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.

Sydney Renwrick: Assistant Buyer & Entrepreneur

I believe risk and chances go hand and hand. To take a risk, you’re giving yourself a chance to achieve or to learn or both. You have to walk by faith and not by sight. When I think of risk, I think of the positive possibilities that can come from it. If I don’t take a risk or walk by faith then I know how my life will be – the same way it is right now. But if I take a risk, I know a change or a positive possible could happen. Read more>>

Sophia Crawford: Sophia Crawford, Curtis Short / Owners – Ground & Pound Coffee

SOPHIA: I’ve taken so many risks throughout my whole life. Every dream, desire and accomplishments I’ve made in my career have had their risks. There is never a guarantee on success in anything because things can happen beyond your control. What you learn as you go along is how to diminish those risks through experience. Read more>>

Maria Allen: Energy Healer

Risk-taking is essential if you want to reach the next level of success in your business and life. As most entrepreneurs know, entrepreneurship is anything but comfortable. Most of the time, you’re being forced outside of your comfort zone and faced with risky decisions that can sometimes feel very daunting and intimidating. Read more>>

Chelsey Cray: CEO/Founder of Hype Body Athletics

When it comes to risks, I take them. I try not to dwell much on the negative outcome but more so all of the good that can happen. I am referred to by many as spontaneous due to having a “it’s going to turn out how it’s going to turn out” mentality. I believe firmly in the fact that thoughts and visions are placed before me because the action will serve a greater purpose in my overall development; whether the outcome is good or bad. Read more>>

Jarleel “JD” Earby: Visual Artist & Art Curator

I see taking risks as sacrificing something that could potentially put you in a greater position than you were in initially. In my life and my career, taking risks has caused me to be brave and confident in myself. It’s also made me realize how important it is to pray and reflect daily. Doing so leads to me being able to make great decisions in my career and life. Read more>>

Charlotte Pang: Storyteller, 2D Generalist and Shark Enthusiast

Writing this answer really takes me back to all of the wild decisions I made to get to this point, it’s a little bittersweet but I feel a little bloom of pride with the long journey I have been on. For me, taking risks is quite normal. A lot of the steps I took to get to where I am now were tough decisions to make especially the ones made during the pandemic. I sit here now though staring at the big US blue sky outside my window and I can’t help but think to myself how damn lucky I am to have had those decisions pay off. Read more>>

Karlie Allen: Owner / Founder of Comfort & Company

I think risks are super important/beneficial in life as they have gotten me to where I am today. Most career paths I have taken have been a “risk” or as I like to phrase it as a “leap of faith”. These leaps have not always gone my way and have taught me many lessons and have shaped me into the woman I am today. I believe “risks” are viewed negativlely in society, when really it can be an opening to a new path in life. Take the risk especially when it comes to a career, it’s worth it! Read more>>

Kris Picard-Kerscher: Brand/Web Designer & Mentor

As someone that has struggled with anxiety my whole life, you’d think starting a business is the last thing that would have crossed my mind. A combination of trauma, financial stress, and general anxiety lead me to choose the safest path whenever possible. Why risk failure or hardship if I could avoid it? It’s what led me to go to school online at home when I wanted to travel the world. It’s what led me to get a degree in business management when I wanted one in design. Read more>>

Shalonte Williams: Women shoe designer

My life is a true depiction of ‘No risk, no Gain’ belief. I have always been of the mindset that the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. Life is short—yet many of us spend time wondering what we should do with our lives rather than actually going out there and trying. As hockey legend Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” Read more>>

Ayanna Aponte: Elena the Don

When it comes to risk, I have always been the calculated risk-taker. You do not get anywhere by playing it safe but also it has to make sense. It is almost like playing a game of Chess. Take this risk if it is going to get you to your goal and not sabotage everything you have worked for. Read more>>

Kalina Harrison: Content + Copy Writer & Author

Life is impossible without risks! The key is to take calculated risks, which are those that involve intentional planning and execution. Taking risks has been a major part of my life as an entrepreneur. One of my first hurdles was forcefully resigning from my job without having a significant roster of clients. While I was nervous, I chose to let my confidence override my fear. Read more>>

Briana Cristal: Actress , Photographer

Taking risk is a big part of living. i believe that if you are not taking risk then you are not living , yes taking risk are hard and scary, but thats the point you take risk to better yourself in your career and in life i would not be where i am without taking risk. It played such a huge role both of my careers Read more>>

Lola Ojabowale: Founder at Lunch Pail Labs

I love this question, and it’s something I think about often. Erik Torenberg of On Deck and Village Global wrote a great piece about asymmetric bets that I refer to often. An asymmetric bet is a bet that will have great upside if it works. And if it doesn’t, it still might generate some optionality. I try to put any ‘risks’ I want to take through that filter. Read more>>

B R I: Singer/Songwriter

As an artist, I think Risk taking is one of the most important things you can do. I’m always so grateful to have started in the theatre because acting is all about risk taking – and I think it forced me to get super comfortable not only with taking big risks, but also with the idea of “failure.” Read more>>

Rahjai: Recording Artist, Record Producer

You take a gamble when you live outside of the “norm.” Living comfortably is a real ideology, and following the plan that’s already been laid out for common people is easy. With that being said, every venture outside of the “nine to five until retirement” lifestyle is a risk. But I truly feel that this risk is what shapes leaders. Read more>>

Bree McGee-Pryor: Entrepreneur

Most my life I’ve been hesitant to take risks and have been more focused on planning and being prepared for things that might happen but the pandemic and the changes that came with it like being furloughed and the general uncertainty of not knowing what comes next forced me to go with the flow and trust myself more. So in way, I view risks as an opportunity to become more free. Speaking of freedom, life and career taking risks have allowed us as people, as a family, and as a group to switch our focus. Read more>>

Byron Marcelle: Master Cosmetologist

I feel like taking risks is an essential part of life. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. It sounds cliche to say because you hear it all the time but it’s really true. If you never put yourself or your work out there, you never give it a chance to change someone else’s life or in the least just inspire someone else to have the courage to do what you did. Read more>>

Destiny Battle: Owner of Online Beauty Boutique: The Lash Locker Room , Youtuber & Graphic Designer

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, I was always surrounded by risk takers. Whether it was the clothes they chose to wear or their cultivating hairstyles. In Atlanta, you can count on risk takers stepping outside the box. Risk taking is a diving factor amongst people. Many people prefer to be careful and play by the rules. Then, there are risk takers who may think outside the box for problems, when seeking a solution. Read more>>

David Gomez Jr: Fashion Model & Entrepreneur

It’s all about risk it’s all or nothing if your not able to take risk and take a chance at what you strive for then what you seek may never happen you’ll never know don’t be afraid to take risk, you must be willing to make sacrifices, taking risk played a big role in what I do today taking risk is what connected me with my agency and gotten me in the position to work with some of the best people in the business Read more>>

Holly Silas: Founder & CEO Of HOLLYHUSTLE LLC

Risk taking hits home for me, it is the reason I am here today. There have been so many days that I had to choose and decide what options were the best for me and my business. Although most days I may have wanted to go with what I knew – what I was comfortable with – I knew that the only way for me to achieve every goal that I set for myself was to always bet my last dollar on me. After that, I learned that you have to get uncomfortable to eventually be comfortable. Read more>>