Necker Island: In 1978 Branson went to the British Virgin Islands for a holiday in order to investigate the prospective real estate. He envisioned using an island to put up rock stars for his record label. The final island he saw was Necker Island, and after climbing the hill and being stunned by the view and wildlife, fell in love with it. His first lowball bid of £100,000 for the £5m island was rejected but eventually he secured it for £180,000. When he bought the 74-acre island – at the age of 28, just six years after starting Virgin Group – it was uninhabited. It took three years and approximately $10m to turn it into a private island retreat. Famous figures who have stayed at the resort include Princess Diana, David Beckham, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Harrison Ford, Mariah Carey, Eddie Murphy, Jimmy Carter, Peter Gabriel, Desmond Tutu and Oprah Winfrey.