young people in Chicago.

She was shocked to learn that nearly two million young people a year in the United States find themselves homeless, sheltered or sheltered. She had no idea that there were so many homeless youth on the streets of America! None of these people chose such a life, they simply did not have another way. No less shocking was the fact that some of these teenagers had been fighting for survival on their own since the age of twelve. Most of them fled street gangs or escaped terrible conditions in families, where many of them were sexually or physically abused, while others were forced to live with drug addict parents. Jean has a new pain and a new challenge: to bring government, business and society together to make a difference. The existing system simply did not work. Moreover, Jean believed that the system of cash benefits for the unemployed in the United States only exacerbated the problem.

She returned to business helping launch mobile phone companies around the world: in Bulgaria, Colombia, South Africa, Asia. In every country, she has seen mobile start-ups grow and become successful. However, the social problems were the same everywhere: poverty, homelessness, the inability to earn a living by one's own labor. She eventually made it to Australia, which is where she crossed paths with Virgin. At that moment we were working to establish mobile communication in Australia. So we tracked down Jean, called her and offered her a job.

Very soon, she was again burning with the desire to enter an organization that would initiate change. Alas. Such an ideal job, where business and social problems would converge, did not exist. Jean discussed this issue with Gordon McCallum, who worked in her group. However, she did not know one thing: at that moment I - in my worldview journey - found myself at the same point. I wanted to find a way for Virgin to take decisive action to help people and make the world a better and richer place. I decided to set up a foundation so that everyone involved in the work of the Virgin Group could join forces. But at that time I had no real vision of how it should look and on what principles it should work so that the efficiency was maximum. What I didn't want was another philanthropic organization with a standard structure and a standard goal of giving away money. A new way was needed. I met with the band's managers, we were looking for new ideas together. One of the people I discussed this issue with was Gordon McCallum. He, in turn, suggested that Jean write a plan and send it to me.

When I received this plan, I was delighted. Our thoughts were clearly moving in the same direction. We also agreed that we had a huge opportunity to use the powerful entrepreneurial energy of the Virgin Group companies in order to change the world for the better.

I called Jean and said:

Hello, this is Richard Branson. We're in business. Fly to London and let's get started.

It wasn't until much later that Jean told me that when she hung up, she started dancing. She managed to find her dream job.

When she arrived in London, we had long discussions with her about all the issues: how to turn traditional corporate philanthropy on its head, how to move away from the classic “get off with a check” and become a real partner for organizations and companies on the front lines of change, what levers to use to involve all our energy in this process. We wanted literally every member of the Virgin family to feel part of this community of global change and understand that everything they do - every day - should be done for the benefit of humanity and the planet. At the same time, we wanted Virgin to do what they do best: find unexplored problems, missed opportunities, and then, with partners, look for adequate entrepreneurial solutions.

I've said before that I try to meet throughout the year with people from each of the Virgin group companies. Jean followed me like a shadow. She met people herself, talking to charities most of the time. She consulted with everyone. The employees were told that the fund that was being created would be for themselves - it would become a bridge between them and, moreover, a bridge stretching to other people, across the planet, in all areas of activity, to people who are looking not just for a way to survive, but to achieve this them potential. We didn't tell employees how it all should be built - but we asked them what they would like to see and what they expect from us. Literally everyone reacted with enthusiasm. Even the name - Virgin Unite - and the logo were born not at all on the board of directors. Then we sketched out a preliminary plan and... Virgin Unite kicked off in 2004 at the annual summer party at my home near Oxford.

I explained that we want to do things very differently. Virgin Unite will not be another 'pouch of charity' but instead an integral part of the philosophy of the Virgin Group and everything we do. Over the next few weeks, we received feedback from thousands of Virgin employees and hundreds of organizations with whom we discussed what the Unite fund should be like. They all wanted unite has become the engine that will unite the initiative of people and entrepreneurial ideas in order for change to occur. It was the beginning of a journey for many of the initiatives that we will cover in our book - and it was a completely new approach to business for the entire Virgin Group. We understood that this was a “journey without end”, and along the way we learned a lot from amazing people and organizations, which will be discussed below.

However, I noticed that Jean and I also have some ideological differences. I have already said that I do not believe in the distribution of money. Charity should operate as a business for change. I am convinced that most people - even the poorest and most disadvantaged - do not want to be told to do this or that. They want to make their own lives better. Of course, Jean did not argue with this, but her eternal passion to bring together business, government and social spheres has not changed. She believed that the Virgin companies themselves should initiate change. These disagreements of ours proved to be very useful, because, rocking the boat in different directions, we often came up with completely new solutions that mobilized our companies in the direction of change. Our core business is civil aviation, which means we don't have as much free cash as popular high-tech start-up companies. So we had to be more creative in order to develop the funds we created.

While working with Virgin Unite, I have had the good fortune to meet many outstanding people who have been working for change for a long time - and global change is the essence of Capitalism 24902. As our companies moved down the same path, we learned a lot from businessmen like Bill Gates, from social entrepreneurs like Auret van Heerden, who played a significant role in the fight against apartheid, like Jeff Skoll, who founded Participant Media and the Foundation Skolla as Baudouin Poelmann, founder of the Dutch Postcode Lottery, which spends billions on solving socially significant problems. We also learned from companies such as Innocent Drinks in the UK and PUMA (we will talk about this later).

As soon as Virgin Unite launched, I was struck by the incredible entrepreneurial energy of the people who gathered around this new Virgin unit. They were all sorts of people: business leaders, social workers, philanthropists, government officials who collaborated with Unite to help pave the way for a new capitalism and a new business approach to global problems. It was especially pleasing that all the initiatives did not come from stars or well-known political figures. Our new community was truly a melting pot of people from all walks of life. What bonded between them was a desire to listen and learn from those at the forefront of change and a new vision for business—and an absolute conviction that the unacceptable should not be accepted. I met people who were ready to profess this philosophy all their lives - in everything else they were completely different people. Successful businessmen come in all sizes and colors, and - as I answer those who ask me about the secret of success (as if it really exists), - there is no mysticism here. Be passionate about what you do. Believe in yourself, believe in your product, believe in your customer. Be persistent. Empower employees. Listen carefully. Have fun from the heart. Today I would add: "And be useful." Ultimately, Capitalism 24902 is for and about people, about the need to find the right entrepreneurs for the right turn in the business, about the need to convince every employee of the company that they, too, are contributing to the changes that are taking place. Here are a few stories that I hope will help you see Capitalism 24902 more clearly. And I'll start with the two small business outlets that I mentioned at the beginning of the chapter. Jempson's is the store I stumbled across in Sussex while trying to kitesurf across the English Channel. It was founded by the Jampson family over three-quarters of a century ago. They started small, like many others, with a tiny shop. The business has grown over the years, however the family has never tried to invest beyond their means, keeping up with the local opportunities and client base. Andrew and Stephen Jampson are the third generation in the business. Their traditions and brand are clearly defined and deserve all praise. Here's what they say:

“We wanted to give customers the opportunity to buy traditional homemade food. The basis of our work is honesty and quality. We are going to be the UK's most prestigious store for innovation, design and freshness. This is our mission.

But if it seems to you that only one single mini-store can achieve this level of service, I can say that they now have four stores, all in the same district of Sussex, and they serve 100,000 customers a week. They have achieved this through their tireless support of local farmers and producers. Thirteen vendors are on Jempson's Local Heroes list. They consistently supply their stores with quality fresh produce and contribute over £3.5 million to the company's turnover. The owners of Jempson's are convinced of the need to work honestly and ethically with local producers. They are also strong supporters of the Fairtrade Foundation. This is a business based on people - local residents work (and often learn professions) in it. Behind the traditional stands are local butchers, fishmongers, bakers - and this is not at all the case when a person works only for the sake of a salary.

The store's initiative, which they call Go-Green, is an ongoing project. Jempson's collects the bags they use, and they estimate they prevent about two million bags from ending up in the landfill. The boxes that the store receives from suppliers are filled with purchases, and all the plastic wrapping is collected and returned to the sender. A facility for recycling batteries and bags has been assembled for shoppers, and a large recycling and recycling center has been set up in the parking area. In addition, Jempson's has set up a bus line for those who find it difficult to get around on their own, families without a car, and for those who, in the current economic situation, travel by car for groceries is expensive. In addition, the firm has set up the Jempson Foundation, which provides assistance to local charitable projects. I was especially interested in this because it is very similar to what we do in Virgin Unite. Employees compete to raise funds for foundations and willingly volunteer in various endeavors that help their community. Andrew and Steven believe that to be useful means to make a profit and win the hearts of new customers - the same philosophy that formed the basis of this book.

The world is full of outstanding people doing heroic deeds. I do, however, think that we could make the world a better place by doing things differently, day by day. This book is not about "doing well". It's about doing better and having fun at the same time. One company that has taken this path is called Finisterre, a clothing company based on innovation and ethics. Finisterre has been the recipient of a number of awards, and its founder, Tom Kay, is an avid surfer and businessman with clear ethical principles. He has lived all his life by the sea, first in Norfolk and now in Cornwall. At university, he studied ichthyology, and then, like many others, he went to London to get a job. But over time, he began to think about what in life is really important to him and how he can build his life, following these principles.

Tom's idea was simple and nothing radical: to sell clothes with original designs. For him, this meant both design and craft - but at the same time responsibility and ethics. This, he says, is what the Finisterre brand stands for:

– You can put everything that is important to you into your brand. And if you can, then you must.

He bought goods from local producers at the first opportunity and supported them, thereby helping people and the environment. He and his people find every opportunity to help the ecology of the coast. They're not the first company to go down this path—there are others who have done great work—but when Tom and his sister started their business, they were the only surfers in the environment. They thought it was strange. After all, surfers are closely connected with nature and take care of it as best they can. Eight years ago, British surfers were forced to buy unreliable, poorly made goods, with manufacturers not giving any information about what certain parts were made of. At that time, there was practically no recyclable materials - and very few fibers of natural origin. All this became Tom's niche.

Niche is an important word for a businessman. Identifying an entrepreneur with a brand, a niche, and knowing their customers is the key to success. Finisterre started with warm waterproof wool. Sometimes a surfer, leaving the water, breaks off the board, and the current can carry him away, but in the Finisterre suit he is not threatened with hypothermia. Tom had no experience in this matter, so he conducted all the tests on himself. Tom says that optimism alone can go very, very far, and I understand this, because at the age of fifteen at school I began to publish a magazine student. And the quality of Finisterre products allowed them to climb Everest.

Tom Kay believes that it is necessary to contact buyers, explain to them what material suits are made of, where the material was purchased, whether it corresponds to ethical standards. They regularly share this information, as I do at Virgin. If people trust a product or service, if you are honest and open with them, if they know that nothing is being hidden from them, they will trust the brand.

Tom is convinced that for his money the buyer is obliged to receive a good product - after all, this protects the planet.

“Everything is summed up in our production. And you can always see what your money is being spent on.

Eighty percent of the carbon footprint is washed out of clothing over the course of its life - how often it is washed, cleaned, and so on. Therefore, Finisterre strives to make durable clothing that does not require frequent washing. In addition, they try to educate buyers. If you are buying an "ethical product", then you should understand how it supports ethical and environmental values. Then, when the suit is worn out, you can recycle it and close the circle. For the production of jackets, they found a great supplier who sells them used polyester overalls made by Japanese workers. Of course, overalls have to be shipped from Japan (Japanese workers live mostly there), and this increases the carbon footprint, but Finisterre believes that the game is worth the candle, because then the buyer can return the used suit.

Next, the old suits are returned to the supplier, who makes them into new overalls, adding a very small amount of polyester, unlike before, when the item was simply sent to landfill instead of being recycled. If you go to Finisterre's website, you can follow the entire production process: where the goods come from, how finished products move around the world, and so on. But if Finisterre suddenly grew, would it retain the very essence of the small company it once was? They are driven by love for their brand, and their success is driven by their innovation. Their achievement will be that their innovations solve the problems that exist in the world. I'm sure if they expand they will still retain their old values ​​and produce the best quality product with minimal environmental impact.

Sure, it's amazing to see small companies making the world a better place - but what about the responsibility of big ones? One such firm that continually challenges itself is Marks & Spencer. M&S, one of the UK's largest retail chains with £10 billion in turnover - who in Britain doesn't know her? – planned in 2015 to become one of the most reliable in the UK. In 2007, they launched Plan A (apparently because Plan B simply cannot exist!). This plan is not just another toothless advertising campaign. It includes 180 commitments that focus on every aspect of their business, from reducing waste to protecting the health of their employees and the communities where the stores are located. With twenty-one million shoppers a week, and a supplier network of dozens of farms and factories, even a small shift in "Fuck 'business as usual'" approach can make a huge difference.

M&S gave even more importance to Plan A by allocating £50 million for innovation funds. All these efforts are already beginning to pay off. As I write this, they have already met 95 of their 180 commitments and are continuing to work on the rest, including utilizing and recycling 94 percent of all waste generated by the chain, reducing CO2 emissions by 13 percent, and switching to renewable food sources such as like the fish they trade. And the plan continues...

Stuart Rose, then president of Marks & Spencer, and Mike Berry, head of sustainable business, didn't see the issue as a one-time event. They saw it as a platform for business development and an opportunity to achieve a better bottom line - which they did. Plan A broke even in its second year, bringing in £50m in 2009 and £70m in 2010. Mike articulated this principle beautifully on the Business Green website in November 2010:

“People don't think like they used to: 'We're at the top of a little hill called 'Corporate Social Responsibility'.” Now we are at the foot of a mountain called "sustainable development".

I began this chapter by talking about the people behind Capitalism 24902. I would like to finish it by sharing with you stories about the wonderful people working in the Virgin Group and every day changing the world for the better.

Jackie McQuillan has been with us for eighteen years. She lives and breathes the Virgin brand and helped me build it. In 2003, during the Iraq war, Jackie called me and said that she was approached by an Iraqi gentleman (living in the UK). He asked if we could deliver the medical supplies his community had collected for the suffering people of Iraq. Coincidentally, the day before, I had spoken to General Brian Burridge. And he asked me if we could send a Virgin Atlantic team to Basra to help rebuild the destroyed airport. From the news it was clear that the hospitals were left practically without medicines - the situation was critical. At that moment, most people believed that the war was over, that the British troops would soon be home, so why not help rebuild Basra airport and at the same time drop in a Boeing 747 freighter loaded with medicines and medical equipment? Jackie, in her usual "no noodles" manner, decided that we needed to organize this humanitarian flight, knowing that I would fully support her.

For two weeks in a row, Jackie was on the phone for days, calling pharmaceutical companies, the British Ministry of Defense, high-ranking military officers and God knows who else with the sole purpose of making the intended flight take place. If you've ever tried to reach the CEO of a major pharmaceutical company, you know it's not an easy task. And yet, using all the weapons - from charm to perseverance - she called them, and already in the course of the conversation she persuaded them to her side, thereby obtaining the necessary medicines for hospitals. When people from Virgin decide to help someone, it's not easy to stop them! We were blown away by the generosity of these people and how quickly they put together teams to deliver medicines to us at Gatwick Airport. Michael Burke and Serge Allsop of Virgin Atlantic rushed to Iraq and began work to clean up the airport and prepare it for flights. At the same time, they did not care at all that they were being sent, in fact, to the war zone.

On Thursday, May 1, we loaded onto the plane (along with 60 tons of medicines and equipment, worth two million pounds). With us on board were well-known Iraqi doctors (now living in the UK). The plane headed for Basra. When we landed, our pilot, Mike Abu-Nayla, an Iraqi, burst into tears: for the first time since he was a child, he set foot on the soil of his homeland. The picture of an abandoned airport in Basra was surreal, and in the midst of all this chaos, British troops were packing up, preparing to leave Iraq (at least, that's what everyone thought then). We drove to the hospital and were amazed by what we saw: even children with serious injuries could not get a simple painkiller. Cancer patients were not treated at all for a long time, because when Saddam Hussein realized that war was inevitable, he sent all the medicines to the front. It was breathtaking, something you don't see on the evening news. Yes, television bombarded us with pictures of bombings and destroyed houses, but few have ever seen cancer patients without drugs, premature babies without incubators, a total absence of defibrillators or electroencephalographs. Everything you need to work in a regular hospital every day ...

As we got back to the plane, I thought about how lucky I am to have companies like Virgin Atlantic and people like Jackie, Michael and Serge. People who simply do not accept "unacceptable". People who are ready to give their all and provide all the technical capabilities of our group (aircraft and excellent pilots) to make the world a better place, and the people of the Virgin Group are proud of what they managed to do. This is "Capitalism 24902" growing from the bottom up. Since that trip, we have made a number of flights: to the countries of the Far East, hit by the 2004 tsunami, to Pakistan after the 2005 earthquake, to Australia in 2010-2011, during forest fires and floods. Most recently, we helped the victims of the earthquake in Haiti and the tsunami in Japan. And, of course, back in 1990, we flew to Baghdad to help rescue hostages during the Gulf War.

Another one of those who contribute to the renewal of the world is Peter Avis. He works at the Babylon restaurant. The restaurant itself is owned by Virgin Limited Edition and is located on Roof Gardens on High Street Kensington. When I am in London, I prefer to dine there. I remember Roof Gardens as a teenager. Then they were located on the roof of the Derry and Thoms building - and in addition there was Biba. Those who remember the 1960s and 1970s also remember that Biba - or rather, Barbara Hulaniki - practically invented the miniskirt and tights. In fact, Mary Quant was the first to sell this product, but Biba promoted it "to the fullest." Roof Gardens was a legend back in the 1930s - fashionable people always went there for chic dances. During World War II, a German aerial bomb landed on the roof of a store, but because the detonator was set to impact the dense material of the building, the bomb became slightly tangled as it fell on the deep and loose soil of the garden. The Derry and Thoms Tea Room had been demonstrating this (naturally unloaded) bomb for many years - and when I went there with my parents, I stared at it with admiration.

But this is all long talk, and the thing is that the owner of Roof Gardens got into financial trouble and offered me to buy an institution for 400,000 pounds. I had no money, but the brewer who supplied Roof Gardens gave us an interest-free loan with the condition that we sell his beer. It looked like a great deal. I immediately agreed and set about restoring the Roof Gardens to its former glory and glory. We set up three themed gardens there, covering over half a hectare, and within the gardens were a stream, a bell tower, Tudor-style galleries, and even fruit trees and oaks.

But in addition to all these beauties, which thousands of people have enjoyed for many years, there was another thing: gardens played a role in our business. No chemicals were added to the soil, and everything that was possible was disposed of or used somewhere else. And a container with worms in the center of London - it was generally fantastic. They are probably the fattest worms in England, because any bit of food waste goes to them, and the result is the richest dark compost. On it we grow flowers and vegetables for the restaurant. So if the chef needs rosemary, mint for baby potatoes, beet leaves or rhubarb for a specialty pudding, it's all here, right at your fingertips! In season we grow fresh lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, apples. Of course, not everything can be grown on the roof, but the rest we buy as close to London as possible to reduce our carbon footprint. Meat, game, fruits, vegetables - all grown organically. Fish is served only of those species that are recoverable in nature. That's why, for example, we don't serve bluefin tuna.

Peter, the manager of Babylon, is a young man who runs everything here. Great guy from Liverpool, he's been with us for ten years. I am convinced that in business it is incredibly important to know the people who work with you. Their joy is reflected in the quality of what they do, and in the general mood of the establishment. I have known Peter since he started working at Babylon in his early twenties, although my visits were not very frequent - work, flights and so on. However, when, after a long two-year break, I appeared there, I immediately noticed his new haircut.

"Uh, you've been scalped," I said.

- Well, yes, he took off his head! Do you like it?

We chatted for a bit, but I couldn't help feeling that he was tense and emotional. Maybe I crossed the line between a friendly remark and rudeness? Only later did I learn that he was touched—touched by the fact that, after two years of separation, I immediately saw his new hairstyle. He said that it was very important for him when the boss notices such small things.

“I decided to do the same,” he told me. - I want to show people that they are important to me, both at Babylon and everywhere I have to go. To show that I see them - as people, and not just as workers.

Like me, Peter is dyslexic. When he was seventeen and thinking about a future job, the headmaster of his school in Liverpool took him aside and said:

“Some people are born to sweep the streets. I'm sorry, but you are one of those people.

It was a tub of cold water, but on the other hand, it gave Peter the spurs he needed.

I had to prove to him that it wasn't.

He went to London, began working as a dishwasher in a restaurant, and eventually became a trainee manager. But every time he seemed to have success, he was afraid that dyslexia would give him away - and fled. He eventually ended up in the United States, where he started from scratch - in a chain of restaurants at high-end hotels. And all the same: as soon as the fear appeared that his secret would be revealed, he disappeared. I received support from everywhere with my dyslexia, and this story made me very sad. However, Peter was a real fighter. He tried again and again, hoping that one day he would break through. This happened when he applied for a junior manager position at Babylon. He was twenty-four then. He got the job, did a great job, until... Until the manager asked him to write the balance sheets, broken down into columns. I still find it difficult, and I understand Peter perfectly. He shrank back and wrote another letter of resignation. However, this time the director refused to accept the application. She had already managed to get to know Peter - and understand what drives him. A simple and friendly conversation allowed her to learn his secret.

“It's not that I'm ashamed of my dyslexia. I'm just afraid of letting people down if I can't do my job properly. That's why I always leave by myself - before they put me out the door.

The director reassured Peter. She spoke to the general manager and he put Peter in charge of the budget for uniforms at a decent salary of £6,000. He showed him how to fill out the simplest balance sheets. Peter did - and it bolstered his self-confidence. He realized that, running all these years from job to job, he was fighting a dragon that simply did not exist.

The principle of Virgin is to care for and be attentive to employees. At Virgin, we always try to promote people within the company. The head of Virgin Unite in Canada started out as a secretary at Virgin Mobile's. A woman who used to work as a manager in Virgin's recording department started working for Virgin at Manor Recording Studios as a cleaning lady. Peter never forgot the kindness he encountered and vowed that when he became a manager—and he was—that treating people the same way would be a major part of his job. Not only did he try to do just that at Babylon, he became part of Virgin Unite's global initiative, taking on everything from nursery work in the Ulusaba community, our private nature reserve in South Africa, to various fundraising initiatives. He was working in a nursery when he saw a baby dying of AIDS. Peter was so moved by this that he realized that he simply had to help. As soon as he returned to London, he and the Babylon staff came up with the idea to create a "red cocktail". It is made from champagne, rose water and red Chinese rose flowers (red here symbolizes the color of Virgin). The cocktail is unusual, tastes good, and one pound from each glass goes to charity.

There is something else that Peter devotes his spare time to: teaching teenagers at the Kids Company in London. He travels to the Kids Company in South London to talk to the youth about the job, and a group of them regularly come to Babylon to learn more about the ins and outs of running a restaurant. At the same time, Peter understands that in the process of such communication he receives no less than he gives.

When the position of manager appeared and Peter was appointed to it, it became a source of inspiration for him (as I very soon saw for myself). In 2008 and 2009 he received two major prizes. The first - when he was elected the best manager of the year, and the second - when "Babylon" was named among the best restaurants in the city. Peter received the official commendation for his "total dedication to being a restaurant manager, for being enthusiastic about his work, and for his ability to inspire and lead his team."

I was in Miami when I heard the news. What can I say - I was delighted. It confirmed everything I believed in. Do good and the reward will come. Virgin people are happy people because they love their job and are committed to it. The Virgin group is not just employees. We employ people whom we value and respect - I never tire of repeating this to my managers.

“It's not about you, or even about the business. The main thing is our employees and our customers. These two elements can create the most successful business.

When I heard about Peter's awards, I asked Joan to contact him and invite him to visit our Necker Island. When she did get through to him, Peter was at the Langham Hotel with his mother, who had come from Liverpool. The evening of that day turned out to be emotionally overloaded for him - after all, he received his prize. Joan hung up the phone and told me:

“When I conveyed your invitation, he burst into tears. I heard him say, “Mom, this is Richard Branson's wife, Joan. They invite me to rest on Necker Island. God, I can't believe this..."

Later on the island, when Peter was already sitting at the table with all of us - Joan, Holly, Sam and me - he suddenly burst into tears.

- Are you okay? Joan asked worriedly.

I stood up and put my arms around his shoulders.

"I'm fine," he said through tears. “It’s just that I’m so happy that I can’t help it. I never thought that this would happen to me, a dyslexic from Liverpool, who was supposed to sweep the streets ...

That is what I call a successful business.

2. Stop saving - start changing!

I am a dreamer and have always wanted to achieve more than what was expected of me. Passion is what drives me, and I am sure that nothing is impossible, because the impossible is nothing.

Bongani Chabalala (entrepreneur at Branson Center), founder of B&M Football5's structure

The Branson Center has contributed to my success. Now I can create jobs for others, and the impact this has on their own lives, on the lives of their families, their communities, cannot be overestimated.

Yashuin Mohan (entrepreneur at the Branson Center), founder of the Game Over structure

What makes entrepreneurs different from other people? That their motivation and drive comes from within. They find opportunities where others don't see them. In addition, they create jobs and help society.

Musa Mafongwane (Branson Center Entrepreneur), co-founder of Gaming Zone

For far too long, we've been trying to solve the planet's problems by pouring trillions of dollars in bailouts here and there. Yes, it was and remains the absolute truth that we must do everything to alleviate human suffering in extreme cases. However, we need to learn to look beyond crises and borderline situations. We need to stop constantly trying to "save the world" and instead discover new ways of how to live in this world. It is no longer enough to stick a band-aid on the gaping holes of problems, hoping that after that they will resolve themselves. It is necessary to create creative opportunities for the people themselves, so that they build a life worthy of man with their own hands.

And who will do it better than entrepreneurs? Every time I visit the Branson Entrepreneurship Center in South Africa, I leave feeling like I've just been to the epicenter of the planet's hopes. To create their own business, these young people have overcome all conceivable and unimaginable obstacles. Every time I meet them, I feel almost shy when I see how furiously they work to raise their families, their communities, their country. And it's not just about money or "self-interest." It is about economic freedom for everyone around. Now, when the economic crisis unfolds around the world, we have a lot to learn from them - trust me! That's why I thought it makes sense to start this chapter with a few quotes from these amazing guys. And the whole chapter will be devoted to people who change the way we think and our lives. But first, a few words about how I myself set foot on this path.

When I was fifteen, I decided that I had had enough of compulsory education, that I needed to step into the world - and be educated from life itself. By the age of eight or nine, I was already an entrepreneur, although I hardly ever heard the word, and if I did, I could not write it because of my dyslexia. It is possible that dyslexia pushed me into entrepreneurship, because instinctively I knew that I would never pass the exams and become a normal professional - say, a lawyer, like my father and my grandfather. I will never be a teacher, a doctor, or a banker, or at least that's what I thought in those years. So the best option for me would be good ideas, smart schemes for building a business - something that would not require formal education.

My mother affectionately condescendingly called it "Ricky schemes for making money." Alas, some of these schemes were doomed to failure. How do you order budgerigar breeding when you are sent to a private school? Another option is to dig up half of the family yard to plant Christmas trees (meaning I was investing in the future even back then - it takes three to five years for a tree to grow to the right size). A great idea - but who will guard the seedlings from rabbits when you are not around, and eared marauders are very fond of soft and juicy seedlings?

Even more strange would seem ambitions in the field of journalism - if we are talking about a person for whom writing at least one word correctly is already a problem. It was partly fueled by my desire to get people to talk aloud about the issues of the 1960s: the Vietnam War, racism, sex issues, and so on. In my journalistic aspirations, I was strengthened by an unexpected victory in an essay competition. I was surprised more than others even by the very fact of my participation - but my parents always taught me to believe in myself. And getting the coveted prize was no joke. So I can write! But ... prize or no prize, it is unlikely that any of the major newspapers will hire a fifteen-year-old reporter. And then my classmate Jonathan (Johnny) Holland-James and I made our own magazine - a nationwide magazine for schoolchildren! It was a daring plan for a schoolboy with no money, no office, and - most importantly - not even a typewriter. Without a moment's hesitation, I stole a decent-sized bag of change from my mother and settled down at a payphone in the main hall of our school (this point became my office). Throwing coins into the slot of the machine, I negotiated the placement of advertising that would allow us to cover the cost of printing, urged the owner of the printing house to do the necessary work on credit until the advertising money arrived, and even called successful or simply interesting people on the subject of the interview. If I knew about all the "ambushes", pits and pitfalls that we had to face, then my cheerfulness might have diminished, but I was full of confidence that I could do it. My first step was to develop a business plan - I still have it today. It contained a list of all the people that needed to be contacted, from retailers and printers to authors and advertisers. I calculated potential profits, possible losses - and carefully wrote out the balance for each item in a separate column.

Now that the business plan was ready, I was convinced that ahead was serene sailing on calm water. However, a year has passed, and Johnny and I, still not losing our enthusiasm, tried to launch our project, while at the same time fighting the inevitable lessons and exams. I gave up all subjects except history in order to devote all my time to the magazine student. I wrote a bunch of pleading letters to potential advertisers and mailed them to my mom, who in turn asked a kind-hearted neighbor to type them out. Now I remember all this - and marvel at my boundless arrogance. But… “He who doesn't take risks doesn't win” – I lived and live by this principle. And so I was delighted, but not particularly surprised, when Barclays bought our advertising space and even sent us an advance, which was enough to pay the printing bills. In the blink of an eye student turned from another "Ricky-scheme" into reality. But all this was not easy. There was still a lot of work to do, and schoolwork took up precious time. In the end, I passed my only exam with an excellent mark. However, the result of the exam worried me a little. The main thing was to get it over with and move on. And now I was on my way to London to forge my happiness and build my own path in life. I was sixteen years old.

I will never forget the lessons of those old years, ups and downs, and just frightening moments when everything seemed to go to hell. I have learned to be as passionate about opportunities as they are about problems. You have a bright idea - follow it! You are faced with a problem - solve it! Do good, don't do evil. Share what fate gives you. Strangely, it wasn't until many years later that I realized how important our magazine was to others. Last year my wife Joan and I flew somewhere, and I had a bunch of old issues of the magazine with me. student. I slowly shifted the bundle into her lap so that, as always, I would not be harnessed to work. It's just that every time we fly together, I have to make a long list of all the urgent things - right after landing - things to do. Joan flipped through the magazines, exclaiming over and over again:

- Wow! You have been dealing with this problem for years!

Then I realized what a powerful impact a simple magazine can have, raising questions that people tried not to talk about aloud. I also realized that it was he, the magazine, who gave me the passionate conviction to never accept "unacceptability." Sadly, Joan was right: many of the issues we discussed in the 1960s have not gone away. And it filled me with even greater determination to radically change our approach to problems and completely rebuild our way of life - the way we live in this world.

One of the challenges that I tried to solve back in my teenage years was the accessibility of sexual health care for young people. To this end, I opened a student counseling center, although it turned out to be far from simple. One fine day - I was nineteen - I heard a loud knock on the door. Two plainclothes policemen were standing in the doorway. I invited them in, after which they announced that I was under arrest for publicly mentioning the words "venereal disease." The fact is that we have issued a leaflet addressed to young people: “Share your problems!” It is clear that one of the problems was venereal diseases. Believe it or not, it turned out that under the Obscene Advertising Act of 1899 and the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Act of 1916 it was an offense to publicly mention sexually transmitted diseases. I asked the cops if we changed the wording to "social diseases" would they drop the charge? They agreed with this decision. However, under the heading "social diseases" people began to contact us with acne and acne - and we had to insert the words "venereal diseases" into the leaflet again.

And, of course, I was arrested! The court - apparently reluctantly - found us guilty and fined us £7. We then decided to sue Her Majesty's Government for posting their own STD warnings on public toilet doors. We wanted the law to be changed. Reginald Maudling, then Home Secretary, sent me a letter asking me to drop the lawsuit, in return promising to repeal the ancient law and apologize to us for the stupid trial. We were right in defending our point of view. Since then, the center's staff has helped hundreds of young people by teaching about safer sex today and mental health.

Looking back, I am more and more convinced that a school that teaches good manners, opportunities to participate in debates, respect for each other and for the opinions of others, broadening your horizons, is a very important thing in helping you develop as a person. My parents taught me to be entrepreneurial, self-sufficient, considerate of others. They believed that with hard work a person can achieve anything. But it was Stowe, my old school, that allowed me to grow beyond what I already knew and take it to the next level.

All this came to my mind when one fine sunny day in 2008 I flew over Stowe. I was there for the first time in forty-three years. I had nearly landed at Stowe several times before, flying from my home in Oxfordshire to the Goodwood races. I looked down - at Stowe - and thought: what will it be like to appear like this, without calls and agreements? However, I still lacked the courage. There is something about childhood school that makes you feel like a child again - inept and clumsy. So I pushed the thought of the visit away from me and moved on to Goodwood.

This time, when the helicopter banked and turned towards the landing site, I eagerly absorbed the hilly park, immaculately green lawns, sports fields, lakes, churches, fountains, gothic buildings ... It was magnificent. As a child, all this seemed too formal to me. Now, having moved away in time, I saw a wonderful place where we were taught to learn, where schoolchildren were always the main thing, a place where strong leaders and key players of the future were trained. We landed on the lawn in front of the soaring neoclassical columns of the main façade—the building was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for the Duke of Buckinghamshire—and I jumped to the ground. I was a little worried. Will everything be the way it was? Will I feel like the lonely boy again that I was then? Of course, all these years the school sent me invitations regularly, but I always found an excuse to politely refuse. Firstly, I was always busy, and secondly, I believed that it was impossible to return to the past. When I was choosing a school for my kids, Holly and Sam, I seriously thought about Stowe, a great institution with a strong liberal tradition. I even discussed the matter with the then principal, but… in the end, Joan and I decided to send the kids elsewhere, mainly because the school we chose was so close to home.

Groups of boys and girls in plain green uniforms stood on the steps of the main building. I immediately saw five students from South Africa sticking together. They were the very first Branson Fellows and the main reason for my visit. Seeing them outside the venerable British school filled me with pride—and hope that we might have made a difference in their lives. I confess at once: neither this project nor the idea belonged to me. Mike Parsons, founder and president of Barchester Healthcare, a company that owns more than 200 nursing homes in the UK, helped make this happen. Mike and I established a rapport from the first minute we met. He and I are the same age—our birthdays are only two weeks apart—and we also shared an interest in South Africa. I first saw him at one of the annual Fast Track 100 dinners that I host with the newspaper. Sunday Times in my Oxfordshire house. These lunches provide an opportunity for leading entrepreneurs to meet and network in an informal setting, exchange ideas and participate in Virgin Unite auctions, the proceeds of which are funded by the Branson Centers for Entrepreneurship. Mike won a trip to South Africa in the Virgin Unite Lottery, which allowed him to experience how we work at the Branson Center in Johannesburg, and then travel 250 miles east to Ulusaba, a 10,000-acre private game reserve that I bought in 1999 year.

But first, with Gene Elwang and a group from Virgin Unite, we traveled to Johannesburg to show Mike the Branson Center for Entrepreneurship. There he was supposed to take part in the work of an expert group that considered the plans of young entrepreneurs, as well as speak to them.

On the morning of the first day of our visit, a funny story happened. Joan, my wife, flew in with me, but she had other things to do at the time, so we left her at the hotel and went to the Center. Mike was with his employee Sarah, a fragile woman with long blond hair. (I don't often talk about people's looks, but in this case it does matter.)

The hall was filled with two or three hundred young people: excited, chatting with each other, waiting for the meeting to begin. When everyone calmed down, Mike and several other visitors gave their short speeches, after which one of the young entrepreneurs stood up and thanked us:

Thank you Mike, thank you Richard, and thank you Joan.

I knew that we had left Joan at the hotel, so I turned sharply towards the door, as did my friends. Hundreds of eyes focused on the fragile blonde, and hundreds of voices said in chorus:

- Good morning, Joan!

Suddenly, Sarah was in the center of everyone's attention. She was confused - and this is very mildly. Since then, when I meet with Mike, I always ask him:

- How is my wife doing?

To understand how the idea of ​​creating the Branson Center came about, it is necessary to introduce the reader to Teddy Blecker, one of the founders of the free South African university CIDA (Community and Individual Development Association - Association for Community and Individual Development). Teddy is a true innovator. He did not want to organize educational programs for the poor in South Africa, which would be built entirely on charity. He wanted the programs to become self-sustaining - and only then they could work constantly. His dream is to use education to build entire national economies, which would lead to revolutionary changes in the way of life on our planet, where natural resources are steadily depleted.

The future of Teddy Blecker, an insurance settlement specialist, looked secure. In 1995, he accepted a very high-paying job in the US. Bought a plane ticket and packed my belongings. Teddy was about to leave South Africa when it dawned on him: he was leaving his home, his life. He was rich, his homeland is poor - can he persuade himself that this was necessary? Teddy tore the plane ticket to shreds. A week later he drove to one of the slums that surrounded the city, a place he had never visited before. His first reaction was to take out his wallet and start handing out money. He really did it, but at the same time he realized that it was wrong. In doing so, he did not help people, but humiliated them. They did not need charity, but a real chance in life.

In January 2000, Teddy typed a letter in his office in Johannesburg and faxed it around the country. The letter announced the creation of a new university - especially for young people from poor families. Training is practically free. After the university, the graduate received a degree in business management, and this was to be "the best business education in all of Africa." The university diploma will enjoy international recognition, and the best commercial and entrepreneurial minds of the country will become teachers.

Teddy's enthusiasm was so great that he didn't even notice: his letter was written on the letterhead of his employer, the Monitor Company. The management of the company was furious. They received 3,500 applications for a university that simply didn't exist! The guard asked incredulously:

Who are all these people at the gate?

Future students happily reacted:

– You have such a beautiful university!

At these words, the guards began to make noise:

- Get out of here, this is not a university, this is a consulting company!

Teddy did not give up and, together with a group of like-minded people, managed to rent a building from the company. Two weeks later, the first students arrived. There were no computers yet, and students had to learn how to type on photocopies with a picture of a keyboard.

Teddy cut costs by handing over university management, cooking, cleaning, and administration to students. He wrote letters to the country's leading businessmen asking for help in conducting classes. Poor teenagers from slums or rural communities who had never before had a chance in life began to receive an education for all the requirements of a university degree for as little as $ 350, which included books and a place in a hostel. In other words, the costs for them were ten times less than the costs at traditional universities. In 2011, CIDA graduates working in business will receive over R100 million ($13.5 million) in salary. Over the course of their lives, those same graduates will earn more than R3 billion. Yet many of them carry their knowledge further, back to where it came from, to the poorest parts of Africa, where their communities are eager to learn new things. So far, more than 600,000 people have received such non-formal education from students CIDA.

“The most exciting and exciting part of this job is that you can pretty much predict the scale of the changes you've initiated,” says Teddy. “If those 5,500 graduates who are already employed continue to work in the business sector instead of sitting on welfare or packing groceries in supermarkets, together they will earn more than 9 billion rand – about 1.2 billion dollars. And over time, this money will begin to work for their families, their children will receive education, their brothers and sisters will receive vocational training and good jobs, their parents will finally be able to settle in a real home. And the fact that more than half of our graduates are women further convinces us of our forecasts, because we see time after time, again and again: if a young woman gets rid of the shackles of poverty, this will radically change the fate of her entire family for the better.

Teddy has an amazing talent for inspiring people. It was he who convinced me to found a school entirely dedicated to entrepreneurship. I was leaving CIDA after an incredibly soulful meeting with the Dalai Lama and a large group of students, when Teddy ran after me and Joan, grabbed my elbow and pitched the idea of ​​a Branson Entrepreneurship Center on the fly. Now we joke that the birth of the Branson Center happened right on the street of Johannesburg. Virgin Unite and CIDA worked together to make the idea a reality, and in October 2005 the Center opened. Teddy really helped make this happen, and he helped get thousands of young people trained in entrepreneurial principles. Over time, we have gained independence from CIDA. It became clear to us that we could be most successful by working with young entrepreneurs who had already achieved some success in the small business field - we only needed to help them make the transition to the next stage. Our investment in the Centre's work has been supported by the financial efforts of a group of successful UK entrepreneurs such as Mike Parsons and many others who share my conviction that job creation is critical to the fight against poverty. Each group made a donation to Virgin Unite and then traveled to South Africa with us to study the problem up close.

However, no less important than all the donations and funds was the time that experienced businessmen invested in training young entrepreneurs (while learning from them!). Additional programs that they developed themselves were also very important.

We were not there in order to "put on stream" the production of labor. We have come to encourage people to go into business and create jobs for others. This is a great happiness: hundreds and thousands of young enterprising people who need only a chance for their talent to play with the brilliance of all facets. There are countless types of businesses they are involved in: from transport companies to designers and owners of Internet cafes. Someone raises chickens, someone runs a design company, and one sweet girl, Cleopatra Simelane, followed in my footsteps and created a magazine for schoolchildren. Recess. It presents an alternative to celebrity glamor magazines, focusing on positive examples for young people in South Africa. Cleopatra is a real dynamo. She literally stunned me the first time we met. Entrepreneurship and energy are in full swing from her. Her magazine is already being distributed to hundreds of schools - and this is just the beginning. You immediately see: this is a person who will never give up, no matter what obstacles are in her way. Our Center is part learning and learning, and part networking, where young entrepreneurs and established businesses meet to invest in fresh ideas. Opening the Center, I said:

“South Africa's economy depends on entrepreneurial activity, which is essential for economic growth and job creation. But the economic contribution to the South African business sector is still very limited. I am convinced that the development of entrepreneurship in your country is the golden road to economic freedom.

Every year we host a pitching session with young African entrepreneurs who speak to business people from all over the world. I had to be in the shoes of these young graduates, I know how tense the nerves are at such moments, and therefore I always try to add a little humor. When Lere Mgaiya, a young South African, was laying out his idea of ​​making bathrooms and showers affordable for slum dwellers – with an ambitious project price of R2.9 million – I asked:

- And if you swim with your girlfriend, is there a discount?

Those present burst out laughing, and the atmosphere noticeably warmed up.

The Branson Center is one of the most joyful projects I have been involved in. Part of it stems from my longstanding love for South Africa and its people, it's a great pleasure to see ideas take shape and come to life and work. Actually, that's why I do business and it is with this feeling that I wake up every morning. I am also motivated by the conviction that if we want to take capitalism to the next level, if we say, “Fuck business as usual,” then the best way to go forward is to give people on the planet as many opportunities to build their own destiny as possible. Even as I write this, we are working with Virgin Holidays and Virgin Unite to open a Branson Enterprise Center in the Caribbean, and I am making new plans for areas where such centers are most needed, where they can have the greatest impact on the economy. and life of the population. The Caribbean Branson Center is a great example of how one single business, Virgin Holidays, which has invested more than $3 million in a decade in a project, has in many ways transformed itself to become a mainstay for the Center. These changes will eventually support the growth of various businesses that will in turn become suppliers to the tourism industry, creating new opportunities for the people and for the conservation of the beautiful Caribbean islands. My old friend Chris Blackwell, the founder of Island Records, who launched the likes of U2 and Bob Marley, also joined us in the overall work on the Center. He has always been focused on giving people a chance in life, so his personality is perfect for what we do.

We spent some time in Johannesburg, where Mike Parsons and his colleagues worked with students, discussed their plans, shared advice. Mike is the head of one of the most successful "folk" business projects in the UK, with a degree in economics, the founder of one of the largest advertising agencies and a PR company. I mean, he already knows what and how to do. Having completed a series of meetings, we headed to the private reserve Ulusaba. It is located in the heart of the wild and beautiful Sabi Sands Wildlife Sanctuary in North East South Africa, close to the vast Kruger National Park. However, the purpose of our trip was not just an exotic vacation, when, sitting on the veranda, you watch elephants and zebras or, walking in the savannah, take pictures of rhinos and lions. We wanted to see firsthand how Virgin Unite works in partnership with our Virgin Limited Edition hotel chain and our Ulusaba Private Game Reserve.

Ulusaba - this name means "a place where there is nothing to be afraid of", because once there was a citadel of warriors on the top of the cliff - it is surrounded by small villages, many of whose inhabitants work in our reserve. In the center of Ulusaba, the tourist hotel is another branch of our huge Virgin family. Ulusaba is a business, but it is firmly rooted in the life of the community and brings many benefits to the entire district. Sadly, the AIDS epidemic has hit local communities with all its might. Life has become a struggle for survival, especially for children who have lost their parents. To work with and work for these people, Ulusaba and Virgin Unite founded the Pride'n Purpose project. We have built a clinic, schools, and a nursery, and helped residents get gardens and start building their own small businesses. There is more than one shop here that sells jewelry created by local residents. As we walked along one of the villages, Mike carefully peered into everything, asked questions, discussed work problems, wondering what and how he could help. Virgin Unite denies the principle of throwing money into bottomless barrels. We try to help people learn how to help themselves on their own, then their future will be reliable. As we stepped out of the shadows into the sun, Mike—out of the blue—suddenly, started talking about Stowe School. It was an odd contrast, to say the least, with the village schools, and with the way people lived in the Saby Sands in general. He said:

“You know, my son goes to Stowe. And he really likes it there.

I replied nonchalantly:

Yes, we should go there sometime. Haven't been there since childhood.

I had mixed feelings about this, inwardly I understood that you would not lure me to Stowe so easily. I felt like a Shakespearean schoolboy, crawling like a snail along the hated road to school.

“By the way, I am well acquainted with the director, Dr. Anthony Wallersteiner,” Mike continued as if nothing had happened. “Great fellow, enthusiastic, loving his job. Charitable foundations in closed schools always declare social responsibility in their manifestos. Stowe, for example, helps students from low-income families.

I nodded.

'I think it would be a good idea,' Mike said, 'to give some really poor kids from South Africa a chance to spend time in Britain.

- What will they do there? I asked carefully.

“I think some of them might go to Stowe.

“I'm not sure…” I said it slowly, because my brain was already spinning at a furious pace. However, Mike was persistent:

“This is a very progressive school. The director is always open to new ideas. I even think that the school itself will receive more than the students who come from here. This is a win-win situation for both parties.

“Are you suggesting sending students from the Branson Center?” Most of them are already older than any Stowe graduate.

– I was thinking about finding a good school here with similar standards of education. For the idea to work, students should not be deliberately lagging behind. I have one such school in mind at the Dominican monastery in the center of Johannesburg. Education is shared, but many of the children are deprived of basic necessities, some have been affected by the AIDS epidemic, and many have parents living in slums. Nevertheless, the level of teaching at the school is high.

I was starting to like the idea. It was a really good idea, I saw how it could work, but... I'm the last person in the world who would interfere with the implementation of good ideas, but I was worried: are we doing the right thing? We discussed in detail the problem: what it is like to take and pull out very young people from their native environment and place them in something as extraordinary and privileged as an English boarding school. Finally, my doubts were dispelled when I remembered the strength of character and courage of the children here. South Africans are strong and resourceful. All they need to take off is the chance that many of us believe is our birthright.

By the time Mike's trip to South Africa came to an end, he and I had developed the foundation for this venture. He generously offered to pay the full entry fee for the five students, adding a two-year fee for their subsequent education. I agreed to take on additional expenses such as airfare for flights home for the holidays and back to school. Stowe's management agreed to give out one scholarship each year, so Mike was responsible for the scholarships for the other four. The entire project was up and running in less than nine months.

After the first group settled in Stowe, Mike finally managed to get me into my old school. Then I wondered: what prevented me from doing it earlier? Immediately upon arrival, I was handed a folder. I thought with horror that it contained my school grades - but no. There was a rather lengthy analysis-report in which I instructed the then Principal R. K. Drayson, without hesitation, how he should run the school. In this "instruction" I wrote about everything: about the menu, about the style of our dining rooms (replace formal long tables with tables a la cafes), about anything else. The report ended with the assurance that my plan would save a lot of money that would go to the implementation of my other projects. It seemed both funny and quite relevant at the same time - even today I am looking for ways to save money everywhere and everywhere. When you consider that schools, whether private or public, are businesses, it's clear that I haven't changed one iota. I have been an entrepreneur from a young age.

But one thing in the folder touched me the most. It was a letter written by my father Ted, in his firm and elegant handwriting. I didn't do well in elementary school, and there were serious doubts about my ability to pass the entrance exams to a private school. I needed a tutor so that I could get to the right level. But my father decided to abandon the school for which I was prepared, and instead began to look for an institution where I could be understood and help my growth. Someone mentioned Stowe, and my father and mother went there to check on how things were going there. They truly loved me, and caring for my future was the main thing for them. Of course, I knew about all this, and yet my father's letter literally opened my eyes. Here it is:

Dear Mr Drayson!

We were greatly impressed by everything we saw and heard during our recent visit to Stowe. We fully agree with Richard - this is the best school for him!

If you will do me the courtesy of officially guaranteeing a place at the school (the guarantee will be attached to the results of the examinations), I will inform Mr. Milligan that Stowe's school is our first and foremost choice.

Sincerely, Edward J. Branson

The folder also contained several letters from Mr. Drayson in support of my idea to start a magazine for schoolchildren. In these letters, he recommended me to people who could be useful in some way. In one of them he wrote:

“I believe you have already been contacted by Richard Branson, a sixteen-year-old boy from Cobham House - and future editor of the magazine! He spent many hours on this project and undoubtedly made progress in preparing for its future implementation. I myself talked with him for more than one hour, and also tried to introduce him to the right people. However, the fact remains - I warned him more than once in this regard: at that age he is unlikely to cope with the organization of a printed publication and the costs associated with it.

In another letter the good Mr. Drayson wrote:

“I have a sixteen-year-old boy sitting with me right now, Richard Branson, editor of a new nationwide magazine for schoolchildren. He has already reached out to various celebrities and received articles from John Le Carré, Vanessa Redgrave, Colonel Enriquez, Lord Russell, Yehudi Menuhin, Paul Ferris, Julie Felix and others.”

What struck me most about these old letters was that they expressed the same key message that I try to convey to future entrepreneurs: discuss your plans, work on them with your mentor, try to achieve as much as possible in preparing the implementation of your idea. Ignore the pessimists, if you really feel that you have something to offer, clearly calculate the financial background of the project, and then just take it and do it! I did. The letters written by my then headmaster are dated late 1966. And during the Christmas holidays, I finally decided to leave school and go into business. I still marvel at my then self-confidence, although it was she who led me through life, it is what I try to share with young entrepreneurs, as well as with everyone who asks me for advice. A month later, in January 1967, carefully choosing my words, I wrote a farewell letter to Mr. Drayson:

“... Asking to be expelled may seem like a cowardly and unforgivable act, especially after all that Stowe and you personally have given me. Believe me, I really appreciate everything that you have done for me - and I am eternally grateful for it ... However, if I leave at the end of the current school year, I can do much more for both Stowe and the UK - I am sure of it.

On the following pages, I set out my other arguments and wrote:

“I feel that in this role I can best repay Stowe for all the good things that I have received here. By providing a platform for schoolchildren, and not only them, we will be able to breathe enthusiasm and new energy into Britain, starting with the youngest of our fellow citizens.

These were not just words. In the 1960s and 1970s, a revolution was taking place all over the world, and young people were at the head of it. In the spring of 1969, I wrote in the editorial column of the magazine student:

“We must be tolerant of the opinion of each person, and not only because his opinion may turn out to be true, but also because in the struggle of thoughts and ideas such words as “knowledge” or “wisdom” acquire meaning. No matter how hurtful failures and defeats in such a struggle are, they are infinitely better than the dead silence of people deprived of their voices.

I am convinced that this idea is valid today. The youth are demanding change. She knows it can't go on like this. And young people say: “To hell with business as usual!” They want peace, they want a clean planet. They want to inherit the Earth, not the desert. The youth has accumulated so much strength and energy that if society does not direct it in the right direction, it will become unproductive and destructive. This is exactly what we saw in the street riots in London in 2011. Every young person is entitled to a real chance to start their adult life. If this chance is not there, then the more fortunate and wealthy should think about what they can help with. As I leafed through the old documents in the folder, I looked at the young men and women standing on the Stowe stairs, at the smiling faces of the five South African Branson Scholars, and I felt great joy. It was a new generation - and in it I saw the future.

I met Mark Christophers when he arrived at one of the Fast Track 100 dinner parties. He told me he was a venture capitalist in the City when two old friends called him. All three grew up in a small town in Cornwall and were passionate about snowboarding. Together with their father Ken, brothers Gavin and Erron Cocking, with a capital of only £2,000, founded a Cornish pastry company. At first, they even slept in the basement to save some money. They expanded to five stores, all of which were profitable, proving their business concept was right. However, slow cash flow and lack of external funding meant that they had to sell all but one of the stores.

Then they turned to Mark. Maybe he, with his experience in the City, would be interested in investing and working with them to grow their business? Mark traveled to Cornwall, where together they began to discuss a new business plan. He realized that the idea of ​​a company that bakes real Cornish pies, located in Cornwall, and also employs local people, is a sound idea. And Mark agreed to invest £40,000. Former girlfriends of the Cocking brothers, sisters Victoria and Sarah Barber (with whom the brothers maintained quite warm relations), invested £5,000 each - and, armed with a solid business plan drawn up by Mark, everyone got to work. They were all friends, they were all surfers and snowboarders, they were all full of energy and sense of humor - that's why they worked from the heart and had fun from the heart. The brand for the new company was very important. They called it West Cornwall Pasty Co, which made it clear that it was a regional brand, it sounded in the best traditions of a solid British business.

They opened their first store in 1998, grew rapidly, and soon their stores could be found in almost every city in England and Scotland. Mark continued to work in London, but he was convinced that when a small business started to grow, the key to success was to keep everyone happy, from employees to suppliers. So part of his business plan was to have one of the directors call the store managers every day, partly to fix problems before they got serious, but mostly to keep him in touch.

“It was originally a family business,” Mark said, “and the people in it are extremely important. We wanted the "family" nature of the firm to continue as it grew.

They began to publish a magazine that was distributed within the company - to make employees feel like part of the family. They have excellent relationships with suppliers. It was not just about getting the best price, it was also about loyalty. If suppliers feel valued, they will always go the extra mile.

All of this resonated with me the most. When I was the head of the company, once a month I sent a newsletter to all my employees, where I informed them about the affairs of the company and at the same time made it clear that they were grateful for their efforts. My mailing lists dealt with everything from strategic decisions to small events that sometimes affected one small group of people. In the letters I gave my personal address so that people could contact me. Thus, my hand was always on the pulse of new problems as well as new proposals. Here is one of the letters I sent years ago to the flight crew of Virgin Atlantic:

My dears!

I know I'm a little late, but nevertheless, huge congratulations! Virgin Atlantic is once again at the forefront of the world, winning awards for best airline, best business class, best transatlantic flight, best food, best wine, best entertainment - and best ground service. That the flight crew was ahead of the hundred and twenty-five other airlines, only slightly behind Singapore Airlines in a year when you were under tremendous pressure, is an unqualified success.

All this has given our airline a good year overall. We decided to mark the occasion by loosening the screws where, at the peak of the recession, we had to tighten them too tight. Details next month.

In the meantime, we decided to celebrate the common achievement with two weekends at my house. We have tried to make your schedules so that as many people as possible can come. Sundays are for families with children. Saturdays are for the rest. Note to visitors on Saturday: take a tent with you so you don't have to try to stay on your feet at all costs. There will be wonderful orchestras, fireworks, dances at the festival - and everything your heart desires.

Last week, some of you may have been stunned by the news that we are becoming the first non-smoking airline in the world. We received so many complaints from non-smokers that we decided to accept the inevitable and make our liners smoke-free. Personally, I am convinced that over time, all other air carriers will do the same. Also, I believe it will help those of you who still smoke to kick the habit. I know this is easier said than done, given that I myself quit smoking six months ago - for the third time. It seems that I succeeded - but all my other vices became even worse! But I hope everything goes well for you. And at least the non-smokers among you will be just happy. Details next month.

We also plan to be the first airline to have video screens on the backs of all seats. You will find out the details later.

I expected to make an announcement today about new routes, but it seems that the Heathrow airport timetables board gave us too little takeoff and landing time. The battle continues.

I hope you all enjoyed the new hotel in the center of New York where we are now accommodating you. If you have any problems in this regard, drop me a line at my home address. By the way, if something does not suit you in the new rules for the operation of our airlines, write too.

Again and again: a thousand congratulations!

All the best, Richard.

Returning to the history of West Cornwall Pasty Co. The company grew more and more rapidly, and suddenly it turned out that Gavin and Erron had almost no time to surf! They eventually decided to move abroad and offered to buy the company from their management. The offer was accepted. Mark's initial investment of £40,000 earned him a very solid return when the business was sold in 2007 for over £30 million.

When I heard Mark's story at the Fast Track dinner, I immediately knew he was the perfect fit for the role of consultant at the Branson Center for Young Entrepreneurs. Fortunately, he himself wanted to go to Africa with us in order to understand what he could be useful in - and even gallantly agreed to participate in one of our auctions. I am sure that when he was with me at the Branson Center in Johannesburg, he was perplexed: what is he even doing here? It was a real baptism by fire, but he bore it with dignity and, it seemed to me, very quickly figured out what we were doing. In any case, he liked the trip so much that a couple of years later he returned and spent two whole months at the Center.

“I love that you don't just give away money like all charities do,” Mark said. – Everything you do is aimed at practice and sustainable self-sustaining development. This is an active circle.

Real circle. I liked the expression, and I immediately wrote it down in a notebook that I always carry with me.

Sometimes our young entrepreneurs, after a quick start, get stuck in an already well-trodden rut. This is where they need help showing where they made a mistake and what needs to be done to "restart the machine." Mark said that he could work with two of these guys and see how he could help them with his knowledge and experience. He was a little worried that he had never worked in a business at such a micro level before, and he did not want to become an obstacle instead of helping. But he was eager to help, even if only a little. The Virgin Unite team worked with Mark to select two small businesses that would benefit from his experience. The first such entrepreneur was a young man who created crafts from wire and beads.

Cornelius Maluka was an orphan. A self-taught artist, he created wonderful works. They were admired, but ... not bought. He was from Mpumalanga in the Sabi Sands district, where our reserve was located. Via Lindsay Hanecom, manager Pride'n Purpose we trained him how to start a bead business. He needed to sell his work because his younger brothers and sisters depended on him, a situation very common in South Africa due to the AIDS epidemic. Cornelius began by selling his handicrafts to tourists who came to Ulusaba. Then he exhibited some of his work at the exotic store we built there. Shortly before the first meeting with Mark, Cornelius learned that the shop was refusing to take his work. The market for it was closed.

Why did they stop taking your things? Mark asked.

Cornelius stared at him dumbfounded.

- Don't know…

Did you ask them this question?

– No… What would I tell them?

Mark was surprised to learn that Cornelius had never been to the store at all! The guy was too timid, too unsure of himself. He never traveled outside of Sabie Sands, never used the Internet - but he was an interesting artist.

Cornelius was almost speechless when Mark took him to the store to ask why they refuse to take the work of a talented boy. The manager explained that she didn't want to give up his crafts, but they took up too much space - and the competition for shelf space was high.

Nobody wants to buy his things.

“Yes, but they are beautifully made,” said Mark.

The manager patiently explained that Cornelius made animals from wire and beads - elephants, giraffes and so on. Strikingly beautiful things - but too bulky for tourists to carry them home.

Cornelius listened extremely attentively, but did not utter a word. Mark had to speak for him.

- Okay, what can you sell?

– Small things, everyday things, useful: vases, beaded table napkins.

“I can do it,” said Cornelius timidly. - And the necklaces? Can you sell them?

- Certainly.

- Well, go ahead! Mark responded. - What do you need to have?

For starters, Cornelius needed beads. Mark sent him to Johannesburg, where the guy bought forty kilos of beads. It seemed that he could hear the gears turning in his brain as he thought about how and what to use it for. Another point in which Mark helped him was the issue of price. Cornelius did not even count on profit, selling everything at the lowest price, often for 100 rand. It is clear that the owners of shops and shops had no motivation to advertise his goods. Now he supplied the store with what they needed, then moved on to making vases, necklaces, bracelets, fountain pens, and even wall hangings, which were sold at times as low as 1,350 rand. Using the Internet and Skype, he was able to sell his goods to other stores and send orders by mail. Within two months, Cornelius was able to pay for four assistants, an astonishing achievement in a region where work is chronically lacking. Mark still contacts him once a month.

It reminded me of a meeting I had a few years ago. I was in Ulusab when I heard a woman calling my name.

- Mr Richard?

I turned around. A village woman in a Zulu outfit of red and yellow flowers.

I heard that you are a very generous person. Can you lend me money for a sewing machine?

Over the past thirty years, I have been asked hundreds of times for money - but with such frankness?! Have you heard of "elevator pitching"? This pitching did not take place in an elevator, but by a pond where elephants used to bathe! The woman said she was a great seamstress, but she needed money for a sewing machine to start her own business.

- And how much do you need?

“Three hundred dollars should be enough,” she said. - But that's not all. I'll get the money back in three months and I'll hire six people full time.

Her determination and ambition were fantastic. So was her focus: she knew exactly what she wanted—and why. What to say? She got her three hundred dollars.

As I left, I thought that I would never see that money again. No, no cynicism. I just knew how many chances she had for and how many against. In Ulusab, I knew many local people who worked in the hunting reserve. Trust me, they were afraid. And trust me, they had something to be afraid of. Malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS lay in wait for them every day.

Three months later, I was invited to the same village to open one of the projects supported by the Virgin Unite Foundation. The project included a nursery, several orphanages and an AIDS prevention clinic. When I arrived at the village, six women came up to me and presented me with a gift: magnificent cotton pillows and tribal robes that they had made with their own hands. To complete the surprise, I was given ... three hundred dollars.

“Yes, but where is that enterprising seamstress?” I asked.

“Mr. Richard, she apologizes for not being able to be here in person. She went to the market to sell our goods.

That day, I thought for a long time about her and the sewing machine, with which she changed her life and the lives of those around her for the better. Smart, open, self-confident woman. If you want to see truly enterprising people, come to Africa. This is a continent full of great opportunities for enrichment, commerce and prosperity.

The second business that Mark Christophers was interested in was called Gaming Zone, a combination of Internet cafes and slot machines created by Musa Mafongwane and Amos Mtsolongo from Soweto. Mark thought it was a great idea to let the kids play in a safe place and also give them access to the Internet. The "gaming halls" were essentially old shipping containers for the transport of goods, and it cost almost nothing to equip them. Graffiti on the walls, simple advertising inside and out, monitors, game pads and a number of computers to connect to the Internet.

Notes

Business as usual is an idiom with many meanings. However, most often it was used, and is used in the sense of "business, that is, profit, first of all - ethics can wait." - Note. lane.

The planet Pluto in English is Plutho, which is consonant with the name of the Disney dog. - Note. per.

Documentary film about global warming. - Note. ed.

Fair Trade is an organized social movement that upholds fair standards of international labor, environmental and social regulation. - Note. lane.

A movement that originated in the United States to grow your own food on your homesteads. - Note. lane.

An estimate of the value of a certain product in carbon units. - Note. lane.

Literally: "Hanging Gardens" - restaurants and cafes located on the roofs of buildings. Several popular restaurants with this name are located in different countries of the world. - Note. lane.

Charitable organization working with troubled teenagers. - Note. lane.

Pitching - a presentation of a business idea, book, script, etc., compressed to a few minutes - Note. lane.

In the original, a play on words: virtuous circle (effective circle) is consonant with the classic vicious circle (vicious circle), but at the same time it is completely opposite in meaning. - Note. lane.

The Elevator Pitching is a super-compressed version of pitching where you need to get the idea across in seconds as the elevator moves to the correct floor. An additional highlight of such pitching is that your interlocutor simply has nowhere to go. - Note. lane.

End of free trial.

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Fuck 'business as always »

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Title: To hell with "business as always"
Author: Richard Branson
Year: 2013
Genre: Foreign business literature, Popular about business, Job search, career

About Richard Branson's "Fuck 'Business As Always'"

Entrepreneur and rebel Richard Branson turns the standard notion of entrepreneurship on its head, sending "business as usual" to hell. From his point of view, profit is no longer the only driving force of business. It's time to blur the line between "benefit for entrepreneurs" and "benefit for the planet." In his book-manifesto, Branson shares the secret of how helping people and the entire ecosystem allows businesses to grow.

The book will be useful for businessmen who can learn from the example of Branson how to create a successful and at the same time socially responsible business, entrepreneurs who learn about new markets and innovative business models, students who want to do something meaningful while making good money at the same time.

On our site about books lifeinbooks.net you can download for free without registration or read online the book by Richard Branson "To hell with business as always" in epub, fb2, txt, rtf, pdf formats for iPad, iPhone, Android and Kindle. The book will give you a lot of pleasant moments and a real pleasure to read. You can buy the full version from our partner. Also, here you will find the latest news from the literary world, learn the biography of your favorite authors. For novice writers, there is a separate section with useful tips and tricks, interesting articles, thanks to which you can try your hand at writing.

Translation Mikhail Vershovsky

Project manager A. Vasilenko

Corrector M. Smirnova

Computer layout K. Svishchev

Art Director S. Timonov

© Sir Richard Branson, 2011

© Edition in Russian, translation, design. Alpina Publisher LLC, 2013

© Electronic edition. LitRes, 2013

Branson R.

To hell with "business as always" / Richard Branson; Per. from English. – M.: Alpina Publisher, 2013.

ISBN 978-5-9614-2869-8

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic copy of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Preface to the Russian edition

Global brands have built their own powerful communities around their products and services. Now imagine what it would be like if all these companies focused on mobilizing these communities to fight to remake the world!

Richard Branson

I read this book in one breath, it contains many ideas, thoughts and practical solutions that are consonant with me.

Richard Branson is one of the most influential businessmen in the world, the founder of the Virgin Group, a leading international investment group with more than $20 billion in annual turnover, which includes more than 400 companies. A successful revolutionary in many fields, Branson is a captivating and captivating leader. His current revolutionary idea is to change the fundamental guidelines of business.

In his new book, Richard Branson invites everyone to discard the old understanding of business and charity, entertainment and politics, and seriously think about what will happen to our planet and society in the very near future.

Revolutions in the Middle East, earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan, famine in East Africa, near default in the US due to debt, financial collapse in Greece, pogroms in London, climate warming and the point of no return in this process (only 4 degrees Celsius!) - Branson cites these events as an example of the fact that humanity is on the verge of global changes. And today it concerns each of us.

The author is convinced that the time has come for "Capitalism 24,902" (24,902 is the circumference of the Earth in miles), when every company will find the strength and wisdom to send "business as usual" to hell and herald a new path. Today, it is no longer enough to do charity by solemnly writing a check once a year. Branson talks about the world's progressive companies that are multiplying their steps in the field of philanthropy, social and environmental responsibility a thousand times, firstly, by enabling their employees and managers to be involved in this process and, secondly, by not just helping those in need in various countries, but by creating special economic models that allow those in need to change and improve their lives forever.

Hundreds of life lessons, sayings and thoughts, stories of victories and tragic experiences merge in Branson's book into an exciting kaleidoscope of events. Lemurs, endangered sharks and tigers, Walmart, eBay, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Puma, Virgine Group, General Electric, Marks & Spencer, Africa, AIDS, Arab Spring, Palestine and Israel, Al Gore, Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank, Danone , Lady Gaga, Peter Gabriel, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ban Ki-moon, Coca-Cola, Nelson Mandela, Saddam Hussein, Kofi Annan, REM rock band, Unilever, salesforce.com, kimberly-clark. com is a partial list of organizations, people, countries and global issues described or mentioned in Branson's book in the context of the need to send "business as usual" to hell.

This book is addressed to owners of large and small businesses, experienced managers and young employees. Everyone, after reading it, will change their understanding of their own role and the role of their company in rebuilding the world. Everyone will think about how you can change our planet for the better and at the same time strengthen your business and improve the atmosphere in the team.

In recent decades, people have been immersed in the “find yourself” movement, which is very important. “But I urge all of us to start a new movement: find each other,” says Richard Branson.

The businesses that benefit by delivering value will be the most successful in the coming decades. Those that continue to conduct "business as usual", concentrating solely on the growth of the profits of their companies, will not last long.

I write about Branson's book with such enthusiasm because we came up with many of the ideas described in this book on our own.

We are me and my colleagues, the founders of the Ayb Educational Foundation. For 7 years we have been creating a progressive school. Among ourselves, we call it the school of the future.

We do not just give knowledge, but also create an environment that allows people from school age to acquire leadership skills, creativity, stimulates the manifestation of an active life position. People can get the best education in the best universities in the world and then go back and change their country.

I absolutely agree with Branson that we need to help in such a way that people learn to change their lives on their own. This is real help. And education plays a key role in this process.

Chairman of the Board of Directors and founder of ABBYY, Ph.D.

From the author

On the night of August 22, 2011, this book was completed. I finished the last words of the epilogue. Hurricane Irene was raging outside—still a tropical storm at the time—but we had already weathered many serious storms, so life went on as usual, as usual.

After a noisy family party at our beautiful house on Necker Island with my guests - Kate Winslet and a group of her friends - we went to bed. My mother Eva, my daughter Holly, all my nephews and nieces were accommodated in the big house. There were enough places for twenty people, but the premises were packed to capacity. My wife, Joan, and son, Sam, and I had to fight our way through the storm through the storm up the hill to the guest house where we camped.

I confess right away: I drank too much wine, so I did not immediately understand what was happening. I heard a crash, then Sam yelled, “Fire! There's a fire in the main house!" He immediately barefoot, jumping like a deer over cacti, rushed to run down. To my horror, orange flames shone through the downpour, and flames fanned by a powerful wind littered the night sky. Nearly naked, I ran after Sam, flying right into the cacti. I must have been in pain, but at the time I didn't really feel it.

People ran out of fire and smoke. Kate Winslet led my mother down the steps, followed by her two children, followed by Holly and her cousins. Her face was covered in soot. One by one, my family and guests ran out into the tropical downpour. What started as a nightmare turned into joy when we made sure that everyone was alive and well.

The flash, which we saw at night, caused the fire when lightning struck directly on the roof, lined with reeds. Sam, hugging everyone, was crying. A few minutes ago, we were sure that we had lost all our relatives, and now the happiness of seeing them - sooty, smeared in soot, but alive - overwhelmed him. Holly called the manager, who lived on the other side of the island. Branson's cruel jokes are common, so at first he did not believe her. (The last words that our manager said to his deputy, leaving for his place the day before the incident, were: “And most importantly, do not burn the house!”) As soon as he arrived, he, along with the workers, immediately rushed to fight the fire in order to prevent him to spread over the grass.

Everyone else and I somehow squeezed into the outbuilding, watching in horror as the wind at a speed of one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour fanned the flames, completely ignoring the shower jets. It is at such moments that you begin to understand how insignificant a role things play in a person's life. Our family and friends survived. They had lost everything they had with them, and now they were shifting on bare feet in only their underwear. The house itself kept the memory of many years of both my personal life and the life of my family. Children grew up here, Joan and I made friends here—amazing, precious times. I thought I was seeing my father, Ted, who had recently died. I see him sitting in a comfortable wicker chair in the large living room, sipping a glass of wine and laughing at someone else's joke. Yes, all this lived in our memory, and no fire could destroy the memories of the brilliant projects that were born here, under this roof.

The next morning I gathered everyone.

– Now we will have breakfast, and then we will talk about the new house that we will build.

Everyone seized on the idea of ​​a new house, which, like a phoenix, will rise on the ashes of the old one. It should become more modern, beautiful, even inspiring. He will acquire new memories, new friendly parties will make noise in him. Joan and I got married on Necker Island, which means that Holly and her lucky fiancé Fred Andrews will be getting married in December on the same magical island and in the same place - even if it is the ashes of an old house!

I can only hope that future generations of Branson will love the new house as much as we have. The future is in our hands - to build it and share it.

Richard Branson

September 2011

Foreword

Over the past decades, as I've started one business after another, each more interesting and adventurous than the next, I often thought that neither life nor work could be better. But as I worked on this book, I began to realize that everything we had done before was a warm-up, a rehearsal, a test run for the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity. We have a chance to work together to turn our own ideas about how we approach the challenges of the time on its head - and look at them in a completely different, enterprising and active way. Never before have we had the opportunity to explore those frontiers where the boundary between work, business and high goals merges into a single whole, where it is really good for business to be useful. In this book, I will share with you the stories of the people who pioneered this journey. As the Virgin Group matures into a force dedicated to doing good for people and the planet, we are learning a lot from these pioneers. I will tell you something about our own path. I hope this helps you get a closer look at success and yes, it happens even at Virgin! - failures that fell to our lot.

First of all, I wrote this book for a new wave of entrepreneurs, as well as for those who are already in business, but working to transform their companies, trying, on the one hand, to grow their business and make money, and on the other hand, to help people and the planet, on which we live. This reflects a vigorous and distinct change from the usual business approach, where profit was the only driving force. Today, people are no longer afraid to say out loud: “To hell with “business as always”!” – and they mean it seriously.

Most recently, I spoke with James Kidd, former UK Marketing Director for Virgin Media, and we talked about how a new attitude to life and business is entering the flesh and blood of the younger generation.

“Now there is a whole generation of young people whose views are very different from the views of politicians, and many business leaders,” said James. They have a more balanced view of things. Just making money and then giving it to charity is outdated. Now there is a powerful tectonic shift of generations, which will destroy the border between the concepts of “benefit for people” and “benefit for business”.

– Benefiting people means improving your own prospects, increasing profits and adding value to your business.

Fabio Barbosa, chairman of the board of directors and former president of Santander Brasil, summed up this idea perfectly in a recent interview with the magazine upsides:

“It is becoming increasingly clear that there is no contradiction between doing business ethically and transparently and achieving good financial results. This false "dilemma" should be eliminated from the business vocabulary altogether. Our analysis of social and environmental risks at Santander showed that, in the long run, companies that operate within the framework of an adequate environmental policy and well-defined working relationships, who establish balanced contacts with the social environment, achieve more stable financial results and become an attractive brand. It is in the company's own interests to build a corporate policy in harmony with the development of the country.

The amazing thing is that I hear this same call everywhere: from vibrant metropolises to small towns in England, from South African slums to villages in India, from G8 climate conferences to medical centers and schools. And the call is always the same: we must do business differently. In the slums, active youth seize every chance to start their own business and get out of poverty. Women in tiny villages are finding new opportunities in microloans on the order of $15. Entrepreneurs in developing economies build their businesses by responding to adverse events such as lack of sanitation or electricity. Successful industrial waste disposal companies are emerging, and giants like General Electric are investing millions to redesign and modernize their product line - while protecting the planet at the same time.

I apologize in advance if what I'm about to say comes across as bragging and trumping names (and what ones, too), but this subject is being discussed at Buckingham Palace as well.

By the way, about trump cards. I remember a cute joke from Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

“People constantly accuse me of boasting about knowing this or that. Yes, just last week I was at Buckingham Palace, and the Queen reproachfully said: “Archi, did you boast of our acquaintance again?”

However, to the point. Most recently, I had the honor of being invited to a dinner where I managed to see Barack Obama among other guests. What do you think about what Her Majesty and the President of the United States had an extremely animated conversation about? They discussed climate change issues, foreign policy challenges that need to be addressed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya, but also talked about what to do with falling living standards and how to restore the post-crisis economy.

That so many different people are talking about the same problem and, more importantly, actively trying to solve it, is not just a coincidence. They do so because, in our new and interconnected world on all levels, no one can afford to ignore emerging threats. And maybe the best thing about all this is that people are beginning to understand that the solution is not in charity (throw a piece and forget). The solution is to partner with people at the forefront of critical issues and then turn problems into opportunities. This is how change happens.

People often associate my name with seeking new adventures, trying to break records, breaking existing limits - and sometimes trying to break your neck, whether it's crossing the Atlantic on a yacht, flying in a hot air balloon in a three hundred kilometers per hour jet stream, or striving to get out. into earth orbit with Virgin Galactic. But the book you're holding in your hands isn't just about adventure, fun, and making your wildest dreams come true (although, of course, there's room for that too!). It's a business book, but... a different kind. It's about revolution. And its main idea is simple: “business as usual” no longer works. On the contrary, it is “business as usual” that is destroying our planet. All its resources are depleted: air, oceans, land - everything is polluted to the limit. The poor are getting poorer. Many die of starvation or because they cannot afford the $1 drug that would save their lives. All this needs to be corrected - and immediately. Even those who don't believe in climate change, those who don't care about pollution, poverty and wars - "I don't see it, it doesn't exist!" – have to admit that people everywhere are turning the planet into a pile of rubbish.

And yet every morning I wake up with joy, because I am convinced that we - ordinary people in all corners of the Earth - not only want, but we will change everything for the better. We will do this not because we have no choice, but because this life and this world is all we have. As former President of Costa Rica and my esteemed CO2 Abatement Committee colleague José María Figueres says, “We don’t have a spare planet.”

All my life I have striven for achievement: in business, sports, games. They energized me. Making this book was a huge challenge: I think it's incredibly important to get the message across to people. It's surprisingly simple: it can't go on like this anymore.

In the book, we will discuss why things need to change. What needs to change. And what will change must become. Until now, business and capitalism have almost without exception been a means of making money for company directors and shareholders. Rarely did anyone think about the benefits for everyone else. And this means that the ways in which money was obtained were secondary in relation to the goals, to the final result, regardless of the harm that these methods could cause to humanity and the environment. We will have to make every effort to change this situation.

People are beginning to feel more and more acutely the injustice of the existing situation. It is not normal when almost half of the world's population lives on $2 a day, and two-thirds of these people do not even have access to clean drinking water. This imbalance is not limited to the poorest countries. In wealthy countries such as the US, over two million teenagers live on the streets. We are all familiar with these statistics. Fortunately, we live in a new world where one of the advances of technology is that people are now directly connected to those who are in need, those who suffer from such injustice. And people no longer agree to accept the “normality” of such a situation. Those of us who have been lucky enough to earn impressive fortunes must now look for solutions: how to use this money to make our world a much better place. It's not about self-denial. It's about balance, empathy and finding solutions to the core problem: how can we live together in a new way, in a single global community where prosperity is available to everyone. I am not talking about rebellion or revolution in the Marxist sense of the word. I'm talking about the ability of the average person to become an entrepreneur, change agent, creator of their own business, creator of their own happiness, and master of their own destiny. I'm talking about his right to say, "Fuck “ business as usual ", we can do it!» Yes, we can turn everything 180 degrees - and it will be a huge change.

In the pages of this book, you will see how the power of communication tools - from mobile phones to the Internet - allows people to have a voice. Previously, they did not have the means for this; now, if they don't like the way a business is run, they talk about it out loud. No government or company will be able to hide behind a wall of secrecy or idle talk anymore. Now ordinary people control their brands and their destinies.

Ordinary people have colossal power - you just need to release it. I repeat and will repeat my call: realize that you can, and - as the Nike slogan says - do it!

I know it's possible because - in my own way - I did it myself. At the age of nine I became an entrepreneur - yes, fledgling, yes, there were more failures than successes, but my family believed in me and supported me. And at fifteen I already had my own path in life and my first venture - a magazine for schoolchildren.

Let me reflect on this aphorism for a moment. That's what I mean - in the most concise way.

By doing good, by doing good—by doing what is right—the business will prosper. Working on good deeds can be a source of income (you will understand this from the stories of people and companies that do this). This is the main idea of ​​the book. I used to say: “Work with pleasure - and the money will come!” I still think so, but the slogan itself has changed a bit. "Be useful, work with pleasure - and the money will come!"

Each chapter contains examples of how all types of businesses, from commercial enterprises to social structures, regardless of their size, can grow, doing what is right, doing what is right, and delivering value.

A wise economics professor once said, "Bet on people doing the right thing." Excellent and well said. People instinctively strive to do the right thing. After all, that's what makes us human.

The words "benefit" mean different things to different people. In this book, “benefit” means caring for the environment. And it's not just about not polluting it, but about eliminating the consequences of pollution of the last two centuries - since the beginning of the industrial revolution. It is about restoring harmony with nature. Once again, the goal is not to cause less harm, but to improve the lives of people and the condition of the planet itself with the means and tools of business. Those who are less fortunate than us need to be helped to create their own business, such work so that they can live a decent life - which everyone deserves. It is a fundamental and absolutely essential right of every person: to be able to earn a living, to provide food for himself and his family, a roof over his head, access to medicines and medical care. And this means that we need to radically revise our current way of life so that the earth becomes a more peaceful, healthy and harmonious place. I am convinced that the new - revolutionary - form of capitalism, which I have called "Capitalism 24902" (I will explain what this means later), will work with full social responsibility, which will allow the poor to gain economic freedom and new opportunities for entrepreneurship.

Even as a child, I felt a social responsibility. Over the years, this feeling has grown stronger, and today I spend as much time and energy on solving social problems as on my own business projects. At Virgin, we have the Virgin Unite Foundation, where we work hard to find new business solutions to existing problems. In the pages of this book, you will meet some of the wonderful partners of our foundation.

When talking about my principles of philanthropy recently, someone said:

- So this is Richard ... He does everything differently.

I would like to believe that this was meant: I never donate money for no reason, without wondering in what hands it will fall into and how it will be used. I run the Virgin Unite fund just like any other business, striving to ensure that all of our investments bring the greatest social and environmental benefits. And I am absolutely convinced that the essence of all this work is not only about money. Moreover, money is often the least important factor. And the key factor is people putting their talents and efforts into finding ways through which business will not only generate income, but also work to create a better world. A written check may affect the lives of hundreds of people, but the readiness of your entire business for change will affect the lives of millions, while giving new meaning to life and creativity to all your employees. It is this philosophy that became the basis of the book that you hold in your hands. It will unfold before you in the stories of people who take a radically different approach to business, benefiting humanity and the planet, initiating change for the better.

As I write these lines in my home on Necker Island, I sometimes wonder: am I dreaming all this? At times my life really seems unreal, it seems that one day I will take it and wake up. This spring I had an amazing week during which I touched - in the most literal sense - the depths and heights of our planet. It has been a week full of adventure and excitement. All this is truly a gift from above, and sometimes I myself marvel at my luck and my happiness. Earlier this week we launched Virgin's first submarine, designed to dive into the deepest parts of the ocean. And at the end of the same week, I flew a Virgin America jet over San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, escorted by two Virgin Galactic spaceplanes.

By the way, what about buying Pluto in the same week? No, not the famous cartoon dog, but a real planet, the smallest in the solar system. On April 1, 2011, I called a press conference and without blinking an eye made the following statement:

– The Virgin group of companies has conquered more and more territories over the past years, but we still did not have our own planet. This could be a new breakthrough in space tourism.

What was said did not reach the audience too quickly!

The plane that took me to Virgin America's new green building terminal was emblazoned with self-confident humour: "And my other car is a spaceplane!" I was flying with a lot of people from Virgin Galactic and Virgin America, plus a group of young people from the CCD ("Knowledge is Power Program"). By the way, the PZS created an extensive network of excellent "charter" schools for students from low-income families. Also flying with us was a group of young people from Student Start, a partner company associated with the spaceport in New Mexico, where students were trained by engineers and pilots from Virgin America, who in turn learned a lot from communicating with young people.

Another group that flew with us were future astronauts who worked - in conjunction with Virgin Galactic and Virgin Unite - to promote the non-profit Galactic Unite initiative. On that one day alone, they were able to raise $385,000 in donations to support low-income young people to specialize in math, science and technology - including training courses with Virgin America engineers and pilots. All of our aviation divisions are focused on minimizing carbon emissions, and we have taken a wide range of approaches to this task, from innovative projects like reducing aircraft takeoff weight to developing new types of biofuels (which will be discussed in subsequent chapters). For me, all this is a great example of how Capitalism 24902 can and should work: making changes to the essence of the business itself, uniting the efforts of the civil society and organizations that are on the front line. Everything we do should contribute to change for the better.

I hope that you will experience the same enthusiasm that I experienced collecting the stories for this book. Each of us has the ability to become the initiator of change, and change is now more important than ever. We will be happy to get acquainted with your own stories, and with the stories of people who have inspired you in some way. To do this, we have created discussion platforms on the Internet, Twitter and Facebook:

web: virginunite.com/screwbusinessasusual

Twitter r: @virginunite#sbau

Facebook: Facebook.com/VirginUnite

And at the end of the book, you'll find great examples of how you can radically change the way you run your business.

And a warning. Until you've read the entire book, until you've been able to explain to others what it's about, my advice to you is: don't leave the volume entitled "Fuck 'Business As Always'" lying around on your desktop.

Enjoy reading!

Business as usual is an idiom with many meanings. However, most often it was used, and is used in the sense of "business, that is, profit, first of all - ethics can wait." - Approx. per.

Richard Branson

Fuck business as always

Translation Mikhail Vershovsky

Project manager A. Vasilenko

Corrector M. Smirnova

Computer layout K. Svishchev

Art Director S. Timonov

© Sir Richard Branson, 2011

© Edition in Russian, translation, design. Alpina Publisher LLC, 2013

© Electronic edition. LitRes, 2013

Branson R.

To hell with "business as always" / Richard Branson; Per. from English. – M.: Alpina Publisher, 2013.

ISBN 978-5-9614-2869-8

All rights reserved. No part of the electronic copy of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including posting on the Internet and corporate networks, for private and public use, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Preface to the Russian edition

Global brands have built their own powerful communities around their products and services. Now imagine what it would be like if all these companies focused on mobilizing these communities to fight to remake the world!

Richard Branson

I read this book in one breath, it contains many ideas, thoughts and practical solutions that are consonant with me.

Richard Branson is one of the most influential businessmen in the world, the founder of the Virgin Group, a leading international investment group with more than $20 billion in annual turnover, which includes more than 400 companies. A successful revolutionary in many fields, Branson is a captivating and captivating leader. His current revolutionary idea is to change the fundamental guidelines of business.

In his new book, Richard Branson invites everyone to discard the old understanding of business and charity, entertainment and politics, and seriously think about what will happen to our planet and society in the very near future.

Revolutions in the Middle East, earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan, famine in East Africa, near default in the US due to debt, financial collapse in Greece, pogroms in London, climate warming and the point of no return in this process (only 4 degrees Celsius!) - Branson cites these events as an example of the fact that humanity is on the verge of global changes. And today it concerns each of us.

The author is convinced that the time has come for "Capitalism 24,902" (24,902 is the circumference of the Earth in miles), when every company will find the strength and wisdom to send "business as usual" to hell and herald a new path. Today, it is no longer enough to do charity by solemnly writing a check once a year. Branson talks about the world's progressive companies that are multiplying their steps in the field of philanthropy, social and environmental responsibility a thousand times, firstly, by enabling their employees and managers to be involved in this process and, secondly, by not just helping those in need in various countries, but by creating special economic models that allow those in need to change and improve their lives forever.

Hundreds of life lessons, sayings and thoughts, stories of victories and tragic experiences merge in Branson's book into an exciting kaleidoscope of events. Lemurs, endangered sharks and tigers, Walmart, eBay, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Puma, Virgine Group, General Electric, Marks & Spencer, Africa, AIDS, Arab Spring, Palestine and Israel, Al Gore, Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank, Danone , Lady Gaga, Peter Gabriel, South African President Thabo Mbeki, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ban Ki-moon, Coca-Cola, Nelson Mandela, Saddam Hussein, Kofi Annan, REM rock band, Unilever, salesforce.com, kimberly-clark. com is a partial list of organizations, people, countries and global issues described or mentioned in Branson's book in the context of the need to send "business as usual" to hell.

This book is addressed to owners of large and small businesses, experienced managers and young employees. Everyone, after reading it, will change their understanding of their own role and the role of their company in rebuilding the world. Everyone will think about how you can change our planet for the better and at the same time strengthen your business and improve the atmosphere in the team.

In recent decades, people have been immersed in the “find yourself” movement, which is very important. “But I urge all of us to start a new movement: find each other,” says Richard Branson.

The businesses that benefit by delivering value will be the most successful in the coming decades. Those that continue to conduct "business as usual", concentrating solely on the growth of the profits of their companies, will not last long.

I write about Branson's book with such enthusiasm because we came up with many of the ideas described in this book on our own.

We are me and my colleagues, the founders of the Ayb Educational Foundation. For 7 years we have been creating a progressive school. Among ourselves, we call it the school of the future.

We do not just give knowledge, but also create an environment that allows people from school age to acquire leadership skills, creativity, stimulates the manifestation of an active life position. People can get the best education in the best universities in the world and then go back and change their country.

I absolutely agree with Branson that we need to help in such a way that people learn to change their lives on their own. This is real help. And education plays a key role in this process.

David Yan,Chairman of the Board of Directors and founder of ABBYY, Ph.D.

On the night of August 22, 2011, this book was completed. I finished the last words of the epilogue. Hurricane Irene was raging outside—still a tropical storm at the time—but we had already weathered many serious storms, so life went on as usual, as usual.

After a noisy family party at our beautiful house on Necker Island with my guests - Kate Winslet and a group of her friends - we went to bed. My mother Eva, my daughter Holly, all my nephews and nieces were accommodated in the big house. There were enough places for twenty people, but the premises were packed to capacity. My wife, Joan, and son, Sam, and I had to fight our way through the storm through the storm up the hill to the guest house where we camped.

I confess right away: I drank too much wine, so I did not immediately understand what was happening. I heard a crash, then Sam yelled, “Fire! There's a fire in the main house!" He immediately barefoot, jumping like a deer over cacti, rushed to run down. To my horror, orange flames shone through the downpour, and flames fanned by a powerful wind littered the night sky. Nearly naked, I ran after Sam, flying right into the cacti. I must have been in pain, but at the time I didn't really feel it.

People ran out of fire and smoke. Kate Winslet led my mother down the steps, followed by her two children, followed by Holly and her cousins. Her face was covered in soot. One by one, my family and guests ran out into the tropical downpour. What started as a nightmare turned into joy when we made sure that everyone was alive and well.

The flash, which we saw at night, caused the fire when lightning struck directly on the roof, lined with reeds. Sam, hugging everyone, was crying. A few minutes ago, we were sure that we had lost all our relatives, and now the happiness of seeing them - sooty, smeared in soot, but alive - overwhelmed him. Holly called the manager, who lived on the other side of the island. Branson's cruel jokes are common, so at first he did not believe her. (The last words that our manager said to his deputy, leaving for his place the day before the incident, were: “And most importantly, do not burn the house!”) As soon as he arrived, he, along with the workers, immediately rushed to fight the fire in order to prevent him to spread over the grass.

Everyone else and I somehow squeezed into the outbuilding, watching in horror as the wind at a speed of one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour fanned the flames, completely ignoring the shower jets. It is at such moments that you begin to understand how insignificant a role things play in a person's life. Our family and friends survived. They had lost everything they had with them, and now they were shifting on bare feet in only their underwear. The house itself kept the memory of many years of both my personal life and the life of my family. Children grew up here, Joan and I made friends here—amazing, precious times. I thought I was seeing my father, Ted, who had recently died. I see him sitting in a comfortable wicker chair in the large living room, sipping a glass of wine and laughing at someone else's joke. Yes, all this lived in our memory, and no fire could destroy the memories of the brilliant projects that were born here, under this roof.

Foreword

During the last decades, when I started one business after another - each more interesting and adventurous than the other - I often thought that neither life nor work could be better. But as I worked on this book, I began to realize that everything we had done before was a warm-up, a rehearsal, a test run for the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity. We have a chance to work together to turn our own ideas about how we approach the challenges of the time on its head - and look at them in a completely different, enterprising and active way. Never before have we had the opportunity to explore those frontiers where the boundary between work, business and high goals merges into a single whole, where it is really good for business to be useful. In this book, I will share with you the stories of the people who pioneered this journey. As the Virgin Group matures into a force dedicated to doing good for people and the planet, we are learning a lot from these pioneers. I will tell you something about our own path. I hope this helps you get a closer look at success and yes, it happens even at Virgin! - the failures that fell to our lot.

First of all, I wrote this book for a new wave of entrepreneurs, as well as for those who are already in business, but are working to transform their companies, trying, on the one hand, to grow their business and make money, and on the other hand, to help people and the planet, on which we live. This reflects a vigorous and distinct change from the usual business approach, where profit was the only driving force. Today, people are no longer afraid to say out loud: “To hell with “business as always”!” - and they mean it seriously.

Most recently, I spoke with James Kidd, former UK Marketing Director for Virgin Media, and we talked about how a new attitude to life and business is entering the flesh and blood of the younger generation.

Now there is a whole generation of young people whose views differ sharply from the views of politicians, and indeed many business leaders, James said. - They have a more balanced view of things. Just make money and then donate it to charity - outdated. Now there is a powerful tectonic generational shift that will destroy border between the concepts of "benefit for people" and "benefit for business".

Benefiting people means improving your own prospects, increasing profits, and adding value to your business.

Fabio Barbosa, chairman of the board of directors and former president of Santander Brasil, summed up this idea perfectly in a recent interview with Upsides magazine:

- It becomes more and more obvious that there is no contradiction meanwhile, to conduct business on the basis of ethics and transparency, and between achieving good financial results. This false "dilemma" needs to be generally excluded from the business vocabulary. Analysis of social and environmental risks carried out by us at Santander showed that, ultimately, companies operating within the framework of an adequate environmental policy and well-defined working relationships, who have established balanced contacts with the social environment, achieve more stable financial results and become an attractive brand. In the company's own interests to build corporate policy in harmony with the development of the country.

The amazing thing is that I hear this same call everywhere: from vibrant metropolises to small towns in England, from South African slums to villages in India, from G8 climate conferences to medical centers and schools. And the call is always the same: we must do business differently. In the slums, active youth seize every chance to start their own business and get out of poverty. Women in tiny villages are finding new opportunities in microloans on the order of $15. Entrepreneurs in developing economies build their businesses by responding to adverse events such as lack of sanitation or electricity. Successful industrial waste disposal companies are emerging, and giants like General Electric are investing millions to redesign and modernize their product line - while protecting the planet at the same time.

I apologize in advance if what I'm about to say comes across as bragging and trumping names (and what ones, too), but this subject is being discussed at Buckingham Palace as well.

By the way, about trump cards. I remember a cute joke from Archbishop Desmond Tutu:

People constantly accuse me of boasting about knowing this or that. Yes, just last week I was at Buckingham Palace, and the Queen reproachfully said: “Archi, did you boast of our acquaintance again?”

However, to the point. Most recently, I had the honor of being invited to a dinner where I managed to see Barack Obama among other guests. What do you think about what Her Majesty and the President of the United States had an extremely animated conversation about? They discussed climate change issues, foreign policy challenges that need to be addressed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Libya, but also talked about what to do with falling living standards and how to restore the post-crisis economy.

That so many different people are talking about the same problem and, more importantly, actively trying to solve it, is not just a coincidence. They do so because, in our new and interconnected world on all levels, no one can afford to ignore emerging threats. And maybe the best thing about all this is that people are starting to understand that the solution is not in charity (throw a piece and forget). The solution is to partner with people at the forefront of critical issues and then turn problems into opportunities. This is how change happens.

People often associate my name with seeking new adventures, trying to break records, breaking existing limits - and sometimes trying to break your neck, whether it's crossing the Atlantic on a yacht, flying in a hot air balloon in a three hundred kilometers per hour jet stream, or striving to get out. into earth orbit with Virgin Galactic. But the book you're holding in your hands isn't just about adventure, fun, and making your wildest dreams come true (although, of course, there's room for that too!). It's a business book, but... a different kind. It's about revolution. And its main idea is simple: “business as usual” no longer works. On the contrary, it is “business as usual” that is destroying our planet. All its resources are depleted: air, oceans, land - everything is polluted to the limit. The poor are getting poorer. Many die of starvation or because they cannot afford the $1 drug that would save their lives. All this needs to be corrected - and immediately. Even those who don't believe in climate change, those who don't care about pollution, poverty and wars - "I don't see it, so it doesn't exist!" - have to admit that people everywhere are turning the planet into a pile of rubbish.

AND yet every morning I wake up with joy, because that I am convinced that we are ordinary people in all corners of the Earth - not only want, but we Let's change everything for the better. We will not do this because we have no choice, but because this life and this world is all we have. As he says former President of Costa Rica and my esteemed colleague on the Committee of Struggle with CO 2 emissions José Maria Figueres, "Spare planet for we are not."

All my life I have striven for achievement: in business, sports, games. They energized me. Making this book was a huge challenge: I think it's incredibly important to get the message across to people. It's surprisingly simple: it can't go on like this anymore.

In the book, we will discuss why things need to change. What needs to change. And what will change must become. Until now, business and capitalism have almost without exception been a means of making money for company directors and shareholders. Rarely did anyone think about the benefits for everyone else. And this means that the ways in which money was obtained were secondary in relation to the goals, to the final result, regardless of the harm that these methods could cause to humanity and the environment. We will have to make every effort to change this situation.

People are beginning to feel more and more acutely the injustice of the existing situation. It is not normal when almost half of the world's population lives on $2 a day, and two-thirds of these people do not even have access to clean drinking water. This imbalance is not limited to the poorest countries. In wealthy countries such as the US, over two million teenagers live on the streets. We are all familiar with these statistics. Fortunately, we live in a new world where one of the advances of technology is that people are now directly connected to those who are in need, those who suffer from such injustice. And people no longer agree to accept the “normality” of such a situation. Those of us who have been lucky enough to earn impressive fortunes must now look for solutions: how to use this money to make our world a much better place. It's not about self-denial. It's about balance, empathy and finding solutions to the core problem: how can we live together in a new way, in a single global community where prosperity is available to everyone. I am not talking about rebellion or revolution in the Marxist sense of the word. I'm talking about the ability of the average person to become an entrepreneur, change agent, creator of their own business, creator of their own happiness, and master of their own destiny. I'm talking about his right to say, "Fuck 'business as usual'" we can do it!» Yes, we can turn everything 180 degrees - and it will be a huge change.

In the pages of this book, you will see how the power of communication tools - from mobile phones to the Internet - allows people to have a voice. Previously, they did not have the means for this; now, if they don't like the way a business is run, they talk about it out loud. No government or company will be able to hide behind a wall of secrecy or idle talk anymore. Now ordinary people control their brands and their destinies.

Ordinary people have colossal power - you just need to release it. I repeat and will repeat my call: realize that you can, and - as the Nike slogan says - do it!

I know it's possible because - in my own way - I did it myself. At the age of nine I became an entrepreneur - yes, fledgling, yes, there were more failures than successes, but my family believed in me and supported me. And at fifteen I already had my own path in life and my first enterprise - a magazine for schoolchildren.

Let me reflect on this aphorism for a moment. That's what I mean - in the most concise way.

By doing good, by doing good - by doing what is right - business will prosper. Working on good deeds can be a source of income (you will understand this from the stories of people and companies that do this). This is the main idea of ​​the book. I used to say: “Work with pleasure - and the money will come!” I still think so, but the slogan itself has changed a bit. “Be useful, work with pleasure - and the money will come!”

Each chapter contains examples of how all types of businesses, from commercial enterprises to social structures, regardless of their size, can grow, doing what is right, doing what is right, and delivering value.

A wise economics professor once said, "Bet on people doing the right thing." Excellent and well said. People instinctively strive to do the right thing. After all, that's what makes us human.

The words "benefit" for different people have different meanings. In this book, "beneficial" means care for the environment. And it's not just about not to pollute it, but to eliminate the consequences of pollution of two the last centuries - since the beginning of the industrial revolution. It's about to restore harmony with nature. Once again, the task is not to cause less harm, but to means and tools of business to improve the lives of people and the state of planets. Those who are less fortunate than us need to be helped in creating their own business, such work so that they can live a decent life the life that everyone deserves. It's fundamental and absolutely essential the right of every person: to be able to earn a living, to provide for himself and my family food, a roof over my head, access to medicines and medical assistance. And this means that we need to radically to rethink our current way of life so that the earth becomes more peaceful, healthy and harmonious place. I am convinced that the new - revolutionary - a form of capitalism that I have called "Capitalism 24902" (later I will explain what it means), will work with all responsibility to society, enabling the poor to gain economic freedom and new opportunities for entrepreneurship.

Even as a child, I felt a social responsibility. Over the years, this feeling has grown stronger, and today I spend as much time and energy on solving social problems as on my own business projects. At Virgin, we have the Virgin Unite Foundation, where we work hard to find new business solutions to existing problems. In the pages of this book, you will meet some of the wonderful partners of our foundation.

When talking about my principles of philanthropy recently, someone said:

So this is Richard ... He does everything differently.

I would like to believe that this was meant: I never donate money for no reason, without wondering in what hands it will fall into and how it will be used. I run the Virgin Unite fund just like any other business, striving to ensure that all of our investments bring the greatest social and environmental benefits. And I am absolutely convinced that the essence of all this work is not only about money. Moreover, money is often the least important factor. And the key factor is people who put their talents and efforts into finding ways through which business will not only generate income, but also work to create a better world. A written check may affect the lives of hundreds of people, but the readiness of your entire business for change will affect the lives of millions, while giving new meaning to life and creativity to all your employees. It is this philosophy that became the basis of the book that you hold in your hands. It will unfold before you in the stories of people who take a radically different approach to business, benefiting humanity and the planet, initiating change for the better.

I write these lines in my house on Necker Island and sometimes I think: Am I dreaming all this? At times my life really seems unreal, it seems that one day I I'll take it and wake up. This spring, I had an amazing the week during which I touched - in the most literal sense - to the depths and heights of our planet. It was a week full of adventure and delight. All this is truly a gift from above, and sometimes I myself marvel at my luck and my happiness. At the beginning of the week we launched the first submarine Virgin - it is designed to dive into the deepest points of the ocean. And at the end of the same week I flew to Virgin America aircraft over San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge in escorted by two Virgin Galactic spaceplanes.

By the way, and buying Pluto on the same week? No, not the famous cartoon dog, but real planet, the smallest in the solar system. April 1st 2011 year, I held a press conference and did the following without batting an eye statement:

The Virgin group of companies has conquered more and more territories over the years, but we still did not have our own planet. This could be a new breakthrough in space tourism.

What was said did not reach the audience too quickly!

The plane I'm on arrived at Virgin's new green building terminal America, was adorned with an inscription not devoid of self-confident humor: “And the other my car is a spaceplane!” A lot of people flew with me from Virgin Galactic and Virgin America, plus a group of young people from the CCD ("Knowledge - Power Program"). By the way, the forces of the CCD were created an extensive network of excellent "charter" schools for underprivileged students families. A group of young people from a partner company also flew with us "Student Launch" associated with the spaceport in New Mexico, where student training were led by engineers and pilots of Virgin America, who in their We have learned a lot from interacting with young people.

Another group flying with us, were future astronauts who worked - together with Virgin Galactic and Virgin Unite - to promote the non-profit initiative Galactic Unite. On that one day alone, they managed to raise $385,000 in donations to support underprivileged young people. families to enable them to specialize in mathematics, science and technology professions - including training courses with engineers and pilots Virgin America. All of our aviation divisions are focused on minimizing emissions carbon dioxide, and to solve this problem, we have undertaken a wide range of approaches, from innovative projects such as takeoff weight reduction aircraft and to the development of new types of biofuels (what are we talking about will be covered in later chapters). For me, this is a great example. how Capitalism 24902 can and should work: making changes into the essence of business itself, bringing together the efforts of civil society and organizations, on the front lines. Everything we do must bring about change for the better.

I hope that you will experience the same enthusiasm that I experienced collecting the stories for this book. Each of us has the ability to become the initiator of change, and change is now more important than ever. We will be happy to get acquainted with your own stories, and with the stories of people who have inspired you in some way. To do this, we have created discussion platforms on the Internet, Twitter and Facebook:

Twitter : @virginunite#sbau

And at the end of the book, you'll find great examples of how you can radically change the way you run your business.

And a warning. Until you've read the entire book, until you've been able to explain to others what it's about, my advice to you is: don't leave the volume entitled "To hell with 'business as usual'" lying around on your desktop.

Enjoy reading!