As you'll read in a moment, Jason was asked to move over and make way for a VIP passenger, and little did Jason know at the time, that he was to share his journey with hyper-successful, billionaire-entrepreneur - Sir Richard Branson.



Jason, who was shortly to start a new business venture in Australia, could not have had a better travelling companion who could give him the benefit of his own remarkable business career, and fill Jason with encouragement and advice as he prepared to start his new venture.

Here is Jason's own account of that now infamous flight.

This is the story as I remember it....

After many years working in the UK in the direct selling industry, I looked at a failed business in Australia. It was not the business which had failed, but in my opinion, it was the people who had failed the business. They just didn't have the right mindset at the top level.

At the time, I was travelling around Australia and on my way to Adalaide to relaunch the failed company and give it a new focus. I'm quite tall (over 6 ft), so asked at the check-in desk for some extra leg room, and was delighted when I was given seat 1A.

As soon as I'd sat down, I was approached and told there had been a mistake and could I move seats. I asked if seat 1C was available and was told this would be OK. I shifted up 2 seats, keeping my extra leg room in tact. As the flight was almost ready to take off, I had that smug feeling of 'looks like I have got myself a treble seat!'

At the last second, just before the air hostess closed the door, a man walked on the plane, and sat himself down where I'd just been sitting in seat 1A. At that time, I hadn't quite recognised who he was and I remember thinking to myself, what makes you so special that I have to give up my seat. It was only when I looked up that I realised that it was none other than Sir Richard Branson, a major shareholder in the airline.

Once I had caught my breath, I wondered what on earth I would talk to him about, if indeed he would even want to talk to the likes of me!

The plane was full of Australians, who are not overly known for their love and appreciation of 'British poms'. But, to my astonishment, the whole plane cheered and applauded once they noticed Richard Branson was on board.

I now know why. He is a tremendously confident and warm guy, who was sincerely interested in my own business and ambitions. We chatted during the flight as if we had known each other all our lives. I appreciated the respect he gave me.

I'll remember this chance encounter as one of the most inspirational and pivitol events in my life. From this day forward, I decided that whoever I meet with, I would treat them with the same respect the Richard Branson had given me. Regardless of whether you are the rubish collector or the Chairman of the Board company, everybody in the company needs to know that THEY are all important.

With this new mindset firmly in place, we have taken what was a failed business, to one which is on track this year to invoice $25m (10m). We sell household products throughout Australia and our new company name is 'Penny Miller Pty Ltd'.

We have now started a similar company in New Zealand, and are also looking at other overseas markets.

The story of Jason Murphy and his encounter with Sir Richard Branson was the inspiration for the best selling business book, Millionaire Upgrade: Lessons in Success from Those Who Travel at the Sharp end of the Plane.

This book tells the story of Tom, a frustrated employee who gets upgraded on a plane and finds himself sitting next to Michael, a self-made millionaire entrepreneur. During the course of the flight, Michael shares with Tom his own secrets for business success. Millionaire Upgrade has been translated into over 10 languages, and is a regular Amazon top seller.