Richard Branson Dreams of a New Day for Transportation

09/09/18 • 12 min

Richard Branson jokes that he rarely says no to much of anything, which has earned him the nickname Doctor Yes among his peers. Perhaps that explains the ocean-spanning hot air balloon rides and kitesurfing across the English Channel – or as he calls it, his “insatiable interest in life.”The founder of the Virgin Group says such a mindset fueled his well-known success in the airline and music businesses, among other ventures, as well as his philanthropy around the world. It’s also the driving force as Virgin pushes the boundaries of space exploration and transportation here on Earth with technologies like the Hyperloop.But should business leaders embrace their own versions of Doctor Yes?To answer this question and more, Branson recently sat down with UPS Chief Information and Engineering Officer Juan Perez and Rimas Kapeskas, who managed UPS’s Strategic Enterprise Fund, the company’s venture capital unit.The conversation, recorded during Branson’s visit to UPS’s Global Headquarters, centers on how Branson puts innovative ideas into action, the importance of business leaders who really listen and technologies that could transform the movement of people – and packages – in an ever-shrinking world.Branson also explains why his life pursuits amount to the “one, long university education that I never had” and breaks down his recipe for a people-first company culture.Lastly, he answers the most important question of them all: What’s next?

Previous Episode

Nirvana in 3D

Additive manufacturing will forever shift the concept of supply and demand, moving businesses and consumers from a mindset of “best fit” to “my fit.” UPS’s Alan Amling and Fast Radius founder Rick Smith explain why 3D printing is nothing short of nirvana for businesses plagued by mounting warehouse inventories and profit-draining inefficiencies.They imagine a world where we can make whatever we want whenever we want it.

Next Episode

Finding Your Creative Confidence

When you hear the name Tim Brown (not the football player), the words design thinking are likely to follow.

As a leading influencer of the design thinking movement, Tim encourages companies to solve problems primarily through the lens of what people need. In other words, Tim wants us all to think more like designers.

In this episode of Longitudes Radio, kicking off a two-part series, the CEO and President of IDEO argues that big ideas aren’t the exclusive domain of “creative” types, saying the most effective organizations are those that give their people the permission to be creative – and even fail.

And the best leaders, Tim says, ask questions all the time, always wondering what their teams can do better and how they can unlock the potential in their people.

Given the rate of change and disruption in the world, global solutions require the active engagement and participation of agile team members, those who are willing to learn first and foremost from the customers they serve, Tim says.

He also discusses some common problem-solving pitfalls such as thinking too short term, falling into monotonous routines and giving up as soon as somebody questions your idea.

As Tim points out, a great idea doesn’t mean a whole lot ... unless you’re able to put it into action – and meet an actual need. Ultimately, that’s what design thinking is all about.