We asked some brilliant folks from the community to talk to us about how they think about risk and the role risk has played in their lives and careers.

Drew Smith | Hot Sauce Creator

Truth be told, I’m not much of a risk taker anymore. Maybe a little bit when I was younger, but I’ve always been a trepidatious person. Taking risks, now in my life, involve money, injury and lifestyle costs. However, I’ve always jumped into work and my career without thinking much about it. These risks involved significant pay cuts in order to do the things that I was truly passionate about. Read more>>

Jalen Gage | Fashion Model & Influencer

Overcoming fear and building resilience, Taking risks requires facing fear and uncertainty. By pushing yourself to confront these challenges, you build resilience and develop the ability to adapt to different situations. Over time, this can strengthen your confidence and ability to navigate future risks. Which also helped me, step out of my comfort zone. By embracing new challenges and opportunities, you expose yourself to new experiences, skills, and perspectives. Read more>>

Ariana Ecxford | Content Creator & Fashion Designer

Taking risks has been one of the most impactful things in my journey called life. Without risk taking and doing things out of my comfort zone, I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today. When you take a risk, it puts you in a place where you either gain what you initially desire or you gain a lesson. People tend to be afraid of “failure” but if you “fail” you can always try again or find a better opportunity for you. My career is a lot better because I’ve faced fears and gained things from that. Read more>>

Destiny Martin | Nurse, Yogi, Influencer, Executive Producer & Tv Personality

When I hear the word risk, I use to think of something negative and was afraid of the unknown. Taking risks during my career, is showing me that things will only have the power you will allow it to have. If I think about risks being negative that’s all it will be. Risks are playing a very big part in my life right now due to me changing the doubts and negativity into positive factors. I’ve taken many risk during my career. Due to that leap of faith I am where I am today. Read more>>

Derrick Chapman | Dad|Content Specialist|Professional Singer/Actor

I feel like I am taking risks all the time. Both in my personal life and career. In my mind, risk is not synonymous with inevitability; it’s only the potential for something unfavorable to happen. I guess that makes me feel a little more in control. My goal is to take the most calculated risk. Ill typically pause and carefully assess a situation or opportunity before making any decisions. When I do that, it reminds me that regardless of the eventual outcome, I know I’ve taken the necessary time for introspection. Read more>>

Sabrina Shumaker | Painter, Muralist, & Sculptor

Many years ago, my artist friend told me something that I still tell myself every day. That saying was “no risk, no reward”. Ever since then, I’ve become less risk averse and decided to take more artistic risks with my work. It’s allowed me to see my work as less precious and therefore, I can push it further or try new things because I’m not so attached to the final product, and have more joy in the process of creating. Read more>>

Rakee Chen | Fashion Designer

I think risk is the catalyst for art, and in the fashion industry, where creativity thrives, taking bold risks and embracing innovation are key to standing out. I always keep an eye on emerging technologies and believe these innovations are accompanied by risks. We need repeated experiments, lots of research and countless time costs. Often, it feels like a personal battle, but what I find most valuable is the process of taking these risks. Read more>>