Quote Originally Posted by kettering_baggie View Post
Some time ago I watched a film about the rise of Richard Branson and a long time business associate described him as a ‘chancer’, rather than an astute businessman.
A chancer from a very wealthy family.

This bloke is no Steve Jobs or Alan Sugar or that Charlie bloke from Pimlico Plumbers.

It’s easy to have a dabble when you’re from a wealthy family as there’s always plenty of cash to get you started and a feather bed to land on if you fail.

In my own small case I actually had to wheel and deal on the side whilst employed to save a nest egg to get started.

Back in 96-97 I saved around £14k to get started and gave up a £30k+ job with company car to give it a go.

Bought the high mileage company car for £3300 when I left and my old man gave me £10k as “early inheritance” to help me out and he gave my brother the same.

A year later as I was expanding so fast he gave us both another £10k which I spent stock on and my brother p e e d up the wall.

So I did get a bit of help for which I’m eternally grateful but most do it with little or no help.

Branson is a fraud of a bloke albeit a shrewd one.