The famously flamboyant Richard Branson pretty much defines the word, “entrepreneur.” Some have gone so far as to call the British businessman the WORLD’S entrepreneur. So who IS this man?

by Lisa Steinkamp

The Virgin Chronicles

Branson is the brain behind “Virgin“, one of the most famous brands on the planet. It’s an empire made up of nearly 200 companies, all with the Virgin stamp. But at the age of 57, it sometimes seems as if Branson is just getting started: his Virgin America airline is now flying in the U.S., and then there’s his much talked about Virgin Galactic (yes, we mean space travel).

Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born on July 18, 1950, and grew up in Shamley Green, Surrey, England. “C” students, take heart: Branson was reportedly not particularly good in school (some attribute this to dyslexia) and he eventually dropped out. He did not attend college; for one thing, he was way too busy building up his impressive resume of accomplishments.

At age 16, he was already running his first business and media outlet, Student Magazine, out of a basement in London. That same year, Branson also created his first charity, Student Advisory Centre, geared towards helping young people (since then, Branson has given away billions to a wide variety of charities).

In 1970, Branson started a mail-order record business that soon evolved into a small music store. That was the first in what is now a worldwide chain called Virgin Megastores.

In 1972 Branson launched a recording studio and record label (Virgin Records), and signed such bands as Culture Club, Simple Minds and the Sex Pistols. In 1992 he sold the label to EMI for a reported $1 billion dollars.

Flying High

Branson soon proved himself to be more than just music; in 1984, he formed Virgin Atlantic airlines, now the second largest British long-haul international carrier in the sky. His latest and long awaited airline, Virgin America began flying out of its San Francisco hub in the summer of 2007.

Perhaps the most outrageous of Branson’s business endeavors is Virgin Galactic. It’s set to be the first carrier to offer commercial travel into space, with flights scheduled to start in 2009. However, a round-trip ticket to sub-orbital space will cost you about $200,000, but not to worry: Branson has said he wants to make space travel affordable for ordinary people, so maybe the price will drop (keep checking FareCompare.com and we’ll keep you posted!).

All Work and No Play? No Way!

Branson isn’t just business; he’s a guy that likes his fun. And fun for him is fierce competition, especially in his famed hot air balloon “Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer” and his boat, the “Virgin Challenger II”. He has set several world records including his1986 triumph: crossing the Atlantic on his boat in the fastest time ever recorded. The very next year, his hot-air balloon became the largest such craft ever flown, as well as the first hot-air balloon to cross the Atlantic. In 1991, Branson broke all records when he crossed the Pacific from Japan to Arctic Canada, traveling 6,700 miles, while reaching speeds of 245 mph.

Perhaps one of Branson’s most interesting records though, is that he owns the most expensive “crib” ever featured on MTV’s “Cribs” TV show; that “crib” would be 74-acre Necker Island (located in the British Virgin Islands, of course!). It is reportedly worth $150 million.

Knighthood AND the Mile High Club

Recently, Branson revealed he achieved “every man’s dream” by becoming a member of the, uh, somewhat exclusive \”Mile-High Club\” at the age of 19. In a more public forum, he was knighted by the queen back in 1999 for his “services to entrepreneurship.” Goodbye Branson, hello Sir Richard!

Sir Richard is married, has two children, and lives primarily in London.