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The power of optimism in business, Alison Taylor, Co-CEO of Jane App - The startup CEO show

4 Feb 2025 · 0 min

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A short transcript excerpt from a February 4, 2025 YouTube interview with Alison Taylor (Co-CEO of Jane App) in which she describes herself as a "realistic optimist": she evaluates opportunities by considering the worst-case outcome and proceeds only if she can accept it, emphasizing optimism tempered by practical risk limits rather than reckless gambles.

I think I'm like, I am an optimist, a realistic optimist, which means when I look at an opportunity, I say, what's the worst thing that could happen? And if I'm okay with that, then I'm willing to try it. But I'm not a, like, mortgage your house, put your children on the street kind of person. I've never. I'm not a high risk, but I am a realistic optimist, and I believe anything's possible. And I think there's always a better way or we can figure it out, or, you know, there's always something.