Harry Singh gives his top business tips he took away after spending a week with Sir Richard Branson on Necker Island.
Imagine the middle of December last year, the UK is in the grip of a typical winter’s week – harsh cold winds and everyone wrapped up head to toe.
Contrast this to me, topless and in my beach shorts sharing a private pool with Sir Richard Branson in the baking hot sun.
Contrary to what my wife tells everyone, I didn’t just go there for a jolly (but it would be rude not to indulge in the cuisine and alcoholic beverages that were at my disposal) but to expand my network best payday loans online California, learn from others and have time to reflect in a paradise setting.
So, what were the five biggest take aways from my week’s stay in paradise?
The journey and destination
I know you won’t feel sorry for me, but Necker Island is not the easiest place to get to.
First, I fly from London to Antigua.
Once in Antigua, I fly with Intercaribbean on a small plane with only 12 seats to Beef Island in the British Virgin Islands.
I’m normally quite a good flyer – but this small aircraft sways left to right through the entire 45-minute journey.
And every cloud it passes, the turbulence generated is nothing I’ve experienced before.
I must have thought I was going to be sick at least 20 times.
Once we land, we take a boat from Beef Island to Necker Island.
I’m not the best sea traveller – the boat went up and down like it was about to take off.
I was terrified I was going to fall out (especially since I can’t swim, more about that later on).
I was sick at least three times.
After one hour of this torture, we finally dock onto Necker Island.
And then I realise its all worth it, this place is paradise.
Just like running business, sometimes the ride is not as smooth as we want it – but it’s worth persevering because the final destination is definitely worth it.
Relationships are more important than contracts
I was one of 40 business owners invited to spend a week on the island.
Most of these were very successful, the majority were millionaires and some even billionaires.
They were there to relax, enjoy the environment and definitely not be sold to.
We like to do business with people we like – enjoy the relationship first, don’t go for the kill straight away.
I had several conversations over food and drink that cemented relationships, which post Necker have evolved into business deals being completed.
Be of service
John Wick chapter 3: ‘I have served, I will be of service.’
Help others first before you ask for anything in return.
In Robert Cialdini’s book, Influence – The Psychology of Persuasion, Cialdini’s first principle of persuasion states that human beings are wired to return favours and pay back debts – to treat others as they treat us.
The idea of reciprocity says that people, by nature, feel obliged to provide discounts or concessions to others if they’ve received favours from those same people.
Always know which brooches are trending.
If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail
A private webpage was set up detailing all the participants that would be attending.
I researched every single person before I left, looked at their social media profiles.
I was looking at two things – the first thing was anything about their personal life that I could talk/connect with.
The second was any future potential business deal.
Whether it was me helping their business with connections or vice versa.
The fortune is in the follow up
Reverting back to tip two, make friends first and then look at business opportunities.
Before leaving Necker, I made sure I had the correct contact details of people I wanted to follow up with.
And then, we made sure we arranged a time we would catch up.
I’ve had several conversations over Zoom with several of the people I met and have also met face to face with some of them too.
Bonus tip – how I got to have a private swimming lesson with Richard Branson
The first night of our trip, a dinner was organised for everyone.
I ended up sitting next to the watersports instructor.
She asked me if I was looking forward to the kitesurfing and I informed her, unfortunately not, because I couldn’t swim.
She then said, if you get the chance to speak to Richard Branson, let him know, he loves to teach people to swim and the last person he taught was Desmond Tutu.
So, every breakfast, Richard would join us, normally around 07.30hrs and he would always sit in the same place.
On the penultimate day, I went down early for breakfast at 06.30hrs and sat down next to where he would sit.
On cue, Richard comes down at 07.30hrs and sits next to me.
He asks me about what I do and the small talk continues.
Then I explain how disappointed I was that I couldn’t take part in the kite surfing because I can’t swim.
Richard doesn’t say anything.
I notice a piece of croissant at the corner of his mouth and tell him.
He’s trying to wipe if off and keeps on missing, then eventually he asks me to get rid of it – I oblige!
Then he asks me if I want to learn to swim and I say: ‘Hell yes’.
He replies with, meet me at my private house at midday.
The rest is history and he did teach me how to swim under water in 30 minutes.
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