Fear of failure won’t stop the risk-takers

This article is an online version of our Off to Lunch newsletter. Sign up to receive it straight to your inbox here.

Business Thinker

Deep dives on business and leadership

By Josh Dornbrack

?? Fear of failure won’t stop the risk-takers

Risk-taking is essential for innovation and growth. From medical trials to entrepreneurial ventures, calculated risks can lead to breakthroughs, as seen with companies including Novo Nordisk and Wizz Air. While risk brings the possibility of failure, it also opens the door to progress and long-term success. Understanding what’s possible often comes from taking chances and learning from failure, making risk an important driver in business, sports and beyond.

? Caffeine may be just the exercise booster you need – as long as you don’t overdo it, say experts

Caffeine and exercise make an excellent pair for performance enhancement, according to experts. Research suggests that caffeine, whether from coffee or supplements, can boost workout efficiency by improving energy levels and lowering perceived effort. However, it’s important to be mindful of proper dosing and individual tolerance, as some people may experience side effects like anxiety or insomnia. With the right approach, incorporating caffeine into your fitness routine can help you work out longer and harder – just be sure to listen to your body and find what works best for you.

Business Question

Guess the year

• Flight-search company Skyscanner was acquired by Chinese online travel giant Ctrip for £1.4bn
• Martin Shkreli, Panama Papers and Pokemon Go were in the news a lot
• BHS filed for administration
• SoftBank bought British darling Arm

The answer can be found at the bottom of the page.

Business Agenda

A summary of the most important business news

By Graham Ruddick

1. Growing concern about what the government could announce in the Budget on tax increases and workers’ rights means that businesses have put hiring on hold, according to a survey by KPMG and the Recruitment & Employment Confederation. More here.

2. Dovid Efune, the owner of the American newspaper the New York Sun, is close to a deal to buy The Telegraph. More from the Financial Times here.

3. Richemont, the luxury brand, has agreed to sell online fashion business Yoox Net-A-Porter. Richemont is going to book a loss of hundreds of millions of pounds on Yox Net-A-Porter. The buyer is Mytheresa, the German company. More from Bloomberg here.

4. A collection of local authority pension funds have warned the London Stock Exchange not to lower boardroom standards in an attempt to attract more companies to list in the UK. More from The Times here.

5. The Financial Times has done a fascinating piece on Jane Street, the Wall Street trading firm that has become extraordinarily profitable and was also where Sam Bankman-Fried worked before setting up FTX. “The amount of money they make is almost obscene,” one analyst says. You can read the piece here.

Business Quote

Inspiration from leaders

“Successful leaders see the opportunities in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.”

– Reed Markham

Business Leader

The best of our content

Wear your brand to scale it

Cheeky Panda specialises in eco-friendly household products made from bamboo, with big sellers including toilet paper and kitchen roll. You can find the brand in many major supermarkets.

In the latest instalment of our My CEO Secret video series, we speak to its co-founder and CEO Julie Chen.

The business started as a side hustle in a spare room in 2016. Her B Corp-certified company now employs 35 people, selling its products in more than 25 countries, with a turnover last year of £12m.

Cheeky Panda sources its bamboo products from China, where Chen grew up. She was raised in Fujian province on the southeast coast and then studied in Beijing.

After a period working for Japanese companies in China, she moved to the UK in 2005 to study for a Masters degree. She worked again for Japanese companies in the UK, specialising in commodities and supply chain movements.

However, she also had an entrepreneurial streak. On top of her corporate job, she set up a side hustle, importing trainers from China and selling them online.