Richard Branson: To Be Successful, Take the Stairs Entrepreneurs should focus on a gradual climb to success.

By Rose Leadem

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
Richard Branson

Although Richard Branson admits to being a big fan of the elevator pitch, he thinks it's also important to take the stairs -- literally.

Related: Watch Richard Branson's Mannequin Challenge Video

The outgoing Virgin founder believes that taking the stairs whenever you can is a great way to exercise, especially if you're busy working all day. In a recent blog post, Branson not only addresses the importance of physically taking the stairs, but finds that an "entrepreneur is essentially taking the stairs every day of their career."

As most of us know -- entrepreneurship takes time. Branson calls it a "gradual climb," with "inevitable failures and setbacks along the way." Very few entrepreneurs can take the elevator to instant success, he writes.

Related: Richard Branson: Why Every Budding Entrepreneur Needs a Full-Time Job First

Take the slower route. You'll be able to learn from your experience and better prepare yourself for a future of success, Branson advises. "Rather than getting to the top without the experience, you will have years of experience, failure, learnings -- climbing stairs -- to fall back on."

Rose Leadem is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

AI Could Cause 99% of All Workers to Be Unemployed in the Next Five Years, Says Computer Science Professor

Professor Roman Yampolskiy predicted that artificial general intelligence would be developed and used by 2030, leading to mass automation.

Buying / Investing in Business

From a $120M Acquisition to a $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Buying / Investing in Business

Big Investors Are Betting on This 'Unlisted' Stock

You can join them as an early-stage investor as this company disrupts a $1.3T market.

Business News

Mark Zuckerberg 'Insisted' Executives Join Him For a MMA Training Session, According to Meta's Ex-President of Global Affairs

Nick Clegg, Meta's former president of global affairs, says in a new book that he once had to get on the mat with a coworker.