Investing always involves risk. There is never a guarantee for success, but the potential rewards can be quite substantial. There have been several lucrative investment opportunities in the past, although they would not necessarily work out for everyone. Below are some examples of how risky investments can pay off.

4. Whole Foods Market

Consumers in the United States are well aware of the Whole Foods name. However, few people know how this chain started in the early days. It took the combined brawn and guts of four Austin-based business people to establish a brand name in the natural food industry every can relate to. At that time, natural foods were not exactly a top priority for most consumers and grocery stores. That has come to change ever since the 1980s. With a clear plan of action and a lot of faith in the project, Whole Foods Market became the company it is today.

3. Tesla

It is almost impossible to picture how Tesla almost was not the company as we know it today. Even large companies go through struggles, and this particular business venture is no exception. With the 2012 production falling short of expectation, the company found themselves in a bit of a pickle. Investors and shareholders only see the negative, which hurt the stock price. If this trend had been only slightly more severe, Tesla could have effectively gone bankrupt at one point.

At the same time, stock market traders saw a golden opportunity emerge. Buying Tesla stocks well below the previous price turned out to be quite a smart decision for a lot of people. The Tesla stock price eventually went up by 500% again after its decline and is at an all-time high today. All it takes is some money, a bold plan, and patience to make good things happen. People turn $1,000 into $100,000 over time with patience and a solid strategy.

2. Apple Could Have Gone Bankrupt Years Ago

Apple, the technology giant, could have been an utter disaster back in the 90s. With no sales goals being met and internal issues resulting in a power vacuum, the company was facing an existential threat. The company was even forced to bring back Steve Jobs, which eventually turned out to be one of the company’s best business decisions of all times. It was a decision that could have effectively killed off the company, but it turned Apple into a global powerhouse instead. People who bought stocks during this volatile time will have benefited tremendously as well.

1. Buying Bitcoin

Bitcoin is by far one of the most accessible investment vehicles for people all over the world. Even though plenty of people still do not trust cryptocurrency, the opportunities are ripe for the taking. Bitcoin has seen some wild price swings, all of which have allowed traders and speculators to make a lot of money during times some people predicted Bitcoin would die. We have come at such a crossroads yet again, with the price dropping in recent days.

Investing in Bitcoin is never a bad idea, assuming you look at things from a long-term perspective. The days of daytrading Bitcoin are well behind us, as the market is even more unpredictable than it has been in the past. Right now, Bitcoin is well underway to dip below $1,900 -at the time of writing- which an excellent buying opportunity. Keep in mind BTC hit $3,000 not too long ago and will hit that target again at some point in the future. No one can tell you when Bitcoin will hit the big numbers again, it remains one of the more solid investment opportunities available today.