Taking Risk is essential, but how much, when and why? Taking risks effectively is as much of an art as it is a science and we’ve asked some of the brightest folks in the community to tell us about how they think about risk taking.

William Lynch | Artist

Having stumbled into art so much later in life, my financial risk is minimized. I already have an established career and a level of financial security that most artists starting out don’t have. The risk for me is much more the risk of showing myself and the vulnerability of exposing myself through art. I’m not as worried about not being able to pay the rent as I am about rejection or failure. I’m talking about failure on a personal level. The risk is showing my heart and perhaps having it rejected and feeling like a failure or like what I’m putting out into the world wasn’t good enough to be appreciated. Read more>>

Stefano & Guido Spacagna | Co-owners, Spacagna Italian Hair Design

Stefano Spacagna: Five years ago, my brother and I took a major risk and moved to Miami to pursue our dream of opening our own business in the United States. The unknown was challenging and scary at the time, but we are so glad that we did it. Now, we are proud to have our own authentic, Italian hair salon in the heart of Coral Gables and look forward to continued growth and expansion. Guido Spacagna: Growing up in a small town in Italy, I always wanted to experience the American Dream, so we packed up with a small amount of savings, took the risk and went for it — it has certainly paid off in many ways from both a professional and personal standpoint. Read more>>

Langlichmie Normile | Author & Filmmaker

In my opinion, risk is an opportunity to grow because at the end we always learn something from it. Furthermore, risk is the courage that helps us overcome fear and doubt, challenge ourselves and other odds, build faith and character, it is also a chance to prove a point or build something. Big dreams mean taking a lot of risk. Read more>>

Sin Silva | Performance artist

I think taking risks will inevitably benefit you in the end because everything happens for a reason. If you don’t take a risk, you’re left with the “What If” for the rest of your life whereas you face fear and take a risk: you unlock whatever is divinely in store for you. Taking risk led me to this point of time. I’m a tv personality , I have my own live shows, and I’m traveling to perform. It’s a dream come true. Read more>>

Valentina Simon De Ferrari | Founder & President at AGC Football

In life, I’ve always adhered to three guiding principles that I decided to incorporate into both my professional and personal journey. 1. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” 2. “Persevere and triumph.” 3. “The ‘no’ is already a ‘no.’” Guided by these three tenets, I feel they have equipped me with the tools to bring AGC to realization. AGC represents a venture into the unknown, where certainty about its success or potential income was never guaranteed. I initially approached it as a “part-time” endeavor, acknowledging the fundamental risks. It wasn’t until the beginning of 2023 that I made the bold decision to commit 100% to my dream, risking everything. Today, I can proudly declare that it has become self-sufficient. Read more>>