Richard Branson on the number one lesson when starting a business

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” The absolute key to becoming an entrepreneur, like an old, stuck gramophone record that existed in my day, is how good you are with people. If you genuinely care about people, if you can surround yourself with people that are genuinely excited about what you're doing, if you can draw out the best in people, if you're good at lavishing praise on people, and not criticizing people, and inspiring your people… that's something you just have to do from day one.

Never use the I word. You're a team. We're doing this, we're doing that…. never let it sort of center on yourself. Just be a great leader of people. If you can do that from day one, even if you've got one other or two other people working with you, then you can enjoy the good times together. There will be bad times too, and your people will pull around for you. They'll work day and night to try to keep whatever it is that you're creating alive, and make sure it survives. “

So, the #1 lesson is be a great people person.