Richard Moran on risk, opportunity, and finding what matters
Richard Moran believes the biggest regrets in life aren’t about the risks we take but about the ones we don’t.
Richard Moran on risk, opportunity, and finding what matters
Richard Moran believes the biggest regrets in life aren’t about the risks we take but about the ones we don’t.
“The real question isn’t what’s the worst that can happen,” he said. “It’s what’s the best thing that can happen, and does it align with my ambitions?”
It is a philosophy that has carried Moran, a Miami University Ph.D. graduate, through a career that has stretched from the boardrooms of Silicon Valley to the slower pace of his vineyard in Sonoma County. Along the way, he has been a college president, venture capitalist, investor, author, and radio host. But he insists it all started the same way: by saying yes to unexpected opportunities.
During Moran’s time at Miami, while working in the career planning office, a company in California asked for help getting off the ground. He took the risk, left Ohio, and joined Atari, a leap that launched him into the early days of Silicon Valley’s tech scene.
“My career has been serendipitous,” he said. “You can’t always plan what’s next, but you can be ready when it finds you.”
Years later, that same openness led to another chance encounter, this time while waiting for a valet. The person in line behind him was talking about a new snack company using heat and pressure, not oil, to make chips from potatoes. Moran listened, invested, and became an early backer of PopChips, now a multimillion-dollar brand.
“Listening and writing are skills you can learn with any major,” he said. “These skills are transferable and will stay with you, whatever your job is.”
It’s advice that resonates with both entrepreneurs and students. Moran encourages Miami students to say yes to the unexpected, to learn to write and listen well, and to think bigger about their ideas. “A good founder is persistent, willing to change, and open to input,” he said. “Most ideas are too small. You have to stretch them into something that can make a difference.”
Today, Moran still invests in early-stage companies but spends much of his time in Sonoma, tending to his vineyard and writing. His most recent book, The Accidental Vineyard, is a memoir that explores what he calls his “city mouse, country mouse” life, the contrast between high-speed venture capital and the slow rhythm of grapevines and restoration.
“I’d fly around the world with CEOs during the week and come home to dig in the dirt,” he said. “It reminded me what’s real.”
That reflection, he says, is just another kind of risk, a willingness to redefine success and chase meaning as much as momentum.
“You can be ambitious and still grounded,” Moran said. “You just have to keep asking yourself what’s the best thing that could happen and be brave enough to find out.”
Moran’s story is featured in EHS Innovates: Founders and Builders, a spotlight series from Miami University’s College of Education, Health, and Society. This new series highlights alumni who are building ventures with purpose across education, health, and society.
EHS Innovates
Innovation thrives at the intersection of passion and purpose. EHS Innovates brings together students, alumni, faculty, and industry partners to explore how entrepreneurial thinking can drive meaningful change in education, health, and society. Through workshops, mentorship, and real-world challenges, we create opportunities to develop solutions that address pressing issues in our fields. Whether you're launching a venture, looking to collaborate, or simply curious about how innovation shapes your discipline, EHS Innovates is your gateway to making an impact.
Nominate an EHS Alum to Be Featured
This article was written with editorial assistance from AI tools Grammarly and ChatGPT
