Smart Risk Management

Introduction

The Ultimate Risk Taker

Who would you say is the ultimate risk taker? Who is someone you know who takes the sorts of risks you admire?

Keep this person in mind as you read the following story of the person I believe is the ultimate risk taker: Walt Disney.

If you are not familiar with the story of how Disneyland was created, I will recap its history and tell you about Walt Disney. In the 1940s and 1950s, Walt was a film producer in Southern California and usually worked six days per week. On Sundays, he took his two daughters to amusement parks around the area. Although his daughters enjoyed the experience, Walt did not. He and the other parents would sit around with nothing to do while their children were having fun. Most of these amusement parks were dirty, poorly maintained, and sometimes even unsafe.

During this time period, Walt took his family on a tour of the Bavarian Alps and what he saw there really affected him. He fell in love with the castles, the clean cities, and the friendliness of the people. He felt inspired by the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.

These two situations hung around in Walt’s creative mind. Soon afterward, he came up with the concept for Disneyland. Like many ultimate risk takers, not everyone immediately buys into their vision, and the same was true for Walt Disney.

When Walt sought financing for his dream of Disneyland, bankers turned him down. He approached other investors who did the same. They asked him questions such as: “Why would ...