How do you think about risk? What role has taking risks played in your life/career?  Check out responses from hidden gems from our community below.

Will Preston

Risk has really been at the center of everything I’ve done, both in music and in building my clothing line. For me, risk isn’t about being reckless, but it’s more about trusting your vision even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. When I stepped into music, I knew I was entering a space filled with talent, competition, and uncertainty, but I believed in my voice and my perspective. Releasing my debut project independently was a huge leap because I didn’t have a label or machine behind me. Read More>>

Bennett Lisenby

Risk tolerance and evaluation are key as a young business owner. When intrinsically looking at risk, it is not the presence or lack of it that defines it, but what it is pitted against. Risk is a unique entity in the way it is defined different by each person: circumstance, experience and our core beliefs direct us to respond and place fear in unique places. No two people see risk in the same perspective. In business it usually comes down to the following questions.  Read More>>

Taylor Campbell

Every new business venture comes with risk. When I first considered starting my own business, I heard that little voice whispering, “What if I fail?” But I chose not to let the fear of failure, or the leap itself, hold me back. Because here’s the truth: if you never start, you’ve already failed. And if you do stumble, you walk away with valuable lessons you wouldn’t have gained otherwise. Risk isn’t something to fear. It’s the foundation of growth. Read More>>

Itzel 

For me, risk-taking has been absolutely essential for growth. I really believe you can’t grow in your comfort zone. One of the biggest risks I took was leaving New York, where I had my whole community and my roots, and heading out to L.A. That was scary. I had a solid foundation in New York, but I felt like I was hitting a ceiling. I needed to push myself into a new environment to keep growing and to find new opportunities. Read More>>

Salih Abdul-Rahman

I’ve always believed that risk is where growth begins. In my late teens, I made the decision to leave home and step into the unknown. That experience taught me very early that risk and uncertainty are not something to fear, but something that shapes you. Read More>>

Naomi Ross

I think many people would consider my career path a risk, especially for someone like me. I’m a blind woman pursuing film, an already tough industry to break into. It is risky, but if it’s worth doing, it’s not going to be easy. My blindness, low vision, has presented many challenges in my life. Read More>>

Michael Huguenin

Risk taking is something that you automatically are hesitant at. It’s natural. But when you don’t take it the guarantee is that you won’t know the outcome at all. Betting on myself was something I’m so happy that I did. I’ve been podcasting since December 2016 and always had a co-host so I never did a solo episode. So I took that leap of faith of doing my solo podcast in May of 2025 ‘I’m Not Repeating Myself’ and now I’m 17 episodes in. Read More>>