1) Sir Richard Branson

Everyone has heard of Richard Branson. Everyone. Your mum. Your dad. Your gran. Everyone. If you haven’t heard of Richard Branson, how’s the underside of that rock been treating you? Because, you know, you’ve basically been living under a rock for the past 45 years. Arguable one of the most inspirational businessmen of recent times. Shame on you if you didn’t know.

Not content with being worth an estimated $5 billion by Forbes, having his own private island in the Caribbean, and founding the Virgin Group which now comprises more than 400 companies, Branson has also been involved in a number of extremely adventurous projects.

In 2004, for example, he crossed the English Channel in an amphibious car called the Gibbs Aquada. Branson did this in a world record time of one hour, 40 minutes and 6 seconds. The billionaire British businessman has also made attempts to circumnavigate the world in a hot air balloon, and holds the record for the fastest balloon crossing of the Pacific. Branson is also heavily involved in Virgin Galactic, a company that’s entirely dedicated to the progression of space tourism.

3) Neil Laughton

Neil Laughton is a man who definitely knows what he’s doing. Laughton, you see, is a former Special Forces officer who has gone on to hit the heady heights of successful entrepreneur and ultimate adventurer status. Definitely up there on our inspirational businessmen list for being so damn cool.

First things first, let’s talk business. Laughton & Co is a company led by, you guessed it, Neil Laughton. It’s a business development resource offering authentic wisdom on communication, teamwork and leadership skills. And what makes Neil so well placed to talk about stuff like this in exchange for money? Well, quite frankly, he’s done a lot of genuinely impressive stuff in his life (which we will now share with you).

Laughton has been up Everest which, in and of itself, is pretty awesome. When you factor in that he also helped a young man by the name of Bear Grylls reach the summit, you have to give him an extra 100 points. If you, reading this now, ever help Bear Grylls achieve something in his life you too will immediately receive 100 points from us. That’s just how we operate when it comes to all-things Bear Grylls related.

On top of his Everest accomplishments, Laughton has gone round the UK on a jet-ski, crossed the Sahara Desert, driven a flying car from London to Timbuktu and skied to both North and South Poles respectively. Oh, and as Mpora discovered recently, he’s also head honcho at the penny farthing polo club. Don’t act like you’re not impressed.

4) Bill Koch

Bill Koch has an estimated net worth of $4 billion dollars so there’s no denying that, when it comes to business, this is a man who certainly knows what the score is. Also, his surname is hilarious (yes, we’re childish).

However, not only is Bill a very successful American businessman who’s compiled eye-watering sums of money…he’s also a bit of an adventurer and deserves a spot in this inspirational businessmen list. In 1992, for example, a boat that he funded and sailed on won the America’s Cup. If you’re not familiar with the America’s Cup, it’s basically the world of sailing’s ultimate prize. Hats off to you, Mr Koch. Hats off to you.

6) Alan Eustace

Remember Felix Baumgartner? Of course you do. With a name like Felix Baumgartner, you’re hardly likely to forget him in a hurry. But do you, however, remember the name of the man who beat Baumgartner’s parachute jump record in 2014? Alan Eustace, ringing any bells?

Alan Eustace, who served as a Senior Vice President of Google, nailed a 135,000 foot jump from space in a super secretive project that was unveiled in October of last year.  Eustace’s descent to Earth lasted a staggering 15 minutes, and covered nearly 26 miles. The businessman turned adventurous daredevil hit speeds exceeding 821 miles per hour. Woah!

7) Nick Woodman

Nick Woodman is one of those people who has definitely “won at life.” CEO and founder of GoPro, Woodman has fundamentally altered the way we consume action sports and adventure. Just, for a moment, imagine a world in which action sports cameras had never been invented. Go on. Imagine it. Imagine how rubbish that world would be.

Not only is Woodman a champion businessman and world-altering mega dude, he’s also a seriously keen surfer and, we think, a person who’s more than worthy of a spot on this list.

8) Yvon Chouinard

Yvon Chouinard was born way back in 1938. Chouinard is a rock climbing enthusiast, an environmentalist, and a businessman who specialises in the outdoor industry. He’s also a surfer, and a kayaker. Business-wise, his clothing and gear company Patagonia are undoubtedly a big deal.

The story behind Patagonia, if you’ve not heard it, is a pretty remarkable one. On a trip to Scotland, in 1970, Chouinard bought and then sold some rugby shirts. From these humble beginnings, the seeds of Patagonia were planted and the company went on to develop a wide selection of rugged adventure clothing.

Whereas some businessmen put profit before morals, Chouinard used the financial success of the company as a springboard to achieve a variety of environmental goals. He committed the Patagonia brand to eco-pursuits and, for example, offered to pay employees for their work on environmental projects.

Businessman, adventurer, and guardian of the planet; Chouinard is all of these things and more.

Can you think of other inspirational businessmen who deserves a seat in this list? Let us know!

This post was brought to you by Sage One.

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