Ask Richard Branson a question

By now everyone knows that Sir Richard Branson will be the guest speaker at SolidWorks World 2009. But ssshhhh, here's a secret news item that ONLY you will know—we won’t be asking Sir Richard (“please call me Richard”) to stand up and give the traditional canned speech, even though we already know that he'll be fascinating.

It turns out he’s much more comfortable sitting down and having a chat on any topic we may want to discuss. So he and I will sit together onstage and have a conversation. I'm ironing my smoking jacket and already have a pretty good list going; from his earliest days as a ”start-up”, to his adventures battling BA and American Airlines, to his forays into everything from colas to music stores, to his many charitable efforts, and, of course, to his current initiative with rocket scientist and SolidWorks World 2005 speaker/SolidWorks customer Burt Rutan and the imminent launching of Virgin Galactic. That’s a lot! But we thought it would be great to get the community of SolidWorks users involved, too. After all, why should I have all the fun?

So, here’s the offer – if YOU could sit down with Richard and ask him anything (keep it clean; I know how some of you think), what would it be? And, something deeper than “…if you were a tree, what would you be?” It doesn’t  have to be serious; after all he only pursues interests that he and his employees can genuinely have fun doing. 

So here’s your chance to be the next Larry King/David Frost/Oprah—leave your questions for Sir Richard in the comments section. If I ask your question on stage, I’ll mention your name and company, and the same will appear behind me on-screen.

Doesn’t this sound better than the same old predictable stand-up speech and death by PowerPoint?

Comments

[Mike Puckett]

What do you find is the biggest obstacle to overcome when you set out on a new far out there endeavor like Virgin Galactic? Government regulation, financial resources, technical experts capable of achieving the goal, something else?

[Jason Klein]

Richard-

“Irreverence” and “Sex Appeal” are important to the Virgin brand…

1. How have you tailored these traits to different cultures?

2. What’s your rule of thumb to prevent going over the line?

Jason Klein
Plan B. Branding
San Diego

[Muggs]

Richard,

How do I go about winning a free trip into space?

Muggs

[Gerri]

Richard,
With the global state of the economy as it is:
1)how do you see it affecting any of your future plans?
2)do you have any words of wisdom that will help the rest of us survive these financial times?

[Zach Burhop]

Richard-
I am an industrial design student working part time at a rocket company. Virgin Atlantic has seemed to rely heavily on industrial design. I was curious if you think virgin galatic will take a similiar path. And how important do you think industrial design is to private space exploration as a whole.
Thanks,
Zach Burhop

[Marijn]

Will I ever go to space on Holiday, I am currently 26.

[fcsuper]

Are you investing in any industries where you expect substantial group within the few years, and if so, what are those industries?

[Steve McGrath]

Sir Richard:

You've transformed many audacious visions into successes. Have you ever failed? What happened, and what did you learn?

Steve

[Joe Galliera]

What's the most important thing in taking a brand, like Virgin or SolidWorks, into other markets which are outside of the brand's core business?

and...

If you could design one thing for the world, what would that thing do?

[Rich Hall]

Richard,
As we see many of the US regional air carriers consolidating and charging for checked baggage, charging for counter service etc. Where do you see the future of commercial air travel going and where does the loss of customer service leave premium airlines like Virgin Atlantic?

[Richard from France]

Hello Richard,

A few decades ago, you choose to invest all your energy in the music market. If you had no money today, but the opportunity to start a new life, how would you choose the right direction to start a good business?

Thanks a lot,

Richard from France

[Doug Murray]

One of the big draw backs to reducing carbon foot prints is the lack of infrastructure to run cars on anything other than diesel or gasoline. If we all move to plug in cars, where do we get the power from? Someone needs to make the extra power, and we need to get it while out on the road or while parked. Although primarily a developed nation’s problem it is just as important if not more urgent in developing countries. As transportation is a big part of Virgin business, do you see Virgin becoming involved in the electric car business or infrastructure?

[Kevin Quigley]

What is your favourite product (non Virgin brand!) and why?

[Gavin McKeown]

As Virgin evolved from it's early days as a record shop and then a record label, what has guided you in what should be part of the Virgin brand? How well do things as different as Virgin Health Bank and Virgin Comics fit in the same overall brand?

[Ty]

Sir Richard,

I am an designer for a Company that builds parts for the fire market. Do you have and interest in those types of markets?

[Ashley]

hello Richard your a hard man to get hold of haha what it is that i want to speak to you about something that i think will help people with dyslexia that has helped me and I don't think anybody is doing it. see you like me have had a hard past but wouldn't change anything but I've got some great ideas that has helped me and I need your help to move things and see what you think etc, so can you please help me because i want to help people with dyslexia all round the world and it can be done.

[Bill Enos Hawk Ridge Systems]

Richard,

In your opinion, How does the World Business leaders view the US now with a new President and a slumping economy? What should our govt learn from other countries/companies to help turn this economic nightmare around?

[lgordon]

I understand that one of your enterprises, "Virgin Trains," wants to make trains in the U.K. "sexy." Exactly how can a train be made sexy? What aspects of industrial design is your company using to support your endeavor?

Thank you,
Leslie Gordon
Machine Design magazine

[Garrett Brooks]

1. If you only had one million dollars, what would you spend it on? :)

2. Some people see money as power to control; other people see money as freedom to explore. How do you see money?

[Tom Spika]

Richard- Many people believe in picking one thing and doing it better than anyone else. Virgin has seemed to disprove that by branching into very broad and diverse industries and being highly successful in doing so. What recommendations do you have for growing a business?