Thought it would be appropriate that the first recommendation of 2010 be a book by/about the patron saint of the Mogul Mindset eBlasts. (Don’t know what those are? Click here.)

Richard Branson was a mogul-in-the-making from very early in his life, starting up a publication called Student when he was still in high school and having the nerve to approach central cultural figures of the day (60s London, in this case), such as The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and The Beatles’ John Lennon, to be interviewed (they accepted!).

He went on from this magazine to the music business, starting with a mail order service and ultimately becoming a producer and growing a record label, Virgin Music. From there, he carefully lept into other areas (the seeming contradiction of carefully leaping is deliberate), such as starting Virgin Atlantic airline based on nothing more than a core philosophy of “How hard could it be?” 

Richard Branson’s story is instructive and inspiring and he tells it with panache. It is very detailed, sometimes, in my opinion, to a fault, but maybe that’s because I’m less interested in his hot air balloon adventures than other readers, who might enjoy being along for the ride every daring step of the way.

I was definitely along for the ride of growing several businesses, recovering from set-backs, making big mistakes but also achieving huge victories. I think anyone interested in succeeding in business on a large scale would be wise to pick up a copy of Losing My Virginity. (In fact, click on the book jacket above and you can order it right now!)

Note: If you click on the book cover at the top of the post (like most of the books and CDs pictured on this site), you will be taken to Amazon, where you can buy this book and/or anything else you want and the gremlins that put this blog together while I sleep will get four cents or something. Consider it well-earned.