Richard Branson Wants to Help Everyone Be Like Him!

By PopEater Staff Posted Feb 1st 2011 06:30PM

Billionaire dare-devil Richard Branson is hosting a summit of entrepreneurs in South Africa this week to mentor and listen to proposals from a group of budding entrepreneurs in developing countries. He has also teamed up with Tonic.com to raise $50,000 to provide capital for these mini-Bransons in training.

The main event of the trip is a fashion show launching the 2011 winter collection from Lesego Malatsi, an entrepreneur financed in part by Branson's non-profit Virgin Unite.

Launched in 2006 by Branson and Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship is supporting aspiring small business owners in South Africa with access to practical business skill and mentors as well as seed funding.

"In my life I have been privileged to travel extensively and meet so many fantastic people and I truly feel that we all have an opportunity to make a huge difference in the world," Branson told Tonic.com. "How we do that is by never accepting what's unacceptable and giving people the chance to build a life filled with the dignity they deserve."

The Branson Centre and Virgin Unite are helping people like Cleopatra Simelane, a 23-year-old who founded an empowering magazine for South African youth which offers career and personal advice.

This year Cleopatra wants to hire full-time staff to produce the magazine and find a mentor from the Branson Centre to help her adapt her business model. It might just be Branson himself.

More than 4,000 aspiring entrepreneurs have attended workshops put on by the Centre in Johannesburg, nearly 100 businesses have been started and 15 have begin given initial capital investments.

The $50,000 Branson and Tonic hope to raise this week can help numerous small businesses get their start-and maybe someday, found a very comfortable and reasonably priced airline.

Tags: Richard Branson

Comments

(4)

Tuesday 01 February

By SESCOMM

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Sir Richard has been my mentor/role model for years - he's an awesome example of what business should be (and sexy!). Congrats to Cleopatra if she ever gets to meet him!

By hitman

Tell Richard I am trying to start a business in USA in Nashville, I own the label and publishing and both are registered with BMI and I have paid for and it broke me an album that hit number one is UK. If he wants to help so much try giving me a helping hand as I culd employ others in this business but do not have monies to start it.

Wednesday 02 February

By Elena Patrice

SRB is the end-all-be-all for entrepreneurs and business people alike. His statement, "...and I truly feel that we all have an opportunity to make a huge difference in the world ..."How we do that is by never accepting what's unacceptable and giving people the chance to build a life filled with the dignity they deserve” speaks volumes about his character.

What a worthy example to budding business mavens and people in general. We should all feel this on some level. It is this way of thinking that changes the world. For me as an entrepreneur and owning my own business; I have no better "advisor" or inspiration on my journey. It's an office joke (but not really) when faced with a dilemma or having discussions, we say, "WWSRB do?" I always like the answers he gives! ;) Thank you SRB for having great business sense and a huge heart for others!

Sunday 25 September

By Peter

To who it may concern, I have a small cafe and Take away business in south africa, the business was doing very we'll until one of my employees stole from me. The business is now in financial difficulty due to this incident. Because i have been retrenched 4 times, I cannot go to a bank to apply for a loa. Everybody is looking for money I do not have. Please I need only R 100k to stay afloat not to loose my business.

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