Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught? Richard Branson's Mom Says Yes

Are great entrepreneurs born, or made? Richard Branson’s mother, Eve, would tell you they’re made — and she set out to prove it with her own son.

A Bold Parenting Lesson

As a young boy, Richard Branson was shy and avoided talking to adults. His mother recognized the pattern and decided it needed to change — through an approach few parents would attempt today.

The Three-Mile Walk

Driving home from a shopping trip to a nearby village, Eve stopped the car about three miles from their house and told her young son: “You will now walk home. You will have to talk to people to find your way home.” The journey took Richard roughly ten hours — he stopped along the way to study bugs and rocks — and while Eve grew anxious waiting, the lesson landed.

Why It Worked

Afterward, Richard was noticeably more comfortable approaching and talking with adults. The story illustrates a bigger idea: traits we associate with entrepreneurs — confidence, communication, independence — aren’t purely innate. They can be cultivated through deliberate practice and challenge.

You don’t need a three-mile walk to build those skills. Structured, encouraging practice does the same thing — book a free assessment and we’ll help map out your child’s next step.

The original story appeared in Time.