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.

Zanny Anderson | Addictions Counselor, Reiki Master, Hypnotherapist

Embracing the idea of taking risks is something I’ve recently come into more over the past few years. Challenging myself hasn’t always come easily, but I find that I reap the biggest rewards when I push beyond my comfort zone, trust myself, and allow my intuition to guide me. I grew up in a conservative, Christian family so doing Reiki energy healing and Hypnotherapy are healing modalities I’ve come into completely on my own. The healing modalities I use with clients are considered unconventional to many, but I enjoy introducing an alternative healing perspective. Working at an addictions treatment center and having my master’s in Clinical Mental Health, I enjoy being a “bridge” for people from western to eastern schools of thought. Read more>>

Nyles Burton | Co-Founder of Andy Factory

Taking risks and being an entrepreneur go hand in hand. Starting this business was no different for us. For the two of us, the biggest risk was financial. At the time, my mother didn’t have the money to help us and we knew we’d need seed money from family and friends. We made the ask and several families came through with a loan for us. But there was the risk of damaging those relationships if the business didn’t take off. I was confident though, that it was more fear than risk and we just went for it. I think two other major risks affected Andy the most. His time was on the line. Being still in high school, Andy is risking a lot by taking on a new grown folks business while still in school. Second, Andy’s speech impediment was a risk! He worried a lot whether he could even do it or if people would want to listen to him. He started talking at that first interview and he’s become the lead communicator for our brand. I’d say the risks paid off. Read more>>

Elizabeth Grace | Illustrator & Graphic Designer

Risks are always welcome in my world. Im a firm believer that life starts once you step outside of your comfort zone. Whats funny is that I use to hear that quote and pay it no attention, at that time I was living in fear and I let that fear box me in. As a result I limited the amount of risks I would take and thats no way to live. It wasn’t until later that I realized that my life was passing me by. Once God lovingly showed me that some risks can be a good, my whole perspective on life changed. Fear is just your reaction to a situation and when its channeled properly, it can fuel you to take risks that could leave you with some great lasting memories. Starting my business Grace by Elizabeth all started with me taking a life changing risk to step out and trust God and since then I’ve been enjoying the ride. Read more>>

Cordae Omari | Actor/ Model/ YouTuber/ Content Creator

I am a firm believer in living life to its fullest these days. After going through a separation and a pending divorce durning the pandemic, I knew it was time to start living life and aggressively chasing my dreams. For so long I “played it safe” to please everyone around me while all the time I was miserable. I was not living up to my full potential. One day I woke and I decided that it was time to take my acting and modeling seriously. I started networking more and more and traveling for more opportunities. I even took a risk to pack up my life and move from Birmingham, AL to Atlanta, GA for two months to film for two shows (Porn & Poppin on the WatchACTV app where I play the role of Julius Hardson and also The Realness Behind the Crown where I play Thunder) that I was casted for lead roles. I had never been away from home and my family for so long but it was definitely an eye opening experience that taught me that I can strive in any environment. Taking risk has landed me some incredible projects That I can’t wait for the world to see. Read more>>

Canon | Atl Photographer

At first I didn’t think at all which lead me to a lot of bad decisions. No one considers risks when they are excited about something new. One thing I’ve learned was to “fail fast” lol. Meaning fail to learn from the experience and do better on the next. Everyone takes risk but I had to learn to stop being so excited and really look at where I want to be. Does it align with where I’m going? Can it become a risk to catapult me into a better me for my son.  Taking a leap and really diving into my potential has been the best risk of all. But! I didn’t do it all alone. Read more>>

Quantika F. | Educator/Mother/Entreprenuer

Risk has always been on the forefront of my mind, even as a kid. I have always been the one saying, “Well, I’m gonna do it anyway because I know I can.” The biggest risk I took was uprooting my life and making the decision to move to Atlanta from Nashville 5, almost 6 years ago. Nashville was all that I knew. I’m very family oriented so the decision was tough to make but I knew that I needed to move to pursue and accomplish goals I had set for myself. Making that move has opened up so many doors for me career wise and has even allowed me to branch off with starting my candle business. To me, without risk, you may not see your true reward and I feel like my rewards are rolling on in. Read more>>

Trae Berry | Band Member & Audio Engineer/Producer

We’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking as a band
Risk taking has always been a valuable part to our success as a band. Some of the best shows we have had the opportunity to play have come from us agreeing to shoot our shots and see what happens. In our eyes, failure means to stop trying. We know as a group that no risk will ever cause us to fail; only the lack of taking the risk will result in failure. Read more>>

Tito Nariznis | Candle Maker

This is one of the most complex questions to ever truly answer. Not one person has the end all be all response that can answer the question of risk taking; but each person has the ability to face it in their own way. What do I think about risk? Well, for one thing, it scares the hell out of me! Why would anyone take on risks knowing there is a high probability of failure? No one wants to fail, no one! But, how does one grow without knowing failure. You’ve hit rock bottom, where else can you go but up right? With risk, I take it like most people; scared and over analyze each and every variable to see if it’s worth taking. But it’s not always the best way. What I have come to realize is, no matter what the risk is (unless someone is dying) try it and don’t over think! Like the Nike saying goes, just do it!. Read more>>

Gary “With Da Tea” Hayes | Media Personality | Influencer

When younger, I was not afraid to take risks, but as I got older upon observing other people, I noticed people like Russ Parr, who is who I started radio with. I saw the things that he was doing, and I felt like I could do the other things that other people did. I realized that I could do the things that I saw other people accomplish. I knew that I would have to take risks to get there. One challenge that shocked me was when I was working for the Dallas county health department, I felt it was a great job for me as an outreach worker. I would speak with people who needed their children to get their immunization shots. At the same time I dabbled in radio a bit. At this point, I never had the experience of quitting a job. But one day, I felt the need to quit that job and do something that I really had a passion to do. Keeping in mind that I just bought a new truck! Once I quit the job, I went to broadcasting school and got my license for broadcasting. I was very excited about radio and did not mind starting out as an unpaid intern. That is how much I enjoyed working in the radio field. I took a chance / risk and everything worked out. And here I am today!. Read more>>

Miley Carterr | Author, Dancer, Influencer, Content Creator

I’m really BIG on taking risk, my whole life that’s all i’ve ever done was take huge risk. I believe that risk can make or break you that’s why you have to chose wisely what risk you’re taking. However, the risk i’ve taken has helped my career A LOT and influenced a lot of others to want to take risk of their own. Read more>>

Quannesia Thomas | Credit & Finance Expert

When I think about the word risk, I think of the word strength. How far can I go, with what I’ve learned in life so far? Of all the lessons I’ve had previously, how can they now be applied? People hear ‘risk’ and immediately become afraid. One, because we’re human and our natural instinct is to protect ourselves from harm by all costs. However, the other reason is because we don’t really trust that we’ll be able to apply the lessons learned. We go through life and encounter adversity, with the thought that, “It’ll get better.” and “There’s light at the end of the tunnel”. But it’s hardly ever discussed what we retain during those plights. We’re just happy that it’s over. Risk just means, I am aware of the difficulties that come with making certain decisions. Yet, I’m not deterred. In business, more specifically entrepreneurship, risk is taken every day. Each day you wake up and decide to operate your own business is a risk. Read more>>

Tisha Thompson | Founder and CEO, LYS Beauty

As it relates to career success, I believe risk acts as a catalyst to take you from where you are to where you want to be. Though I came up through a more traditional corporate path in beauty, there are several risky decisions that have led me to where I am today. As a young professional, I gained valuable experience in accounting and the financial side of the business before pivoting to focus on marketing and product development. This granted me the opportunity to intimately learn the ins and outs of brand management, from working with labs, conceptualizing marketing campaigns, new product innovation, influencer marketing and more. In 2020, I took another notable risk, leaving my executive seat to start my own brand, LYS Beauty. There is great comfort and stability found on the beaten path, but true fulfillment for me has always been on the other side of a risky, yet well-thought out decision. Read more>>

Ana Crusis | Singer/Songwriter

I think that risks are necessary if you want to make it in anything, especially in entrepreneurship and the entertainment industry. Taking risks has helped me be able to cultivate relationships with people in the industry because the thing is no matter how good you are, often times it’s about who you know. Read more>>

Marie-Claire Quartemont | Singer & Songwriter

I think about risk as opportunity. If you don’t try for it, you will never know what could have been. I took a huge risk leaving everything and everyone to pursue music and move to Nashville two years ago, and even though it was terrifying, it was worth it. When I moved here I didn’t know anybody, I had a place to live for a month, and I had no job. This was definitely a risk, but I knew that if I let my fear decide my life then I would never grow and never know if music could have worked out for me. Read more>>

Timone Brown | Husband | Father | Coach | Speaker

Risks are necessary! From my perspective, the level or risk you take, depends on your level of awareness. Knowledge of self, history and experiences redefine the word “risk.” What do I mean by this? A person’s definition of “risks” changes based on their upbringing, life experiences and environment. What’s a risk to one person, isn’t a risk to the next. This is why self awareness is vital. Knowledge of self, can help you make a decision or take the risks necessary to reach new heights in life.In my life, my risks have been based of my desire to break generational curses. Some of the risks I took include:1. Sneakingly or stealthily attending a high school in the county, when I lived in the city. (The county seemingly provided better opportunities.). Read more>>

DJ Ms. Eclectic | Radio Personality, DJ and National Recording Artist

Risk taking equates to faith for me. Being an entrepreneur is all about stepping out on faith. Owning a faith based company that specializes in Radio, DJing and music technology; faith takes first priority. When I initially took a leap of faith, although my friends and family supported me undeniably, a lot of them believed in my talent but did not understand. Initially it was moving to the DC Metro area from TX. with my corporate job. Although the move was for “corporate work”, I kept my eye on the entrepreneur prize. I knew the largest African American owned broadcaster was head quartered in the DC Metro area and it would be a great place for experience and to connect with this phenomenal company. I was blessed to accomplish DJ performances and built great relationships within the company. Read more>>

Paige Johnson | Entrepreneur & Educator

I know that in order for me to grow and become the person that I am destined to be, it involves me doing things that I may have never done before. My future requires me to take risks. It requires me to leave my comfort zone. When taking risks, I try not to think about it as failing or succeeding. It has been said that “Failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of success”. I learned early, as a child playing sports, that the key to success is learning how to fail. Failure can make us stronger, smarter and more resilient. Failure can also develop persistence. All of which I think we need to live a life filled with success and run a successful business. Lastly, taking risks gives me the opportunity to exercise my faith. I know that no matter what the outcome is, it will all work out my good. If you’re currently having a difficult time dealing with the uncertainty that comes with taking risks, believe that success is on the other side. Trust the process!. Read more>>

Paul Ollinger | Comedian, Host of the Crazy Money podcast

The biggest risk I have strived to avoid is regretting on my deathbed the way I lived my life, or—more near term—that feeling of waking up in the morning and dreading what I had to do that day. When you start to view your work through this lens, you give yourself permission to do the things that are the truest expression of who you are as opposed to those things that might generate the most money or the highest social / professional status. Ironically, if you keep at it, others really begin to respect what you’re doing and think, “I wish I could do that.” Read more>>

King Justo | Creative Executive and Songwriter

I believe taking legitimate risks test your comfortability and how far you are willing to accomplish tasks at hand. In life, they have helped me discover things about myself that I did not know before whether it be hidden talents or ways I can positively impact people’s lives around me. Read more>>

Gabi Faye | Actress & Filmmaker

The greater the risk the greater the reward. That reward comes in many shades. Sometimes that reward is failure and embarrassment, which truly is a reward because from it you gain a lesson and experience. Over time your rewards result in an increase in your confidence and abilities. As these grow, you feel more capable and ready to take on bigger risks. The first major risk I took in my career (besides moving to NYC in my early 20s after never having lived truly on my own!) was making a short film in 2017. My significant other at the time was offered a great career opportunity out of state, and we were considering moving. The possibility of this was a slap in the face that scared the hell out of me. It was the realization that in my time living in NYC, I had no real career achievements or marks I felt proud of. This felt unacceptable to me, and I decided there was no way I could consider moving without having left some mark. Read more>>

Idara Bassey | Lawyer/Mixed-Media Artist

I think risk has been a foundational aspect of my entire professional career. During my first year of law school, I ran across the book, “Do What You Love the Money Will Follow” which introduced me the concept of work being an avenue for creative self-expression. From then on out it was incumbent on me to find ways of working that were in alignment with my personal values. The toothpaste was out of the tube as it were and there was no going back, so I have taken professional and creative risks to examine what I stand for and for making sure the actions I take, the activities I participate in and the affiliations I have are reflective of what I believe in- and over years, not everything made the cut. I had to step away from things where I felt a disconnect or felt morally conflicted about even when it was difficult to do, or it was an unpopular (or unusual) stance to take. Read more>>

NAIKE | Artist

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized taking risks is actually very important for progression in almost everything we do. If you listen to all these successful people in various industries, you start to realize things they have in common; one of them being taking a chance and betting on themselves. For me personally, taking risks has played a huge role in in my life & career, whether it’s work, music, relationships etc. There’s always an opportunity to take a risk, and more times than not, it comes with a substantial reward. I remember when I was asked to perform my music infront of an audience for the first time, obviously it was a great opportunity to hone my skills and get myself out there, but I also saw it as a risk. Why? “What if I forget my lyrics?” “What if the crowd doesn’t like my music” “What if, what if, what if” All these scenarios played in my head, but eventually I had to weigh the pros and cons and realize there’s no reward without risk. When opportunities present themselves you have two types of people – those willing to take a chance on themselves and those who fear failure. Once I figured that out, my life began to see positive changes. Read more>>

Michael Daniel | Personal Chef, The Traveling Chef, and Owner of Mike D Good Eats Catering

Risks are confidence builders. Years ago I used to play it safe. I was committed to going by the book and staying in the safe zone. It wasn’t until I took my first big risk and left home (Ann Arbor, MI) to attend Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA where my life of risk taking began. I learned that taking risks help build character, and the confidence to trust yourself to follow your passion. I’ve always had a passion for the culinary arts but never appreciated the true value in it until my move to Louisiana. It was in New Orleans where I took another huge risk and took my culinary journey to a professional level. Read more>>

Timothy Hill | Founder/Producer of Heart 2 Heart Relationship Talk Show

When I think about risk I try to analyze every possible outcome and the consequences followed, before making a decision (if time permits). Risks in life are necessary, if you are looking to make any real gain. What people don’t really mention is how risk and faith go hand in hand. To risk something you have to have faith that it will happen powered by self awareness. I believe self awareness is the key to everything and can play a part in minimizing risks. High self-awareness leads to heightened faith which will minimize the risks. Knowing which risks to pursue has helped accelerate Heart 2 Heart Relationship Talk Show tremendously. Best advice I can give on risk is always have a back up plan, just in case cause things dont go to plan Because of risks, within three years the Heart 2 Heart Relationship went from performing shows in basements to doing virtual global shows, hosting celebrities from around the world. Good risks will give you confidence. Bad risks will give you lessons. Read more>>

Chelsea Eggleston | Chelsea Skin Crack LLC

When I think about risk taking , I think about taking a leap of faith meaning not (thinking about/when one thinks about) the failures that may come with taking a risk. The logic behind it is to Only have a positive attitude/set of opinions. It’s more so like putting your life on the line and hoping for the best . During the beginning of January 2020 I was working for delta services and still growing my skin care business at the same time and each day I got up for work at 6:15 in the morning , I would say to myself this cannot go on forever. It was the thought of having to do the same (something commonly done) schedule every day just for 1 paycheck every two weeks while my business kept extra money in my pocket Me being the person that likes to do more than 1 thing at a time , a (something commonly done) schedule just didn’t sit right with me and became draining and boring. My main goal was to first get a car which I made happen two months into working . Once I (bought something for money) my very first car on my own ,I was really ready to do many things at one time. Read more>>

Cletis Avery | CEO & Founder Averything Marketing

When we think about taking risk and how it can impact both our business and personal life there are calculations that need to be made before any decision takes place. Through all the social media platforms we have access to endless opportunities that often leave us in the shiny object syndrome stage. We all want to reach a level of success or freedom financially, mentally, spiritually or whatever that look like for you, but having proper risk management plays a huge role on how your future will play it. When taking risk I like to write down the pros and cons of how this will affect my future, ask my business partners their honest opinion, and talk to my love ones who know my true core values. I’ve found this to be an extremely helpful method that allows me to make an accurate decision and continue on with my life without looking back. This process typically takes a few days but I understand some risk weigh more than others requiring more time to analyze your pros and cons. But one thing you should never do is get stuck on a fence and waste your time making that final decision. Read more>>

Wanda White | Author and Certified Life Coach

I think risks are necessary. Without them, you will always wonder what if. Taking a risk can be scary but so can not taking it. I believe with risk comes growth and opportunities. Depending on the level of importance, determines how big the risk. If you don’t care about it, the risk won’t matter but if it’s important to you, the risk will carry more weight. If you have a dream or a goal, it’s not going to magically happen, you have to work for it. And working at it means taking risks. We take risks in everything we do, from getting in the car to eating out to walking across the street. So I had to ask myself “Why not take a risk for something that can bless others?” For me, writing my book was taking a risk. I was scared. I felt vulnerable. Definitely uncharted territory. What if I fail? What if no one likes it? I had to remind myself that it was worth the risk. Read more>>

La’Trez Anderson | Actor, Photographer, & YouTuber

You have to take risks! I believe that in life, you have to go for what you know, you know? Often, a lot of people take risks, but we will never know simply because that’s all they did, took the risk. What I mean is that sometimes people tend to not follow through. In my opinion, risk taking comes in two parts, actually taking the risk and then, following through. You have to make an end goal to that risk and stick to it throughout. That will be the only way that you will make progress in the life you want to live. As for me, I’m learning everyday and I’m at the place now where it’s like, I’m on the ledge but I haven’t took that leap yet. I will, I have to. Read more>>

Dariae Willis | Filmmaker

At the young age of twenty years old, I am in love with taking risks. Risk to me is when someone dives into a new journey with only faith that the outcome will be the best one for you as an individual. I love taking risks as a student because it allows me to explore the various paths that life offers me. I chose to attend a liberal art historically Black college and study documentary filmmaking in the heart of Atlanta at Spelman College. I was unsure of how my parents would pay for all four years or even if the one-year-old film program at Spelman could teach me all the skills needed to become a well-rounded filmmaker. Three years into the filmmaking program and I am the most confident I have been in my life as a filmmaker and as an emerging adult. Read more>>