When the plane he was in went down in the Hudson River, Red Ventures CEO Ric Elias changed his approach to life and business. Since then, Red Ventures has grown into a direct marketing and sales powerhouse for high-profile companies in high-growth industries — a testament to the adaptability of the Red Ventures team. “We are busting through a lot of management myths,” he says. But he has no fear or trepidation about breaking the management mold. He says, “Many entrepreneurs are motivated by a fear of failure. But if I was not afraid of dying, why should I be afraid of failing?”