Billionaire Sir Richard Branson spent his birthday in boot camp in the Bahamas. Virgin Voyages, owned by the Branson-founded Virgin Group, in partnership with his Branson Center of Entrepreneurship, hosted the three-day small business boot camp. The cruise line collaborated with Resorts World Bimini and the Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism, to make the event happen. The icing on the case was when Branson, cruising on Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady in celebration of his 72nd birthday on July 18, made a surprise appearance and shared entrepreneurial tips to the 30 attendees while docked in Bimini. His most important advice, according to a press release, was, ‘Don’t be afraid to fail. The key to entrepreneurship is persistence – it’s important to never give up.’
In addition to driving small business, Virgin Voyages also teamed with Virgin Unite, the Virgin Group’s charitable arm, to create a Sea Change Fund to support mangrove forest restoration projects in the Caribbean. During Branson’s birthday cruise, passengers were invited to donate to help support and scale partners working to protect this vital ecosystem. www.virginvoyages.com/sustainability
