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.

Marc Yannaco | CEO of Bongoze.com

I was a bond trader on Wall Street for two decades, where risk taking was inherently a large part of the job. I had to determine when to buy bonds and take on a substantial amount of risk or sell bonds when the market sentiment was heading lower. Wall Street is a zero-sum game as a trader. If you’re right, you keep your job and get paid. If you’re wrong, you’re fired. I was lucky enough to be surrounded with a great team and able to navigate the highs and lows of the market for a long time. Read more>>

 Felicia Adderley | Balloon designer

If you want to lead an extraordinary life, there is going to be some risk involved. Entrepreneurship is not for the risk-averse. It’s like jumping off a cliff, over and over again. You can never get comfortable for a long period of time. Read more>>

Emanuel Galimidi | Personal Injury Attorney

For me, risk is part of what makes life worth living. You get to try things (within reason!) and see if it works. It’s the unknown, the “what could be” that has launched everything lemon aid stands all the way to lunar landings. I think as lawyers, we often view risk from the worst-case scenario IF we do the thing. Whatever it may be. And while that is an important layer in the analysis it isn’t the only one. In starting my own practice from scratch with exactly zero clients, I of course considered what happens if I fail miserably and no one signs up. I would have given up a great job working with so many great people for what? How would my family fare? Bills? No pressure! Thankfully, that didn’t happen, but it certainly was within the range of possible outcomes. What I also needed to consider though was, what is the worst-case scenario if I don’t do this? That was easy, I wake up 10 years later and I never tried to do something, that I knew I could. That fear of becoming someone who resented themselves was more than enough to overcome the fear of failure. Now that I am on the other side of the jump, I can of course say that it was the right choice because the results have been great but I know that it’s not 20/20 hindsight because had I failed, I would have failed but still gained a great deal of self-respect. And that, is not something comes without risk. Read more>>

Gabriela Maldonado | Medical student & actor

Risking is the possibility that something bad can happen but not necessarily if it’s a good risk. I think good comes in good and bad ways and in my life taking risks has take me to places I would never thought I could , like for an instance I’m a medical field student that has a pasión for acting and music so I’m risking both to become a successful artist. Read more>>

Fancy James | The Queen Of Fashion

Life is a risk, we are constantly being met with choices, standing at the infamous crossroads of decisions. We must learn to walk by faith and not by site. Believing that there is a higher power that guides and protects us with our intuition. Learning to listen to that quite voice that tells us to be bold and take the next step even when you can’t see it. My entire life has been based on this theory, i took a risk to leave Haiti and start a whole new life in America and I didn’t have a clue how to make that happen, I took the risk and put my trust in God and here I am today Fabulous and Fancy I was Born In Haiti and Made In America, simply by taking a risk and a leap of faith. Read more>>

Joyce Wang | JOYCE WANG ECO FASHION CEO

Risk means opportunity, I’ve taken every single risk I’ve ever could for my career and my company, as long as you analyse the pros and cons and do risk management and plan ahead accordingly, love taking risks, if you don’t, entrepreneur isn’t the right route for you. Read more>>

Richart Ruddie | Compliance Superhero

Life used to be all about taking risks. Now it’s all about compliance and making sure everything is buttoned up for clients and our brands. I took a lot of risks in my teens, twenties, and into my early thirties. Now that I have exited more risky businesses and am focusing on building out one of the worlds largest compliance companies I even think twice about walking across the street if we don’t have a walk signal. Read more>>

William Hartwick | Author and Motivational Speaker

Living with Tourette Syndrome, my life has been about risks and subsequent rewards. When I released the Invisible Backpack, “A life of Courage,” my 1st book, it allowed me some freedom in life I never thought I would have. The risk of opening oneself up to the world in a vulnerable way has reaped many rewards in my life, including this interview. Risks are often not taken because of fear of failing. The only real fear in life is fear itself. Some risks are taken monetarily, some risks in relationships and others in emotional ways. My risk is speaking to the world about a condition that is highly judged, and the reaction is my reward. People across the world are reaching out and appreciating ,accepting, and helping themselves from the risk I took, releasing my first book. I’m now working on my second book entitled Norma,l Basic and Average… NOT, which is one continuous rhyme, my autobiography. When it is released , the risk/reward benefits will be that of helping myself and making myself whole and strong as a human being. As an educator, both teacher and principal, for the better part of 30 years, the risk was vulnerability and being able to help children understand themselves as they were meant to be. That is a true risk with an amazing reward. I get to spend the rest of my life taking risks that are easier and more meaningful because the first risk I took was overcoming the condition of Tourette’s Syndrome and persevering each and every day of my life. Read more>>