Screw It, Let's Do It: Lessons in Life

Overview
Richard Branson’s Screw It, Let's Do It distills his entrepreneurial journey and life philosophy into brisk, anecdote-driven lessons. Written in a conversational, can-do voice, it traces how a dyslexic school dropout built the Virgin group by saying yes to opportunity, backing people, and learning by doing. The book functions as a pocket guide to Branson’s mindset: act boldly, keep it simple, protect the downside, and have fun while making a positive difference.

Origins and Mindset
Branson anchors his credo in formative experiences: supportive but demanding parents who pushed independence, an early student magazine that taught him how to sell and negotiate, and the realization that dyslexia could be a strength for simplifying ideas. His motto, “screw it, let’s do it”, captures a bias toward action and experiment. He argues that most barriers are imagined; progress comes from starting small, iterating fast, and letting momentum create opportunity.

Building Virgin
The narrative revisits inflection points across Virgin’s evolution. A mail-order record business in a church crypt becomes Virgin Records, championing unconventional artists and spawning a global brand. He highlights the scrappy launch of Virgin Atlantic: a canceled flight in the Caribbean, a hastily chartered plane, and a chalkboard pitch to fellow passengers; that hustle becomes an airline built on cheeky service, attention to detail, and daring marketing. Branson emphasizes insurgency, taking on complacent incumbents, illustrated by the “dirty tricks” battle with British Airways, where persistence and evidence prevailed. Throughout, he underscores delegation and trust: find great people, give them room, and remove bureaucracy so decisions stay quick and close to customers.

Risk, Resilience, and Learning
The book treats risk as essential but calculated. Branson stresses protecting the downside, structuring ventures so one failure doesn’t sink the whole, and treating setbacks as data. Ballooning adventures and near-disasters become case studies in preparation, teamwork, and calm under pressure. Business stumbles, from misjudged expansions to regulatory hurdles, reinforce the value of owning mistakes, fixing them fast, and moving on with optimism intact.

Values and Culture
Branson frames profit and purpose as mutually reinforcing. A playful, irreverent culture, humor, stunts, and brand personality, coexists with high standards for service and safety. He argues that respect for employees is the best customer strategy: pay fairly, listen actively, celebrate wins, and loyalty will flow outward. Honesty and fairness matter commercially as well as ethically; reputation compounds, and shortcuts erode it. He also champions simplicity, clear promises, minimal jargon, pragmatic rules, so teams can act decisively and customers know what to expect.

Opportunity and Focus
A recurring theme is turning problems into openings. Obstacles become launchpads when reframed as unmet needs. Branson urges readers to start where they stand, use the resources and networks at hand, experiment cheaply, and build proof before scaling. He balances enthusiasm with discipline: say yes often, but know when to say no, especially to ventures that distract from core strengths or overextend risk.

Giving Back
Beyond business, Branson presents enterprise as a tool for social good. He discusses channeling resources and know-how into causes through Virgin’s philanthropic arm, encouraging entrepreneurs to tackle issues like health, education, and the environment. Doing the right thing, he argues, is not separate from business; it builds trust, attracts talent, and keeps effort meaningful.

Style and Takeaway
Compact and upbeat, the book blends memoir with actionable aphorisms, offering a template for readers who want to act boldly without recklessness. Its enduring lessons: start, learn fast, back people, keep promises, laugh often, and aim to leave things better than you found them.