Are you a risk taker? Do you think you have a stronger appetite for risk relative to your friends and family? We asked some folks from the community about their approaches to risk and have shared their thoughts below.

Kathryn Cruz | Head Baker, Founder & CEO

It’s funny how writing things like this interview immortalizes a part of who you are in a moment of time. Perhaps, in the future, I might regret this raw honesty about my past and my inclination towards taking risks throughout my life. Yet, this is just another risk that I am willing to take. Taking risks has always been the core of who I am and deep down, I believe in myself more than I openly admit. I have faith in my ability to navigate the consequences that come with risks, and I know there is personal growth that happens with each risk taken. Read more>>

Katherine Nichols | Author of Southern suspense with heart and humor

I never thought of myself as a risk taker. Yes, I was the first one of my teenage friends to drop into an opening in the ground roughly the size of a manhole cover and army crawl through a tight space until I found myself standing in a magnificent cave. But I didn’t and don’t see this adventure as much more than me trying to impress my boyfriend and his friends. It wasn’t until I graduated college that I began to understand life was a series of choices, all with different levels of risks. The tricky part of being an adult is deciding when to go for it–to hold your breath and jump–and when to sit it out. Sitting around is safe but terribly boring. And I hate being bored. Read more>

Kaylah Spencer | Lash artist & supplier

I feel taking risks is a rewarding act no matter the outcome… I’m fact I believe the outcome will always be a learning experience whether or not you benefit from it. I’d rather gain knowledge from taking a risk than to not take it at all.
Taking risks in my past have led to nothing but success and I feel like taking action is what’s most important. When you think too deeply about things, you confuse yourself as well as put negative energy into your idea. I feel like just acting on it & putting towards an effort is where it all starts. Read more>>

Gurvinder Bhatia | Quench Magazine Editor-in-chief, Wine Educator, Consultant, Commentator, Storyteller, Community Builder, Advocate for Underdogs

Rick and opportunity go hand in hand. Evaluating risk is about evaluating opportunity. In business, risk is about assessing the potential opportunities – whether it is filling a void/need in the market for a product or service, or by creating the demand for a product or service (ie something that the market perhaps didn’t even know that it needed/wanted). Every business venture I’ve undertaken is about creating something that I believe will enhance people’s experiences. For me, it has to be a win-win-win situation to be sustainable. If the focus is on quality, the customers’ experience, and treating the people you deal with with respect (whether suppliers, staff, or customers), then risks are minimized – you also have to be agile and recognize the need to make adjustments in the process without losing sight of the focus of the business and its mission. Read more>>

Brody Fields | Photographer

Taking risks is what life is all about. I 100% believe in taking risks and living life to the fullest as well as on the edge. One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received was to never stop taking risks. Get out into the world. Make a complete mess of life. Try new things. Go places you’ve only dreamed of. Fall in love. Whether it be with a person, a city, or just a way of life. For me, taking risks was the only way to live. The risks I have taken up until now seem so countless and so significant. They have heavily influenced my life, career, and everything in between. Read more>>

Luc Sabatier | Photographer and Filmmaker

When I think about risk, I am reminded of the story of the legendary musician and activist Henry Rollins. Before he achieved any kind of notoriety, Rollins was a broke, young person like many of us in the creative space. He felt that he was wasting away working as an ice cream scooper at Ben & Jerry’s. A fan of punk music, he traveled many hours to a show one night for the band Black Flag, despite having to be at work very early the next day. He was noticed for his vibrant energy and picked out of the crowd by the band to sing a song right before having to drive back home. Read more>>

Catherine Topel | Ranch Owner

I have always embraced change and risk. I am not saying it doesn’t make me nervous and cause sleepless nights, but I have always embraced it. I have enjoyed many pursuits regardless of what restrictions or constraints may have been involved. At 26 I decided I wanted to be a golf professional and even though I had not played very often, I succeeded in turning pro within two years and was relatively successful as a mini-tour professional. At age 34 I decided to pursue a captain’s license and elevated to a USCG 1600 ton Master license operating private yachts out of Ft. Lauderdale. My most recent pursuit was to move to western NC onto our 100 acre ranch. Read more>>

Brianna Kelly | Writer, Director, Producer

Taking a risk on yourself is the most important aspect of life. Without any risk, there is no reward. With being in the film industry every major decision that I’ve made started from a probability. Specifically when I quit my job in 2019 and decided to be a full-time filmmaker. My family and friends didn’t understand, but I knew whether I was successful or if I failed, taking a chance on myself was the risk I was willing to take. Read more>>