Richard's Blog - May 2012

RE*Generation in Canada with Cory Monteith

Using business as a force for good is something everybody can do - even when making what seems like an ordinary purchase decision. Such as buying a mobile phone. If you had a choice between buying a handset from a company that would pocket the profits and a company that would donate a portion of your purchase to help others in need, which company would you choose? Canadians responded by purchasing phones and helping me and Glee actor and Virgin Unite ambassador Cory Monteith raise $200,000 for…

Necker animals - who's hungry?

Who’s hungry? (besides this beautiful Flamingo chick!)This years' Flamingo  chicks have been doing fantastically. There are now well over 70 with many more eggs still to hatch, which will make it our most successful season to date.It is quite remarkable when you look at the size of the mothers’ beaks. She stands there for about half an hour and delicately feeds the baby. This process carries on every day for about four or five months. It is also amazing how they manage to find t…

How do you choose the best people to run your businesses?

Was asked an interesting question recently by members of the Global Philanthropists Circle and students at Manchester Business School. How do you choose the best people to run your businesses?Look for people who genuinely care about other people, who are great people motivators and who look for the best in people. If the person at the top is that kind of person and is also a ball of fun, then they can transform a company. If they are the opposite they can destroy it. I hope my advice is helpful …

What is your dream?

Together with Virgin Mobile Australia I am proud to have designed my own phone cover for a cause. All sales go directly to the Oasis Youth Support Network to help end youth homelessness. The theme for designing the covers for a cause was dreams. We each have the potential to make the impossible possible - but the first and most important ingredient is an idea or a dream. A dream lets you see past the limitations set by society and have the bravery to break free from the norm. So, what is your…

Want a ride? Check the dress code!

When in British Columbia a few days ago, the delightful Premier Christy Clark accepted my invite to come for a kitesurf ride on my back. One thing though - I forgot to tell her about the dress code! Well, here it is. The offer still stands Christy!

Why we must get behind small businesses

On my trip to Canada last weekend I was asked by the UK media about the prospects for the UK and my thoughts on what the Government could do to promote growth. For many years I have campaigned for more focus on small business and start-ups as the way to get growth in the economy and to create more jobs. This needs to be backed by more bank lending and start-up loans for entrepreneurs. The Observer picked up on my comments but I thought useful to publish them in full and also see what my reader…

Say bye to the tie - Vancouver style!

I've been campaigning for a while now to get everyone to say bye to the tie. So it was something of a surprise to see @cbcnewsbc had managed to find an extremely rare photo of me wearing a tie in their story on Virgin Atlantic's Vancouver launch yesterday! Today, it was time for revenge. Appearing on Canadian breakfast show CTV Morning Live, I couldn't help but notice the anchor Aamer Haleem would be far more comfortable without that ghastly tie around his neck. Thankfully, I…

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