In a Salon conversation with Athena coach Cate Goethals, Gavriella Schuster—a renowned leader in the tech industry—shares her perspective on risk-taking and making bold decisions, revealing a unique approach that has shaped her career and life.

While studying genetic engineering at college, Gavriella received a devastating phone call from her father. He had just lost his job of 27 years. Witnessing her father’s identity and self-worth unravel due to this job loss was a pivotal moment. “I decided that I was not going to be a specialist. I didn’t want to find myself 20 or 30 years into my career having only done one thing, and maybe even being a little outdated in the market.” She resolved to diversify her skills and ensure that she always had options, avoiding the vulnerability her father experienced. This decision laid the foundation for her approach to career and life—one that prioritizes adaptability, continuous learning, and mentorship.

Consequently, Gavriella shifted her studies from genetic engineering to psychology, ultimately leading her to a job at a health insurance company. Realizing the secure but stagnant path it offered, she made a daring move to a small software company, Adobe, in the early ’90s—a time when software was unfamiliar territory to her. “It was super scary,” she admits, but her love for learning and adventure propelled her forward. This bold move marked the beginning of her illustrious career in the tech industry, proving that stepping into the unknown can lead to extraordinary opportunities.

Despite stepping into unfamiliar territory, Gavriella doesn’t consider herself a risk-taker per se. “I really consider myself someone who likes to take bold action and make bold decisions.” This distinction between risk-taking and bold decision-making is crucial. While risk often implies a gamble with uncertain outcomes, bold actions are deliberate and calculated, driven by a clear vision and unwavering determination. Throughout her career, Gavriella has consistently set challenging goals and pursued them with tenacity, proving that bold decisions can lead to significant achievements without necessarily being risky.

Gavriella’s approach to bold decision-making is grounded in a mental model that emphasizes choice. “I always have a choice,” she asserts. This mindset empowers her to evaluate options based on their potential for learning, growth, and engagement. “If it checks the boxes of something new, a chance to meet new people, and an opportunity to create something, then it’s an appealing opportunity for me.” This framework has guided her through various career transitions, allowing her to embrace new challenges with confidence and clarity.

She also approaches branching into different functions or industries by following a rule of three; she identifies one thing she already knows that relates to the new role, two or three things she wants to learn, and one thing that intimidates her. This was how she successfully moved from Cigna to Adobe, where she leveraged her management experience despite knowing very little about the new field. She emphasizes finding mentors for areas she’s unfamiliar with and being transparent with colleagues about her strengths and learning goals. 

Transparency is particularly key when dealing with failure—an inevitable part of bold decision-making. Following a significant public failure involving a partner program change at Microsoft, Gavriella was convinced she was going to lose her job. However, her accountability and transparency in addressing the mistake garnered overwhelming support from her colleagues. This experience reinforced her belief that acknowledging and learning from failures strengthens resilience and fosters trust. 

Despite the failures she’s experienced, Gavriella says there is no risk she’s taken that she regrets. “In everything that I’ve done, even when I’ve failed, I learned something. It’s an experience that I can take with me to the next thing that I do. I think that there’s a lesson in everything, so I don’t regret any of the moves that I’ve made. Ultimately, when you take accountability for what you’ve done and for your failures, then you become stronger. I think that it’s only through all of those changes, risks, and decisions that I’ve made that I can feel as confident as I do today.”

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