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herodoturtle · 2021-09-16 · Original thread
I'd like to second this line of thinking.

I've built a software business over the last 15 years using this exact communications theme, and whilst my little business is a sample size of 1, we've certainly found that framing conversations with customers in terms of "risk" has kept us all on the same page.

I'd also add that by adopting this communication style, one can then look at opportunities in a new light as well. On that note, I was lucky to read a book called "IT Risk" (by Westerman & Hunter, HBS Press [0]) back when I first started the company, and it gave me an interesting perspective on risk.

In a nutshell, once you identify and minimise/eliminate all the usual risks (many of which you identified in your list), you can then reorient your business in such as way so as to start actively taking risks which stand to improve your overall offering.

This in turn allows you to build a strategic moat of sorts, because whilst your competitors are still scrambling to address the usual risks, you're actively taking on opportunistic risks which at times reap tremendous rewards.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/Risk-Turning-Business-Competitive-Adv...

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