Richard Branson Dreams of a New Day for Transportation

Richard Branson jokes that he rarely says no to much of anything, which has earned him the nickname Doctor Yes among his peers. Perhaps that explains the ocean-spanning hot air balloon rides and kitesurfing across the English Channel – or as he calls it, his “insatiable interest in life.”The founder of the Virgin Group says such a mindset fueled his well-known success in the airline and music businesses, among other ventures, as well as his philanthropy around the world. It’s also the driving force as Virgin pushes the boundaries of space exploration and transportation here on Earth with technologies like the Hyperloop.But should business leaders embrace their own versions of Doctor Yes?To answer this question and more, Branson recently sat down with UPS Chief Information and Engineering Officer Juan Perez and Rimas Kapeskas, who managed UPS’s Strategic Enterprise Fund, the company’s venture capital unit.The conversation, recorded during Branson’s visit to UPS’s Global Headquarters, centers on how Branson puts innovative ideas into action, the importance of business leaders who really listen and technologies that could transform the movement of people – and packages – in an ever-shrinking world.Branson also explains why his life pursuits amount to the “one, long university education that I never had” and breaks down his recipe for a people-first company culture.Lastly, he answers the most important question of them all: What’s next?