5 Things You Might Not Know About Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is one of the most well-known figures in the world. He is the founder of Virgin Group, which has included operations in music, phones, hotels, cruises and even space operations through Virgin Galactic (NYSE: SPCE). He has also launched the SPACs VG Acquisition Corp (NYSE: VGAC) and Virgin Group Acquisition Corp II (NYSE:VGIIU),

Here is a look at some interesting facts readers may not know about the founder of Virgin Group.

1. Owns A Private Island: Necker Island located in the Caribbean is part of the British Virgin Islands and owned by Branson.

“Necker Island is my home and favorite hideaway. I invite you to explore this idyllic island paradise for yourself and to be inspired by its beauty,” Branson says.

Branson first visited the island in 1978 and fell in love with it. The entrepreneur famously stayed on the island during the Category 5 Hurricane Irma, which wreaked havoc on the island and the region.

The entire island is available to rent for $105,000 a night. The island can accommodate 40 guests and has 20 bedrooms.

2. Sports Records: Branson has held several records in sports. In 1986, Branson set a record for a powerboat crossing the Atlantic Ocean. In 1987, Branson was a member of the first team to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a hot air balloon. The team would become the first to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1991.

Branson also attempted to fly around the world in hot air balloons on several unsuccessful attempts.

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3. School Dropout: Branson struggled in school and suffered from dyslexia. He nearly failed out of an all-boys school early in his childhood. At the age of 16, Branson dropped out of school and began his entrepreneurial ways.

4. Magazine Kicked Start Career: After dropping out of school, Branson created Student, a youth culture magazine. The magazine was run by students and used advertising to make issues free for readers. The first edition had 50,000 copies and sold over $8,000 in advertising.

When the magazine was under financial pressure, Branson created a mail-order record company to fund the magazine’s efforts, which eventually led to the creation of Virgin Records.

5. First Artist On Virgin Records: After operating as a mail-order catalog and physical record sale, Virgin Records expanded to include its own record label brand. Virgin Records label launched in1973 with its first artist Mike Oldfield. A single from Oldfield called “Tubular Bells” that topped the UK charts. The song was featured in the movie “The Exorcist.” Other artists that signed to Virgin Records included The Sex Pistols, Culture Club, The Rolling Stones and Genesis.

Virgin Galactic visits the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate its listing. Richard Branson rings The First Trade Bell. Photo courtesy of Courtney Crow.