Legend holds that Cornelius Vanderbilt had built a massive fortune in the steamboat shipping industry, but then realized the railroads were the way of the future and invested almost his entire net worth into railroads. The gamble paid off and made Vanderbilt one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs ever. But risks are inherently…risky. How do you think about risk and how has it affected your life and career? Some of our community favorites share their perspective below.

Deron Drummond | Cinematographer

Risk taking is definitely something I am familiar with. Leaving behind my children in Ohio and uprooting my life was the biggest risk I have taken thus far, but I feel like anyone who is an entrepreneur takes risks. Without risk there is no reward, the bigger the risk the more the reward. Once getting into Atlanta I was able to actually emerge myself into the entertainment industry, once breaking ground in the Atlanta scene after only 2 months, I decided that the well-paying job I had originally received here while I tested the waters, was actually getting in the way. Read more>>

Jershika Maple

I look at risk taking as a leap of faith rather than something to be fearful about. I was raised to be resilient, strong minded, & be very determined to achieve all my goals. Either you try & succeed, or if you fail keep trying until you accomplish the very thing you’re destined to do.I find that those risk I take are the very thing I need to push me closer to my purpose in life. Read more>>

Rachel Wilson | Founder of Girl Talk International Inc and Certified Life Coach

Taking risks has become a norm for me. Healthy risks of course. One of the quotes that I live by is, “if it doesn’t work out, it’s not because I didn’t try.” The mystery of not trying at all is worst than trying and failing. Taking risks has played a major role in my life and career. Read more>>

Robert Upton | Artist and Actor

I believe that the only way to reach the next pinnacle in life is to take risks. There is no risk big or small that you shouldn’t take, If you have faith in God, The risks that I’ve taken in life have pushed me to becoming the best version of me in every aspect, it’s what makes me stand out above those who don’t believe. I walk with no fear because God is With me. Read more>>

Skye Loy | Entrepreneur

I believe that taking risks is very important when trying to improve and grow. Honestly, I wasn’t a huge risk taker before starting my business- I would call them moreso safe risks where there wasn’t much to gain or lose. However, my thought process and outlook on taking risks has changed greatly when starting SkyeLight. The risks I have taken in my business has improved my personal development, financial literacy, and public speaking amongst many other things. Read more>>

Edward Cuozzo | Musician/Singer-Songwriter

Well, my whole life from 15 years old onward had an air of risk to it. I wanted to be a working musician and I knew it would require a lot work. It still does. Being a musician does not always pay well, if at all. But that’s not really why I make records, and tour. I do it because I love it. The mind set of doing what you love simply because you love it has brought more fruitful situations then when I had the mindset of “I need to make this my career or I’m a failure”. Read more>>

Olivia Newell | Salon Owner & L’Orèal Professionnel Educator

When it comes to taking a risk, I always say to bet on yourself. Some of the best outcomes have come to fruition because I was willing to take a chance on myself. Read more>>

Venus | DJ & Clothing Brand Owner

I’m a firm believer that you will get different results by doing the same thing, that’s where taking risks comes in. Great risk yields great rewards, but not just any risks. I tend to be very calculated with my decisions even when it involves me going out in a limb. Taking the risk of leaving everything I am used to and going to college in an area that I didn’t know paid off because it allowed me to be in an environment that inspired me. Read more>>

Nyi Mulan | Model

Risk. when we talk about risk within my career , all that comes to mind is putting everything on the line in the name of living the life i desire and love. Working within the fashion industry has many highs but never forget it also comes with occasional heartbreak.. From bad jobs to not getting booked for a long time but when you love what you do , you continue to push through every door that was shut on you and create a bigger room that was there to begin with. Read more>>

Charlie Woods | Musician

I feel like the risks I’ve taken has gotten me where I am today. It’s all a process and with the people I have around me I’m good at trusting this process. I know that taking the risk now will work out better for me when it come to future endeavors. Read more>>

Alanna Washington | Model & Actress

Risk taking plays a major role in my life and career. Without risks, there’s a chance of fear. If fear drives your decisions, then I feel. you can never truly take full control over your life. Therefore, with being an upcoming model and actress, I many potentially risky decisions come into play. I’ve recently thought about dropping everything and moving to NYC to further my career and broaden my range of opportunities. However, it is a risk because I’m only 2 semesters away from graduating college and my family always talks about the “What ifs.” Read more>>

Subhi Khdeir | Owner of Be Glassy Atlanta

I’ve found the idea of comfort to be somewhat commonplace in America. People value innovation and want to see better technology, better systems in place, better everything but they want it to be easy. If it requires an additional input, then people put it off for later or they will ignore it completely. For me, leaving a corporate job that was paying well and having the comfort that so many others have was not easy. I’ve been in sales my whole career and made great money doing it. Read more>>

Samkeisha Atkinson | Braider

I feel taking risk goes hand and hand with an individual growth. The reason I say this is because if an individual plays safe all the time and stays in a comfortable position in their life they will never really know what great things they can accomplish in life. Taking risk is the reason I am a upcoming braider/business owner today. I was employed by the department of education for ten years and during that time I obtained my undergraduate degree in psychology and started my masters program in social work which I am 1 course and year worth of internship away from graduating. Read more>>

NaQuasha Lewis | Actress and healthcare worker

Risk taking plays a huge role in my career as an actress. I firmly believe without risk there will be no reward. Twice i took a risk and moved with no savings from Virginia to Georgia for my career because i believed in it so much and i inew that Georgia had more opportunities and that my risk would eventually pay off. Read more>>