• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Billionaire Sir Richard Branson had life-changing response after 22-year-old asked him for money

Home> News> Money

Published 14:07 3 Sep 2024 GMT+1

Billionaire Sir Richard Branson had life-changing response after 22-year-old asked him for money

Australian comedian Hamish Blake recently recalled an encounter with Richard Branson that has stayed with him

Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton

If there's anyone you'd ask for money from, it's a billionaire.

The likes of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Bill Gates make thousands of dollars a minute, so asking these tech powerhouses for $1,000 is pretty much pocket change to them.

The same applies to Sir Richard Branson who, as of this year, has a net worth of around $2.7 billion.

Branson has made his money through his company Virgin Group, which has everything from cellphones networks and gyms, to an airline and its own radio station.

Advert

Richard Branson is worth almost $3 billion (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Richard Branson is worth almost $3 billion (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

With his vast wealth in mind, one guy decided to shoot his shot and asked the 74-year-old for $1,000.

Recalling the conversation, Australian comedian and radio host Hamish Blake said a member of his radio show team asked Branson for money when the billionaire featured on the show.

Blake recalled: "We had Richard Branson on the show and one of the guys on our radio show, Jack, basically said to Richard Branson, 'You are a billionaire. Can we just go to the ATM downstairs and give me $1,000? It's nothing to you but it'll change my month.'"

Advert

Hamish Blake recently recalled the encounter with Branson (Don Arnold/WireImage)
Hamish Blake recently recalled the encounter with Branson (Don Arnold/WireImage)

While most people probably would have been laughed out of the room for asking for $1,000 in such a nonchalant manner, Branson gave a much more surprising response.

"There's something I'd give you all my money for," the billionaire reportedly replied. "Your age."

Blake went on: "I was like, 'That’s interesting'. Jack was 22, and we were like, 'What do you mean by that?'

Advert

"And he said, 'I’d happily be broke and 22 than a billionaire and 68,' or whatever he was at the time."

Apparently Branson's reply has stayed with Blake and he thinks about what he said 'all the time'.

"Whatever age we're at. Let's say we have $10 million and we're 90 years old, of course we'd give $10 million to go back to be 40," Blake continued.

Blake recalled the conversation on ABC's The Assembly.

While the comic was evidently quite moved by Branson's sentiments, others weren't as impressed.

Advert

One person commented on the YouTube clip: "Nice way for Branson to avoid the original question. Also rich people don't stay rich by giving their money away."

Someone else argued: "From someone who has grown up poor, money does change lives. People treat you differently, you have far less opportunities and even at 22 youth does not keep a roof over your head."

What do you think?

Featured Image Credit: Rob Kim/Getty Images / YouTube/ABC iview

Topics: Richard Branson, Money

Niamh Shackleton
Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

X

@niamhshackleton

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Richard Branson bought $6,000,000 private island for tiny fraction of price after 'joke' accidentally paid off
  • Man turns $5 into ‘life changing' amount of money after wild NFL playoffs bet
  • Woman finds $15,000 in cash and immediately calls police even though it was life-changing money
  • Tony Hawk reveals life-changing money he made from Pro Skater games after rejecting one-time $500,000 fee

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
5 hours ago
6 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    America’s ‘harshest’ death row prison gives shocking new privileges to killer inmates

    One death row inmate has said the new scheme has given him hope

    News
  • 5 hours ago

    Andy Byron's company speaks out after married CEO was caught with employee on Coldplay kiss cam

    The viral video has got people all over the internet talking

    News
  • 6 hours ago

    Woman diagnosed with brain tumor after dismissing symptoms as a cold that wouldn’t go away

    Amanda Hyne, from Connecticut, initially thought her symptoms were down to 'mom stress'

    News
  • 6 hours ago

    Harvard professor reveals the most important thing marriages need to survive

    Arthur Brooks, American academic and author, made his opinion known on a podcast last year

    News