Richard Branson on How To Succeed in a Recession

well the last year has been some of the

well the last year has been some of the most turbulent and surprising I’ve

most turbulent and surprising I’ve

most turbulent and surprising I’ve encountered in my 40 years in business

this is a truly global crisis with

this is a truly global crisis with countries such as France Germany Italy

countries such as France Germany Italy

countries such as France Germany Italy Spain Britain all finding demands

Spain Britain all finding demands

Spain Britain all finding demands slowing and the availability of money

slowing and the availability of money

slowing and the availability of money almost completely drying up in the UK we

almost completely drying up in the UK we

almost completely drying up in the UK we have seen many of the established banks

have seen many of the established banks

have seen many of the established banks collapse and be forced into government

collapse and be forced into government

collapse and be forced into government or quasi-government ownership we’ve seen

or quasi-government ownership we’ve seen

or quasi-government ownership we’ve seen many high street stores garden business

many high street stores garden business

many high street stores garden business and we seen government borrowing

and we seen government borrowing

and we seen government borrowing skyrocket into the billions systemic

skyrocket into the billions systemic

skyrocket into the billions systemic crisis the experience in the US has been

crisis the experience in the US has been

crisis the experience in the US has been as if not even more dramatic with famous

as if not even more dramatic with famous

as if not even more dramatic with famous wall street names such as Bear Stearns

wall street names such as Bear Stearns

wall street names such as Bear Stearns lemans Merrill Lynch falling by the

lemans Merrill Lynch falling by the

lemans Merrill Lynch falling by the wayside the big three years Kyle

wayside the big three years Kyle

wayside the big three years Kyle companies have been humbled and forced

companies have been humbled and forced

companies have been humbled and forced to look for government bailouts and all

to look for government bailouts and all

to look for government bailouts and all across American industry there has been

across American industry there has been

across American industry there has been a reassessment of the way forward

alimony crisis comes opportunity and it

alimony crisis comes opportunity and it is now that entrepreneurs and dynamic

is now that entrepreneurs and dynamic

is now that entrepreneurs and dynamic companies can make a real impression at

companies can make a real impression at

companies can make a real impression at times like these business leaders need

times like these business leaders need

times like these business leaders need to show calm leadership and they need to

to show calm leadership and they need to

to show calm leadership and they need to remain focus on ways to grow their

remain focus on ways to grow their

remain focus on ways to grow their companies and their market share it can

companies and their market share it can

companies and their market share it can be daunting to think of expansion when

be daunting to think of expansion when

be daunting to think of expansion when businesses are failing or faltering but

businesses are failing or faltering but

businesses are failing or faltering but a good entrepreneur will well up the

a good entrepreneur will well up the

a good entrepreneur will well up the risks and rewards of expansion and

risks and rewards of expansion and

risks and rewards of expansion and they’ll find a way through I firmly

they’ll find a way through I firmly

they’ll find a way through I firmly believe in the motto that the brave may

believe in the motto that the brave may

believe in the motto that the brave may not live forever but the cautious they

not live forever but the cautious they

not live forever but the cautious they do not live at all

we found it and we grew virgin records

we found it and we grew virgin records in the teeth of the recession of the

in the teeth of the recession of the

in the teeth of the recession of the early 1970s and who expanded Virgin

early 1970s and who expanded Virgin

early 1970s and who expanded Virgin Atlantic through the storms of the late

Atlantic through the storms of the late

Atlantic through the storms of the late 1980s and early 1990s and we built

1980s and early 1990s and we built

1980s and early 1990s and we built virgin mobile after the.com crash of the

virgin mobile after the.com crash of the

virgin mobile after the.com crash of the late 1990s so my takeaway for today

late 1990s so my takeaway for today

late 1990s so my takeaway for today given that you are the leaders of the

given that you are the leaders of the

given that you are the leaders of the future it’s used these challenging times

future it’s used these challenging times

future it’s used these challenging times as a real opportunity to try to found a

as a real opportunity to try to found a

as a real opportunity to try to found a business and keep focus on your

business and keep focus on your

business and keep focus on your proposition and go