A ll or N othing Three Entrepreneurs Whose Risks Paid Off
July 26 is All or Nothing Day, a day to (literally or metaphorically) put all your cards on the table, hold nothing back, and hope for the best. As nerve- wracking as that may sound, some entrepreneurs have experienced episodes where they really had to take the spirit of All or Nothing Day to heart. Here are three business leaders whose successes began with a daring gamble. Fred Smith Unlike the other two people on this list, the CEO and founder of FedEx took a literal gamble to save his company. When faced with the prospect of bankruptcy in FedEx’s early years, Smith decided to go for broke in Las Vegas with the company’s last $5,000 to try and make enough to fuel their planes. It worked. He left the blackjack table with $27,000, and FedEx lived to fly another day.
John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy
In the late 1970s, locally sourced organic produce was not nearly as trendy as it is today. In fact, it was almost nonexistent in the mainstream marketplace. Grocery store owners Mackey, Hardy, and two others wanted to change that and left the safety of their tried and true business models to do so. The grocery store chain they founded is now known as Whole Foods Market. It just goes to show that creating an entirely new business model takes an innovative idea and a whole lot of risk. Elon Musk Because of the incredible technological strides made by Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk has become a household name. Tesla is worth billions of dollars today, but this wasn’t always the case. Tesla wasn’t immune from the effects
of the Great Recession, and in the face of losing everything, Musk invested his last $35 million. It paid off in droves. Today, Musk himself is worth around $20 billion. Not every risk will result in success, but the only sure fire way to never see a payoff is to never take a risk. Whether in business or in life, sometimes you just have to put all your chips in the pot and hope for the best.
W atermelon C ucumber S kewers
Inspired by CookingLight.com
Skewers are a Fourth of July favorite, but these are not your classic kebabs. They’re a fresh, light, and fun way to start a barbecue. Oh, and they don’t require any actual cooking.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 medium-sized
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves • Salt, to taste Equipment • 1 packet of bamboo skewers
watermelon, cubed • 2 cucumbers, cut into 1/4-inch rounds • 1 block feta cheese, cubed
DIRECTIONS
1. Assemble skewers by placing one watermelon cube, one cucumber round, one feta cube, and one mint leaf on skewer in that order. Repeat until skewer is full. 2. Lightly season with salt and chill in fridge until right before serving.
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