The Riskiest Thing You've Ever Done
Many people have said that starting Kapwing was a risky thing to do. After all, I left Google, one of the world’s most famously great companies, and gave up a high-paying job I adored to make $0 and pay rent from my savings.
Objectively, this is true. The spreadsheet calculation would show massive opportunity cost and low expected value of entrepreneurship. But subjectively, I didn’t feel afraid. I felt confident and knew that the worst case was not that bad. A colleague told me before I left Google that I could call him “on a Friday and have my job back on Monday.” Regardless on if that is true, it left me feeling reassured.
For some, money is safety. I’ve learned this from getting to know my fiance, who feels much better when he’s accounted for every dollar and has a strict financial plan.
I’m different than him. For me, money is freedom. It’s the ability not to care about my bank account. This week, I bought a $490 ticket to change my flight by 24 hours, all so I could make an optional dinner with a mentor in San Francisco, where I live. The risk that I would miss a moment and regret it later outweighed the financial cost.
