Title - Richard Branson origin story for Virgin Airlines Tags - callumstory
- The inciting incident
- Branson had heard that if you were looking for a house on an island in the British Virgin Islands, you got a grand tour free of charge
- He called an estate agent, said he owned a record studio, and wanted to buy an island to build a studio on it
- They were touring the islands with the agent and discovered Necker Island, which Branson fell in love with and decided to buy, but couldn’t afford the £3million quoted by the agent
- Branson offered £200,000 - 5% of the asking price - which he still didn’t have - and was rejected
- Progressive complications
- When they flew back to their villa and landed, they discovered their bags waiting outside - they’d been kicked out!
- Crisis
- They planned to fly to Puerto Rico
- Arrived at the airport and flight had been cancelled
- Everyone was roaming about, looking lost, doing nothing
- Climax
- Chartered a plane for $2000
- Divided $2000 by the number of people
- Came to $39 per person
- Borrowed a blackboard and wrote: “Virgin Airways: $39 SINGLE FLIGHT TO PUERTO RICO”
- Resolution
- The flight went ahead and they got to Puerto Rico
- The experience eventually led to Virgin Atlantic
- Virgin Atlantic flies to dozens of places around the world
- Point made