Richard Branson: My approach to life
I think out of out of being just a.
generally positive person you can make.
positive things happen what would you.
say has been your biggest failure over.
the years and what do you think you most.
learned from it.
I suspect the most notable failure has.
been not knocking coca-cola off their.
pedestal virgin Cola virgin Cola we had.
it we had a good try for a year or two.
it look like we were going to take coke.
for everything they had.
we were out selling them in in Britain.
in in all the retailers that we were.
stopped and we were out selling Pepsi I.
then got a bit too big for my boots and.
I arrived in Times Square with a Sherman.
tank from Britain I crushed all these.
coke Coca Cola and Pepsi cans of Cola.
was flying everywhere and I then turned.
our Sherman tanks turret onto the.
coca-cola sign in the middle of Times.
Square.
anyway coke didn't take that too kindly.
and the next day in Atlanta headquarters.
they got bagful of suitcases of money.
they got a dc-10 on the on the runway at.
Atlanta they filled it with squat teams.
they arrived in England and retailers.
suddenly became very wealthy and all la.
virgin Cola disappeared off the shelves.
and they basically for real neat notice.
I mean it was that quick no they kneecap.
their knee cactus I mean very very.
systematically and we did not know this.
was going on I mean they yeah I would.
bring up Tesco's and say what are you.
doing you takin virgin Cola off all the.
shells and they would say I don't know.
they would come up with some excuse but.
so it wasn't until about a year later.
that the lady arrived.
who's announced to me that she was the.
new manager of virgin group at Lloyds.
Bank and she we went out to dinner and.
it turned out that she was the lady at.
coke at the time who had been in charge.
of the kneecapping exercise and now she.
was my bank manager and I wasn't sure.
whether to street her or not.
you said before real leaders see.
opportunities where others only see.
challenges explain that and I look at.
everything it's an opportunity so you.
know I'm I'm positive about life.
generally and I generally feel that you.
can you can find ways of solving.
problems and making things work and I'm.
definitely a sort of glass you know.
nearly full kind of person rather than a.
glass half full so you know I think I.
think out of out of being just a.
generally positive person you can make.
positive things happen what do you think.
about during your decision-making.
process so so if I if I come up with an.
idea for a new business I don't bring in.
accounting firms to cost analysis and.
analyze it you know because one.
accounting firm will say it's a good.
idea another accounting firm one says a.
bad idea so if I if I for instance it's.
brought in an accounting firm to say.
will Virgin Atlantic work when we when.
we started the airline I'm sure they.
would have said no way but but I know.
but what I knew was if I could create.
the kind of airline I'd want to fly on.
that was exceptionally better than any.
other airline flying that it was likely.
that more money would come in in the.
year then go and I'd have money left.
over at the end of the year and and that.
turned out to be the case because people.
loved Virgin Atlantic they went out of.
their way to fly it the planes were full.
