Photographers Who Take Risks

by Skip Cohen

I have no idea what's taken me to a risk management theme this morning, but that's the fun of a blog that's rarely planned out very far in advance. 

As photographers and entrepreneurs you're constantly taking risks, or you should be. 
Just the uncertainty of the economy is a risk and you're out there every day, but are you taking the right risks?


A right risk might be creating a new promotional offer while a wrong risk might be expanding into a new building, before you absolutely had to have the space.  A right risk could be increasing your pricing and creating more added value to the packages you offer.  A wrong risk might be buying that new exotic lens you want when you could rent it for a little while and confirm how much you'll really use it.

Wrong risks tend to be driven by our egos, while right risks are more rooted in common sense and our hearts.  We all do both, but the key is making sure the scales of reason are heavier on the right side. 

I'll be the first to admit I have a hard time practicing what I preach.  While this might seem a little trite for a blog topic, think about everything you have planned for the month ahead and what kind of risks are you taking? 

You have no choice in building your business and your brand to take risks. Just make sure you're taking the time to analyze the impact of key decisions and remember, you don't have to do it all alone. This is where your family and friends can play an incredibly role in helping your grow.

From Mark Zuckerberg:

"The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks."

 Illustration Credit:  © kentoh - Fotolia.com

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