--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So I became a publisher by mistake…" description: "\"So I became a publisher by mistake - well, not quite by mistake, because I wanted to be an editor but I had to make sure the magazine would survive. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dae/richard-branson-256_editors_so-i-became-a-publisher-by-mistake-well_2336511.jpg" --- # So I became a publisher by mistake - well, not quite by… ![“So I became a publisher by mistake - well, not quite by mistake, because I wanted to be an editor but I had to make sure the magazine would survive. The point is this: Most businesses fail, so if you're going to succeed, it has to be about more than making money.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dae/richard-branson-256_editors_so-i-became-a-publisher-by-mistake-well_2336511.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dae/richard-branson-256_editors_so-i-became-a-publisher-by-mistake-well_2336511.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dae/richard-branson-256_editors_so-i-became-a-publisher-by-mistake-well_2336511.jpg) > “So I became a publisher by mistake - well, not quite by mistake, because I wanted to be an editor but I had to make sure the magazine would survive. The point is this: Most businesses fail, so if you're going to succeed, it has to be about more than making money.” [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires purpose beyond profit, especially when many ventures fail. **In simple terms:** Businesses need meaning, not just money. Key Takeaway Focus on mission over profit. Themes entrepreneurship purpose failure Mood determined optimistic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - startup launch - pivot planning - team building - market research Key Concepts business ethics mission‑driven strategy sustainability Questions to Reflect On - What core purpose drives your venture? - How will you measure success beyond revenue? A Different Perspective Profit pressure can dilute purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Making money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-money/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers/) ## Related quotes > [ My very first venture was a national student magazine to try to campaign against the \[Vietnam\] War. And so I wanted to be an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/my-very-first-venture-was-a-national-student-magazine-to-try-to/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [People do not mind people who try things and fail. If you're a good entrepreneur, you're not going to succeed in every single thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/people-do-not-mind-people-who-try-things-and-fail-if-you-re-a-good/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“If you hope for something, truly yearn for it from deep inside yourself, you have to try everything you can to make it come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-decker/if-you-hope-for-something-truly-yearn-for-it-from-deep-inside/) [Steven Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-decker/) > [“The best way to not succeed is to keep making excuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-l-bartlett/the-best-way-to-not-succeed-is-to-keep-making-excuses/) S.L. Bartlett > [People have to understand that unless social enterprise is experimental, it will not succeed in making a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/people-have-to-understand-that-unless-social-enterprise-is/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [Failure is really a matter of conceit. People don't work hard because, in their conceit, they imagine they'll succeed without ever making an effort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/failure-is-really-a-matter-of-conceit-people-don-t-work-hard-because/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [If one uses music that one does not really love, then one will not succeed in making it one's own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/if-one-uses-music-that-one-does-not-really-love-then-one-will-not/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [I wonder if anyone can ever succeed in making their children content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-wonder-if-anyone-can-ever-succeed-in-making-their-children-content/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“Businesses fail either because they leave their customers or because their customer leave them !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-s-grove/businesses-fail-either-because-they-leave-their-customers-or-because/) [Andrew S. Grove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-s-grove/) > [Ten percent of American businesses disappear every year. ... It's far higher than the failure rate of, say, Americans. Ten percent of Americans don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-harford/ten-percent-of-american-businesses-disappear-every-year-it-s-far/) [Tim Harford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-harford/) > [Many businesses fail because the owner wasn't willing to invest and wasn't educated on the difference between spending money frivolously and investing money into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-roth/many-businesses-fail-because-the-owner-wasn-t-willing-to-invest-and/) [Carol Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-roth/) > [“In fact, trying to grow too big, too fast is one of the top—and perhaps the saddest—reasons that small businesses fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-wright/in-fact-trying-to-grow-too-big-too-fast-is-one-of-the-top-and-perhaps/) [Christy Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-wright/) > [Nine out of ten businesses fail; so I came up with a foolproof plan - create ten businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/nine-out-of-ten-businesses-fail-so-i-came-up-with-a-foolproof-plan/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Most businesses fail because they want the right things but measure the wrong things, and they get the wrong results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bethune/most-businesses-fail-because-they-want-the-right-things-but-measure/) [Gordon Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bethune/) > [We're conditioned to let businesses fail, regardless of how much we like them. We believe that if the market doesn't want that bookstore to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/we-re-conditioned-to-let-businesses-fail-regardless-of-how-much-we/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) ## More by Richard Branson > [Lavish praise on people and people will flourish; criticize people and they'll shrivel up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/lavish-praise-on-people-and-people-will-flourish-criticize-people-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Fantasizing about the future is one of my favorite pastimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/fantasizing-about-the-future-is-one-of-my-favorite-pastimes/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Tough times are inevitable in life and in business. But how you compose yourself during those times defines your spirit and will define your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/tough-times-are-inevitable-in-life-and-in-business-but-how-you/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [All successful people - not just entrepreneurs - have got things wrong over and over again before finding the right solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/all-successful-people-not-just-entrepreneurs-have-got-things-wrong/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [We have the enormous opportunity in our hands to make a positive difference for business, people, and the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/we-have-the-enormous-opportunity-in-our-hands-to-make-a-positive/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I'm a great believer in life to saying yes and not saying no, and hopefully making people smile and just having fun in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-m-a-great-believer-in-life-to-saying-yes-and-not-saying-no-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Money is a poor indicator of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/money-is-a-poor-indicator-of-success/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Business leaders take things far too seriously, and forget that most of the time people spend in their lives is at work, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/business-leaders-take-things-far-too-seriously-and-forget-that-most/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I love the freedom of movement that my phone gives me. That has definitely transformed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-love-the-freedom-of-movement-that-my-phone-gives-me-that-has/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Everything in your business can be outsourced... if you're not emotionally attached to doing it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/everything-in-your-business-can-be-outsourced-if-you-re-not/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [People have to decide on priorities if they want to get anywhere. The best lessons I learned was to just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/people-have-to-decide-on-priorities-if-they-want-to-get-anywhere-the/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [There isn't a flight goes by when I don't stare out of the window and thank my stars for what I'm seeing and feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/there-isn-t-a-flight-goes-by-when-i-don-t-stare-out-of-the-window-and/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) [Explore all 805 Richard Branson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) ## More Editors quotes > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [My biggest advice would be to take the pictures you want to take. Don’t think about the marketplace, what sells or what an editor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lachapelle/my-biggest-advice-would-be-to-take-the-pictures-you-want-to-take-don/) [David LaChapelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lachapelle/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [ I walked all around it \[the Guggenheim Bilbao\] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-polidori/i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bilbao-and-couldn-t-find-one/) [Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-polidori/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Authors of published papers and editors of scientific journals can, unfortunately, be slow to come to terms with criticism, and it's good that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gelman/authors-of-published-papers-and-editors-of-scientific-journals-can/) Andrew Gelman > [Democracy becomes a government of bullies tempered by editors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/democracy-becomes-a-government-of-bullies-tempered-by-editors/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [51% of the French people - who are not very religious - were thinking that what "Charlie Hebdo" did was unwise. They aren't asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/51-of-the-french-people-who-are-not-very-religious-were-thinking-that/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/only-kings-presidents-editors-and-people-with-tapeworms-have-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [While I was still going to embrace social media, I knew I had to do things that nobody else was doing. I decided I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-edward/while-i-was-still-going-to-embrace-social-media-i-knew-i-had-to-do/) [Mark Edward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-edward/) > [My books have been translated into various languages and sold in other countries, but I never have any contact with the foreign publishers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/my-books-have-been-translated-into-various-languages-and-sold-in/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Every newspaper editor says the heart of the paper is the reporter - which is true - except for the pay!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-germond/every-newspaper-editor-says-the-heart-of-the-paper-is-the-reporter/) [Jack Germond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-germond/) Browse all 976 Editors quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So I became a publisher by mistake - well, not quite by mistake, because I wanted to be an editor but I had to make sure the magazine would survive. 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