By far, the topic that comes up most in our conversations with entrepreneurs and creatives is risk. We’ve had conversations about risks that worked out and risks that did not. We’ve seen eyes light eye sharing about career-trajectory changing risks as well as folks sigh about the risks they wish they had taken. Below, we’ve selected and shared some of those thoughtful conversations.

Bryant EDT | Music Artist

Life is gamble. We take risk everyday with everything we do. Every major decision in our life comes with a huge risk but it always pays off in some way, even if the outcome was a good or bad. Great risk comes with happiness and core memories, terrible risk comes with pain and life lessons but if we are blessed to see the next day, we have a choice to learn from those lessons so that we won’t mess up again. Read more>>

Nathaniel Buchanan | Actor/filmmaker and business owner

Taking a risk has always been my number 1 thing because you can’t progress in life without it. moving to atlanta was the biggest rick that I’ve ever taken. moving everything from Boston to down here was huge. im proud of myself for doing it because most people are scared to leave their hometown. especially for a dream. Read more>>

Elisheva Pierce | Visionary Artist

I think that sometimes taking risks is necessary to reach certain goals, especially when those goals are with being an artist of any sort. It’s important to play things safe, but being an artist often requires facing fears and being confident. Taking risks has played an important role in my career as an artist because there is often a pressure from others to quit due to the likelihood of success as an artist. Read more>>

Andrea Knowlton | Dance & Technology Artist & Researcher

Artmaking and risk taking are practically synonymous. A career in the arts is a risk; Your talents, no matter how impressive, aren’t mission critical. Unlike doctors or mechanics whose clients seek them out through need and desperation, an artist’s audience must come to them out of curiosity, interest, and desire. Our risk as artists is to offer inspiration and opportunity in a world that so often operates from a place of deficit. Read more>>

Pearson Kilgore | Entrepreneur

I believe that risk taking is imperative for creating something worthwhile. It’s in the moments when you want to quit that you grow the most and learn the most about yourself. It’s the people that are whiling to take the risk and keep pushing when things seem dark that come out on top. Read more>>

Steve N. Clair | Recording Artist, Filmmaker & Photographer

Honestly, throughout my childhood and teenage years, i’ve dealt with change so much due to various circumstances, to the point where I grew a slight fear in the thought of it. As I got older is when I continued to understand more and more that change is one of the few things that is unavoidable in life, then I started to embrace it. After dealing with overcoming the transitioning of my father in 2021, is when I will say that I’ve completely let go of fearing the unknown. Read more>>

Divinity Tatum | Model & Brand Ambassador

My mindset is different from a lot of people! Risk taking has been essential in my life in general. I’m not afraid of the consequences of taking risks because either I come out on top or I learn something and knowledge is something that lasts forever and no one can take it from you. It’s a win win. Read more>>

Anthony Reed | Indie Artist

I have been taking risk all my life I won Sometimes and last sometimes.. Read more>>

Kaitlin Moews | Actress/Performer

It is so important to take some risks. Always staying in your comfort zone rarely leads to growth. Growing up in small town Iowa, I was so blessed to have parents and family that supported my goals of becoming a professional actress/performer. However, there was not a lot of resources of knowledge to figure out exactly how to do that. I knew it was important to me to continue my education and study my craft, and I decided to get an acting degree at Oklahoma City University. Read more>>

Nicole Day | Owner, Creative Director of Day & Day Company

I am a total risk taker. I am trusting, though, of the risks I take. I wouldn’t assume the risk if I didn’t trust my gut- my intuition. So maybe it isn’t defined as risk. I don’t want to jynx myself here, but I am always confident that things will fall into place. Read more>>

Lauryn Bass | Multimedia Journalist

I think the risks you take to better yourself are worth it. I definitely believe advocating for myself even when all odds were against me has played a positive role in my life and career. Going into a situation knowing that God is fighting for you, it’s an act of faith. I am a firm believer that if your intentions are pure, you’ll go far. Read more>>

Danela Butler | Actor & Poet

When I think about taking risks, I think about the quote from one of my favorite Artists Prince who said, “For all of us, life is death without adventure, and adventure only comes to those who are willing to be daring and take chances.” I moved to Atlanta, GA from Seattle, WA 3 years ago around the peak of Covid. Was it an obstacle? Yes. Was it risky? Yes. But I realized in life there will always be obstacles and it all comes down to how bad do you want it? Read more>>

Trela Peters | Wellness Coach, Birth Doula and Herbalist

This is a tough question. Since I started my business I have taken a risk. I say that because I’ve never had an entrepreneur in my circle at the time. So to start a business with no direction is a risk alone then to be full time in your business is another risk. You can no longer guarantee income at the beginning and things you may need such as cash flow, credit, inventory isn’t always available to help you succeed. Read more>>

Kyoto Jordan | Licensed Real Estate Agent, Realtor®️

Taking a risk on anything can be quite intimidating and scary but all at the same time the most liberating feeling you can experience especially if it all works out in a positive way. However, if you fail it’s still a learning experience you just fail forward and keep going! At least you don’t live with the “what ifs”, should’ve, could’ve, would’ve” if you never took the chance. With faith all risk can be rewarding it just depends on the way you look at it. Read more>>

Ari and Paula Powell | Business Owners, Music, Dance, and Theater Instructors, Parents

To us, taking risk is a test of faith. Without stepping out on a limb and taking on the risk of failure in order to obtain or achieve something greater, than we will continue to helplessly remain as background characters in a fairytale where witches, ghosts, and wolves appear. It is only the characters, like Cinderella, in those fairy tales that take on the risk to remain kind and loving in the face of ridicule and unjust shame from a wicked stepmother and stepsisters,  Read more>>

Ashley McFarlane | Loctician

Growing up in a Jamaican household where I was the first generation Jamaican American child, there was a lot of pressure surrounding my choices. More specifically my career choices. It’s was always “Ashley you’d make such a fine nurse!” From every aunty, church member, and especially my parents. If not a nurse, than a doctor, if not a doctor than a lawyer. You see where I’m going? Read more>>

Erica Calhoun | Lifestyle Blogger

You’ll never find out how far you can succeed if you don’t take risks. I learned that from my mother, as well as, in my own life. I would say I’m a daily risk taker and it has always worked out for the good. Whether it’s quitting my job to explore and pursue a new career, jumping on a plane to tour Europe, or going on random road trips with friends, all of those experiences involved risks that led to having the most amazing memories. Read more>>

Erica Green | Freelance Writer & Content Creator

I’ll be completely honest, risk makes me nervous and uncomfortable. When it comes to potentially taking a risk I often think about what could go wrong instead of what could go right. But the times that I have taken a risk, it paid off tremendously, so I am absolutely trying to shift my perspective around risk taking. Read more>>