We arrived by boat. Forty impact entrepreneurs. Brought together by Forming Impact, from all corners of the world. The sky was burning blue, the water impossibly clear. And there it was: Necker Island. On the dock stood a man in shorts and flip-flops, waving as we pulled up to the shore. Richard Branson, grinning like a kid on holiday, there to welcome us in person. It was surreal. But also, strangely normal. No security guards. No PR team. Just a curious, kind, slightly sunburned man, ready to show us around his island home. That first evening, as we ate dinner under the stars, I looked around and felt something I hadn’t expected: calm. Not awe, not adrenaline. Just deep appreciation. Because this wasn’t just a bucket-list moment. It was the full-circle moment of a ten-year journey. The beer garden that started it allBack in 2015, as you've probably read, Joost and I sat in a noisy beer garden in Barcelona. We were both frustrated by the way most companies were run, and inspired by the few that did things differently. So we made a list. A Bucket List of pioneers we wanted to visit. People building radically better workplaces. Workplaces where people could thrive, not just survive. Richard Branson was one of the first names we wrote down. Not because of the private island. Because of how he built Virgin: with purpose, people, and a sense of play. That list became Corporate Rebels. And ten years later, it brought us here. Conversations that matterThe week on Necker was packed with fun: kitesurfing, sailing, tennis tournaments, snorkeling and sweaty hikes through the hills. But the real magic? It happened in the quiet moments. A casual breakfast with Richard turned into a masterclass on leadership. An evening drink at the beach bar became a conversation about using business as a force for good. Inspiring stories, shared with warmth and a twinkle in his eye. A few of the many things that stuck with me:
And another one I thoroughly enjoyed: Laugh at the mistakes. Richard laughed often: at himself, at slip-ups, at the adventures. He made it clear: mistakes aren’t failures, they’re part of the fun. Why this mattersThis trip didn’t change our mission. It reminded us why it matters. We started Corporate Rebels because we believe work can, and should, be better. More human. That belief was born in a beer garden. It was shaped by the 200+ pioneers we visited around the world. And it was recharged on a beach with a barefoot adventurer. Back to the ‘real world’We’re home now. The sunburn has faded. But something’s shifted. Because we left Necker not with stories of luxury, but with stories of leadership. The kind that trusts. That listens. That plays. And we’ll keep doing what we set out to do: Help build a world where more people can work (and live) with freedom, fun, and purpose. We came back from Necker more energized than ever to push this movement forward. And there’s a lot happening at Corporate Rebels HQ to do just that. Updates from Corporate Rebels HQHere's a quick overview of everything happening at Corporate Rebels:
As Richard reminded us one morning, somewhere between scrambled eggs and a second coffee: “Screw it, let's do it.” Cheers, Follow us on: |
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