The Devil's Advocate

97

Jump off a chair

Looking at daredevil entrepreneurs who divide their time between running global enterprises and parachuting out of spaceships, you’d think the world is divided into superheroes and the rest of us. These amazing individuals seemingly leapt out of their mothers’ wombs on bungee cords.

I’m not convinced. I don’t want to wade knee-deep into the debate as to whether entrepreneurs (or indeed any other personality types) are born or made. I do believe some people are born with a head start, and I also agree you can’t take a group of 12-year-olds and turn all of them into go-getting tycoons. But you can teach people to have a higher tolerance for risk and uncertainty.

When younger, I learnt to parachute with the army. The motto ...