there’s no doubt that at virgin we’ve always done things a little differently
always done things a little differently
always done things a little differently we have never followed the business
we have never followed the business
we have never followed the business models of the marketing and the
models of the marketing and the
models of the marketing and the financial gurus we developed our own way
financial gurus we developed our own way
financial gurus we developed our own way of doing business over the years when
of doing business over the years when
of doing business over the years when one night in the winter of 1966 sitting
one night in the winter of 1966 sitting
one night in the winter of 1966 sitting around on cushions in a basement
around on cushions in a basement
around on cushions in a basement we came up with the name of virgin
we came up with the name of virgin
we came up with the name of virgin instead of slip disc records for a
instead of slip disc records for a
instead of slip disc records for a record company I had some vague idea of
record company I had some vague idea of
record company I had some vague idea of the name in Kashi unsuitable to lots of
the name in Kashi unsuitable to lots of
the name in Kashi unsuitable to lots of other products for young people knuckle
other products for young people knuckle
other products for young people knuckle artists were very attracted to the name
artists were very attracted to the name
artists were very attracted to the name which they seemed sexy and off-the-wall
which they seemed sexy and off-the-wall
which they seemed sexy and off-the-wall to them and Virgin Records really took
to them and Virgin Records really took
to them and Virgin Records really took off 1976 when Joan my fiancee and I were
off 1976 when Joan my fiancee and I were
off 1976 when Joan my fiancee and I were on holiday in the British Virgin Islands
on holiday in the British Virgin Islands
on holiday in the British Virgin Islands we were trying to catch a flight to
we were trying to catch a flight to
we were trying to catch a flight to Puerto Rico but the local Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico but the local Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico but the local Puerto Rican that scheduled flight was canceled well
that scheduled flight was canceled well
that scheduled flight was canceled well I made a few calls to charter companies
I made a few calls to charter companies
I made a few calls to charter companies and they agreed to charge for a plane
and they agreed to charge for a plane
and they agreed to charge for a plane for $2000 – for Rico I divided the price
for $2000 – for Rico I divided the price
for $2000 – for Rico I divided the price by the number of remaining passengers I
by the number of remaining passengers I
by the number of remaining passengers I borrowed the blackboard and I wrote
borrowed the blackboard and I wrote
borrowed the blackboard and I wrote virgin airways $39 single flight board
virgin airways $39 single flight board
virgin airways $39 single flight board Rica I walked around the airport
Rica I walked around the airport
Rica I walked around the airport terminal and I still filled every seat
terminal and I still filled every seat
terminal and I still filled every seat on the charter plane as we land in a
on the charter plane as we land in a
on the charter plane as we land in a Puerto Rico passing to turn to me
Puerto Rico passing to turn to me
Puerto Rico passing to turn to me instead virgin airways isn’t too bad
instead virgin airways isn’t too bad
instead virgin airways isn’t too bad smarten up the service a little and you
smarten up the service a little and you
smarten up the service a little and you could be in business
could be in business
could be in business I call failing on my return
I call failing on my return
I call failing on my return asked how much it would cost to rent a
asked how much it would cost to rent a
asked how much it would cost to rent a secondhand jumbo jet for a year what did
secondhand jumbo jet for a year what did
secondhand jumbo jet for a year what did you say your business was again
you say your business was again
you say your business was again well it’s called virgin we sign up great
well it’s called virgin we sign up great
well it’s called virgin we sign up great houses like the Sex Pistols Culture Club
houses like the Sex Pistols Culture Club
houses like the Sex Pistols Culture Club Janet Jackson The Rolling Stones Phil
Janet Jackson The Rolling Stones Phil
Janet Jackson The Rolling Stones Phil Collins well there was a long pause but
Collins well there was a long pause but
Collins well there was a long pause but believe it or not they didn’t actually
believe it or not they didn’t actually
believe it or not they didn’t actually put the phone down on me and listen to
put the phone down on me and listen to
put the phone down on me and listen to my enthusiasm and they decided to take a
my enthusiasm and they decided to take a
my enthusiasm and they decided to take a risk on me
risk on me
risk on me the only hope was that with a brand name
the only hope was that with a brand name
the only hope was that with a brand name like that that we go go away almost
like that that we go go away almost
like that that we go go away almost immediately I found myself facing a
immediately I found myself facing a
immediately I found myself facing a barrage of criticism marketing and
barrage of criticism marketing and
barrage of criticism marketing and financial journalists couldn’t
financial journalists couldn’t
financial journalists couldn’t understand what an entertainment
understand what an entertainment
understand what an entertainment entrepreneur was doing trying to run an
entrepreneur was doing trying to run an
entrepreneur was doing trying to run an airline the Virgin entertainment brand
airline the Virgin entertainment brand
airline the Virgin entertainment brand did actually help get people to realize
did actually help get people to realize
did actually help get people to realize that they were going to get more
that they were going to get more
that they were going to get more entertainment onboard and it was going
entertainment onboard and it was going
entertainment onboard and it was going to be more fun proving that it wasn’t
to be more fun proving that it wasn’t
to be more fun proving that it wasn’t that bizarre for an alleged it’d be a
that bizarre for an alleged it’d be a
that bizarre for an alleged it’d be a record company boss to start an airline
record company boss to start an airline
record company boss to start an airline 25 years on we’re still
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