On Taking Risks

This weekend I read a great article in Fortune titled, “Where Does Google Go Next?“    The article’s main theme was about much of Google’s premium talent that is starting to leave the company to start their own ventures.  Even with the great perks and the “20% time” policy where Google employees use one day a week to work on whatever project they want, employees are wanting more.

The main takeaway for me though were less around talent and more about the founders growing concerns.  They aren’t around meeting their revenue targets, where the innovation is coming next, or even how they will retain top talent.  According the CEO Eric Schmidt…

“They are concerned that the company is becoming too conservative.  They say to me, “We took huge risks when we had no cash.  No we have all of this cash and we take few risks.”

When is the last time you took  a risk?

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June 23rd, 2008

2 Comments Add your own

  • 1. simpsational  |  June 30th, 2008 at 1:17 pm

    Where do they go? The clouds. I think Google is positioned as well as any other company to drive cloud computing: Moving running applications globally over the course of an earth day to where processing power is cheapest–on the dark side of the planet. If Google can crack the automation code, or more likely acquire a company that does, the cost savings benefits for companies would be enormous. And for Google, being the supplier of such a service would diversify and grow its revenue base.

  • 2. Charles P Barry, II  |  July 16th, 2008 at 8:21 am

    Yesterday plopped out a quarter of a million $’s. Maybe like some of the Google people you reach a point where you’re not totally satisfied with the challenges at work or they don’t provide the right challenge….RISK.

    So on the side I take risk. Incorporated and just finished flipping my first house this month and made an offer on the next one. Risking my personal savings, but with the other current investment options I’d be doing good just breaking even. At least I’m in control of my own risk.

    Maybe that’s what the Google people are doing /feeing but they have the capital to walk away from employment.

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