We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe Woolf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joe, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think some people are hard-wired to be risk averse whereas others get turned on by it. I love taking calculated risks, personally and professionally. I can’t imagine living life and making choices based on fear and worry of what might happen if I fail. How boring!

My philosophy when it comes to risk taking is: Don’t be afraid to fail. This doesn’t mean fling yourself headlong into something without preparing for possible outcomes, nor does it mean take every risk that comes your way. The reason I’m not afraid to take risks is because I see life as a great adventure and there is always something valuable to learn along the way whether you win or lose. I don’t think you can really achieve something great without taking risks; that’s just how the world works.

For me, the question is not whether to take risks or not, it’s which risk to take. When it comes to business decisions I will take into account whatever facts and figures I can dig up, but I rely on instinct a lot when evaluating which risks to take and which ones to pass on.

Instinct is a tricky thing because by its nature it is something that exists in the ethereal world of feelings which are fluid, unverifiable, and mysterious. Even though Instincts are entirely personal and they express something completely unique to the individual, I found I had to learn to trust my instincts. Trust comes with experience and confidence, but also knowing how to navigate the exterior chatter from friends, family, and colleagues (some much smarter than me) who give solicited and, yes, unsolicited advice. The challenge of evaluating a risk is balancing the exterior chatter with the internal “voice” of my instincts.

In the end, the choices are mine. And if I’m going forward with something risky, I must know going in that I have to live with the consequences of my decisions, for better and for worse.

The next fun part of taking risks is managing how you react to the outcome. If there’s success, handle it with modesty and gratitude. If there is failure, make sure to take responsibility; you’ll never learn anything if you blame others for things not working out.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Song-Word Art House we curate and produce art exhibitions inspired by the lyrics of legendary songwriters. (ADD) What sets us apart from others is the way we collaborate with the written word. Our approach takes the energy of two sources of creativity, songwriter and fine artist, and combines them to form a flame that is greater than the sum of its parts.

We are most excited about the way fans of the song react to seeing something they are already emotionally connected to, reimagined in a powerful new way. The new artworks will often reignite people’s connection to the song. It’s really special when customers share stories about the song or the band with us. In some cases the emotion becomes overwhelming and before we know it the tears start flowing and we’re all standing around crying together. Lol.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For me, Malibu is the most magical place in the area – maybe even the world! There is something truly healing about the light, the air, the colors…it fuels the soul with inspiration.

The tour would start with a morning walk on Broad Beach, followed by a few hours laying out on the beach and maybe surf or boogie board if so inclined. For lunch, I’d take my friend for a 15 minute drive north on PCH to Neptunes Net. They have great seafood and a solid selection of cold beers. On weekends, motorcycle enthusiasts cruise up and down the highway, sometimes putting on quite a show with wheelies and other tricks. Come 5 O’clock it’s time for cocktails at the Sunset Restaurant. The view over the water at free Zuma is breathtaking. For dinner, my favorite spot is Maestros steak house about 20 minutes south on PCH. Not only does Maestros have the best steaks in town, the restaurant is a great spot for people watching.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My partner Liz and I always give credit to the songwriters because their gift is the starting point for everything that comes after it. Song lyrics are the poetry of our era and the great lyricists find innovative ways through the written word to express something powerful, truthful, and mysterious about life. We dedicate our success to our primary source of inspiration: the songwriter.

Website: www.song-word.com

Instagram: song_word_art

Twitter: @SongWordArt

Facebook: Song-Word Art House

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