In our experience, most folks, including ourselves don’t have enough of an understanding of risk and the role it plays in our lives and careers and so we have made a concerted effort as a team to have conversations about risk with our interviewees. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Diana Salina | Actor

“Life without risk is not worth living”. (Charles Lindbergh, Aviator, 1927) Risk can be defined as a factor or situation that might lead to loss or damage. To many, risk is quite simply the enemy. I see risk as a tool for the brave. Although risk is definitely in my blood, it is something I nurture every day – I have become good friends with it.When I think of risk-takers, I I think of fighters and survivors, not victims. Read more>>

Celeigh Cardinal | Singer/Songwriter

I grew up the daughter of a car salesman. The life of a salesman can be feast or famine, so it was almost as if at an early age I was trained for the life of an artist/entrepreneur. Risk has never been that scary to me. It’s always been an important factor in moving forward. The willingness to do whatever it takes to do what you love as a living. In fact, it was riskier for me to no pursue my dreams, as anytime I worked for others, or in a ‘regular’ job, I would become quite depressed. Read more>>

Dalby Biehl | Singer/Songwriter & Musician

I have always liked taking risks and being impulsive, and that is probably why I enjoy music so much. When I’m performing live, I typically never play a song the same way twice. It’s always fun to change a song up in a way that can elevate the performance and in these situations, risks pay off.  Read more>>

Sam Turpin | Musician, Producer & Artist

When it comes to risks, I’ve always asked myself one question: “What have I got to lose?”. I dove straight into my music career very soon after battling a deep depression. Things in my life weren’t going so great and so I didn’t have anything to lose by starting to chase after my dream. I looked around and the only light I saw was ahead of me. It was indeed a risky decision for a 17 year old to make because that is one when a lot of my peers made their decisions about studying at college, jobs and securing their life paths when I myself just had to go all in on one thing. But to me it didn’t feel risky. Read more>>

Jazmyn Alexis | Singer-Songwriter /Recording Artist

Over the years, I’ve found that risks is another word for opportunity. Growing up the word “risk” had such a negative connotation, it would stop me from going after a lot of things I wanted because being safe and in control seemed more desirable. As an artist, success is literally created through risk, LIFE itself is a risk and I’ve found that being unafraid to take those chances is the only way to discover YOU. Read more>>

Mason Douglas | Actor, Event Host, Model, & Philanthropist

I think taking risk are extremely important however I am one that strongly advocates for taking calculated risk. In all honesty taking risk has completely changed my life around. I took the biggest risk of my life so far almost a year ago today. When I took that leap of faith and moved from Baltimore to Atlanta my life has changed for the better. The things I have experienced, the people I’ve met, & the stuff I’ve seen I would’ve never gotten a chance had I stayed in Baltimore. Without rest there is no reward but again you can take a calculated risk I do not believe in just jumping into the deep end. Read more>>

Brandon Reid | Mobile Hookah Business- VibzAtl

“You lose every risk you take if you don’t try, stop being afraid to fail and learn from it”. That was always a quote I lived by in my lifetime. Starting a mobile business or any business period there was no manual for me, I perfected my craft and jumped out there learning with every situation. Read more>>

Lauran Grant | Founder & CEO, Stratosphere41 and RYT 500

Now that I think back, risk has always played a massive factor in the most exciting parts of my life! I risked it all in my twenties to move to Dubai, not knowing a single person, and it ended up being one of my significant growth spurts. An adventure for one year turned into over three years of cultural immersion! Read more>>

Nicholas Bradfield | Musician & Lead Sound Engineer, CEO at Rabbit Hole Studios

I think risk-taking is essential for any entrepreneur. Without risk, there is no reward. I’ve laid my neck upon the sword in order to get to where I am now. I’ve faced numerous cash crunches where bankruptcy seemed imminent but I persevered and think that if I hadn’t taken those risks, we wouldn’t have been able to seize the opportunities before us, like buying our first building. The deal almost fell through numerous times and I had to bring on co-signers, find backup investors, and pledge every asset I could for collateral as well as providing a personal guarantee. Read more>>

Phylisia Slim | Model & Author

Risk is something I never really think about while I’m in the situation. It’s not like I’m thinking “Oh, this is going to be risky…let me careful.” No, instead I don’t realize it’s risky until after I conquered the mission. Being a teen mom, while modeling and becoming an author there were a lot of risks I had to do mainly because a lot of people didn’t know nor care to know that I was a parent first who have dignity as to what I will do and won’t do. Read more>>

Josh Rhye | Lead Pastor & Life Coach

Risk taking is a part of our everyday life. In starting 333 Ministries, it was a huge risk. A big step of faith. The result of that risks are now 9 years of so many stories and life change that we have seen through that one risk. Of course now there is more to loose but we must keep stepping and taking those risks. I’ve learned that it’s not a loss or a failure if the risk you take doesn’t play out the way you think it should. It’s a lesson you learn and there was a purpose in it. Thousands of people have been impacted by the risks we have taken. So we say – GO FOR IT! Read more>>

Benji Pedro | Recording Artist

Taking a risk is a calculated guess. You can’t achieve new success if you dont step out your comfort zone. This goes hand and hand in life and when it comes to making it in the music industry. You have try and do things you never tried before to achieve success. You have the plan figured out and you think it will go as you planed but until u put the product out u never know the risk of what could possibly happen. I feel like win or lose when taking risk its Apart of growth and we all need to grow each and every day. Read more>>

Princess Cole | Princess Cole | Business Owner, Yogi and Herbalist

Taking risks is something that I always talk to people about, because it’s something that I did with the belief that I would be successful. In 2014, I quit my job working at a restaurant at Stonecrest. My dad an I had a conversation one day that gave me the courage to quit. I was trying to establish both my businesses, attending events, hosting events…all while working a job. Two jobs at one point. My dad said if I wanted to quit, just do it. He would take care of the bills. One day I got tired of my job and quit without anything to fall back on except the belief that I could have a successful business. Read more>>

Joi Mebane | Owner of The Look By Joi Cosmetics, Permanent Makeup Instructor and Business Coach

Life is all about taking risks. When I first opened my beauty bar in Greenbriar Mall 19 years ago, it was a risk! I put everything I had into opening my business, but I was confident in what I could create. When I realized that my risk was worth it, I started seeing taking risks as business opportunities. This made me get more educated about the things I was doing so that it would be more predictable instead of just an all in risk. Read more>>

Yori Aiyeola-Scott | Licensed Professional Counselor

Over the past year, I have learned the importance of taking risks. I knew early on that mental health would play a large role in my life after losing my college roommate to suicide. Her life taught me that there is never a right time to take a risk; there is just right now. You either jump or you stand by hoping and wishing. I started my career as a school counselor, I enjoyed pouring into my students, seeing them overcome the struggles of adolescence. My students taught me to run towards your dreams fearlessly. Read more>>

Kourtnee Monroe | International Model, Writer, Psychology Major

My whole career and life have been based on risk. With age comes wisdom so now I take calculated risks but that was not always so. I like to refer to myself as a risk-taker and a dream chaser and that is what I pride myself on being. Without risk, there are no rewards. I feel that the only person who fails is the one who never tries because even if you fail, you learn something. Mindset is everything. I took a risk in 2015, moving from Dallas TX to NYC all by myself, with no support, no family, and hardly any finances. Read more>>

Sheila Carrington | Owner of Wine Down Spa_Touchless

Taking risks is such an important factor in my life. The one thing I know for sure if I don’t try something, I will never know the outcome. I will say, I don’t consider my decisions as risks. I view it as stepping out on faith. My faith has been strengthened and tested many times over the course of my adult life. The one thing I’ve learned is, without it I would not be able to move forward through times of trials. I have a question that I ask myself that makes stepping out on faith a bit easier. Read more>>

Danielle Ibraheem | Milly 3D | FOOD + FASHION

How I view risk depends on the situation I am measuring. Risk is a part of the process and to be successful you must take risk, but I think the most important thing is not the situations surrounding the risk but your mindset when taking the risk. The truth is starting a business is challenging but you have the option to move out of fear or move in faith. Taking risk has taught me to trust my instinct and that challenges will come but the challenges will deliver the growth that is needed for innovation. Read more>>

Tonal Vision Presents Louie Bandz, The Just Allen, & Dre Musiq | Music Producers

Louie Bandz: This game is all about taking risks. Sometimes the only way to learn how to swim is to just jump in. I knew I was all in the day I decided to leave my city and quit my job. I left with just 1200 dollars to my name. Best decision I ever made in life. The Just Allen: I would not be where I am today without assuming risk. My boy John “CoolWhit” Whitaker once reminded me that Kobe Bryant stated, ” You miss 100% of the shots you DO NOT take! I do not regret any of the leaps I’ve taken. How much are you willing to give up to have more. Me, everything….because I believe in myself 100%. Read more>>

John T. Carmouche | Creative Director & Cultural Architect

“Take a risk or lose your chance.” Most of the risks I’ve taken throughout my career and life have been influenced by that quote. There is no such thing as a coincidence to me. Everything happens for a reason at a specific moment. After a lot of trial and error, I’ve learned that trying to keep your overall goal in mind and trusting yourself will always work out. I don’t think I was prepared for most of the things I have experienced, but I made sure to keep that in mind as I continued my journey. There is a certain reward you can’t plan for when you take risks. Read more>>

Jasmyne Spear | Brow Specialist & PMU Artist

There’s a young man by the name of Romel that lives here in my city… his motto is “TAKE RISKS, APPLY PRESSURE” which is the focus of his clothing business “TrapRunners”. His motto is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about risks. I took risks to personally invest funds. I took risks and stepped out on faith to go full-time and not work for anyone else. I’ve taken so many risks that at one point my husband was looking at me like, what in the world?! But deep down, I knew the pressure I was going to apply. I had to make it work. I wasn’t going to lose. Losing wasn’t even an option! If I wouldn’t have taken those risks, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Read more>>