Richard Branson Survival Quotations

We've always had a pretty competitive and pretty ferocious battle with British Airways... It's lasted now about 14 years, and we're very pleased to have survived it.

Don't wait till you are big before you begin building your brand. Build a brand from scratch alongside your business.

Learn to live on the edge.

Avoid litigations. They are expensive and consume loads of time but if you have got a good case and a better chance of winning; then fight it out.

Free publicity and word of mouth is probably the best and cheapest form of advertising. Learn to use it to your advantage.

Seek out strategic alliances; they are essential to growth and provide resistance to bigger competition.

And if after all this you eventually fail; don't take it personal. Don't be ashamed to start all over again.

Meet regularly with your business team and brainstorm. Intricate business problems are mostly resolved at brainstorming sessions.

Remain focused on fulfilling your business mission. Never allow adversity divert your attention and efforts.

Grow internally first. Strengthen your bottom line first before considering external growth.

Be swift to take advantage of business opportunities. Bigger companies are too cumbersome to move quickly; this can be a competitive advantage for you.

Be creative. Innovate consistently on the little things that the big companies ignore. Little things often make big differences in business.

Build your own business team. Survival in business requires a synergy of skills.

Listen to the customer's complaint and act fast.

Focus on your business strengths and keep its weaknesses away from the competition or public.

Run lean; avoid unnecessary expenses.

Don't hesitate to seek external help or advice where need be. Sometimes, it takes an external, emotionally unattached individual to detect your business flaws and render unbiased advice.

Follow your instincts and live with the consequences.