There is a wealth of academic research that suggests that differences in risk appetite are at the heart of differences in career and business trajectories. We wanted to go beyond the theory and ask real people from the community about their perspectives and experiences with risk and risk taking.

Alyssa Botelho | Filmmaker

This question caught my eye, because I’ve never qualified my decisions as “risky”. In fact, the word is not really a part of my vocabulary. “Risk” brings to mind a tightrope walker 200 feet in the air. Putting most of your savings in the stock market. Bluffing on a bad hand in poker when big money is on the line. Certainly I don’t make decisions as glamorous and eye-catching as these. Read more>>

Ivan Brezec | Video Content Producer

Taking risks is crucial in any aspect of developing and realizing your own idea. Today, parents teach children safely, finish college, get a job and work in the same place for the rest of their lives. This year I plan to start my own business and thus at the age of 18 I take a big risk on myself. It will be a great challenge and adventure for me, but without taking risks it is not possible. Read more>>

Cristina Fernandez | Founder and Head Baker of I Knead More

One of my personal mottos is “A day without risk is a day wasted.”. Every single step I took in building I Knead More was a risk that greatly rewarded my professional development. I always take combined risks of: developing recipes for the Miami palette, presenting my concept on a public platform like social media, and utilizing multiple marketing tactics and strategies to captivate my clientele. These are the risks I take every day with I Knead More and, thankfully, they’ve paid off tremendously. Read more>>

MeMe Hermitt | Media Personality

I think life is about taking risks. No risk, no reward. I’m not afraid to put myself out there. That may come with some rejection, I may make some mistakes. But throughout the whole process, I’m able to learn. Learn about myself and about my craft. It’s all about growth. Read more>>

Paula Carozzo | Disabled Activist & Content Creator

Risk is something that has come natural to me from a young age. I’ve looked different and moved different since I was a kid due to my disability, so I had no other choice but to face the world when others looked down on me . There has been a mix of emotions when taking risks including fear, feeling embarrassed and tenacity. I think that risks at times can be your biggest assets or biggest losses even if measured cautiously. We all need risks to grow and explore our curiosity. Read more>>

Daniela Martinez | Content Creator

Taking risks has been the #1 factor that has bring me to this stage in my business as a content creator. In 2020, when everyone else was losing their jobs I took the risk of resigning to mine to try to make it in my career. I was super nervous, scared of not being able to make the same amount of money as in my office job but thankfully everything worked out and in the first month I double the income from my 9-5 with just my business. Read more>>

DaniAnn Rawls | Wardrobe Stylist, Fashion Designer, & Confidence Builder

I’m what you call a calculated risk taker. I truly believe you have to take risks to see an effective change in your life. When I say I’m calculated, that means I weigh my options with the pros and cons of that risk. Risks is how you learn and become better in my opinion. If I didn’t take that risk of leaving my desk job I wouldn’t know that following my dreams was possible and therefore would be stuck saying what if. Read more>>

Bossa Fusion Duo | World Class Brazilian Bossa Nova Duo with elements of Jazz and Blues.

Only those who have the courage to expose themselves, to take risks, have their lives in their hands, being free to make their own choices. You always have to take risks to try something new. You have to believe in yourself and keep doing what you love in life, it takes time, dedication, perseverance and resilience, until it works out the way you dream about it, having in mind that you are already living your dream in your attempts, failures and successes. Read more>>

Crystal Varellas | Movement, Nutrition & Mental Wellness Coach

Taking risks can be very intimidating. But I truly believe that taking risks is a huge part of life in every component, From personal to love to business. Life is taking risks. I think that I have spent the better part of my life taking risks but recently I took a few gambles that have changed everything for me. Going into Covid I came out of a very unhealthy relationship and was not in a great place physically nutritionally and mentally. I used that time being unemployed to really figure out what I wanted to do with my fitness career that I had stumbled on and took the time to figure out what would make me the happiest. Read more>>

Nicole Bauman | Hair and Makeup Artist

I generally take risks based on if that risk has a positive benefit to my career or life. I think if you’re not taking risks you’re not growing. Read more>>

Stephanie Williams | Owner of Stephanie Speaks, LLC, Transformation Coach and Speaker

Stephanie Speaks, LLC derived from me taking action no matter the outcome. I know and believe I want people to feel the freedom I live by and the abundance that embraces my life no matter the current circumstance that I may go through. I had to learn to step outside of my comfort zone and push myself beyond my limits to be more visible to get the response needed for my business to jump off to higher heights. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I didn’t take risks. I am proud to say I am 2x International Bestseller Author, Transformation Coach, and Speaker, along with a business owner and founder of a nonprofit. Read more>>

Howard Palacin | Electronic Engineer, avionics specialist and Business owner

There is risk in every decision that we made specially in business, the way you handle risk it would depend on whether you succeed or fail. Once you open a business to stay afloat you must take risks financially and mentally and it’s about how you manage it, how well you can prepare for it and how to minimize it. Let me give you an example: when we decided to open our business it took us months doing market research, finding the need for our service, researching our territory and our competitors, just to take an educated decision and mitigate most of the risk that we could think of. Nevertheless, I think by taking the risk of starting a business is what help us be resilient and stronger. Read more>>

Terrell McGill | Owner and Pit Master of RACKZ BBQ

Risk taking is everything to me! I love a good challenge it’s what builds character. A great friend of mine told me long ago that successful businessmen take risks… I live by that! I’m always challenging myself thinking of new ideas to take my business to the next level, and I’m not afraid of stepping out there on my own if need be! I’ve always been the one to think outside the box, and create my own lane. So building a business from the bottom up, and I mean LITERALLY out the mud… There’s nothing more riskier, and rewarding than that! Read more>>

Glenn Basser | Owner, Basser’s Fine Wine

Every start up business and entrepreneur thinks about risk before they jump into a project. Believe me, when we started Basser’s Fine Wine we were scared, I think every new business owner is (Or should be). However, instead of letting fear dominate our thinking, we broke down our risk factors and examined them to try and understand if we were doing the right thing, in order to have the best chance to be successful. Read more>>

Shaun Gold | Polymathic Super Connector

The greatest risk is the one that you don’t take. Being timid and playing it safe does a thousand times more damage than taking a risk, especially when you bet on yourself. My life has been nothing more than a series of risks and gambles. At seventeen, I turned down a superior university to attend the University of Miami solely to follow my passion of marketing and throwing parties. Yes, I was scared. Yes, I feared the unknown. And yes, I still went forward. Read more>>