Richard Branson

Topics Companies, People, Special Events

News and interviews on Richard Branson including trends, features, blogs and community conversations from an Australian business perspective.

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Lee Corbitt

Lee Corbitt founded recruitment company Marble Group with business partner Gary Denton to create a level of professionalism he felt was lacking in the industry. There was just one issue – he couldn't find anyone to hire.

Michael Rosenbaum

Michael Rosenbaum is at the top of Australia's largest online department store, DealsDirect, with revenue of $100 million and a customer base growing by the day.

Michelle Hampton & Susan Wood

Susan Wood and Michelle Hampton launched Magnum PR in 2005 with the goal of providing large and SME clients with cost-effective PR.

Rupert Imhoff

Rupert Imhoff's premium SMS service 199Buddy works on a simple premise – text in a question, any question, and Imhof's team will try to answer it. The business, set up in 2006, now has revenue heading towards $2 million and Imhoff's team has grown to 95.

Ruslan Kogan

If you can't buy it – make it. This is the premise on which Ruslan Kogan based his successful business, Kogan Technologies, and the experiment paid off.

Saxon Mitchell

Saxon Mitchell started his work in events management from his bedroom when he was 19, dreading the possibility he may only earn standard hospitality wages. He built up the company, then called ICE Events, to earn over $1 million by the time he was 25, before selling it and moving onto Venue Management Services.

Tristan White

Tristan White founded The Physio Co. when he was 24 after wanting to offer a service combining traditional rehabilitation programs with a type of customer service usually encountered in a retail environment. It has since exploded in popularity, generating $1.2 million in revenue and recording 52% growth last year.

Wai Hong Fong

Shortly after graduating from university, Wai Hong Fong had two options: take an IT development job or have a go at building an online retail business. He chose the latter and with his business partners started approaching suppliers at trade shows to see if anyone was willing to give them anything to sell on eBay.

Alana Chang

It's true all that glitters isn't gold, but it could be just as lucrative. Alana Chang, along with her sister Lauren, has transformed her Moi Moi jewellery chain into a million-dollar business by gaining the exclusive rights to sell the rare jewel moissanite.

Monday, 12 April 2010

Banks & billionaires

Billionaires love sniffing around for bargains and there's no better time to do that than during a downturn.

Tuesday, 06 April 2010

Richard Branson to sell a stake in banking group to American billionaire Wilbur Ross

Richard Branson’s ambitious plan to set up his own banking group has received the backing of American billionaire Wilbur Ross, who is prepared to spend almost $1 billion to back the project.

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

Extreme entrepreneurs

For most of us, running a business is enough of a thrill. But some entrepreneurs like an extra adrenalin rush.

Private equity firm CHAMP Ventures buys into retail chain Lorna Jane

Retailer Lorna Jane will embark on an ambitious national expansion program after private equity firm CHAMP Ventures takes significant stake.

Monday, 29 March 2010

Richard Branson's Virgin Active chain expands – but his Formula One team flounders

Sir Richard Branson's gym chain Virgin Active might be expanding in the Sydney market, but his new Formula One team, called Virgin Racing, has another embarrassing weekend at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

Juggling dual roles

While entrepreneurs who start a business while still holding down a full-time job have the backing of a steady wage, it is not without its challenges.

Monday, 01 March 2010

It’s not in the genes

Research into whether entrepreneurs are born or made suggests education, exposure to business leaders and networking are more important than genes.

Tuesday, 09 February 2010

For sale: Me

A British entrepreneur is selling a 10% stake in himself for $1.8 million. What would you be worth?

Tuesday, 02 February 2010

Branson heads to the bottom of the sea

Billionaire Richard Branson has unveiled a new underwater craft he hopes will take passengers to the bottom of the ocean at 10,000 metres.

Monday, 18 January 2010

How the super rich will make money in 2010

With the economy set to return to something like normal growth in 2010, there’s little doubt that Australia’s richest entrepreneurs will be looking to reclaim some lost ground.