it's too risky

twenty years ago, i sat in a room on the 40th floor of a toronto high-rise.

twenty young people. one entrepreneur.
his goal: convince one of us to take the leap.

he asked, “why not entrepreneurship?”

same answer every time.
too risky.

then he asked the question that changed everything:

what is risk a function of?

silence.

“information and control.”

two people. an anvil falling from the sky.
one tied to a chair. one free to move.

who’s at more risk?
the one without control.

same setup. both can move.
but only one knows the anvil is coming.

who’s at more risk?
the one without information.

then the gut punch.

john’s been at his company thirty years.
monday morning, new mba boss. “john, you’re fired.”

how much control did john have?
none.

how much information?
zero. he was barbecuing on sunday.

now the ceo.
can she pivot? renegotiate? adapt? yes.
does she see trouble coming months ahead? also yes.

the entrepreneur isn’t the risky one.

the employee is.