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 the role it’s played in their life and career.

Hal Whiteside | Actor

After college I began a career in transportation and logistics. I worked in corporate America for 25yrs before becoming an actor. After becoming burned out on working in an office every day and dealing with the stress level of the logistics industry, I decided to take a step back and decide what I really wanted to do next. I started doing background work on film projects, and fell in love with the entire on set film process,. The risk came when I found an acting coach, Richard Hempton, began training and taking classes. This led to getting speaking roles in short films and indies. Read more>>

Carlton L. Curry II | Real Estate Developer

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career? I’m a risk taker. My entire life/career is centered around risk. I’m an full time real estate investor & developer. I took the risk of purchasing properties; buying and flipping and also starting new construction projects that has made me the man I am today. When one ask me what I think of risk, I always reply that I think of the word faith. They go hand and hand. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Read more>>

Marcus Nelson | Actor

Taking risk can be very scary.Its a situation involving exposure to danger or in our case, Putting ourselves in a position to lose something. I feel it can be very beneficial to grow personally if you take risk.It shows us what we are capable of doing.in my life I have taken plenty of risk but none compared to what I have done to get myself where I am currently in my career. I dropped everything and moved cities twice with nothing but my car a few clothes and a months worth of rent. Read more>>

Doug Evans | Fashion Designer

I look at risk as taking a chance and betting on self. It’s about being unfearful of putting yourself out there. I’ve never been one to cower from putting everything on the line; especially if it is something I truly believe in. I favor the famous saying, “with great risk comes great reward.” If you never put yourself out there you will never know what you are capable of and can truly achieve. This way of thinking originated from childhood. I watched my father, one of the first and lasting black owners of a YMCA in the nation. Read more>>

Marissa Hunter | Author, Senior Project Manager, and Corporate Influencer

I think taking risks is a necessary part of our growth process. Taking risks allows me to expand outside my comfort zone to test not only my boundaries but also my strength. Often this gives me the chance to explore new feelings and find new understanding about myself and my environment. Reignites a passion, or confirms that indeed the boundaries I’ve set for myself are actually needed. In a world that is constantly changing it’s important to me that I maximize my potential and show my children it’s okay to bet on yourself. Read more>>

Karinna Barley | Hair Stylist

There’s a quote from one of my favorite tv shows, Scrubs, that I always think about when it come to taking risks: “ I’ve been thinking a lot lately about taking chances, and how it’s really just about overcoming your fears. Because the truth is, every time you take a big risk in your life, no matter how it ends up, you’re always glad you took it.” An example of this is when I changed salons. I had worked at my first salon for the better portion of my career, and while I wasn’t happy there, I was comfortable. Read more>>

Jasmene Bowdry | Fashion Entrepreneur | Speaker | Retail Strategist

Honestly life is nothing but a series of calculated risks. Everything that you decide to do has some type of risk involved. No outcome is ever 100 percent certain and, therefore, any attempt at anything has a chance of complete failure. Some risk you take, some you avoid. When I finished undergrad I moved to New York City. I knew 1 or 2 people living there, but I knew in order to have a career in fashion ( this was my mindset in my early 20’s), I NEEDED to live in the fashion capital, so I moved. Read more>>

Akivia Blue | Entrepreneur & Hairstylist

Taking risks in life is a necessity. How will you ever know if something will work out if you don’t take the risk? I’ve taken many risks in my life that I was unsure about but being that I just took them and went with the flow of things they turned out great for me. Read more>>

Rasheda Randle | Owner of Circle City Film Festiva

We all know the saying, “the greater the risk, the bigger the reward.” I truly believe that; so I think of risks as new challenges or leaps of faith. They are certainly something that I don’t shy away from. As an actor, risks ride shotgun with you along your journey. Every time you submit an audition, you’re taking a risk. Every time you step into a challenging character, you’re taking a risk. Networking is a risk. As an entrepreneur, you’re taking a huge risk just by deciding to start your business. Read more>>

Emerald Arguelles | Photographer

I believe that risk is necessary, no matter what your occupation may be. I have taken many risks in my career. For example, in 2019, I worked as a photo editor the Harlem Globetrotters in Atlanta while still living in Savannah, I spent many nights driving back and forth and sacrificing my comfortability to achieve this goal. I quit a job in Savannah to stay true to the vision I had in mind for myself. Also, while still working with the Harlem Globetrotters, I was granted the opportunity to intern for NBCUniversal in New York. Read more>>

Kiara Wyche | Licensed Medical Esthetician & Spa Owner

Before I started my journey in the business of skincare, the word ‘risk’ would always cause a sense of fear and hesitation. But as I grow and expand the SKINSCIENCE brand, I am constantly learning how to taking risks are essential in building a successful business. Embracing risk taking has given me the opportunity to create my own lane in the skincare business. Read more>>

Marquis Williams | MBA | Professor | Consultant | Wine & Dine Ent (Owner)

Risk simply put, is fear. Often times we fear the unknown. We fear that things may not work out favorably. We fear that we may fail. We make whatever fears we have at time real, which then keeps up from taking risk(s). I continuously remind myself that the life I want to live, is on the other side of fear. So I don’t allow fear to stop me, taking whatever necessary risk required. Read more>>