

How two students got a ride from Sir Richard Branson on his private jet - wallflower
http://kbiri.blogspot.com/2009/01/lens-story-about-yesterday.html

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growt
Branson is well known for taking along hitchhikers, even when he's
waterskiing.

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carterschonwald
I take it you're referring to the naked super model piggybacking along photo?

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ErrantX
classic example of how taking the time (or growing the balls) to ask for
something is 90% of the way to getting it.

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vaksel
Not really, I could see if they asked in person, but they just texted their
question and Branson was asked it publically by someone else.

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wallflower
I posted this because these students were thinking in a manner unlike anyone
else in that large auditorium. Thinking about/looking for opportunities/taking
advantage of the situation. Honestly, I do not think that thought would even
cross my mind, had I been there. I believe this is an example of how some
entrepreneurs think radically different.

I do not think they would have had access to Branson in person (security;
someone from the conference organizers got them backstage)

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321abc
The question came up on a huge screen, and was asked of him personally in
front of a large audience. He would have been seen as a complete miser if he'd
refused.

Now, if he'd been asked this in private, with no consequences for refusal and
if he still let them fly with him, then I'd be impressed with his generosity.

As it is, what he did was just a prudent public relations decision.

