Have you ever imagined what life looks like for a billionaire? We bet you have — and we’d also bet you’ve pictured all kinds of extravagant things you could do with that much money. If that’s where your mind went, you weren’t wrong. There’s a perfect real-life example of that lifestyle, and it belongs to the following billionaire: Richard Branson.

Richard Branson is also a man with a huge imagination — even bigger than most people’s. His sharp vision of the future in the business world and his drive to outdo himself are two of the traits that have pushed him to the very top. We also can’t forget that touch of madness and boldness he brings to every project. Details that, without a doubt, make him one of a kind.

How did Richard Branson get started?

This isn’t a man who had fame handed to him on a silver platter — he had to fight for it. His family, based in England, was humble and unpretentious, the kind that worries about making it to the end of the month. His toughest years came early on, since he was born with dyslexia and his grades at school were anything but standout — quite the opposite, actually.

Fortunately, as the years went by, Richard Branson proved that you really can become a better version of yourself and he started launching his own businesses. The first one worth highlighting was a magazine called Student in 1968. It wasn’t his very first company, but it was the most important leap into the business world.

After that came his 400 other companies. The first profitable one was a mail-order record business, back around 1970. That project would later become Virgin Records, a label that ended up signing artists like the Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols. From that moment on — and at just 23 years old — Branson became a millionaire.

It’s hard to sum up the business career of such a restless man in just a few lines. He has touched all kinds of industries: airlines, mobile phone carriers, hotels, banks, gyms and even space tourism. His net worth has reached 5 billion dollars, making him one of the 400 richest men in the world.

What is Richard Branson up to now?

Today, Richard Branson is happily married with two children. Where he lives might surprise you: a private island he bought back in the ’70s for just 180,000 dollars — a tiny figure compared to its current value of 60 million.

From this island, our man runs all his businesses and, the story goes, that’s where he welcomes clients and partners.

Richard Branson, a true adventurer

Richard Branson.

As we said at the start, eccentricity seems to be part of the personality of people with a lot of money. But what’s clear is that this man has a very special way of spending his.

His restless, adventurous personality has led him to live experiences that are as risky as they are incredible.

The first one worth highlighting is that he crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a hot-air balloon, becoming the first man to pull it off. He has also tried to go around the world in the same kind of vehicle, but hasn’t managed it yet — the attempts have led to several accidents that have left him in tight spots.

On top of all that, sport is his thing too. He has run marathons and competed in mountaineering, cycling, climbing, scuba diving and motor racing. The last of those also involved a serious crash.

This attitude towards life — one where fear doesn’t seem to have a place — is what has helped him hit every one of his goals. A determined man, a risk-taker and, why not say it, a little bit crazy. Words that describe perfectly the person Richard Branson is today. A visionary who achieved far more than anyone at school once told him he ever could.