Recently, I had the rare opportunity to sit down with Sir Richard Branson to talk about his new autobiography, Finding My Virginity. Branson and I talked about a wide range of topics we’re both passionate about:  storytelling, public-speaking, communication and the advice he gives to entrepreneurs after watching 25,000 pitches.

1.) Great leaders are great storytellers. Branson says it’s nearly impossible to be successful today unless you can communicate an idea persuasively.

2). The best ideas can fit on a beer coaster. In a fun part of of the interview, I present Branson with an beer mat, a cocktail napkin and an envelope. He takes the items, looks into the camera and explains why he’s only interested in ideas that can fit on those items. The segment begins at 2 minutes and 45 seconds into our video.

3). Branson openly acknowledges his challenges with dyslexia, which was part of the reason he dropped out of school at the age of 16 (the condition was misunderstood when he was in high school). But Branson—ever the optimist—turned a potential hurdle into a benefit. He now calls it “a massive advantage” because it forced Virgin to communicate simply, endearing itself to consumers for 50 years.

I hope you enjoy our conversation!

Carmine Gallo