Richard Branson made his money primarily by founding and expanding the Virgin Group, a multinational conglomerate that started in 1970 with a mail-order record business and then launched Virgin Records in 1973. This record label signed major artists rejected by others, growing into the world's largest independent record label before being sold for nearly $1 billion in 1992
. Branson then diversified into various industries, notably founding Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1984, which challenged established airlines by focusing on superior customer experience and innovative services. Virgin Atlantic became profitable and significantly boosted the Virgin brand's value
. In 1999, he launched Virgin Mobile, pioneering the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model, which offered simpler pricing and targeted younger consumers. Virgin Mobile expanded internationally and was sold for a large sum, further increasing Branson’s wealth
. Over time, Virgin Group grew to include over 400 companies across sectors such as airlines, telecommunications, banking, hospitality, and space tourism (Virgin Galactic), generating around $20 billion in annual revenue. Branson's wealth comes from the revenue and value of these diverse Virgin companies
. In summary, Richard Branson made his fortune by starting with music retail and records, then expanding into airlines, telecommunications, and many other sectors under the Virgin brand, leveraging innovation, customer focus, and bold risk-taking to build a global business empire
