SIR RICHARD BRANSON: My motto in life is the...um...brave, uh...may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.

(Music swells) KATE SULLIVAN: Sir Richard Branson is a self-made billionaire with a taste for adventure.

A risk taker in business and in life.

RICHARD: I think my nickname as a kid was, "Let's Go."

Uh...uh...my nickname as an adult is...uh, "Doctor Yes."

(chuckles) KATE: And the things this entrepreneur has said "yes" to is eye popping: from music, to travel, to hospitality, hundreds of businesses that he has built into an empire all under the Virgin brand.

Today, Richard Branson is taking me to one of his favorite restaurants.

KATE: Ah, How are you?

RICHARD: Lovely to see you.

Good.

KATE: Wonderful to meet you, Richard.

RICHARD: Thank you for having us.

Or...no...hang...I'm having you.

Yeah.

Th-Thank you.

Thank you for coming!

KATE: We're sitting down to learn more about what makes this visionary tick, how his incredible career has unfolded, and how dreaming big and being audacious has served him well.

KATE: I heard your headmaster said you would either end up in prison or a millionaire.

Is that true?

RICHARD: He said exactly those words...and...uh... KATE: He had good instincts!

RICHARD: I ended up obliging him on both.

KATE: Then, Richard is sharing the work that matters most to him and his secret to true success.

RICHARD: I would be mortified with myself, if I get to the end of my life and I, and I wasted a position I find myself in.

KATE: What's better in life than a bottle of wine, great food, and an amazing conversation.

My name is Kate Sullivan, and I am the host of To Dine For .

I'm a journalist, a foodie, a traveler, with an appetite for the stories of people who are hungry for more.

Dreamers, visionaries, artists; those who hustle hard in the direction they love.

I travel with them to their favorite restaurant to hear how they did it.

This show is a toast to them, and their American dream.

To Dine For with Kate Sullivan is made possible by... ANNOUNCER: At American National, we honor the "do"-ers and the dreamers: the people who get things done and keep the world moving.

Our local agents are honored to serve your community because it's their community too.

American National.

KATE: Today, I'm on my way into restaurant Everdene, a modern American restaurant right in the middle of New York City.

I am meeting arguably one of the most dynamic and visionary business minds of our time, someone whose work has spanned space travel, music, and aviation.

I can't wait for you to meet Sir Richard Branson.

KATE: Ah, How are you?

RICHARD: Lovely to see you.

Good.

KATE: Wonderful to meet you, Richard.

RICHARD: Thank you for having us.

Or...no...hang...I'm having you.

Yeah.

Th-Thank you.

Thank-Thank you for coming!

KATE: And what a beautiful space this is.

RICHARD: Uh, it's pretty special, isn't it?

KATE: It is pretty special.

The natural light alone!

KATE: In the heart of Manhattan's Nomad District, one of Richard Branson's latest ventures has burst onto the scene: Virgin Hotels New York City.

Its distinctly red Virgin brand, fully on display.

With views of the Empire State Building at almost every turn, this new hot spot tips its hat to old New York with art deco detailing and upscale vibes.

There are live performances almost every night, a '70s-style lounge, and a cabaret brunch on Sundays.

The dining destination at this space is the 4,000 square foot Everdene restaurant and bar, an indoor/outdoor location, where Chef Freddy Vargas describes the food as "modern American with a global twist."

FREDDY VARGAS: We try to take influences from all over the country, from all over the world.

I mean, New York is a melting pot.

I have traveled also.

I've lived in LA, I've lived in Miami, so I try to take all those experiences and try to replicate that on a plate or show my, I guess, my soul, in that sense.

KATE: It's that passion that stood out in every bite of today's meal, starting with a nod to the upcoming season, an heirloom tomato salad with fresh figs, radicchio, and burrata cheese, followed by tender salmon in a yogurt pesto sauce, and a healthy helping of quinoa.

And there was no skipping dessert.

An almond panna cotta with delicately stewed figs and chamomile, all designed to make you feel at home.

FREDDY: I know this is not necessarily my home, but it's my work home, I spend more time here than I do at home.

I think it's just really about having somebody come into your home.

And how would you treat them?

How would you want them to leave?

KATE: The love of hospitality inspires Chef Vargas and his team to not just serve up delicious food, but to create an elevated and entertaining experience for everyone who walks through Everdene's doors.

FREDDY: I want people to have fun.

It's a lot, lot about sharing, and just having a really good time.

KATE: And this chef is having a good time too, getting to know his new boss, who he says is a true pleasure.

We learned that firsthand as we sit down with Sir Richard Branson.

KATE: I'm always curious whether an entrepreneur is made, or born.

It seems like you were a born entrepreneur.

Do you feel that way?

RICHARD: I think my Mom rubbed off on me as happens with a lot of boys in that she was a sort of struggling entrepreneur before the word, people knew what an entrepreneur was, just to try to get a bit of extra food on our plates just after the Second World War.

And she was always trying things.

KATE: And the seed was planted in your mind that maybe you could do it, too?

RICHARD: I never realized that, but now I look back, I think, I think that might well have been the case.

KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: And, um, and I think also what helped was, um, I'm dyslexic, so I was not good at conventional schooling at all, and... KATE: Which is very common among entrepreneurs, is it not?

RICHARD: Which, which is extremely common amongst entrepreneurs.

And...and, and I think the reason it's common is that if you're not good at something, you excel at something else.

So um...in my case...you know, I'd sit at the back of the class and plot to launch a magazine, um...to put the...you know, put, put the educational system right and to campaign against the Vietnamese War.

And um...and ended up, you know, leaving school 15, 16 years old, um, to start the magazine.

KATE: So, I heard your headmaster said you would either end up in prison or a millionaire.

Is that true?

RICHARD: He said exactly those words, and, uh... KATE: (laughs )He had good instincts!

RICHARD: I end-ended up obliging him on both.

(Kate laughs) And uh... one...one night in prison...which...uh, taught me never to, never to do anything to go to prison again.

KATE: Check that box, right?

He'd been there, done-- try everything once.

RICHARD: Absolutely.

KATE: That's right, the young entrepreneur spent a night in jail for tax evasion that he later made right with the government.

He was just 20 years old at the time.

But his journey began years earlier with the launch of Student, a youth culture magazine focused on young people's interests and concerns.

Everything from pop culture to music, to the Vietnam War.

Ads in the magazine helped the teenage mogul-in-training establish a mail order record business, followed by a chain of record stores.

By then, he was on a roll.

But for Richard, it was never about making money.

RICHARD: I have honestly never been interested in making money.

I mean, I've, I love creating things.

KATE: Was it that desire to just be able to keep creating things?

RICHARD: Yeah.

KATE: That allowed you to go from one thing to the next?

RICHARD: Yeah.

I mean...I...I...I...I'm...uh, thank you very much.

KATE: Oh, hello.

Thank you.

Fantastic.

RICHARD: I'm, um... KATE: Oh, wow.

Is that a work of art?

RICHARD: It's beautiful.

KATE: Is that a work of art?

That's beautiful.

RICHARD: Thank you.

KATE: Thank you, Chef.

You do everything in excess.

When did you figure that out about yourself?

RICHARD: I think my nickname as a kid was, "let's go."

(Kate laughs) Uh, uh, my nickname as an adult is, uh, "Doctor Yes."

(chuckles) And, and that's how, what I'm known by everybody, everybody at Virgin.

KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: Um, because I...I can't resist saying yes to things.

KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: Um, I love learning.

Um...I've...I've seen life as one long learning process.

KATE: Isn't there something to the speed of action of saying yes and getting on with it, rather than analyzing and data, and that it almost like dies in committee that way?

RICHARD: A hundred, a hundred percent agree.

I...I think if I want a project to die, I'll send it to the team that, (laughter) that analyze a project.

If I want a project to happen, uh... KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: I...I will just do it.

A few years ago, we were in the train business taking on the government's British Rail Network and built a really successful train company called Virgin Trains, and its franchise came to an end a few years ago, and, and it was sad.

I've been looking for an op, a new opportunity to come back, and we looked at whether, uh, there could become some competition for Eurostar, which it goes through the channel tunnel into France and, and, um, from the UK and, um, have decided that yeah, we could do it a lot better.

So that's a...a new project that we're...we're busily working on.

And it fits in with...you know, my...my daughter is now steering the company to making sure that we never, ever launch anything that's going to...you know...be, be damaging to the world.

So uh...you know, a new train company is just fits in with the...the Virgin, you know...the Virgin philosophy.

Absolutely, now.

KATE: Today, Virgin's philosophy includes rail...air, and space travel, telecommunications, hotels, health, cruises, banking, books, even balloon flights.

Hundreds of companies in over 35 countries.

Not even Richard knows the exact number, but it was his love of music, and the success of Virgin Records that catapulted the now iconic brand into the stratosphere.

KATE: Was that something that was always in the back of your head that you wanted to get involved with music, or how did really Virgin Records begin?

RICHARD: Somebody played me a tape, um, which I loved, but um, and I was sure should be released, but it had no, um, vocals on it.

And um, and I took it to six record companies, and none, none of them would release it.

They all said that without vocals, it would never sell.

So, we thought, screw it, we'll start a, we'll start a record company, and Virgin Records was born to put out this record, um, called Tubular Bells.

You know, we, we also released a, cou-a couple of other bands at the same time, but Tubular Bells went on to sell millions of albums.

As a result of the success of that, we...we were able to, um, sign a lot of other, um, unknown artists like Culture Club, or Phil Collins, KATE: Yes!

RICHARD: ...or Genesis, and, and, um, built the sort of biggest independent record label in the world, and... KATE: Yeah!

RICHARD: You know, Rolling Stones and Janet Jackson.

And, um... KATE: And what did that experience do for you, and what did it teach you?

RICHARD: Oh, um, it was a lot of fun.

I mean, you know, I mean, I, I remember... KATE: You were a rock star, right along with the rock stars!

RICHARD: Yeah.

Well, I was, I was... KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: You know, I was in my twenties... KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: So, you know, bringing out the Sex Pistols at the same time of, um, Silver Jubilee.

Yeah, it...it was controversial and very, very exciting.

KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: And it, and it, and it sort of built, it built the Virgin brand as a alternative, slightly risqué brand.

KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: As, as maybe the name suggested in those days, the registry office thought the word "virgin" was rude, and they wouldn't register it, and in the end, I had to write them a letter with a, a, a section of the English dictionary saying, ""Virgin" means pure, untouched, unblemished.

It's the opposite of rude, you've got to be able to allow us to register it."

And they finally, finally let us register it.

KATE: Wow.

You cried when Virgin Records was sold because it was such an important part of your life and really got your start, right?

You really, that really launched you.

RICHARD: Yeah, i-it was a sad day.

Um, but it was directly because British Airways were trying to drive our airline out of business that I needed the, you know, the, the financial, uh, wherewithal to, to combat their, their dirty tricks.

KATE: You needed, you needed to refocus assets.

RICHARD: I think to protect the jobs of Virgin Atlantic and to protect the jobs of, uh, of Virgin Records, we, we, we ended up selling.

KATE: If there ever was an entrepreneurial story, I think it's the story of how you started an airline.

So, you're, was it, you got a flight was canceled to Puerto Rico?

RICHARD: I was sitting on the plane in Puerto Rico, um, trying to get to the Virgin Islands, and the captain came on, uh, on and said, "Um, we are very sorry, but, um, uh, the powers at be have told us that there are not enough passengers on the plane, and we are gonna have to come back in the morning."

KATE: Oh.

So, they canceled the flight.

RICHARD: So, they canceled the flight, which was very typical in those days.

KATE: Right.

RICHARD: And um, so I got off the plane and I just said to all the passengers, "hold on a minute, I've got an idea."

So, they all held in an area, and I went to the back of the airport.

I hired a plane, I borrowed a blackboard.

I scribbled "Virgin Airways, one way, $39 to, to, to the Virgin Islands," and I went around the mall and our airline was born, and we, we, we all, we all got there.

Um, maybe we were half an hour later than we would've done otherwise.

And then, the next day I rang up Boeing and said, um, "hello, my name's Richard Branson, um, uh, can I talk to your sales department?"

And they put me through, um, and, um, and they, I explained that I had a record company, uh, called Virgin, and I wanted to get a secondhand 747 from them.

Um, and they didn't put the phone down.

They were...they...they some, somehow this wonderful man called RJ Wilson talked to me and, um, and he said, "Look, I will come and see you.

Um, I will do you everything I can to help you get, get a 747 from Boeing.

As long as you promise me that you will not call the airline Virgin."

Nobody ever will go on a company where, um, they assume the airline won't go the whole way if it's called Virgin.

So...so...so, so I promised him on, you...you know, that I would change the name as long as he came to see me.

And um, and then when we, by the time we'd finally done the deal for the secondhand 747, I rang him up and said... KATE: It has to be Virgin.

RICHARD: ...it has to be Virgin.

KATE: Sorry, it has to be Virgin.

What is it about you, Richard, that thinks so limitless?

Because the idea of dipping your toe into the world of aviation has so many problems and complications, and technicalities, but what is it about you that's always dreaming?

RICHARD: So, I think I...I think I...I do...I do...do things, um, for lots of different reasons.

I...I mean...I mean, fun has to play a part in it.

I mean...if...if I'm...if you're going to um, you know, live life...it...it...it's so much more fun to live life if you're having fun doing it.

And so just, you know, the fun of starting an airline, the fun of, um, creating something that, um, is completely different from other people's airlines.

KATE: You've tried many things and many things have worked and many things have not.

Can you talk a little bit about your relationship with failure and how it has evolved over the years?

RICHARD: So...I think um, my philosophy is to, or my approach to life is to, uh, work day and night to avoid failure.

Um... KATE: To avoid failure?

RICHARD: Yeah.

And then, you know, if I'm in a balloon and I'm crossing the Pacific and everything goes wrong, and it really looks like, we can't survive, um, you know, we have no chance of surviving on paper.

You know, I will not curl up and...and...and...and give up.

I will fight tooth and nail to survive.

But accepting that...you know, being ready to accept...um, you know, I've done everything I can...you know, then I'd be willing to accept the, the inevitable.

And the same applies to business.

KATE: After more than half a century is one of the world's most celebrated entrepreneurs, Richard's pivot to philanthropy isn't surprising.

It's also not new.

When he was still a teenager, he started a health center for young people struggling with physical and psychological problems.

Now, 50 years later, he's taking on some of the most challenging issues of our time and bringing other, like-minded dreamers with him launching initiatives like Planetary Guardians to help combat climate change, and participating in an international organization of peace activists and human rights icons called The Elders.

KATE: So, you're creating in that same spirit of fun and doing something good, but you're doing it in the non-profit profit sector.

RICHARD: Yeah.

KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: So...so...um, I'm bringing in partners like we would with business, you know, so one of the latest things we've launched is something called Planetary Guardians, which is bringing together, you know, the best scientists in the world headed up by Johan Rostrum, who will measure the, the nine boundaries of the world, um, on an annual basis instead of a five year basis.

Um, so we can see whether the rainforests have, you know, whether we've actually had less rainforests cut down or, or more.

Um, so we can...um...uh, you know...see, seeing what's happening with climate change, so we can see what's happening to species.

Um, and then we'll have Planetary Guardians who will be able to speak out about each of these, each of these sectors.

KATE: Can you tell the story of how you got involved with The Elders?

RICHARD: So uh, after the first Iraq war, there were hostages taken, um, by Saddam Hussein.

And um, I remember a, a kid having its head patted by Saddam.

And um...and I thought, uh...you know, can I use my entrepreneurial skills to try to get these hostages released?

And...and I knew the...um, King of Jordan.

I went and saw him.

Um, and I wrote a letter to Saddam Hussein and, and asked if the King could have it delivered to Saddam.

And um...uh, and he agreed to do so, and he put his own letter in with it... KATE: Wow.

RICHARD: ...and, and basically the letter said, "Richard's, you know, happy to bring medical supplies in return for the hostages."

And uh, and Saddam agreed, and he brought the hostages to the airport.

We flew in with a 747.

KATE: What was that experience like for you?

RICHARD: It was...uh...had lots of different emotions, but I mean...meeting...meeting him at the airport was, uh...you know...he was...it was, was...it was strange, but um...but it was, it was just...look, basically it was a joy, a joyous, wonderful experience.

Um... KATE: It had to have been one of the best moments of your life, I would think.

RICHARD: It was.

KATE: Yeah.

RICHARD: It...it was extraordinary.

KATE: Yeah.

And when you think about, you know, um, using your powers of creating for good, bringing some of the most dynamic world leaders really of all time together must have been so gratifying.

RICHARD: Yeah, No, it, it is gratifying, I mean, it's, it's, um, you know, we have a, a business version of The Elders called the B-Team.

KATE: Mm-Hmm.

RICHARD: Um, so you like the 30 most respected business leaders.

And we, and we, and we'll work together with The Elders on projects.

So... KATE: So, The Elders and the B-Team work in concert with each other?

RICHARD: Exactly.

KATE: When you are hiring people and when you're trying to decide who you want around you, what are you looking for?

RICHARD: People who are good with people, basically.

If you make a mistake by bringing in an outside person into that mix, that on paper looks good, but turns out not to be that kind of person, you can just destroy a company very quickly.

I mean, I mean, a company is just a group of people.

KATE: You started a school of entrepreneurship, and I'm wondering what advice, what's the first few pieces of advice you'd give to a, uh, a young entrepreneur?

RICHARD: Well, a business is simply creating something that makes a positive difference to other people's lives.

You need to surround yourself with a, with a small team initially of people that believe in your idea, uh, passionately believe in your idea, are willing to work day and night to get, to get that idea up, up and running.

And then...yeah, then you just gotta... you know, you've gotta not listen to all the...you know, all those people around.

You'll say... KATE: The naysayers.

RICHARD: Yeah, the naysayers and...and just get on and, and try it...and... KATE: Let's go.

(chuckles) RICHARD: And yeah.

And...and if you fall flat in your face...um, you will have had the best education ever.

Um, and...and then, and then you can...um, then you can start again.

KATE: I'm wondering of all that you do, what part of your work feels mostly you?

Most you.

Most "Richard."

RICHARD: I think they, the newer ventures is, is where I...I concentrate on.

It's like...you know, just like you've got a ba...a new baby, and a new child...and uh... KATE: The creating and the concepting.

RICHARD: And you've got to, to get them to be able to stand on their own two feet so... KATE: Yes.

RICHARD: Um, so I'll get...um, thank you very much.

Great.

This is...um...this we're, she's making me talk too much.

KATE: (laughs) It's my fault.

Thank you very much.

RICHARD: Yeah...that was, that was delicious.

Thank you.

KATE: Those new adventures include Richard's bold vision for a better world, even using his own private island in the British Virgin Islands to entice the world's wealthiest to join him.

And like so many of his ventures, he willed his latest idea into existence and Audacious Ideas was born.

RICHARD: We suddenly thought, you know...what, what are the most audacious things that need fixing in the world?

And we had just sailed round and round the island and then thought, well, maybe we can get together the wealthiest people in the world...um, at least once a year, give them a free stay on Necker, but um...make...make sure it's the most expensive stay they've ever had in their life.

And so...every year, six projects are...are chosen, the richest people in the world, or their wives come to Necker, um...or...you know, somewhere else.

And um...each project gets, you know, 150 million...200 million to, to...to fix...fix that project.

So, it's everything from stamping out a, a blind unnecessary blindness in Africa and India to, you know...how can we get rid of methane...uh...leaks, and how can we monitor where they are in the world to, you know...can we, can we discover what whales are saying to each other, to...you know, they're...they're all wonderful, big...audacious ideas...uh... KATE: But what is that philosophy?

If I can help, why not?

Let's do it?

RICHARD: I, I think I would be, I...I would be mortified with myself if...you know, if I get to the end of my life and I...and I wasted a position I find myself in.

KATE: So much of your work has been trusting your instincts.

Would you say your instincts have proven themselves to be right, most of the time?

RICHARD: I think more, more times than not.

I mean...my motto in life is the...um...brave...uh, may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.

KATE: Oh... RICHARD: And...and...and...um, I...I wrote that in my first magazine when I was 16 years old.

WOMAN: Three...two...one, release...release...release.

KATE: It is that fearlessness that has taken him to the very edge of space.

In 2021, as part of Virgin Group's new space tourism venture, Richard and his crew soared to the outer limits of the Earth's atmosphere aboard the Virgin Galactic space plane Unity, an out of this world experience that was 17 years in the making.

KATE: What was it like going into space?

RICHARD: The most extraordinary day of my life, and I... KATE: Was it!

RICHARD: I've been lucky enough to have had some extraordinary days and a dream come true, and it took a lot longer than, than I thought it would.

And um, and lots of tears and lots of joy.

And then, finally came the day when...when, when I was to go to space.

And um, and I was very lucky.

It was just in a lull in COVID when my grandkids and my children were able to come to New Mexico, where we got this beautiful space port.

One of the sweetest things I remember is...uh...my, my grandkids all know, I'm a...I'm a pirate.

I was on a bad pirate ship when I was 18, and I was dumped on Necker Island, and I built, uh, built her island with my own hands.

And they're sworn to secrecy.

Nobody else is allowed to know I'm a pirate.

It's only between them and me.

And um, so my granddaughter, uh...age six, pulls me down to her and says, before I go out to the spaceship...Papa, "Papa...do you know something?

You're gonna be the first pirate ever to go into space."

KATE: Aw... RICHARD: And then, the ride was magnificent.

And, um, the, you know, naught to three and a half thousand miles an hour and 6...8...6...7 seconds.

And then, the roar of the engines and the, and then the silence of space and the unbuckling, and the floating around, and looking back at our beautiful earth...it was, uh...extraordinary.

And...and...you know, I've had...you know, just the most incredible pinch, pinch me moment, uh...ever...ever.

KATE: Mm.

VOICE: Oh, my God.

MAN: Please return to your seats and strap in.

Approaching re-entry.

KATE: Thank you for sharing that.

RICHARD: Oh, KATE: And thank you for this fantastic conversation.

RICHARD: Well, I'm sorry we didn't eat much, (laughs) does it, do any of your, any of your victims eat (Kate laughs) when they're being, KATE: Everything I had though was so good, RICHARD: Oh, good.

KATE: It really was...yeah.

Thank you.

Cheers to you, Richard.

RICHARD: Oh, thank you.

KATE: Cheers.

RICHARD: It's been a pleasure.

KATE: What a meal with Richard Branson.

An icon in the world of entrepreneurship, a dreamer's dreamer.

RICHARD: To all you kids down there, I was once a child with a dream, looking up to the stars.

To the next generation of dreamers: If we can do this, just imagine what you can do.

KATE: He said, people call him "Doctor Yes," his nickname: "Let's go."

He is a fearless shoot-from-the-hip, trust the gut, "dream big" kind of guy.

He knows that big ideas don't happen unless you move, unless you're one step ahead of doubt, don't overthink, but move quickly and passionately forward.

Success is in the timing.

The sheer volume of iterations of the Virgin brand is eye popping, but it's his drive to continue to make lives better for others over and over that is just so inspiring.

He is using all he has and all he is to serve in some way.

Now that is truly out of this world.

KATE: If you would like to know more about the guests, the restaurants, and the inspiring stories of success, please visit todinefortv.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram at To Dine For TV.

We also have a podcast, To Dine For the podcast is available on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

To Dine For with Kate Sullivan is made possible by... ANNOUNCER: At American National, we honor the "do"-ers and the dreamers: the people who get things done and keep the world moving.

Our local agents are honored to serve your community because it's their community too.

American National.

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