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.

Samiyah Hall (Sami Social) & Jalen Chandler (Jay Soull) | Entertainment & Marketing Agency

Risk taking has been the ultimate description of our business. We started on a dollar and a dream. We had a goal and vision and went for it. The risk wasn’t something that scared us but pushed us to go harder in our aspirations. Read more>>

Akiliah Richards | Tattoo Artist and Body Piercer

Risks can be fun and yet unpredictable!. I started out as the assistant to Thee Tony Robinson. I had no idea I would have transitioned to one of his best tattoo artist/piercer but taking that chance changed my life. As unpredictable, challenging and intense my career has been so far I have to say is was the risk worth taking. “Life’s a gamble, gotta roll the dice till you die” Read more>>

Candice Beaty | CEO, Squoze Craft Beverages

It’s scary to take a risk. There is no denying it. We have families and responsibilities so we wonder how our decisions will impact us financially. We put our dreams out for all to see and somehow this makes us feel vulnerable. What if we fail? What if no one likes our business or idea? There are so many reasons that dance around in our head about why we SHOULDN’T do something. For me, I’ve always found it to be more frightening not to take the risk. Because living with regret…living always wondering where the risk might have taken me, is the real nightmare. Read more>>

Jaylah Sibley | Glue-Less Wig Enthusiast/Mentor

The answer to this is quite simple. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Life as an entrepreneur is all about risks. I honestly feel like that’s life in general. How do you know whether or not something is genuinely for you, without taking the risk to try it? There’s pros and cons to everything we encounter in life, it’s our job to make the best of it. Risk has benefitted me more than it’s ever hindered me. I have become fearless of anything life throws at me because I simply know your mindset is what produces your outcome. You think positive, you reap positive. No risk, no reward. Read more>>

Deshawn & Asia Littleton | Married Private Chef Couple, Bakers

We feel as though risk taking plays a huge part in our career because whether it’s us presenting our business to a celebrity, passing out business cards to people in a public settings or putting our cuisine on social media before millions of opinions we think if you don’t take risks you won’t gain the best results. Taking risks has become one of the best parts of being entrepreneurs. One of our biggest risks was moving down here from Michigan by ourselves with no family or friends here and building our clientele from the ground up. We now have an amazing clientele and it was definitely worth the risk. Read more>>

Bishop Kevin Foreman | Influential Pastor, Church Planter, Success coach, Speaker, Author, Philanthropist & Entrepreneur

HUGE!! The saying goes, no risk, no reward. Even as a man of God, faith is simply taking a risk based on a Divine conviction. Every major leap of progress, came from a major risk. You’ll never know you can walk on water unless you step out of the boat….that’s risky!! I was a 12 year old kid talking about starting my own business enterprise and took a risk to get a loan from Young Americans Bank because I had a divine conviction that I was to call the shots & create opportunity for people. That bank still has my picture up from when I was just 12 and every entrepreneur of every race & background sees a young, African-American man as the source of inspiration for becoming an entrepreneur or whatever career path they choose. Read more>>

Shelley Helms Fleishman | Artist

I am not, by nature, a risk taker. On one level, I am a rule-follower, a pleaser, a good girl. However, on a deeper level, I’ve long had an allegiance to do exactly what I wanted to do. Some of my risks were small — wearing a vintage dress to prom, to graduation — and some were bigger. When I quit my “good” job in IT to pursue an MFA, that felt risky. If anything, art making has taught me to be better at taking risks. A certain level of fearlessness is a requirement. I’ve had to cultivate a readiness to sacrifice favorite sections in the name of editing, sometimes muttering “Be brave!” out loud as a reminder to myself. I’ve gotten better at making the leap. I might even have become a little addicted to the thrill of jumping into a stalled painting and recklessly obliterating a focal point (or whole painting!) that isn’t working. Read more>>

Taylor McClendon | Private Gymnastics Coach & Clinician

I think the concept of risk ‘taking’ and ‘living life’ fall hand-in-hand. In more ways than one, the definition of what it means to ‘take risks’ can inevitably define what you do and make of the life you live. From my personal experience, risk taking came with varying degrees of financial vulnerability, societal pressures, emotional angst and the list goes on. I left college with a Technical degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Iowa in 2012. Upon moving to Atlanta, I began working as a licensed engineer for a Residential/Commercial design Firm full-time while coaching gymnastics at local gymnastics gym part-time for fun. There was always a part of me knew that KNEW gymnastics was my true passion but engineering was a ‘real job’., so I was told. Read more>>

Unique Williams | Local Hemp Healer & Skin Care Cultivator

I’m a huge advocate of risk taking. Over the past year since I’ve started Sheatoven, I’ve started listening to motivational speakers every morning (Eric Thomas, Gary Vee & Les Brown) and every speech mentions risk and taking a risk in some shape and form. Some people think they are playing it safe but every day they are taking a risk. When you walk out your door there is a safety risk, working on a job is a risk as the company could let you go at any time with no reason. Every risk I took has led me to this moment. When I decided to start my business, my biggest driver was ” I’ve been working since I was 14. If I can give companies my all for majority of my life just to retire. Why can’t I bet on myself for five years and really give this business my all? That’s seem fair enough. Read more>>

Klayko | Father, Recording Artist, Entrepreneur

To be completely honest, I actually don’t think about risk. I more so think of the work that’s needed to be put in as well as the reward after the work has been applied. I feel that I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today if I hadn’t taken risks. Taking risks has also taught me grand lessons that are forever stored within me. Granted not all of the risks that I have taken this far in my life/career were ones that I’m proud of but that is what taking risks is all about. Sometimes the measures in which we go to further our personal life/career path are measures that actually teach us how to take better risks or make better choices. Read more>>

Sharon Simpson | CEO/Visionary of I Am A Treasure Ministries, Inc and Host of The Unveiling Women’s Movement®

I look at risk taking as moving me out of my comfort zone to propel and in a position of soaring in my purpose. When it comes to risk taking, I redirect my fears and perspective of the unknown and convert it into Faith. I live my life through my Faith in God and the Bible. In Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” I have found changing my perspective and my faith have been my pillars in life. Read more>>

Elly Pagán Ramos | Single Mother, Artist & Pet Nurse

My whole life has been a risk. Growing up with a disability has taught me to take a few risks of my own. Not only physical risks but mental, emotional and financial risks. Some good and some I learned from. I was always different than the other kids at school but braver than most. My mother taught me that it is easier to be brave than to regret not risking it, for the rest of your life. When I moved to Georgia, I had no place of my own, no car and no artistic inspiration. Read more>>

TRUMAIN HEMPHILL | Artist/Painter

Risk taking: how do you think about risk, what role has taking risks played in your life/career? I believe risks are important. I was once invited to display my artwork at the Pink Traphouse for Pretty Girls like Trap Music listening party in Atlanta Ga. I had over 10 art pieces displayed inside but i also thought about a way to have 2 Chainz to view my art and really take a liking to it. So, I composed a separate painting that depicted the Pink Traphouse & what it meant to me. I took the artwork with me to the event which was displayed and 2 Chainz was there. As he was getting ready to leave, I stopped his road manager and asked him to give the painting to 2 Chainz. Read more>>

Lillian Puleo | DIY Creative Art Studio

Hi there! I own Board and Brush Marietta- East Cobb. We are a DIY Farmhouse sign workshop that teaches people how to make amazing decor/projects for their home. Personally, I have never been artistic or creative, but have always loved being around people and seeing them smile. I started working at Board and Brush East Cobb back in August 2019. Before that, I was a stay at home mom, but wanting something to get out of the house and get around other adults. About six months after starting work there, the owner decided to sell and asked if I would like to purchase the business. Read more>>

Kenshara Bush | Cake Artist and Confectioner

In my personal opinion the most successful entrepreneurs are those who willingly take risks, knowing that the outcome may or may not be favorable. The amazing thing about life is even when something does not work out as planned, a lesson can still be extracted, and the lesson is what’s most valuable because either you know what to do or not to do going forward. I believe a lack of risk taking or optimism would’ve resulted in my business crashing and burning! Running a business involes a lot of give an take – You’re looking to provide the most innovative and amazing product or service for your customers, which in turn may involve risking the money in your bank account, losing sleep, or possibly even failure just to name a few. I however always tell myself there’s nothing I cannot do, learn, or bounce back from! Read more>>

Diego Torres | Social Media Strategist

I see risk positively. When it came to my life and career risks have paid off tremendously for me. Although, not always how originally envisioned. I’ve taken risks from applying to jobs I wasn’t the most confident about and succeeding to risk in putting myself out there to meet new people. Recently, I turned down an $80k salary job simply because it didn’t fit into my career path. That was a huge risk (because that little voice in my head was screaming “The money!” “what if the next opportunity takes too long?”) and many might think I’m insane for having done that but all I can say is it would have had me on a digital leash. Read more>>

Antion Scales | Artist/Musician

I’m a firm believer and advocate for taking the necessary risk for your dreams and aspirations. There are risk in every aspect of everyday life why would someone not take the proper risk to help them accel to success? Greatness or success does not come without taking the necessary chances. Risk taking plays a major role in the advancement of my career; From state to state drives just to establish new networks, to stepping out my comfort zone to make new material, to quitting my job to make more time for music. The belief in myself and my abilities has always overruled any doubt that came with taking these risk. Read more>>

Honey Bee | Artist: Author, Poet, & Spiritual Advisor

I believe risks are taken each and every day. Some we take consciously, others may be done unconsciously. When I think about risk, allowing oneself to do something with the awareness that the outcome could potentially be unfavorable, a rush of excitement and nervousness begins to flow. Throughout my life experience I’ve come to realize that every time a risk had presented itself, and I was made consciously aware, there was a desire, feeling, or urge calling me to go with the action or choice. Whether or not I went through with it is a completely different story, but when I think about the risks I can remember this internal nudge attempting to encourage me. I am grateful for that nudge, and for the risks. I believe risks are taken each and every day. Some we take consciously, others may be done unconsciously. When I think about risk, allowing oneself to do something with the awareness that the outcome could potentially be unfavorable, a rush of excitement and nervousness begins to flow. Throughout my life experience I’ve come to realize that every time a risk had presented itself, and I was made consciously aware, there was a desire, feeling, or urge calling me to go with the action or choice. Whether or not I went through with it is a completely different story, but when I think about the risks I can remember this internal nudge attempting to encourage me. I am grateful for that nudge, and for the risks. Read more>>