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RGeneralUpdated 2 Nov 2026

Risk tolerance

Level of risk that an organization or individual is willing to accept.

Definition

Risk tolerance is the level of risk that an organization or individual is willing to accept. Founders reach for it when a vague conversation needs a shared, specific meaning. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.

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In the room

How the word shows up in a real conversation.

You know Risk tolerance is doing work when it changes a weekly choice — price, hire, channel, or kill. The working definition: Level of risk that an organization or individual is willing to accept.

Common mistake

Using Risk tolerance as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.

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