22 Quotes By Richard Branson That Take You Inside The Mind Of The Self-Made Billionaire

Six years later, he opened up a recording studio. The company's first song - a track called "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield - stayed on the U.K. charts for 247 weeks.

The Virgin empire had begun.

Now at 64, Branson is equal parts man, myth, and legend. His Virgin Group is composed of 400 companies, employs 60,000 people, and operates in more than 30 countries. He has an estimated net worth of $5 billion.

Branson also has a flair for the dramatic. He's crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a hot air balloon and kite-surfed across the English Channel.

To gain an understanding of the adventurous, wildly successful entrepreneur, we combed through his talks, interviews, and profiles. Here's what we found.