In our experience, most folks, including ourselves don’t have enough of an understanding of risk and the role it plays in our lives and careers and so we have made a concerted effort as a team to have conversations about risk with our interviewees. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Jeffrey Jeudy | CEO and Main DJ

The biggest risk I’ve taken in my life thus far was actually starting this business. I’ve always worked under someone and believed in someone else’s vision because I wasn’t convinced that my vision was good enough. But then I was reminded that greatness lives on the inside of me. And at that moment I needed to make a decision which was even if I was afraid, I need to open this business afraid. And thus For The Culture Entertainment was born! Read more>>

Andrew Moschburg | Visual Artist

When I think of risk, I think of my art. Risk is a part of my everyday life. Many run from the thought of taking a risk, however, I live for these moments. Without risk I would not be where I am today. Ever since I could remember I have always risked my own luck. Although I don’t believe in blind chance, just like a game of chess, I always try to calculate my next move. If it was not for me taking risks, I would never have pursued my art. The hardest part to risk is gaining the confidence to take such a leap. Read more>>

Erin Copelan | Author, speaker, and guest writer

Whenever I hear the work “risk” my mind gets dark and I think of all the scary things that could happen. “What if…” When I fill out financial investment questionnaires I always check the box: “risk averse.” Then I actually look at the way I live my life. I love to travel the world and have been to Japan, France, Italy, England, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Africa. I’ve been diving with sharks in warm, turquoise waters. Read more>>

Arielle Haughee | Small Press Owner

Starting a business is all about taking risks, but especially in publishing. It is infamous for being incredibly difficult and oversaturated. So you have to be a dreamer and a risk-taker to get into it! I got used to being brave as I wrote more memoir pieces. That genre requires you to be deeply candid and “bleed” on the page, as Hemingway would say. After winning an award for one of those incredibly personal pieces, I learned that risk-taking can bring great rewards. Read more>>

Aprile Serry | Style Guru & Marketing Maven

My ability to take risks has developed more and more with time. Life is short. I would rather make an attempt at one of my goals than not take any action at all. As I have continued to take risks I view failure quiet differently. More often than not, it has provided me with an opportunity to learn more about myself and grow. Read more>>

Dana Stone | Life Mastery Consultant

When I think of who I am I wouldn’t call myself a risk taker. I am a petite woman and I often, in jest, call myself a delicate flower. Physically, I tend to play it safe. Though, when I reflect on my life I have taken many life changing risks in my career and personal life. Risks that others might call foolish. The benefits and the disappointments I have experienced from my risky decisions have given me the most growth, expansion and unimaginable joy. Read more>>

Nick Cahill | Owner/Chef – Too Turnt Taco

I like to see risks as opportunities to enhance my life and my business. Sure, there may be a failure hanging in the balance but without taking a risk you’ll never know what can be achieved. I feel as though risk goes hand in hand with sacrifice and this pop-up restaurant of mine has been full of both risks and sacrifices. Many of my peers know that I travel nearly 2 hours from my home in Port St. Lucie to work in Miami and 2 hours back home 2 to 3 times a week. Read more>>

Christopher Patire | Entrepreneur & Fashion Designer

I believe risk-taking is the number one thing you have to do in order to get ahead in life. If you stay comfortable and you stay doing the same thing over and over and over nothing will ever grow. The minute you make a bet on yourself you can’t loose! As long as you stay hungry, stay focused and don’t ever take your foot off the pedal, there is no limit in what you could achieve. Read more>>

Molly Morrison | Photographer & Visual Artist

I try to think about risks as investments. My fear of regret or of not doing something has always outweighed my fear of the risk itself. Especially when it comes to your career, if you are looking to make the pivot from making your hobby into a living or something that you can share with other people, you’re going to have to take risks repeatedly. Read more>>

Rod Jonas | Creator & Futurist

For me, in most cases, risk is a subset within purpose or our dreams. Risk serves as the guardrails to the roads we travel. The higher the risk the narrower the road or unchartered path. I don’t take risks, I simply factor them into a conclusion of choice(s). Read more>>

Mariana Gomez | Beauty Esthetician

Love this question! It’s what pushed me to start my own business and be dedicated to it full time. I left my 9-5 job and took a risk of not having that bi weekly income. In my business there were some weeks that I only had two clients and this was at some point scary due to all the obligations I had. I decided to take a leap of faith to work towards my goals and do what I really am passionate about; beauty, skin care and building a brand in this huge industry without knowing it was all going to work in my favor. Read more>>

Marisa Plotnick Yibirin | Photographer

“Everything is a risk. Not doing anything is a risk. It’s up to you.” Deciding to pursue my passion for photography has been one of the biggest risks that I have taken in my life. I used to think of risks as something to be feared and avoided, but as my career in photography has grown, so have I. Sometimes the things we fear the most are the things that set us free. As I reflect, every artist takes risks within their own craft. It is in these experiences that we grow. Read more>>

Micah Ramos | Non-Binary Model, Actor, and Personality

Risk is such an amazing yet perplexing action anyone could take; it can be extremely rewarding while simultaneously being intimidating. I’ve always thought of risk as a force that is vital for self-development, something that can give someone that extra “push” we all need sometimes. I will tell you, it’s definitely a force to be reckoned with! Risks can come in several forms; whether it be a decision to make, a contract to sign, or even a leap of faith, it’s so important to take them head-on with the utmost conviction. Read more>>

Isabel Salazar | Fashion stylist- designer

Everyone has a business idea or something that they truly love and enjoy, but they never pursue it. some are always waiting “for the right time” not realizing that there’s no such of thing as the “right time” is all about risk taking, a go for it, a gamble basically and I can do it kind of attitude. Read more>>

Yennyfer Buitrago | Founder of Be U Instead

As an entrepreneur, risks are necessary and part of everyday life. From starting a business to day-to-day decisions, you are constantly taking risks, some greater than others. I rarely took any if they were not completely necessary throughout my career. However, I quickly realized that I would have to step out of my comfort zone and start taking risks to reach my goals. That was the moment I decided to start my business, I knew it would be a significant risk, but if executed correctly, the rewards would outweigh the current risk. Very rarely will someone find out their greatness if they never take any risks. Read more>>

Daniel Verb” Hidalgo | Entrepreneur”

I was so confident in my business plan, that the risk I took when I invested every penny I owned into starting up my business wasn’t even a thought. Calculated risk should always be a factor when starting a new business. I was only 30 years old with no children when I started my business. So taking a risk wasn’t as big of an impact to me as it would be to an older person with a family to support. Read more>>

Negus Lutese | Professional Model and Voice Over Specialist

I think about risk in terms of reward. Without risk there would be limited growth and in this life, growth is one of my goals. Risk has played an important role in my life and career by simply, just trying. I’ve always wanted to be successful but being successful involves risk and it involves being open. Success and risk go hand and hand and I’m open to any opportunity that will take me to self sufficiency and consciousness. Read more>>

Khadijah Adams | President & Chief Grown-Ass Woman

I believe that taking risks could mean success or failure in life and in business. If you don’t take any risks, you fail by default. If you take risks, you have a better chance at success and you never fail, you can only learn valuable lessons. Then keep moving forward. Read more>>

David Danowski | Deli owner

Risks are a part of life, and in order to succeed one must be willing to take risks at times to achieve what some may find impossible. Wayne Gretzky once said “you will miss 100% of the shots you never take”. When you think about that and know that pain is only temporary so when you have a dream or want to follow your passion you just go for it and never look back. Life will throw you curve balls so when it gets tough because it will don’t ever forget your Why. Read more>>

Le’Quanda Archer | SR training Specialist & Entrepreneur

I think about risks as uncertainty, the unknown, stepping out on faith if you will. Choosing to become an entrepreneur was a risk that I was willing to take with the mindset that failure isn’t an option. Starting sheshoetique, I was taking a risk when choosing to invest while living paycheck to paycheck at the time, and being a single mother. The risk was one I was willing to take and I have no regrets! Read more>>

Alexis Interiano | Portrait Photographer & Artist

In my experience, risk-taking is an imperative act that leads to the progression that MUST come when you live as an artist. It is very easy to stagnate in your craft when you find what you’re best at creating. All of the attention and praise that you receive for your particular style can sometimes make it hard to try new things or exercise your creative perimeter, but those feelings are just fear and insecurity. Fear that when your new experiences in life evolve your art, your fandom might not evolve with you. Read more>>