Embracing Risk: The Devon Story and the Power of Perseverance
We're focusing on the importance of risk-taking across our groups and platforms this week because it's vital for business growth. Even with talent, education, a great team, and a flawless business model, avoiding smart, calculated risks can lead to stagnation.
Perhaps you're already feeling stuck. Despite your plans, investments, and sacrifices, progress isn't as expected. This stage is common in business development and marks a critical decision point. You can either continue as usual, hoping for different results, or take control, make a bold move, and risk launching your business toward success.
When we talk about taking risks, we often hear people tell us that they took a risk before and it didn't work out, so they decide that it's just not worth it to put themselves out there. Their thought process is that good enough is good enough, especially if it means they never have to go through that embarrassment, disappointment, or defeat again. And when we hear this, we often tell the story about Devon.
Devon was an aspiring event planner with a passion for bringing people together, but he kept putting off marketing himself because he felt like he didn’t know a lot of people in the industry and didn’t feel like he had enough connections to do it effectively. After a few months of coaching, we walked alongside Devon as he meticulously planned a networking mixer for professionals in his city. He secured a venue, curated an enticing program, and promoted the event across various platforms. He thought this would accomplish three things:
- Add value to the community
- Expand his network and
- Show off what he could do in terms of planning a memorable event.
However, when the day of the event arrived, Devon faced a disheartening reality: nobody showed up.
Nobody.
The venue stood eerily empty, and the silence was deafening. Devon felt a mix of embarrassment, frustration, and self-doubt wash over him. Despite his best efforts, it seemed like his dream of establishing himself as a successful event planner was slipping through his fingers.
In the face of this setback, Devon could have easily been consumed by fear and given up on his aspirations. He could have allowed this failure to define him and deter him from pursuing his passion any further. We would have (almost) understood if he did. He had worked so hard and had high expectations. He finally stepped out of his comfort zone and took a big risk, and it didn’t pan out like he had hoped.
But Devon refused to let one setback dictate his future.
Instead of retreating into a place of fear and self-pity, Devon chose to view this experience as a learning opportunity. He analyzed what went wrong with brutal honesty and sought feedback from trusted mentors and industry peers. He identified gaps in his event planning process, from targeting the right audience to effectively marketing the event.
Armed with these insights, Devon dusted himself off and resolved to try again. But this time, he approached his next event with a newfound determination and a willingness to take calculated risks. He refined his marketing strategy, honed in on his target audience, and leveraged his network to drum up interest.
As a result of his perseverance and resilience, Devon's next events saw a significant uptick in attendance. He learned from his mistakes, adapted his approach, and ultimately built a thriving event-planning business.
We know taking risks can be scary, especially after experiencing loss, disappointment, and embarrassment when it doesn’t work out in your favor. But trust us, even those moments that feel like failures are part of the story, and you can’t get to the top without them.
Don’t let your past mistakes define you. If you failed at something, it means that you were brave enough to get out there and try something new, and that says more about you than anything else.
Take the risk. Make the decision. It’s the only way to make progress toward those audacious goals.
