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Business Movers

Former Virgin Mobile USA executive Stacy Schwartz discusses Richard Branson’s spectacular business journey | 5

Business Movers

Wondery

History, Business, Entrepreneurship

4.81.5K Ratings

🗓️ 15 May 2025

⏱️ 50 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Marketing consultant and former Virgin Mobile USA executive Stacy Schwartz explores how Richard Branson grew Virgin from a small music retailer into a multi-billion-dollar business empire.

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Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:02.2

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0:05.7

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0:09.6

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0:14.3

Wonderly.

0:15.0

The Wondry! It's July 10, 2021, at Spaceport America, a rocket launch and landing site in New Mexico.

0:36.4

70-year-old Richard Branson drums his fingers on the gleaming white body of the unity.

0:41.8

As founder of Virgin Atlantic, Richard's flown on countless planes painted in his company's

0:46.7

colors, but this one is different. Unity isn't a transatlantic jet. It's a rocket-powered

0:52.0

plane that can fly more than 50 miles above the Earth's surface.

0:55.8

By NASA's definition, that means Unity is capable of reaching space, and tomorrow,

1:01.6

Richard is going to be on board when Unity's pilots take it up for a test flight.

1:06.3

Although Richard is past retirement age, he hasn't lost his appetite for risk.

1:12.3

But before he can officially become an astronaut, he needs to meet the press. And given Richard's public profile, the media

1:17.1

has turned out in force. Richard turns to greet the next reporter being ushered into the hangar.

1:23.5

Good morning. I'm Richard Brantz. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Brantz. I'm from Reuters.

1:32.3

So how does it feel to be Virgin Galactic's first ever passenger? Let's not jinx it,

1:36.9

the flight hasn't taken off yet. Does that mean you're nervous? Oh, no, not a bit. This is the adventure of a lifetime. But you aren't worried at all after what happened to the enterprise?

1:41.7

Seven years ago, Virgin's first space plane broke apart in mid-flight,

1:46.4

killing one of its pilots. Richard shakes his head sadly. Oh, that was a tragic day,

1:51.6

but the kind of accident that can happen when you're pushing the boundaries. Still, we've made

1:55.7

extensive upgrades since then, and that's why I'm going up as Unity's first passenger to show

...

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