The chapters in our stories are often marked by wins and losses. Getting a new job, getting fired. Getting a life-threatening medical diagnosis, beating it and getting a clean bill of health. Too often, due to a societal expectation of modesty and humility we are discouraged from talking about the risks we’ve taken that led to those ups and downs – because often those risks draw attention to how we are responsible for the outcomes – positive or negative. But those risks matter. Those stories matter. We asked some brilliant entrepreneurs, artists, creatives, and leaders to tell us those stories – the stories of the risks they’ve taken, and we’ve shared them with you below.

Anthony Wanzer

Taking risk is what it’s all about! The one phrase i’ve never been comfortable with is “What if ?” If I have a question i’ll ask. If I want something I’ll go for it full speed ahead. I’d rather hear “no” then wonder “what if ?” for the rest of my days. I don’t believe in failure. I believe you can only learn from whatever situation you happen to find yourself in as you move forward. I remember working on the film (Head Of State) with Chris Rock & Bernie Mac. Bernie was at the height of his career. He had just done Kings Of Comedy & gotten his own tv show ( The Bernie Mac Show) He was a rock star! I remember one day after shooting a scene he & I left out of the same side entrance & there was no one else around. I asked him if I could come on his show & he jokingly said no. Lol Had I not asked I would’ve wondered my entire life “what if” but I got my answer & was able to move on without that lingering phrase I hate so much living in my head taking up precious real-estate. Take risk, learn & move forward. Read more>>

Dennis Young

I worked normal jobs all my life, from high school until I retired in 2015. During that tenure, working at the company I retired from, I was offered the position of International Sales, which quickly morphed into Project Management as well. I’d never traveled outside the USA, hardly even outside my home State, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to basically travel the world and work on major infrastructure and industrial projects. During that twenty-year span, I helped my company break into new markets, and worked on some of the most prestigious jobs in the world including Dubai Metro, Delhi Metro, and the ALNB Project in Brisbane, Australia. I could have played it safe, taken a position of working in the USA with domestic contractors, but I couldn’t resist the lure of taking the chance offered, and excelling at it. Read more>>

Gordy Grundy

“In Life, risk provides a great deal of entertainment, certainly an education and a reminder that Chance or Luck dominates our best intentions. Win some, lose some.

“Beyond the night sweats, I’ve never been afraid of risk. And there are a few risks which I wish I had taken. I’m a SoCal kid and in that geographical ethos, risk taking is a part of the personality. Read more>>

Lauren Sambataro

I came into this world wanting to perform. I grew up dancing, singing, creating stories and shows, movement and storytelling was my language, my way of relating to the world and expressing myself. I knew I wanted a career in the arts so I moved to New York out of high school to study dance performance and musical theater at the Alvin Ailey School & Fordham University at Lincoln Center. Right out of college, I started performing with professional dance companies and soon moved to Broadway National Tours, Radio City Music Hall, and then into Broadway itself. Along the way, I was always curious in how I could best support my physical body and mental health while performing, so I became a personal trainer and then Holistic Lifestyle Coach, to support myself more than anything else, but it quickly became half of my working hours, I loved it so much! Read more>>

Ben Parks

I really like this question because I think as artists we’re taking risks all the time. Saying things that are brutally honest, audacious, uncomfortable, shocking. I think music is a chance to be as brutally honest as you can, but you have to choose if you’re willing for others to hear your honest thoughts. That’s risky. Read more>>

Maria Kosmidou

My name is Maria Kosmidou, and I hail from Greece. I proudly serve as the proprietor of an online fashion and interior showroom in the United States, concurrently holding the esteemed position of Head of Sales for North America at Gepaworld. In 2016, at the age of 46, I embarked on a transformative journey, choosing to establish my own business in the U.S., relinquishing the perceived security that previous corporate roles had offered me. Read more>>

Sophy Su

I grew up in a middle-income family in the Southern sub-provincial city of Nanjing, China. I was raised by my grandparents and experienced some struggles with my parents, leading to estrangement. I thought it would be best for both parties to part ways and move to Vancouver to continue my studies. I was only 14 when I made the courageous decision to leave behind everything I knew and loved. Now, at the age of 28, when I look back, I realize it was a life-changing risk I took for myself. At 14, I didn’t speak English at all. I had to start everything from the bottom up, but I never gave up. If I hadn’t remained steadfast in my pursuit of improvement, working tirelessly to turn my dreams into reality, I wouldn’t have been able to be a part of Solar101.US campaign and establish my Canadian and US companies. Read more>>

Nicole Murray

Taking a risk has been the identity of Entrepreneurship. The start of Agape Collective began as a risk March 2020. We all know the world stopped no one worked and no one knew what was next. In that reality with an uncertain future not just for myself but for humanity I decided to start a marketing company and an artist management company. It began in the basement of my colleague‘s home which was the only place feasible to work out of with nothing open because of Covid. The risk was investing in an idea, in a concept, and a vibration Without truly having the full resources and bandwidth. And the world in a completely uncertain crisis. The business came together by working through the real goals of what we were looking to accomplish. I previously worked for a agency so the experience was there but the clients that I shared a passion with in their mission and purpose was something that I did not have at the time. soon after we started to gain clients such as the US Census Bureau, as well as smaller clients and Brands and creating different online and in person activations to celebrate empowerment within business. Read more>>

Ryan Main

In 2016, I made a tough choice. I had been teaching in public schools as a choir director for seven years. I loved my job and my students, but I also had a passion for writing music that I didn’t have the time to explore as a busy teacher. I knew I would never forgive myself if I didn’t try to make it as a professional composer. So, as the school year ended, I resigned from my position and sold my home to pursue my dream of becoming a professional composer. Read more>>

Jasmine Arielle

Growing up in Austin, TX, I was always a very shy kid, so it was a surprise to my parents when one day after seeing the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie in theaters I very adamantly announced at 12 years old that I was going to be an actor. Long story short, I struggled for a lot of years trying to make it work in my home town before a good friend who had just moved to the Bay Area said “ hey, just buy a ticket and stay with me for a while. See how it goes”. At that time, I already had another good friend who had recently relocated from Austin to Los Angeles, so I felt like maybe I finally had mapped out a potential future for myself. That chaos of a map ended up changing a lot, but in September of 2014 I took the risk of moving to Oakland from Austin with 2 suitcases and $1000, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Through that choice I met lifelong best friends, women that will always support me. I met my life partner, and I found myself living in LA and have been here working as an actor since 2017. Read more>>

Marina Simovic-Pava

Taking a risk is something I have done my whole life. I was raised in a small country, where I could not really grow and express myself creatively. I came to United States when I was twenty one years old , without family and friends and started my whole new life in a different country. In the beginning even the language was and obstacle, even though I study English in school, nothing really replaced real life experience. Adjustment to a new culture, race and language took a little while, but now I truly embraced and loved the diversity of New York. I discovered my strength and weaknesses and how to work with them. I discovered how much courage is needed and my gift to connect with other people easily. All of that helped me to discover my gift for healing and helping other people on their journey. I became a Reiki Master and Stretched therapist. Read more>>

ELI MONTANNA

The biggest risk that I’ve taken is my path to pursue music overall. My first love was sports – being a promising athlete growing up, I ended up injuring myself playing football during my senior year of high school. That dream being shattered forced me to think about what I wanted my life’s purpose to be. After spending many nights talking to God, he led me to the other passion that I had always been neglecting which was music. I was always musically inclined – playing the drums at the age of four and singing in my church’s choir, but I was never serious enough to pursue and invest in it. That changed when I started taking the craft seriously and started recording. Here I am years later at 700k+ streams and still chasing the dream. Read more>>

Paty Vilo

Taking risks is the daily lot of an artist or anyone who practices an artistic activity. In the creative process, you’re constantly making decisions, and each one involves a risk… A risk of going wrong and ending up ‘missing’ your creation, a risk of ‘disfiguring’ it, a risk of going in the wrong direction, a risk of ending up with nothing interesting, or nothing that makes sense…. Read more>>

Katie Mollon

I have always considered myself an experimental photographer. I use techniques such as in-camera multiple exposures, to create images that may or may not turn out how I imagine. Often times, the unpredictable elements of analog photography (such as light leaks), turn into happy accidents that enhance my vision. However, there was one technique I read about online, years before I worked up the nerve to try it. This process is commonly known as “film soup”. Film soup involves soaking your film in various substances/liquids before development. You can only guess as to how much of an effect each souped roll will have. Read more>>

Tyrice Cartwright

In the enchanting world of children’s literature, Tyrice Cartwright emerges as a beacon of creativity, weaving tales that transcend conventional boundaries. Behind the scenes, her journey unfolds as a tapestry of risks, both big and small, each adding a vibrant thread to the fabric of her success. Read more>>

Dominic Moore

Being so in love with my craft and making music in 2018 I quit my job to pursue music full time. This decision came with a lot of struggle and hardship but ultimately I regret nothing and wish I did it sooner. Read more>>

Jarrad K

I think the biggest risk i’ve taken is moving to Nashville after putting in so much time in the LA music scene – Nashville was a huge reset button – i had to completely start from scratch – my “credits didn’t transfer” nobody cared about what i had done in LA and to be honest, i was moving away from a lot of things too, but a good friend of mine told me that if i keep my head down, do the work and stay kind, things had a real chance of working out. Read more>>

Breona Carter

 

Taking a risk is part of the journey, and one that stands out in the “Life With Bre” narrative is when I decided to transition from my regular content to more vulnerable, personal storytelling. The backstory revolves around recognizing the need for a deeper connection with my audience. I felt an internal pull to share more personal stories, struggles, and triumphs.Read more>>

Pearl Sledge

In starting my makeup career I received completion certificate in July of 2015. This was challenging season of my life because just before making a decision to push my makeup business, I just lost my job for almost 10yrs and step mom passed away. I was devastated and was in horrible space in my mind. I felt like I didn’t know what to do. So I had to make a strong decision because I was single mom raising two beautiful young daughters. I remember crying with heavy tears and emotions saying “ lord please help me I need to figure this out. I got my certificate what’s next. So I began my journey through all of my pain and hurt I began to push myself into purpose. I knew I was called to do this Read more>>

Perola Navarro

Leaving São Paulo for Los Angeles was a big deal for me. Back home, I was dealing with the grind of college, a job at a soap store, and freelancing gigs on the weekends. I used every free moment to stay connected to my art scene, exploring galleries, attending concerts, participating in art fairs, or simply dedicating myself to artistic expression, I was driven by a deeper need to stay motivated and connected to my passion. Read more>>

 Alexander Delzer

Creating has risk built into it, especially when you’re first starting. I didn’t start writing till I was 18 and I’m so glad I did because it led me to be where I’m at now! At first, it was just writing down the ideas that would come into my head from time to time. I wasn’t trying to make full songs and I didn’t even know any music theory to compose anything to the lyrics and melodies I was coming up with. That first step of “taking seriously” those ideas I had was HUGE for me and I think anyone wanting to get into writing or songmaking should start taking the ideas they already have seriously by writing them down or recording them. Read more>>

SoSco Duo

As musicians and artists in general our work is filled with risk. Of course it usually doesn’t involve bodily harm or potentially damaging property (though we have had those types of gigs, they are the exception not the rule), but in each song, performance, or opportunity we chose to risk failing in front of our audience and ourselves. Perhaps the greatest risk we ever took was choosing to start a flute and guitar duo in the first place and almost ten years later, we are happy we did! There are a handful of flute and guitar duos out there and they typically come from classical backgrounds, but our group is unique, we started out as a musical “odd couple” half classical and half contemporary. From the first few songs and genres we each brought to the table we knew we’d have a challenge ahead of us but we also knew that the reward was worth it and many hundreds of performances later we can safely say the risk payed off and we were able to blaze our own trail creatively and musically. When we arrange or write a new piece of music, we make it our own and we do that with confidence and a style that is uniquely ours. Read more>>

 Jeff Costello

About twelve years into my 24 year career teaching Middle School Choir, I to make a distinct change of musical direction. I decided to stop trying to “fit into the suit” (traditional classical choral music) and to start being my more authentic self (Contemporary Commercial Music). Performing more popular styles of music caused my choir program to grow from 200 to 260 students in just a handful of years. Read more>>

Tyra Robinson

When someone downplays your journey with a casual “that’s life,” respond with “On whose terms?” Let that be the beginning of your testimony, a testament to your resilience and determination. ♥️ Taking risks is never a walk in the park. It often comes with a heavy dose of self-doubt and fear. Once you dive in, something incredible happens. The hidden strength within you reveals the human spirit’s unique capacity. We’re far more capable than we give ourselves credit for. Read more>>

Nicolas Carnazzo

Our entire brand and community is built off risk. Hustle Killer was created for the hard working individuals that no matter what adversities are throw at them they still hustled it out , put the work in and stayed loyal to the ones around them. Starting out as a clothing brand and investing all we had into the clothing was a huge risk , no one gave us guidance , we took what we knew from hustling and applied it to the brand . We put on shows and events for years , learning the dues and donts , really networking with people in the community, showing face and adapting our own mission and goals to the mix. We invested 100% of ourselves and continue to take risks , from opening a studio during the pandemic and even throwing shows while the entire world was still wearing masks , we never stopped to provide a space for artists. We try to show our strengths through actions like helping artists and brands have a place to start out an learn the basics. I truly believe that being apart of a community who’s support pays it forward for others is something we should push more. We never realized how much our brand speaks and helps others until we saw how bigger our shows have got . More People are seeing the risks we have taken and see how much we care and that attracts the right kind of people that also see our mission in helping others. So I would say to always take a risk especially to find your full potential , failing is what teaches us and you never know how many others may support what you want to do unless you try . Read more>>

anthony coseo

JAMM was started in mid-2018 off of a Craigslist ad. Matt Crocco (guitarist) put an ad out looking for other musicians to join him and his cousin in making some music in the garage of their home next to Chico State University. Anthony Coseo (singer) answered this ad before the start of his freshman year at Chico State, and from that day “JAMM” was born. Read more>>

Kelcey Esqueda

Choosing to share my art full time, change careers and put myself out there in order to make it through and support my family. Read more>>

Loren Chadima

I always wanted to be an actor but I got so nervous when I had to audition that I forgot my lines and even threw up. As many times as I tried to audition it was just too painful so I gave up acting and focused on directing. Read more>>

Jeremy McDonnell

What is risk? The answer depends on who you ask. Merriam has several definitions including “possibility of loss or injury” or “something that creates or suggests a hazard.” Risk can be used in less hazardous regard such as just trying something new, like a new food. There is risk that you may not like what was ordered. Life is risk. Every choice that we make from, the moment we get out of bed, involves our perception of risk as well as the constant need to choose what is acceptable risks for us. Read more>>

Diedre Curry

Bet on yourself every single time. Read more>>

DÅZR

As with a lot of things in life, you have to take risks to pursue music professionally. Read more>>

Erica LaRose

Please let me know if you need any more information here. I answered my following questions around the topic of taking a risk. Read more>>