Five Days on Necker Island With Richard Branson. Here’s What We Learned.
We arrived by boat. Forty impact entrepreneurs. Brought together by Forming Impact, from all corners of the world. The sky was burning blue, the water impossibly clear. And there it was: Necker Island.
On the dock stood a man in shorts, waving as we pulled up to the shore. Richard Branson, grinning like a kid on holiday, there to welcome us in person.
It was surreal. But also, strangely normal. No security guards. No PR team. Just a curious, kind, slightly sunburned man, ready to show us around his island home. That first evening, as we ate dinner under the stars, I looked around and felt something I hadn’t expected: calm. Not awe, not adrenaline. Just deep appreciation. Because this wasn’t just a bucket-list moment. It was the full-circle moment of a ten-year journey. The beer garden that started it allBack in 2015, as you've probably read, Joost and I sat in a noisy beer garden in Barcelona. We were both frustrated by the way most companies were run, and inspired by the few that did things differently. So we made a list. A Bucket List of pioneers we wanted to visit. People building radically better workplaces. Workplaces where people could thrive, not just survive. Richard Branson was one of the first names we wrote down. Not because of the private island. Because of how he built Virgin: with purpose, people, and a sense of play. That list became Corporate Rebels. And ten years later, it brought us here. Conversations that matterThe week on Necker was packed with fun: kitesurfing, sailing, tennis tournaments, snorkeling, and sweaty hikes through the hills. |
But the real magic? It happened in the quiet moments.
A casual breakfast with Richard turned into a masterclass on leadership. An evening drink at the beach bar became a conversation about using business as a force for good.
Inspiring stories, shared with warmth and a twinkle in his eye.
A few of the many things that stuck with me:
- Put employees first: “If you take care of your people, they’ll take care of everything else.”
- Believe in the best of people: This wasn’t something he said. It was something he lived. You could feel it in every interaction.
- Hire from within: “Look inside first,” he said. “People rise when you give them the chance."
- If you don’t ask, you don’t get: “You’d be amazed what happens when you simply ask.” Richard shows that boldness often starts with something simple: just asking. Most doors stay closed because no one knocks.
- Believe you can make a difference: “Never think you’re too small to fix something big.” From bringing together Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, and others to form The Elders to writing to Saddam Hussein to find a peaceful way out, Richard acts on the belief that one person can help change the course of things.
And another one I thoroughly enjoyed: Laugh at the mistakes.
Richard laughed often: at himself, at slip-ups, at the adventures. He made it clear: mistakes aren’t failures, they’re part of the fun.
Why this matters
This trip didn’t change our mission. It reminded us why it matters.
We started Corporate Rebels because we believe work can, and should, be better.
More human.
More meaningful.
More alive.
That belief was born in a beer garden.
It was shaped by the 200+ pioneers we visited around the world.
And it was recharged on a beach with a barefoot adventurer.
Back to the ‘real world’
We’re home now. The sunburn has faded.
But something’s shifted.
Because we left Necker not with stories of luxury, but with stories of leadership. The kind that trusts. That listens. That plays.
And we’ll keep doing what we set out to do:
Help build a world where more people can work (and live) with freedom, fun, and purpose.
We came back from Necker more energized than ever to push this movement forward.
And there’s a lot happening at Corporate Rebels HQ to do just that.
Updates from Corporate Rebels HQ
Here's a quick overview of everything happening at Corporate Rebels:
- Annual Summit: Join us in Barcelona on November 20–21 for the second edition of the #1 event for pioneering organizations. Think inspiring keynotes, challenging workshops, raw stories, and lots of fun and social time.
- Is your organization a member of the Rebel Cell network? Two tickets are included. Make sure to block your calendar and RSVP here.
- Not a member yet? This event is exclusively for organizations that are members of a Rebel Cell. See the next bullet point on how to join.
- Global Rebel Cells: We’ve heard from many companies in countries without a local cell. That’s why we’re launching Global Cells, so you can join the network and get full access to all member benefits, wherever you’re based. Here’s the overview of all benefits. Ready to join? Apply here.
- Investor event: On September 4–5 in Bilbao, we’re hosting a behind-the-scenes event for investors, including site visits and insights into our impact fund Krisos. Interested? Send an email to info@krisos.eu for more information.
As Richard reminded us one morning, somewhere between scrambled eggs and a second coffee:
“Screw it, let's do it.”
