Success Advice
Why Richard Branson Threw Out the Rule Book (and you should too)
“Many millions of people proudly claim the title ‘entrepreneur.’ On the other hand, a title that hasn’t gotten nearly the amount of attention it deserves is entrepreneur’s little brother, ‘intrapreneur’”
Success in business can be the result of great visions and thoughtful strategies, but Richard Branson has revealed that the success of Virgin is, at least in part, owed to a stroke of luck. Before Virgin Mobile had taken off, and while the Galactic project was only a twinkle in Branson’s eye, Virgin Travel provided an experience that would come to guide the entire brand’s business ethos.
By hiring an ambitious young designer, Joe Ferry, for an open-ended design project, Branson unwittingly realised the potential of ‘Intrapreneurship’. The intrapreneur, or entrepreneur in residence, is given the run of a company’s resources without the constraints of protocol and routine. This freedom can result in the kind of left-of-field ideas which inspire both cultural change and amazing business opportunities.
The success of this experiment was huge and as a result, Branson has incorporated Ferry’s intrapreneurial role into the infrastructure of the ever expanding Virgin brand. He has, in fact, credited intrapreneurship as the essential element of his success:
“Virgin could never have grown into the group of more than 200 companies it is now, were it not for a steady stream of intrapreneurs who looked for and developed opportunities, often leading efforts that went against the grain.”
Since then, Branson has been calling for a complete reassessment of how his, and other, business’ are run. He suggests that if management were to actively encourage intrapreneurship across the board then employees would have the freedom necessary to truly invest in their work.
Some other well-known companies have also embraced this thinking. They adopted policies enabling employees to play and tinker for up to 20% of their time, leading to some great new and successful products.
Would you like that freedom – the ability to act as if it were your own business? That feeling of being so much engaged in your work, that time slows down and everything seems to be going exactly right? How is that compared to your current corporate life – isn’t there a big gap for most of us?
As students, with no real understanding of the corporate world, most of us had big ideas, dreams and visions. We thought about how when we entered that world we would make a difference, how our generation would be leaders of change. Three years later, we are dragging ourselves out of bed and into work, and hoping to win the lottery so that we can have an early retirement. When you start intrapreneuring, you will do meaningful work, grow your impact and boost your career. It will ignite that spark again.
The intrapreneurial road isn’t the most obvious one and for sure not the easiest. In fact, while entrepreneurs have the luxury of setting the course on their own, as an intrapreneur, you are part of a running business, which requires you to stay connected to and aligned with the influencers and decision makers in your organization.
As many impactful intrapreneurs have shared, the key to their success has been that they were able to combine their entrepreneurial thinking and mindset with some corporate-savviness. Above all, it’s not something just available for Richard Branson and the likes – it’s possible for all of us, you and me. It requires the decision to start and the commitment to succeed, which all of you at this blog have, right?
For young professionals looking to do more meaningful work, have a bigger impact and boost their careers, I suggest you follow Richard Branson’s advice: start intrapreneuring! If you’re not sure where to start and how to do it, have a look at our upcoming course. It might just be your ticket to corporate freedom.
Success Advice
Leadership Styles That Are Killing Innovation In Your Business
This approach is common in environments that demand discipline, fast decision-making, or secrecy

Throughout history, some of the most influential military figures, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, Attila the Hun, and General Patton, shared a common leadership style: autocratic leadership. (more…)
Change Your Mindset
You Become What You Absorb: How Input Shapes Your Life
We let the world dictate who we spend time with and what input we allow in, rarely stopping to consider the effects it’s having on us

“Input” is anything from the outside world that influences your mood, mindset, and emotional state. It includes the media you consume, the books you read, the podcasts and music you listen to, and the movies and shows you watch. But it also encompasses much more: the environment you live and work in, the conversations you have, the people you surround yourself with, and the events, personal or global, that unfold around you. (more…)
Success Advice
This Overlooked Skill Drives Real Business Growth
It strengthens relationships, enhances decision-making, and fosters trust.

In every successful leader’s toolkit, one skill stands out above the rest: the ability to listen. While good leaders are known for making confident decisions, great leaders understand that those decisions are only as strong as the information they’re based on. And that information? It comes from truly listening to their teams, peers, and even critics. (more…)
Personal Development
The Real Reason Successful People Are Never Late
More than just good manners, punctuality is a vital professional and personal trait.

How do you feel when your flight is delayed, throwing your entire schedule into chaos? Or when a patient dies due to a doctor’s tardiness? What about missing a job opportunity because your driver showed up late? And how do you react when someone walks in late without the basic courtesy of apologizing? (more…)
-
Personal Development3 weeks ago
Why Top Performers Create This Powerful Plan Before Taking Action
-
Success Advice4 weeks ago
Passion vs. Paycheck: The Tragic Trade-Off Too Many People Make
-
Personal Development3 weeks ago
The Three-Second Pause That Changes How People Perceive You
-
Mentor3 weeks ago
The 3 Mentorship Moves Every Leader Should Master
-
Shift Your Mindset3 weeks ago
10 Powerful Traits Every True Thought Leader Possesses
-
Success Advice3 weeks ago
Why Visionary Leaders Are Embracing Emotional Sovereignty Worldwide
-
Success Advice2 weeks ago
Leadership vs. Popularity: Why You Can’t Have Both
-
Personal Development2 weeks ago
Why Humility Is the Real Superpower in Leadership
4 Comments