Losing My Virginity

I'm reading Sir Richard Branson's autobiography at the moment and I have to tell you, I have a new found respect for the man. He didn't complete his high school education, never went to college, and built up the Virgin empire from scratch. His family didn't have money -- typical middle class English family -- and from his entrepeneurial beginnings at his magazine Student, he went on to build one of the most recognized brand names in the world.

Big toothy grin.

We've all heard about his publicity stunts and his zany antics like fly around the world in a balloon and crossing the Atlantic in a catamaran. Everyone has either heard about or saw his TV show on FOX "The Rebel Billionaire" and probably came to the same conclusion I did -- that Branson is a megalomaniac who would do anything for attention.

In reading his autobiography I've come to respect him for his entrepeneurial spirit and his desire to further his company. In his early years he had a few bad business dealings which taught him to always be on the up-and-up; he hates firing people; and rather than take the profit and pocket it, he reinvests the money into the Virgin Group to explore new business ventures or expand existing ones.

This is a man to admire. I wish I had the same spirit as he does, and had the balls to do what he did when he was young.