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Richard Branson Facts & Worksheets

Richard Branson is a successful British businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder of the Virgin Group, which now controls over 400 companies in various fields.

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Richard Branson is a successful British businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder of the Virgin Group, which now controls over 400 companies in various fields. Branson is famous for his ambition to establish a spaceflight corporation, Virgin Galactic, which enables people to do space tourism.

See the fact file below for more information on the Richard Branson or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Richard Branson worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE

  • Branson was born in Blackheath, London on 18 July 1950. He was the eldest of three children to Edward James Branson, a barrister, and his wife, Eve. He has two younger sisters.
  • Branson came from an educated and well-established family. His grandfather was a judge of the High Court of Justice and a Privy Councilor.
  • Branson did not perform well academically. He had dyslexia which made it difficult for him to read textbooks. His headmaster told him that he would be better off becoming an entrepreneur.
  • From an early age, Branson’s parents encouraged him to start a business. In 1966, Branson launched his first successful business, a magazine named Student. A year after the release of the first issue, Branson had successfully earned £50,000.
  • In 1971, Branson opened a record shop in Oxford Street in London. This was where Virgin was born.

CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENT

  • In 1972, Branson launched a record label named Virgin Records with Nik Powell. Branson’s earlier employee suggested the name since there were still new into the business.
  • At the time, Virgin Records signed a lot of controversial bands, such as the Sex Pistols, which other companies refused to sign. Paula Abdul, Peter Gabriel, and the infamous Rolling Stones also signed to Virgin Records.
  • In 1979, Branson’s net worth was estimated at £5 million, and a year later, Virgin Records went international and became the world’s largest independent record label.
  • In 1984, Branson formed Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Cargo. He also formed Virgin Holidays in 1985. Virgin Atlantic Airways rose to success, becoming the first private airline company which was able to compete with British Airways on long distance flights.
  • In 1992, Branson expanded his business profile into railway and telecoms ventures. He sold the Virgin label to EMI for £500 million. Branson launched Virgin Mobile in 1999. Virgin Mobile became a wireless communication brand used in many countries.
  • In 2004, Branson signed a deal to establish a new space tourism company, Virgin Galactic. The company licensed the technology for a spaceship to take passengers into suborbital space. Virgin Galactic’s aim is to make flights available to the public with tickets priced at $200,000 per person.
  • Branson’s next venture with the Virgin group was Virgin Fuels.
  • In 2008, Branson opened a chain of healthcare clinics which was welcomed by Ben Bradshaw, the UK’s health minister.
  • He also launched Virgin Hotels in 2010, and Branson announced that the first hotel would open in Edinburgh.

LEGACY

  • Aside from his diverse business profiles, Branson is a humanitarian. He participates in numerous fundraising events.
  • In September 2018, Branson travelled with a core team from Caligari to the summit of Mont Blanc using entirely human and sail power. The journey raised over £1m for Holly and Sam Branson’s charity Big Change, which supports young people.
  • In February 2019, Branson helped to organize a benefit concert, Venezuela Aid Live, to raise funds for humanitarian aid in Venezuela.
  • Branson is interested in the environment and technology development matters. He acts as investor and mentor to many startup companies. In September 2014, Branson invested in a drone company named 3D Robotics.
  • That same year, he launched the “Foodpreneur” startup competition which focused on the food and drink industry. Branson provided mentorship, legal support, and brand counseling for the winners.
  • Under the sponsorship of the Virgin Group, Branson has made several world record-breaking attempts. His attempts have included: 1) fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing; 2) crossing the Pacific from Japan to Arctic Canada in a balloon; and 3) crossing the English Channel in an amphibious vehicle.
  • Branson has made cameo appearances in several films, such as Casino Royale, Superman Returns, and Around the World in 80 Days.
  • Branson has also worked as an air stewardess for Air Asia in 2013, from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, after he lost a bet with Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandez about whose team would win the F1 Abu Dhabi competition. It was considered a successful marketing stunt.
  • According to Forbes, Richard Branson’s net worth was estimated at $3.8 Billion dollars in 2016.
  • He has his own private island which he bought for $180,000 in 1978.

Richard Branson Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Richard Branson across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Richard Branson worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Richard Branson who is a successful British businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder of the Virgin Group, which now controls over 400 companies in various fields. Branson is famous for his ambition to establish a spaceflight corporation, Virgin Galactic, which enables people to do space tourism.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Richard Branson Facts
  • Branson’s Biography
  • Build the Business
  • Branson’s Success Traits
  • Guess the Artists
  • What’s your Business?
  • Flight Routes
  • Letter to Richard
  • Space Tic-Tac-Toe
  • Out to Space
  • Inspirational Moments

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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