By Andrew Rogers

It’s no secret Richard Branson dropped out of high school when he was just the tender age ofsixteen. The self-made successful business entrepreneur battled with dyslexia and had trouble at school leading to the choice that changed his futureforever.

Branson struggled with remaining at school since he was 13 years of age when he nearly failed. He then transferred to a boarding school where he then dropped out. Coming from a middle class family, they couldn’t afford to seek help to aid him educationally but it would seem that Virgin founder didn’t need the help anyway.

What began as a small venture steered Richard Branson down an unexpected path leading directly to success. It began when the youth decided to start a youth magazine labelled ‘Student’. The first edition sold $8,000 worth in advertising and when Richard let the first 50,000 copies go for free he would then need to cover those costs. This is what led him to begin his business venture three years later. He decided to begin a mail order record label called ‘Virgin Records’ and pay the outstanding debt with income received from his new brand. Needless to say, the company didn’t take off immediately. The billionaire was turned away from several companies he approached to put his music out into the public, so he decided to form a record company of his own and ended up selling millions of albums. Richard Branson then began signing bands that no one else would agree to sign up. Some of which are now International rock stars such as The Rolling Stones and Sex Pistols, two of the world’s biggest and most famous bands.

After he got the gold, Branson thought bigger and better, he needed to change things up and increase his fame and fortune. He then created his own airline; Virgin Atlantic. Branson told the media that no one believed his new endeavour would be success, but against all odds, Branson ignored the critics and went ahead to create one of the most world renowned airlines.

Since then Richard Branson has over 400 companies assigned to the Virgin Group and has since been rumoured to begin a new venture to invest in private equity stocks.

Other High School Dropouts Who Have Since Made it Big Unconventionally

Aside from Richard Branson there have been numerous success stories regarding high school dropouts who have since then made their futures some of the biggest success stories in history. Carl Lindner Jr. was a businessman who made his success story a historical event after dropping out of school at the age of 14 during the Great Depression. He took to helping expand his family’s dairy business into what became United Dairy Farmers. Thereafter he controlled over 40% of the American Financial Group which focused on investments. After a string of other highly successful business ventures, Carl Lindner Jr. was welcomed into the junior Achievement’s U.S. Business Hall of Fame. The legendary businessman has however unfortunately, passed away, leaving his legacy behind to inspire many.

Another world famous name to have changed his future was David Sklansky who chose to leave school to pursue poker and has most certainly obtained everything he set his sights to. After dropping out of university, one of the most prestigious business universities, he became a professional poker player and became top authority on gambling. He then proceeded to become the author of fourteen books on poker, blackjack and gambling.

David Sklansky has won three World Series of Poker Bracelets which is considered to be the highest non-monetary achieving for professional poker players. His achievements didn’t stop there however,  he then proceeded to win and beat international and famous poker stars at Poker by the Book, an exclusive tournament by invitation only.

If these geniuses can set their minds to becoming more than what the world expects of you by going against the grain and defying the laws of what is expected of you, who is to say you can’t do it. Be more than what your limits set for you and go for the gold just as the iconic legends have.