What Can a Homeless Guy Learn From Sir Richard Branson?

Wear a condom

Actually, that’s what Richard Branson says is the best advice his father gave him. The world’s favourite billionaire’s dad was obviously a wise man too.

So what can a homeless guy really learn from Branson?

A lot. Then again, it’s fair to say we can probably all learn a lot from Branson. Many of us already have. His wisdom and philosophy inspire countless people around the world from all walks of life, from the very best people in business, politics, sports and the arts, to not so well-known people like homeless Kiwi, Jody Lloyd.

That’s right, Branson’s extraordinarily long reach made it all the way to a garden shed where it touched a scruffy ex-rapper who was sleeping on a bubble wrap mattress, eating out of garbage bins, depressed, and pondering what went wrong with his girlfriend. Rock bottom. Little did he know then that he’d soon be the subject of a documentary called “WHAT WOULD BRANSON DO?”

Dont waste time, grab your chances.

And then it happened. Right there at the lowest point of his life, in self-imposed exile from his hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand, a city devastated by an earthquake in 2011 and still picking up the pieces, it happened. INSPIRATION.

Surrounded and inspired by his many treasured and dog-eared Branson books, Jody had a wild idea. He would help heal his earthquake-ravaged hometown by bringing together music, Christchurch and the inspirational wisdom of his hero, Sir Richard Branson.

Put your ass on the line.

But how can a homeless man achieve this? It was Jody’s answer to that question that lead director, Slavko Martinov to have to make this documentary. Jody declared:

“EVERY DAY, FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, I’M GOING TO ASK MYSELF ONE QUESTION: WHAT WOULD BRANSON DO?”

Inspired and hopeful, and equipped with little more than a crazy idea, Jody sold his meager possessions and set out on a remarkable quest to help heal his broken city. And, along the way, he just might begin to pick up the pieces of his own life.

It’s a journey that’s happening at this very moment. Right now, as you read this, Jody is in Ubud, Bali, the world’s sound healing Mecca. There, this talented musician has been accepted into the close-knit sound healing community and is gradually reinventing himself as a master of that ancient and mystical art.

While in Ubud, Jody will use what he’s learning to create an album of music that contains healing frequencies that help relieve pain and sickness. When that is complete, he will return to Christchurch and stage an incredible, and utterly unique, public event at which he will play his healing frequencies to his city’s people and landscape. It won’t be easy but Jody is utterly determined.

Given the right circumstances, exceptional people will reveal themselves

Not only is that true for Jody Lloyd, but it’s also true for award winning director Slavko Martinov, who once again revealed himself to be an exceptional person with his last feature documentary Propaganda (2012). The controversial, genre-bending and hotly-debated film was described by Germany’s Spiegel as “a surreal and twisted masterpiece” and won Best Film at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival in 2013.

What really matters is what you create.

But why does WHAT WOULD BRANSON DO? matter? Because this “rags to Richard” tale is about our extraordinary capacity for hope, and about trying to make the world a better place. Don’t we all want that? It’s about trying to live more selflessly and helping others. It’s about how you can pick up the pieces, rebuild and reinvent yourself. A homeless Kiwi, an earthquake and the world’s favourite billionaire: let the healing begin.

To be part of this inspiring documentary go to: pozible.com/branson

 

Matthew Toren
 

Matthew Toren is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor and co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com. He is co-author, with his brother Adam, of Kidpreneurs.org, BizWarriors.com and Small Business, BIG Vision: Lessons on How to Dominate Your Market from Self-Made Entrepreneurs Who Did it Right (Wiley).