Things you didn't know about billionaire Richard Branson! From magazines, to music with Virgin Records, to airlines with Virgin Atlantic, to space with Virgin Galactic

Check out the Joe Jillions channel!    • How Richard Branson Made His Billions  

Although he was making millions with Virgin Records, Richard's ambition didn't stop there. In the early 1980s, he delved into the world of air travel. During a trip to Puerto Rico, Richard's flight was canceled. To reconcile the matter, he chartered his own plane to get to his destination. Branson also offered a ride to the other passengers for a small charge so he could cover costs. By 1984, he and his lawyer, Randolph Fields, started the new airline corporation, Virgin Atlantic. Due to outstanding customer service and in-flight amenities, like complimentary ice cream, massages, and seat-back video screens, Virgin Atlantic quickly prospered. Considering the success of his airline business, Richard wanted to expand further. He started Virgin Holidays in 1985, which offers international vacations in places including Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, the Middle East, and the United States.

After Student magazine, Richard chose to move in a different direction concerning his business ventures. In 1970, he started a mail order record company and in 1971 he opened a physical record shop. In 1972, he and Nik Powell launched the Virgin Records music label. They chose this name after one of Richard's early employees suggested it since they were all inexperienced businessmen. Branson purchased an estate in Oxford and installed a recording studio, which he named The Manor Studio. He rented the studio out to new and upcoming artists so they could record. One of the artists was Mike Oldfield, a multi-instrumentalist. With help from Virgin Records, his debut album, titled Tubular Bells, came out in 1973 and rose to the top of the charts. The record sold over five million copies.