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- [00:00]
Lindsey Graham
There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery app as a member of Noiser plus at noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts. Or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts@intohristory.com One of the fantastic things about my job is that I get to, just like you, discover fascinating facts about topics or people I really didn't know anything about. And today is a good example. Like most of course, I know who Richard Branson is and what the companies in his Virgin empire do. There's Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic Airlines, and now there's even Virgin Galactic. Space travel seems to be popular with a billionaire set, and Richard's broad smile and blond lion's mane hair is instantly recognizable. He always looks like he's enjoying himself, and hey, who wouldn't if you're a billionaire with your own spaceships. But what I didn't know was what is perhaps the key to Richard's happiness and success? His gumption. He really is something of a badass. Effortlessly confident, hard working and driven and filled with an inspired moxie. On today's Saturday matinee, we're sharing the first episode of a four part series on Richard Branson and the making of his Virgin empire from my other podcast, Business Movers. And I knew none of this story before making this series. So as you're listening, I hope you find yourself doing what I did, marveling a bit about who this young Richard Branson kid is, the decisions he's making, the deals he cuts at like just 19 years old. Whatever you might say about billionaires, and you can say a lot these days, this one has a great backstory and a lot of pluck I hope you enjoy. While you're listening, be sure to search for and follow Business Movers. We put a link in the show notes to make it easy for you.
- [01:55]
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- [02:28]
Lindsey Graham
Apply history Daily is sponsored by Express Pros. Managing your workforce can be exhausting, and if you're tired of a costly and lengthy hiring process. Simplify and speed up your recruitment with one connection the experts at Express Employment Professionals reduce time to hire, cut down on interviews, and lower your recruitment costs. Visit ExpressPros.com today. Express is more efficient than hiring on your own. Check out express expresspros.com to see how Express Employment Professionals can take care of your hiring it's late on an evening in November 1969 in London, England. 19 year old Richard Branson unlocks his apartment door, walks inside and kicks off his shoes. He makes his way to the tiny kitchen and takes a cold beer from the refrigerator. Then he steps into the living room and slumps, exhausted, onto the couch. Richard is used to getting home late, although he's still a teenager. He already runs his own magazine, but making ends meet in publishing is proving tough. Every month it feels like his young business is on the brink of going under. Richard takes another sip of beer, trying to forget the day when there's a knock on the door. He lifts himself off the couch, curious as to who might be visiting at this time. Two middle aged men stand on the front step. Richard doesn't recognize them, but he can tell by their expressions this isn't a friendly visit. Richard Branson? Yes. I'm Sergeant Morris and this is PC Davies. We're from the Met. Richard is startled. The police officers aren't in uniform and he wonders if this is some kind of joke. You're police? We are, sir. We don't like to wear the uniforms unless strictly necessary. It tends to make people nervous. The officer holds up his Metropolitan Police warrant card and Richard peers at it. He has no idea whether the ID is legitimate or not, and his mind is racing to recall anything he might have done wrong. The policeman steps forward. Can we come in, sir? It's not really a conversation suitable for the doorstep. Well, sure. Yes, of course. Richard motions the two officers into the apartment's small living room and with three people in it, it suddenly seems cramped. Now, there's no reason for you to panic, Mr. Branson. We are just here to alert you to something you may not be aware of. Well, two things actually. The 1889 Indecent Advertisements act and the Venereal Disease act of 1917. Richard is now certain that this is an elaborate practical joke. I'm sorry. Are you sure you have the right person? You are the proprietor of the Student Advisory center on Albion Road? Yes, we run it out of our magazine's offices. The sergeant pulls out several leaflets from his pocket. And do you recognize this literature, Mr. Branson? Yes, those Are some of ours? Do you know it's illegal to advertise remedies for venereal disease? I'm sorry, what? These leaflets, they're illegal. But we're not offering treatments. We're a counseling and advice service. All we do is direct people to qualified doctors. Well, the law's the law, young man, but we're willing to let you off with a warning. Still, if your organization continues to distribute such obscene literature to the public, we'll have no choice but to come back. And then I'm afraid we'll have to be in our uniforms. After this visit from the police, Richard Branson spent a restless night replaying the conversation in his mind. He was more annoyed than frightened, convinced that the police officers were just trying to intimidate him because they didn't like his business. But he had no intention of giving in. After all, he had not come this far by playing by the rules. And if this really was the law, then as far as Richard was concerned, it deserved to be broken. Foreign I'm Lindsey Graham and this is Business Movers. Today, the Virgin Group is a multi billion dollar business with stakes in industries all over the world. But it's in Britain that Virgin was born and where the brand has had the biggest impact. Customers in the United Kingdom can watch TV through Virgin Media. They can bank with Virgin money. They can book tickets to travel the country with Virgin trains. Or they can cruise the Caribbean with Virgin Voyages. They can fly across oceans on Virgin Atlantic or take a gentler trip into the skies in a Virgin hot air balloon. This diverse corporate empire reflects the character and philosophy of its founder. Richard Branson is passionate about business without being attached to any one industry. And for every successful venture, there's another that didn't work out. Virgin Mobile, Virgin Cinemas and Virgin Cola are just some of the brands that have come and gone. But Richard has always been willing to take gambles and risk failure to get ahead. He was just a child when he launched his first business. But those early money making ventures were a far cry from the media and travel companies that would one day make him famous. But even growing up in rural England in the 1960s, there were opportunities. And Richard Branson was just the young entrepreneur to find them. This is the first episode in our four part series on the origins of the Virgin. Sowing the seeds it's spring 1965 at Tanyard Farm in Shamley Green, a village in southeast England. Four years before Richard Branson's encounter with the police. 14 year old Richard climbs over a fence and jumps into a muddy field behind his family's farmhouse. A moment later, his best friend, Nick Powell, follows Richard and his family have just moved in, and Richard is showing Nick around the grounds, their new home. But Richard wants to do more than just give Nick a tour. Richard isn't the best student. So while he's away from school on this Easter break, he's been brainstorming business ideas, and he thinks he's found a winner. Now he has to convince Nick to help him make it a reality. But Nick is not enjoying himself at the moment. He's shivering. He pulls his jacket tighter. Okay. You've got a lot of land. I get it. Can we go back now? It is free. Freezing. Richard throws his arms out and gestures at the field they've just entered. But this is what I wanted you to see. It's a field. Yeah, for now. How many Christmas trees do you think could fit in here? I'm sorry, what? Take a guess. Any guess. Don't think about it for too long. Nick looks at Richard like he's lost his mind. Then he turns his gaze to the barren field. I don't know. 300? 400? How big is a Christmas tree? Yeah, 400. Exactly what I thought. Why are you asking about Christmas trees? It's April. Richard reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and gently pulls out a pine tree seedling. Because we'll need to plant them pretty soon. Dad says he doesn't have any plans for this field, so I've asked if I can use it. I've done the numbers. 400 of these seedlings cost only £5. If we can grow them to 6ft tall, we can sell them for £2 each. That's £800, potentially. Even if we don't sell them all, it's still a heck of a profit. Nick looks around the empty, muddy field. Planting 400 trees is going to take a while. Well, that's where you come in. Oh, God. If we split up the work, I bet we can get it done in a week. Plenty of time before school starts again. This is. This is your plan? You want to become a Christmas tree tycoon? Well, why not? There's money to be made. And what if it doesn't work? What then? We spent weeks in a muddy coal field for nothing. Well, then if we just try something else. At just 14 years old, Richard Branson was already developing a gift for spotting business opportunities. By the time he and his friend Nick Powell returned to school at the end of Easter break, they had planted hundreds of Christmas tree seedlings. In the field at Tanyard farm. Now all they had to do was wait for their profits to grow. In the summer of 1965, Richard Branson returned from boarding school, Eager to see how his Christmas trees were growing. When he got home, he expected to see rows and rows of fast growing trees. But he was disappointed. The field behind the farmhouse was littered with shredded saplings, Their branches chewed down to the twigs and roots dug up by rabbits. Richard's first business venture was a failure, but he soon came up with another idea. A few weeks later, Richard visited his friend Nick Powell to see the new parakeet that Nick had been given as a present. These small, brightly colored birds were popular pets at the time, thanks to their sociable personalities and ability to mimic human speech. And as Richard watched the bird hop out of its cage and onto Nick's arm, A new business idea came to breeding parakeets. Nick was convinced it would work about as well as the Christmas trees, But once again, he was quickly roped in as Richard's business partner. But to turn parakeets into profit, Richard needed more than just Nick's solitary bird. He needed dozens, as well as someplace to keep them. He found the solution close to home. Although Richard's father had bought Tanyard farm a few months earlier, Ted Branson was not a farmer. He'd made his money as a lawyer, and he'd bought the farmhouse and its surrounding fields with the intention of transforming it into a luxury home. That meant that there were several barns on the property standing empty, and Richard thought it would be easy to convert one of them into an aviary. Once that was done, their only expense would be food for the breeding parakeets. But Richard needed his father's permission to use one of the old barns. And after the failure of the Christmas tree farm, he knew that getting his father's support might prove tricky. So Richard spent hours drawing up a business plan for his bird breeding business. He included a breakdown of how much each parakeet would cost, how fast they would breed, how much food they would eat, and what potential profits the business could make. The detailed pitch impressed Richard's father so much that he spent a week helping Richard and Nick convert one of the barns into a giant aviary. And once the cages were ready, Richard filled a quarter of them with parakeets that he bought at a reduced rate from a local pet shop. At first, the business went exactly to plan. Over the next few months, the birds bred quickly, and the other cages in the barn soon filled up with baby parakeets. Meanwhile, Richard and Nick were busy trying to talk everyone they knew into buying a bird as a pet. But Richard soon realized that he'd made a major miscalculation in his business plan. He'd been so concerned about supply that he failed to consider demand. Neither Richard nor Nick was old enough to drive, and that limited them to selling the birds to customers within walking distance. But Shamley Green had a population of less than a thousand people. To sell all the parakeets and Richard's aviary, every single family in the village would have to buy several birds. Richard sold as many as he could, but he still had dozens and dozens of birds left. In the end, all he could do was open the cages and set the parakeets free. After the failure of his two homegrown enterprises, Richard began to wonder if the sleepy village of Shamley Green was the right place to launch his business career. He decided he needed a bigger market. But before Richard could plan any new money making schemes, it was time to return for his final year at school. Stowe was one of the most expensive boarding schools for boys in the country, but Richard had always had a hard time there. He was convinced that he was smart, but he often struggled to get his thoughts down on paper in the way his teachers wanted. Later, he would be diagnosed with dyslexia and dyscalculia conditions. That meant it was difficult for Richard to understand theoretical concepts involving words and numbers. But in the mid-1960s, few allowances were made for such learning differences. And one of his end of term reports dismissed Richard's intellect with the comment, tries hard but seems unable to grasp even the simplest mathematical process. Thanks to his lackluster grades, Richard had no intention of continuing a formal education any longer than was necessary. He was nearly 16, the minimum age one could leave school in Britain, and he couldn't wait to be finished. But as he approached his final months at Stowe, he began to think more critically about its cultures and rules. Students at the school had little freedom, even outside of class. Attendance at church on Sunday mornings was compulsory, as were the sports. On Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, the boys were assigned seats in the dining hall. And if any of them stepped out of line, the consequences were terrifying. Like most British schools at the time, Stowe practiced corporal punishment, and every boy lived in fear of the principal's cane. The more Richard stewed on these things, the more they bothered him. He began writing letters to senior teachers, making suggestions on how to improve life for students in Stowe. One of his first proposals was for a school cafeteria to replace the formal dining hall that would allow the boys to mingle freely with friends. But it also cut down on food waste by allowing pupils to choose what they wanted. In response, the principal told Richard to express his views in the school magazine. But Richard knew this was just a brush off. The magazine was run by a hand picked team of students who were just as straight laced and traditional as the teachers. They wouldn't print anything revolutionary, and even if they did, Richard knew that hardly anyone bothered to read the thing anyway. But Richard wasn't prepared to give up. Instead, he decided he would create an alternative school magazine to publish his views. Richard knew his struggles with words and spelling would prevent him from doing much of the writing himself. So he enlisted the help of a classmate to get his idea off the ground. Johnny Holland Gems was well read and bookmarked. The perfect partner for Richard's new project. Together, Richard and Johnny brainstormed ideas. They wanted their magazine to lead campaigns against old fashioned rules like mandatory church attendance and corporal punishment. But they didn't just want to write about school matters. They were also eager to address broader cultural and political causes that mattered to young people in the 1960s. But as they began their work, they soon realized that they had stumbled upon a unique opportunity. They saw that the interests and issues that concerned students at Stowe were shared by many young people all across the country. So instead of targeting just a few hundred students at their privileged boarding school, Richard and Johnny decided to aim higher. They named their magazine Student, Pitching it to a national audience of peers that numbered in the hundreds of thousands. And after two years, years of trying and failing to find a viable business idea, Richard had finally identified an untapped market. This time there would be no rabbits to eat away his profits and no shortage of potential customers. What if planting trees and breeding birds had been challenging enough? Richard was about to discover that magazine publishing was even harder. History Daily is sponsored by indeed. One thing I've noticed in my business is that by the time a problem reveals itself, it's already too late. You might say we need help now. But it's more like we needed help six weeks ago. But we are only just figuring that out. And if the help you need is a new hire, well, get ready for more waiting. Unless you turn to Indeed. How fast is Indeed? Well, in the minute. I've been talking to you. 23 hires were made on Indeed according to Indeed Data Worldwide. Plus with Indeed sponsored jobs. There are no monthly subscriptions, no long term contracts, and you only pay for results. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Listeners of History Daily will get a $75 sponsored job credit. To get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com OnThisDay. Just go to Indeed.com OnThisDay right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com onthisday Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. What's the greatest innovation in history? Is it the steam engine? The semiconductor? The Internet? The wheel? Let me suggest another hands free Skechers slip ins because, and I know this is true, you secretly hate your shoes. Lacing them up, tying that knot, bending over to wrench your foot in. Forget all of that. Hands free Skechers slip ins revolutionize how you put on and take off your shoes. Just step in and they're on. You never even have to touch them. It's like they have an invisible built in shoe horn. So your foot slides in. Comfy and secure. Experience Skechers slip ins at a Skechers store. Skechers.com history or wherever sty footwear is sold. And use code history for 20% off site wide. That's Skechers.com history code history for 20% off. Standard exclusions apply. It's February 1967 in the village of Stowe in southeast England, two months after Richard Branson decided to launch a magazine for young people. Wind and rain lash the sides of a bright red phone booth as Richard feeds coins into the machine one by one. This is Richard's office, and for the past two days he spent hours here trying to sell advertising space in a magazine that doesn't exist yet. He's had no luck so far, but Richard isn't ready to give up. His breath fogs the window and he takes a moment to compose himself. The last thing he wants is to sound desperate. National Westminster Bank. Oh, hello. Good morning. Is this the marketing department? It is. May I ask who's calling? My name is Richard Branson. I'm calling from the offices of Student magazine. I'm sorry, from where? From Student, Britain's biggest magazine for young people. I've never heard of it. Well, that's because we're yet to launch, actually, but our first issue is about to go to the printer and I'm calling you today with an exciting opportunity for National Westminster to become one of our founding advertisers. Unfortunately, our advertising budget is allocated for this financial year. You might try calling back in April. Well, are you sure about that? Your biggest competitor, Lloyds bank, has already made a commitment to purchase a full page ad. Oh, have they really? Richard twists the telephone cord in his fingers, keeping his voice calm and confident. He's not a natural liar, but after two days of rejection, he's willing to try anything. Absolutely. They're very enthusiastic, very excited. That's why I wanted to do you the courtesy of offering. Richard is interrupted by the payphone warning him that he needs to insert more money. He digs frantically in his pocket for some change, but his fingers are frozen and he fumbles the coins. Dammit. I'm sorry. Richard scrambles on the ground for the fallen coins while trying to sound composed. So, yes, sorry, as I was saying, Midland bank has already committed to a full page ad. You said it was Lloyds? Yes, Lloyd's. Richard finds two coins and quickly feeds another into the slot. But. But we've had interest from Midlands too. Lot, lots and lots of interest. I'm sorry, are you calling from a telephone box? Listen, let me tell you. Student is going to be a completely different kind of youth magazine. Modern, cutting edge, speaking to the issues that really matter to young people. Today. Our readership will be school and university students at some of the top institutions in the country. So if you're interested in targeting the elite of tomorrow, well, look no further. We're launching in the spring and we only have a few pages of ad space left. What do you say? Are you in or out? The National Westminster bank did not buy any ad space in the first issue of Student. But Richard Branson's sales pitch was improving and eventually his perseverance paid off. After spending days in a freezing cold phone booth, he finally found a single advertiser who agreed to pay £250 for space and students debut. That commitment was the equivalent of over $7,000 today, and it gave Richard just enough cash to produce the first issue. Now he had to work out what to fill it with. Brian in the summer of 1967, Richard Branson graduated from Stowe School. School. He left with barely any qualifications. He'd flunked his final exams, just as he and his teachers had predicted. But Richard had stopped worrying about grades a long time ago. By now he knew that his future lay away from academia. On his last day at Stowe, the school principal told him, I predict you'll either go to prison or become a millionaire. Richard certainly hoped it would be the latter. So he headed to London to start his career as an entrepreneur. And he didn't go alone. He was accompanied by his new business partner, Johnny Holland. Gems. Johnny had gone against the wishes of his Parents to quit Stowe at the same time as Richard. And with 250 pounds in their pockets from their first advertiser, these two teenagers set up a makeshift office and set to work putting together the first issue of Student magazine. Now that Student had a mailing address in London and Richard didn't have to use a phone book booth to make calls, the magazine appeared more like a genuine business. Richard's sales pitch continued to improve as well, and more advertisers steadily came on board. That in turn gave Richard and Johnny the funds to hire professional writers. Richard wanted Student to feature a mix of engaging cultural and political pieces. He was delighted when best selling espionage novelist John Le Carre agreed to contribute a short story to the first first issue. The famous Pop art painter David Hockney also provided a few quotes for an article on the state of British art. But Richard knew there was no point in tracking such big names to the magazine if no one was able to read it. Richard wanted young people across the country to have access to Student. But he couldn't afford to strike a deal with established magazine distributors. So instead, Richard would have to set up his own operation from scratch. He reached out directly to schools and universities, looking for any students who might be interested in working as his distributors. So throughout the fall of 1967, Richard built up a small team who would work on commission. And by January of the following year, the inaugural issue of Student was finally ready to be launched. Circulation was still small at first, but word spread quickly. As the magazine was passed around in school classrooms and university lecture halls, Interest grew, sales increased, and that attracted more advertisers and more contributors. Soon, celebrities like the actress Vanessa Redgrave and Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger were agreeing to sit down for interviews with students reporters. But despite the magazine's growing success, it dawned on Richard that it was more difficult than he'd thought to make money in publishing. Every copy of the magazine retailed for the modern equivalent of about $6 a 50 cents. Additional income came from advertisers, but that still didn't leave much room for profit. Richard had to pay his staff writers and distributors, he had to pay the printers, and he was paying the cost of shipping the magazines around the country. It was becoming clear that Student was not going to make Richard a millionaire. But unlike his failed Christmas tree and bird breeding ventures, Richard didn't give up at the first sign of trouble. Instead, he began to think of the magazine as just part of a much larger enterprise. He daydreamed about how Student could diversify and start offering Other services to young people. It could evolve into a student travel company, A student bank, or a student real estate agency. But before Richard could decide on which of these ideas to pursue, he lost his business partner. A few months after the launch of the first issue of Student, Johnny Holland, Gems gave into pressure from his parents and told Richard he was returning to Stowe to resume his studies. Richard was now alone at the head of a magazine, but he soon had more on his mind than just the next edition. In late 1968, Richard's girlfriend told him she was pregnant. Neither of the young couple thought the time was right to have a baby, but abortion had only recently been legalized in Britain, and there weren't many doctors who were qualified and willing to perform the operation. Then there was the cost. It took days of stressful telephone calls for Richard and his girlfriend to find a reputable clinic at a price they could afford. And in the months that followed, Richard couldn't get this experience out of his head. Even though abortion was now legal, it had been difficult for him and his girlfriend to find even the most basic information about their birth control options. And Richard knew that other young couples in Britain must be facing similar problems every day. Suddenly, Richard knew what he wanted his next venture to be. A few weeks later, in the pages of his magazine, Richard announced the launch of the student advisory center. This center would be an information exchange connecting young people with doctors and medical professionals who could provide affordable access to family planning advice, mental health resources, and other services. As a business concept, Richard knew that the student advisory center was even less likely to turn a profit than the magazine, having to rely on donations and volunteers to keep going. But Richard didn't mind. He felt that he was doing something important and worthwhile. But not everyone agreed. In November 1969, Richard was visited by police officers who told him he was breaking the law by using the words venereal disease in student advisory center leaflets. He was told that if he didn't stop publishing this material, he could face criminal charges. Richard chose to ignore these threats and kept distributing the leaflets. So a month later, the same officers returned, and this time, Richard was arrested. After he was fingerprinted and had his mugshot taken at the local police station, Richard was released on bail and ordered to turn up to court. In a few weeks time, he was told that even though he was free for the time being, he was facing up to two years in prison. But even then, rich Richard refused to be intimidated. He believed that the student advisory center was providing a service that students desperately needed, and he had no intention of shutting it down. Richard had created Student magazine because he believed young people deserved a voice, one that could challenge the rules controlling their lives. Now he was in a legal battle based on the same exact principle. So Richard was determined to fight for his rights and those of young people all across Britain, even if that meant he'd spent his 20th birthday behind bars. History Daily is sponsored by Strangers in Time, the new epic novel from one New York Times best selling author David Baldacci. In 1944 London, three complete strangers must work together to survive World War II. But will they be able to escape their own dark secrets? Kate Quinn calls Strangers in Time Oliver Twist Meets the Blitz. A beautiful read, and Lisa Scottellini says it's a masterpiece of a historical thriller. Strangers in Time is available in bookstores now. History Daily is sponsored by A Truby Lately you may have been hearing about a serious but rare heart condition called attr Cardiac Amyloidosis, or attrcm. Because symptoms can be similar to other heart conditions, it may take time to be diagnosed, but learning more about ATTRCM and a treatment called a truby, also called acharamatous, could be important for you or a loved one. Atruby is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with ATTRCM to reduce death and hospitalization due to heart issues. In one study, people taking Atrubey saw an impact on their health related quality of life and 50% fewer hospitalizations due to heart issues than people who didn't take Atruby, giving you more chances to do what you love with who you love. Tell your doctor if you're pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding and about the medications you take. The most common side effects were mild and included diarrhea and abdominal pain. If you have attrcm, talk to your cardiologist about a Truby or visit attruby.com that's a T T R U B Y.com to learn. It's December 1969 at a law firm in London, a week after Richard Branson's arrest. Richard sits alone at a vast mahogany table, drumming his fingers against the polished surface. He resists the urge to get up and pace the room. He doesn't want to seem nervous. He knows he's done nothing wrong and has got nothing to hide. He just hopes his lawyer agrees. Richard looks up as John Mortimer strides in carrying a worn leather brief case. John is in his mid-40s, with a plump face and shrewd eyes behind his thick rimmed glasses. He's one of the country's most famous lawyers. And Richard hopes he's just the man to help him win his battle against Britain's archaic censorship laws. John stretches out his hand. Richard, so sorry to keep you away. Richard takes John's hand and shakes, trying to disguise how nervous he feels. That's okay. I mean, thanks for fitting me in. Not at all. Not at all. You know, I've defended literary smut, radicals and outright lunatics, but a teenage magazine publisher is a new one. Well, I'm glad I could keep your job. Interesting. John tosses his briefcase onto the table, opens it and pulls out a stack of papers. He adjusts his glasses and flips through the pages in silence. All right, let's see. Hmm. Is it bad? Well, it's worse than bad. It's ridiculous. Richard lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding as John continues. I mean, let's start with the Venereal Disease act charge. That's total nonsense. That law was meant to stop quack doctors from selling miracle cures. But it's my understanding that your organization doesn't actually provide any medical advice, correct? That's right. All we do is direct people to the medical services they need. We have a list of trusted providers that we refer them to. Well, then you're not breaking the law, so we can disregard that charge right away. We'll focus on the other one. The Indecent Advertisements Act. That one might be trickier. Is it really illegal to use the words venereal disease in a leaflet? It's a medical term. We're not publishing pornography. Oh, I agree entirely. But the law does not. The act in question is from 1889, back when even talking about these things was considered scandalous. It's not fit for the modern age, of course, but magistrates tend to go by the letter of the law, not common sense. Richard slumps back in his chair. Does this mean I'm going to prison? What? Good Lord, no. Is that what the police told you? They told me I might get two years. John rolls his eyes. Oh, you would think they would have better things to do with their time than bully teenagers. Don't worry, Mr. Branson, no judge in his right mind is going to send a 19 year old with no criminal record to prison over something like this. At worst, you'll get a fine. Richard shakes his head. It seems ridiculous that helping people access medical care could have him defending himself like a criminal. But then a thought strikes him. Do you suppose there'll be some press attention to this case when it Comes to trial. Oh, I dare say there will. Is that a problem? No, not at all. John tilts his head in amusement. No such thing as bad publicity, eh? You are a businessman. Richard Branson left his meeting with John Mortimer with a renewed sense of confidence. He'd felt from the start that the police were targeting him unfairly. Now he had one of the best legal minds in Britain backing him up. His worries faded and Richard started almost looking forward to his day in court. It wasn't a threat to him anymore. Instead it was an opportunity. In May 1970, the first hearing in the case against Richard Branson took place at Marylebone Magistrates Court, London. Just as his lawyer John Mortimer had predicted. The charge under the Venereal Diseases act was dismissed because the Student Advisory center was not directly offering or claiming to offer medical treatment. But prosecutors were determined to continue with a charge relating to the Indecent Advertisements Act. John had assembled several witnesses to testify in Richard's defense and among them was Chad Vara, who had founded a suicide crisis phone line called Samaritans. Chad spoke passionately about how the Student Advisory center had improved access to mental health support for young people. But JA didn't just rely on emotional arguments. He also mounted a strong legal defense based on the fact that the authorities were operating a double standard. According to new government regulations, all public restrooms had to feature a notice offering advice to people with sexually transmitted infections. According to John, if Richard was breaking the law by quoting the words venereal disease in Student Advisory center literature, then so was the government in its restroom posters. But this was not enough to convince the magistrate by the letter of the law. He felt he had no choice but to find Richard guilty. Still he he was clearly reluctant to punish Richard too harshly. Richard was not sent to prison and instead fined £7. Outside the courthouse, Richard's lawyer John made a statement calling for the outdated Indecent Advertisements act to be repealed. The following day's newspapers covered his speech in detail. And later that same year the British government revised the law so a similar case couldn't happen again. Richard was glad that the law had been changed. But he was even more pleased about the publicity of the case case it generated for Student magazine and the Student Advisory Center. His brand was now widely seen as forward thinking. A business that challenged the stuffy old fashioned establishment. For Richard, a seven pound fine was a price worth paying. But he soon realized that in fact not all publicity was good publicity. Although the court case improved students reputation with its readers, it had the opposite effect on its standing with advertising they became reluctant to associate themselves with such a prominent and controversial brand. Opinion pieces on hotly disputed subjects like the Vietnam War and the fight for civil rights in America only increased their hesitation. So soon, ad revenue began to fall. If his business was to survive, Richard needed to search for alternative ways to bring in revenue. He hit on a solution as he flipped through the pages of the magazine. Magazine's latest addition. There was one subject that got more reader feedback and interest than any other. Music artists like Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones sold thousands of records to student readers every year. And the profit margin had to be better than it was in magazines. So Richard made up his mind. He was going into the music business. His lack of experience didn't deter him. He'd known nothing about publishing before he started Studio Student, after all. But there was one thing that did give him pause. Although he'd built a strong brand around Student, he was starting to see its limits. He wouldn't be young forever. And he didn't just want to sell products to teenagers for the rest of his life. So for his new record label, he wanted to try something new. He wanted a name that was broad but not bland, non specific, yet memorable. And after days of brainstorming, he hit on it. Virgin. This new name summed up Richard's journey so far. He was still only 20 years old and a newcomer to the business world. But Virgin wasn't just a name, it was an ethos. It meant offering a fresh perspective, being unafraid to do things differently and challenge the status quo. Soon, that philosophy would make Virgin one of Britain's hottest new brands and land Richard Branson in trouble with the law. Once again, from Wonder Eat. This is episode one of our series on Richard Branson and the birth of Virgin for business moves. On the next episode, Richard Branson gets into the music business. But he's caught in an illegal scheme that threatens the future of his young business empire. If you'd like to learn more about the early days of Virgin, we recommend Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson. Virgin Inside Richard Branson's Business Empire by Tim Jackson and Amal Rajan Interviews Richard Branson Produced by the BBC A quick note about our dramatizations. In most cases, we can't know everything that happened, but all our reenactments are based on historical research. Business Movers is hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Mohammed Shahzeeb Sound design by Molly Bagh Supervising sound designer is Matthew Filler. Music by Thrum this episode is written and researched by Emma Dibdin, senior producer Scott Reeves. Executive producers are William Simpson for airship and Aaron O'Flaherty, Jenny Lauer Beckman and Marshall Louie for Wondering.
- [39:27]
Chico Felitti
Everyone has that friend who seems kind of perfect for Patty. That friend was Desiree. Until one day I texted her and.
- [39:36]
Lindsey Graham
She was not getting the text. So I went to Instagram. She has no Instagram anymore. And Facebook. No Facebook anymore.
- [39:43]
Chico Felitti
Desiree was gone. And there was one person who knew the answer.
- [39:48]
Lindsey Graham
I am a spiritual person, a magical person. Witch.
- [39:52]
Chico Felitti
A gorgeous Brazilian influencer called Kat Torres, but who was hiding a secret from Wondery. Based on my smash hit podcast from Brazil comes a new series, Don't Cross Cat, about a search that led me to a mystery in a Texas suburb.
- [40:10]
Lindsey Graham
I'm calling to check on the two missing Brazilian girls, maybe get some undercover crew there. The family are freaking out. They are lost.
- [40:18]
Chico Felitti
I'm Chico Felitti. You can listen to Don't Cross Cat on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.