Tony Robbins says the #1 human need is certainty, but do you know what the second need is? It’s uncertainty. This tug of war between the competing needs of safety and risk are at the heart of so many dilemmas we face in life and for most folks the goal isn’t to eliminate risk – rather it’s to understand this core human need. In our view, the best way to understand or learn is through stories and so we’ve asked some very talented entrepreneurs and creatives to tell us the stories behind some of the risks they’ve taken.
Vanessa Broin
Opening my own studio was a bit of a risk! Originally I was hoping to share a space with a fellow esthetician, but when that didn’t work out I decided to pursue a solo option. I remembered that there was a spa room inside of Cos Bar (a luxury beauty retailer downtown), so I reached out to the manager. The room had been left mainly unused for a few years. She was open to renting out the space, and so I went for it! One thing I’ve learned in business; you often need to create your own opportunities, you never know what can happen until you put yourself out there and try. Read more>>
Tatiana Grant, Lpc, Ncc
A risk I took that was life changing was going into private practice. I had left my non-profit community mental health job and decided I was going to go into private practice without truly understanding what it meant. I just knew I needed a break from Corporate America and wanted to give back to my local community. I saw an ad in the local paper advertising the group private practice I eventually would join. Mind you, this was an advertisement, not a job posting. I emailed the owner and asked her to consider me for future job opportunities….she wasn’t hiring by the way. I decided to build a door since doors weren’t opening up quick enough for me. The owner was so impressed with my gusto she scheduled me for an interview and I got the job! This was way back in 2018 and I have been in private practice ever since. This leap of faith literally changed my professional career. Read more>>
Alison Denney
Taking risks has always been a part of my journey, but one of the biggest risks I ever took was packing up my life in Portland, Oregon—where I had lived all my life—and moving to Naples, Florida. I’ve been a hairstylist for 20 years, and over time, I’d built a loyal and amazing clientele in Portland. But deep down, I always had this dream: to live by the beach, doing what I love. One day, that dream practically fell into my lap. I met another hairstylist who mentioned, almost casually, that he was moving to Naples. Without hesitation, I blurted out, “I wanna go too.” He looked at me like I was crazy. But during a visit to Portland, a snowstorm hit, and we were snowed in together for five days. We started talking seriously about what it would mean to move to Florida together. I was intrigued, energized even. Why not? So, we started looking at condos online, and one day, we had a virtual tour of a beautiful place. Palm trees, a saltwater pool, sunshine, and the ocean—it was everything I imagined my beach town life would be. Read more>>
Zoe Noelle
The risk I take as a songwriter is trading my own comfortability and reputation to bring healing to my listeners through authentic storytelling. The way I see it, every true artist carries secrets to the soul. What differentiates an artist from anyone else is their ability to embrace the process, steward their discoveries in their artistry, and lead others into the revelation they’ve found. Embracing a process looks like taking risks. Stewarding discovery looks like allowing yourself to be uncomfortable as you grow in your artistry. Leading others looks like trading perfect reputations for authentic story telling people can relate to. Songwriting and releasing music can be a very vulnerable thing! Especially because my songs are all written from personal experiences and processes. Over my years of songwriting I have recognized the many potential risks, both personally and towards my listeners if I ever lack vision for who I am as an artist. Read more>>
Lucy Westlake
After forty-two grueling days on K2, one of the world’s most formidable 8,000-meter peaks, we finally received the long-awaited green light for our summit attempt. As the clock struck midnight, 150 eager climbers set out into the biting cold, hearts pounding with anticipation. The lead team forged ahead, breaking trail and fixing ropes, while the thrill of the ascent mingled with the looming danger of avalanches; the narrow path felt more like a ticking time bomb than the culmination of a long awaited dream. Read more>>
Laurie Chapman
I have been taking risks my entire life. As a product of GenX, I I enjoyed the exhilaration of daily risk taking in childhood due to minimal parental supervision or oversight. This allowed me to stay aligned with my true self, increased my confidence in myself, and taught me what it feels like to listen to my inner self as a child. I remained a risk-taker through my middle and high school years, although the risks were more aligned with those stages of development and taught me different painful lessons. Risk taking has helped me to excel as an All-American Distance runner and an Entrepreneur and both the childhood and adolescent risk-taking strategies helped to shape these parts of my life. At the current stage of my life, I view risk-taking as a necessary component of daily living. Read more>>
Nisha Ladlee
In 2020, the pandemic hit the world and I was working a corporate job as a Vice President when we were told we had to work from home. Little did I know how life changing that would be for me. I’ve always loved reading but my corporate life didn’t allow much time for it. The pandemic allowed me to slow down and and rekindled my passion for reading. All genres interest me, from horror, to thriller, and historical, but I really gravitated toward romance books during this time. There was something about the feel good of a happily ever after during a time of chaos in the world that brought me comfort. I soon found there was an entire community of romance readers when I stumbled on the hashtag #bookstagram. A short time later, I created a #bookstagram account myself so that I could keep track of what I’d read and write creative reviews and graphics to share with the community. I also shared different coffee recommendations and posted about life. Read more>>
Stephanie Noriega
Looking back, I have taken some major risks in my life, most of which have transformed me. It’s funny because, I don’t actually consider myself a risk taker, I much prefer to assess my options, plan a-z, and weigh pros vs cons. Which is why it is important for me to explain that for me, risk taking comes more from a place of sass, tenacity and an appetite for evolution. There are two instances that stick out to me, the first was accepting an invitation to attend graduate school in New York City. When I did this, I knew 2 people on the east coast, including a close friend in New Jersey, right on the other side of the Hudson River. When I left for this journey, I left with 2 suitcases and a graduate school acceptance letter. I had no idea where I was going to live or how I was going to earn a living, I simply knew that I could stay with my friend until I figured this out. It took me the summer and a few emotional breakdowns, but I did, I figured it out. Read more>>
Grant Ray
Since I was young, most of the steps forward in my life involved, taking significant risk. Growing up in the circumstances in which I was forced to endure reward often did not come without risk. growing up in a household, full of physical, abuse, and violence, even saying the wrong word was a huge physical risk to me. My mother took a risk every time she said the wrong word to my stepfather as well. Once she finally got me and my brother out of the violent household, we were thrust into poverty, and every dollar spent was a risk. So I’m very familiar with risk but when you have the kind of dreams that I did since the very start, you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get there and to reach your potential in life , when I started my independent music career at age 18, I had not a dollar to my name but a whole lot of vision on my road to where I am today every project that I took on as an Indy music artist was a humongous financial risk as I funded everything and was responsible for any losses which resulted from these huge financial investments into my music and career with risk comes reward, Read more>>
Keath Silva
When I first got my massage license, I thought I needed to cater to what everyone wanted instead of practicing the healing modalities that I was passionate about. Many potential clients wanted sports massage, Swedish massage and deep tissue massage, so that is what I offered. I had been trained in some niche healing modalities that were not necessarily known or accepted in mainstream health care, that I really wanted to share with my clients. These modalities an integration of Maya Abdominal Massage, Energy work, Herbalism and Shamanic Healing. About 7 years into my private practice, I decided to take the risk and started publicizing the type of work I really wanted to be doing. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that many people were interested in my preferred healing modalities. Even though many people were enjoying the types of sessions that are in alignment with my true purpose, I was still thinking that I needed to keep offering the mainstream work to pay the bills and be “legitimate”. However, my heart kept telling me that it was time to focus on what I really knew was my calling and I finally took the leap. Read more>>
Karla Gomez
Hi there! I’m Karla, and I’m excited to share a bit of my journey with you. Like many of us, I’ve faced my share of challenges as a mom, professional & individual, navigating the tumultuous waters of high-functioning burnout and trauma. But through this journey, I’ve discovered the transformative power of understanding and healing, which has shaped not only my life but also my personal & professional path. My passion lies in helping others optimize their lives and performances, drawing from my expertise in biomarker-supported care, trauma & resilience methods and clinical systems development. I believe that healing is a holistic process, and I strive to integrate science and empathy in my work. My unique background has given me a rich tapestry of experiences, and it’s these experiences that fuel my desire to support others on their own journeys. Read more>>
Andy Vald
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was migrating and starting a business far from my homeland. I’m originally from Ecuador, and in 2016, I decided to migrate due to economic reasons. I was heavily in debt and needed a drastic change in my life. With over $60,000 in debt and no money, I arrived in the United States, but I had a strong determination to start over. It was a process of focus, of reorganizing myself, of setting priorities and boundaries, something I hadn’t done before. This change meant redesigning myself entirely and reconnecting with new purposes. I immersed myself in the culture, learning English, and met my current partner, who was a great support in creating this new life. I worked deeply on myself, and as I aligned internally, everything outside of me began to fall into place. It’s now been eight years since then, and looking back, I can see how far I’ve come. Leaving my country, where I felt comfortable, leaving my friends, family, and everything I’d known for 32 years, was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. But this risk showed me that I could start over, and that everything I once lost was just making room for new, more abundant opportunities. Read more>>
Erin Young
A year ago I left my well-paying full time job with a company I had been with since moving to Savannah in 2009 to start my own physical therapy business. I was terrified but at the same time thrilled. I never thought that I would open my own company, I have been a staff PT for over 25 years. I was slowly losing my love for the profession, however, and I decided that either I would see and treat clients on my own terms or I would leave PT altogether. I was that burnt out. It has not been easy in this first year! I have to hustle and grind daily to promote myself and the business. This is way outside of my comfort zone but I know doing hard things is the only was to grow as an individual. My business is slowly expanding and I continue to develop my niche- working with runners. Read more>>
Shae Ivery
I have struggled with gaining support from my circle, my family and my friends because of the spiritual nature of my business. The “Bible Belt” mentality reigns supreme making unorthodox and holistic healing practices seem like fetishism. It’s a risk doing what I do because people have spooky ideas about it and my gift. Also, I put myself on display for people to target me for my beliefs. I have had periods of highs and lows because my business and marketing are social media based, but I ride each wave with confidence and faith. Progress is not always linear. As long as I’m helping people, I keep striving! Read more>>
Ro’sean Langhum
During the last part of 2019 and for sure the beginning of 2020 I was unhappy with my life both professionally and personally. I had to do something that would energize that creative fire inside of me. So, I decided to do something that I have been dreaming about since college. In the height of the COVID 19 pandemic I decided to take the huge risk and move to LA from Houston, TX. To be completely honest I still till this day can’t believe that I actually faced my fears and moved here. I sold my brand new home that I previously built prior to actually taking the leap of faith. Sold both of my cars, quit my job and all of my local gigs and hopped on a plane to LAX. It was scary, overwhelming, and beautiful all at the same time. I had to spend so much money to get settled and planted in LA in a way that wasn’t familiar to me. Im not going to lie coming from a 4 bedroom home to a studio apartment was extremely undesirable and uncomfortable. The mortgage on my brand new home was $1,000 less than what I had to pay for a fraction of the living space I had grown accustom too. Read more>>
Ronnie Logan
My whole journey of founding Ronnie’s BBQ (now The Original Ronnie’s BBQ) has been one big risk after another…but you know what they say “no risk, no reward”. I’ve always loved to cook, and smoke meats, and things like that but it wasn’t until I got laid off that I decided to take the risk of running my own business and actually making a living out of this BBQ thing. Thru the years there have been ups and downs, and more and more risks…deciding to be on the Food Network, while an amazing opportunity…it was a risk, and it was a risk that almost closed me down. You have to be prepared for things like that, and at that time the supply couldn’t meet the demand once that show aired and it almost cost me. I’ve taken risks in partnering with others on this vision that I had… some good, some not so good. Read more>>
Sanghyun Suh
Taking risks is often a crucible for growth, both personally and professionally. One pivotal risk I took was during my time at The Ohio State University when I made the decision to switch my focus from engineering to architecture. This choice stemmed from my growing frustration with the limitations of engineering, particularly its conservative approach to innovation. The backstory begins in my first few years as a welding engineering student, where I excelled academically but felt an increasing disconnection from my true passion—design. The rigidity of traditional engineering practices felt stifling, and I yearned for a creative outlet that would allow me to explore new ideas and materials. Inspired by visionary architects and their ability to shape spaces that resonated with human experience, I realized that architecture was my true calling. Read more>>
Malcolm Smith
When I launched Victory Lab Micro-Clean, I was still a network engineer, the main provider for my wife and our five children. My job was rewarding, but over time, I felt the pull—Victory Lab was where my heart was. Balancing both became impossible, and I was torn between staying in the comfort of a secure job and chasing my dream. The thought of leaving before Victory Lab could financially support my family was terrifying. But I couldn’t stay stuck. So, I set a deadline and wrote my 2-week notice in advance. Little did I know, halfway through that period, my corporate job announced massive layoffs. That’s when I knew: it was time to leap. Weeks after going all in, Victory Lab’s revenue doubled. My kids don’t even know I got laid off; they just see me around more—happier, more focused, and thriving. It turns out, fully committing to your dreams pays off. Read more>>
Kevin Williamson
My Father in law, that passed away in 2006, believed in me. Told me if I could do it for someone else, I could do it for myself. I took a risk and here we are, in June it wil be 25 years. Read more>>
Phillip Cappadora Jr
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was deciding to leave an instable career and pursue a passion project full-time. It was a leap into the unknown, filled with doubt and uncertainty, but one that ultimately shaped who I am today. For years, I had worked in uncomfortable, well-paying miscellaneous jobs. I was successful by traditional standards, but something always felt missing. My passion for filmmaking had been simmering beneath the surface for as long as I could remember. I spent evenings and weekends working on small projects, attending film mixers, and connecting with other filmmakers. But the fear of taking a leadership approach kept me from fully committing. Read more>>
Alison Beale
I’m a suburban mom of two little girls and a former teacher and I decided to take the risk of running for State House. I never set out to be a politician…but I bought my daughter Bennett, who is in preschool, a bulletproof backpack following the Covenant shooting. I remember the day I bought it; I told her we were ordering a new backpack and let her pick the pattern. She picked blue dinosaurs. I paid extra for it to withstand assault rifle bullets. I paid extra for it to be lighter, but it was still too heavy for her. So for now, I moved the bulletproof insert to my diaper bag. That way, if I’m out with both of my girls and there is a shooting, I can use my body to cover one of them and throw the bag over the other. I’m no longer willing to simply accept these feelings of anger and helplessness anymore, so I knew I had to step up and run for office – especially in the midst of Tennesseans coming together to create a movement toward change. Read more>>
Jasmin Toubi
I think choosing to be an artist in general is taking a risk. A financial risk, a social risk. Not everyone is going to be supportive or understand why you feel the need to do what you’re doing. But if you’re called to make art, sometimes you feel like you have no choice but to do so. When the pandemic hit in 2020 I was sure I made the right choice. The world could end at any moment, so why spend your life doing something conventional and safe? We have one life to live, might as well take the risk, take the chance, and see what comes of it. And even if you fail, you’ll still have something to show for it. Even if no one ever sees your art, you still made it. Even if no one buys it, it still has value. Read more>>
Natalie Denise Sperl
I’m always thinking of ways to get in front of some of my fav filmmakers. I’ve tried many things including writing handwritten letters and mailing to them (usually to their agents so I assume it gets tossed and never read). Nonetheless after watching Todd Haynes’ Dylan biopic “I’m Not There” I was so floored by the performances and story I wrote him a letter expressing my admiration for his film and if I ever got a chance to act in, let alone sweep up the floors on his set, I’d be forever grateful. I left my phone number, signed and sealed and hoped it would reach him. I’ve written to George Hinkenlooper when I heard about the Edie Sedgwick bio pic “Factory Girl” practically begging for the part of the tortured heiress. I’ve been obsessed with Edie since I can remember and knew I could bring my own magic to that part if given the chance. I never got a reply. Read more>>
Tana Sirois
In 2022 I left NYC to pursue a Masters of Science in Creative Arts & Mental Health at Queen Mary University of London — I left my collaborators, the Arts & Culture Center I co-founded 6 years prior, and the city I called home in search of a new chapter — an experience of personal expansion… but this isn’t the risk I’m writing about. As part of my Master’s course, I was asked to create a 15 minute autobiographical performance. We were studying the process of performing the self — the challenges, the therapeutic benefits, and the methods that would help us safely lead others through a similar experience as facilitators. I decided to create a solo performance about how Obsessive Compulsive Disorder affects my life. My experience with OCD is quite different from what is often portrayed in the media — I don’t wash my hands excessively and I don’t need things to be organized in a specific way. Read more>>
Cortez Mack
Unbeknownst to me, I started this journey in 1986, at the age of 12, writing short poems, not knowing this was the birth of my writing gift. As I continue to write, short skits started to develop, which blossomed into full theatre scripts. Two years later, I was greatly influenced by three legendary gospel groups; Commissioned, The Winans and Take 6, in which, I formed my first gospel singing group celled, “Vision”, We started singing at our church, and, local church events throughout the Chicagoland area, and, that started me into writing songs. Years later, after getting let go from a job, I took some money from that last paycheck and took headshots, and, started acting in college short films and background extra work on filming in Chicago. Afterwhich, I started shooting youth anti-violence PSA’s, local music videos, and, then, jumped out to shoot my first independent feature film, “what about the children” in 2010 (but, finalized in 2014 after two re-shoots). And, after receiving a Letter of Recognition from The Academy (The Oscars) in September 2014, which made me understand why I take risks. Read more>>
Bruce Orr
I started a youth arts education company called InkWell, teaching art in libraries, museums and local non-profits. I quit my job of 13 years at an arts non profit called RAW. I was paid enough to live, barely, and had your basic terrible benefits package, standard paycheck to paycheck gig with no hope of advancement. I was given an opportunity to work with the city of Peabody if I could write a grant. Simultaneously, I had another opportunity to create a large scale installation in an abandoned Family Dollar in downtown Beverly, Massachusetts where I live. I took the risk and accepted both opportunities. I am a fifty two year old with two teenagers and live in one of the most expensive places in America, which made it scarier. I wrote the grant and got it. Read more>>
Beth Birchfield
Becoming a backyard beekeeper was one of those unexpected risks that changed everything for me. Honestly, when I got into it, I didn’t expect that managing bees would shape my business style or inspire me to take on the role of Executive Director at Women in Sustainability. But there’s something about working with a hive—where you can’t exactly control everything but have to trust the natural process and your instincts—that shifted something in me. It taught me I didn’t need to have every single detail nailed down before diving into something big. Instead, if I just paid attention and found the right mentors (both human and bee), the solutions would reveal themselves. Beekeeping showed me that I could thrive in the unknown and take risks in business without needing a complete roadmap. Turns out, some of the best decisions are made when you’re willing to trust that things will fall into place, just like they do in the hive. Read more>>
Shanequa Lewis
The most significant risk I took in starting my business was temporarily pausing my nursing career to fully explore entrepreneurship. It was a leap into the unknown, as I needed to determine if this path was truly what I wanted for the long haul. During the initial stages of my business, I still had to maintain a regular job to support my family as a single mom of three. I worked at Starbucks and also took on a full-time overnight position at a nursing rehab facility. Balancing these demanding roles while nurturing my business was no small feat. As the demand for my business grew, I realized I needed to dedicate more time to it. However, I wasn’t ready to leave my job entirely, so I transitioned from full-time work to a PRN/flexible schedule that allowed me to manage my time better. This decision came with the sacrifice of my benefits, but I was willing to take that risk to pursue my business goals. Read more>>
Lipika Devara
One of the most significant risks I’ve taken was pursuing two of my passions simultaneously: social work and music, while studying full-time in college. On the surface, these paths seem disconnected, but for me, they both reflect my desire to connect with people, empower them, and create meaningful change. Growing up, I was always drawn to helping others. My experiences working with American Red Cross, NGOs in underprivileged areas, like my time with Impact NGO in Jaipur, cemented my desire to focus on social work and community empowerment, hence starting my own non-profit, A.W.E(Addressing Wellness and Equity). However, alongside this passion was another deep love: music. From a young age, I found music to be a powerful outlet for expression, and it became my way of understanding and communicating emotions I couldn’t always articulate otherwise. Read more>>
Ghasan Alesayi
I write confrontational comedies so every script has to have at least some element danger. And I know when I’ve struck serious gold when I get scared to put down what’s making me laugh on the inside. Two years ago, I wrote a comedic short that I’m working to get made at the moment. It revolves around my inner conflict with my Muslim upbringing and familial expectations as an agnostic man living in a western world. The topic itself, most would not touch with a ten foot pole. The jokes I make in it took me eons to put on paper because of how terrified I was to put my real thoughts out there. Now the real risk: pitching this project. The title alone is a shocker. That same year, I attended Toronto International Film Festival by myself to network hard and pitch this project to anyone that would hear it — the project that should’ve never seen the light of day. Risk turned to reward because not only did I get great interest for the project, but I was able to secure a producer, a fantastic cinematographer, and people who believe in it just as much as I do. Read more>>
Chrisse Soukai
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to do something creative with my life. Back then, I didn’t know yet what I wanted to do, but I knew that it had to be something creative and freeing. My sole nightmare for my future life was to do a job I wasn’t happy with, in an office, closed-off, sitting down and staring at a screen all day with no real human interactions. I just knew deep down that this wasn’t for me. During my studies, my love for languages bloomed. I was already an avid reader and I couldn’t stop myself from writing stories so, literature and languages were my forte. I started my studies in translation but… something was still bothering me. I love translation, but something deep down was calling me to do more than just that. It was the same something that was appearing inside of me every time I was watching a movie, this bizarre longing saying that I had a story to tell as well. I remember when I realized what it was, I didn’t say anything to anybody, not even my friends. I thought they would think I was just being silly. And it was in fact a silly dream: me, becoming an actress? That seemed out of reach. Read more>>
Todd Kreisman
In all honesty, I haven’t quite been able to figure myself out. As a rule, I’m risk-averse. I don’t do thrill rides. I prefer to avoid driving at night. I don’t even particularly like going to baseball games on the off-chance I’ll be hit in the head by a fly ball. And yet, at several moments in my life, I have suddenly taken a massive, life-changing risk, as if there’s a thirst for instability and danger always bubbling just beneath the surface of my overwhelming paranoia. When I was 20 and living in Chicago, I felt I was falling into too much of a routine, and decided one day that I needed to shake things up. I immediately made plans to bike across the country. (I was never much of a cyclist, and made it as far as central Illinois, nearly dying at least twice.) Years later, after working for a long time in an insurance office, I up and quit with no safety net, only knowing that I couldn’t be there another day. I went home, Googled “humor writing jobs,” and lucked into a gig that would allow me to exercise my creativity and writing skills for the better part of the next decade. Read more>>
Natalia J
As an up-and-coming female rapper, I’ve learned that success isn’t about playing it safe—it’s about taking risks and pushing boundaries. Every time I step into the studio or hit the stage, I’m putting a piece of myself out there, knowing that not everyone will get it. But that’s the point. Greatness isn’t about fitting in—it’s about standing out. I’m not afraid to take risks because that’s where growth happens. Whether it’s experimenting with new sounds, being unapologetically bold in my lyrics, or stepping into spaces where people don’t expect me, I’m all in. It’s not just about making music; it’s about making a statement. And trust me, the world’s gonna hear me. Read more>>
Keyana Henderson
Taking risks can be terrifying when you don’t know the outcome. I’ve taken a couple of risks to better my life. One example is when I moved 3,000 miles from my hometown. My last year of high school, I was facing homelessness on top of trying to better my business, Keesstylez. I overcame homelessness and was able to graduate high school, which was a huge accomplishment for me. After graduating, building my clientele up, and buying my first car, I decided to make a big move to Seattle, WA for better opportunities. I sold my car, left my friends and family, and moved to Seattle with my cousin, the only person I knew in Seattle. Read more>>
Nichole Patino
I’ve been a seamstress since I was a teen. I went to fashion school and worked in the fashion industry for many years. Being a young single mother I always had side jobs, mostly teaching art, because I needed a constant flow of income to take care of more than 1 person. In 2017 I started to apprentice with a marine canvas fabricator for extra work. Living in Santa Barbara I realized there was a huge demand for marine and outdoor canvas. When COVID hit my clothing sales declined and my art teaching halted but canvas work was pretty steady. My mentor was slowing down to retire and I decided to take the risk and jump into canvas full time in 2021. It was terrifying at first because I have dependents but it quickly paid off and till this day I am swamped with jobs/customers and couldn’t be happier. Read more>>
Kylie Gelfand
It took me a while to discover what truly felt like my purpose in life. For the longest time, I believed I was made for a career in sports—I spent years refining my resume (so many internships), aiming to secure the perfect job in that field. I woke up one day and everything shifted. I decided to take a leap of faith, pursuing a career as a full-time wardrobe stylist, despite having no prior experience or background in fashion. Since that moment, I haven’t looked back. I’ve become incredibly passionate about what I do. Every time I curate an outfit or stumble upon a unique piece, I feel a rush of excitement. Fashion has become more than a career path—it’s something I eat, sleep, and breathe. It was definitely a risk leaving behind what I thought was my life purpose but so rewarding finding the fuel that drives me. Read more>>
Chasity Vinson
As the oldest of 6 children, I had to grow up fast and practical. I’ve always made the “safe” decisions in life. I’ve more than likely been the responsible more level headed person in every situation and this mentality seemed to stifle my dreams and aspirations. Although I’ve always been good at several different things I never really seen myself actually doing those things as a career. I started working early as a teen out of necessity and then I became a mother at 22. I had no clear direction on where I was headed or what I wanted out of life and any inkling of a dream I had disappeared. But through it all my passion for beauty and skincare remained. Fast forward to 2020. COVID shut the world down and I had no choice but to rely on my own abilities beauty wise. I researched and tested my skills in make up, skin care and brows and my passion was reignited. I dabbled in it for a few years and I decided in 2022 at the age of 35 to take the risk of going back to school full time for esthetics while working full time and raising my child. Read more>>
Sophia Delucchi
I grew up basking in the creative joys that come with nurturing a dream. This led to the great honor of studying my craft; with hopes of a successful acting career. My early life was consumed by voice lessons, dance classes, piano practice, acting coaches, drama club, show choir, busy rehearsal schedules, and performing in local/regional theaters. I loved every second. My collegiate years consisted of similar studies in Los Angeles and New York City while I earned my BFA in Music Theatre from AMDA: College of Performing Arts. I loved every second. In my early adult life, I navigated my way through a global pandemic and industry wide strike. I did not love every second. Read more>>
Adam Turner
When I was young, it was pretty clear that I was going to pursue a career as a ‘creative.’ However, my family encouraged me to be a planner and look ahead and take the necessary steps to secure success. Because of that, I had chosen early on that I would pursue a career as a commercial artist vs. a fine artist. Although I graduated with a degree in fine art, I really went to school with the intent to pursue graphic design and illustration. Having landed my first job in the field as a student, I continued to take that path after college and all throughout my career. I ‘climbed the ladder’ so to speak, and worked my way up the ranks of graphic designer, assistant art director, art director, communications director and creative director. I eventually took my experience, left the corporate world and went out on my own as a freelance designer and illustrator. Although there were ups and downs, overall, I had a relatively successful career. Read more>>
Galalee Wright & Jesse Hatten
In a small town that really cherishes folk, bluegrass and a man with a guitar–growing into our sound and not knowing how we fit into this very specific community was a challenge. Exploring and becoming who we are has been a weirdly public journey and because of this we have faced our fair share of scrutiny and judgment. Between our many hair colors, body mods, clothing choice phases and alternatively expressive outward style/sound we don’t fit into the typical northern Minnesota mold. While we were always aware of this we still chose to continue the uphill climb of presenting our genuine selves. Although we showcase what we have heard described as a confident or intimidating exterior-inside we have always been very soft, sensitive and hyper aware. This concoction of things has always made stage performance extremely daunting but our drive to create and share the music that we produce reigns most important. Read more>>
Jimmy Taylor
The biggest risk I’ve made in my life would have to be moving to Los Angeles in 2022. I was born, and raised in Cleveland Ohio, all my family, and most of my friends reside there, it’s also where I went to college. I’d never lived anywhere else so packing it up to have my first out of state move be on the other side of the country was very daunting. Fortunately I was able to do this journey with two of my best friends/colleagues, and was able to secure a new job in California before arrival so that certainly made it a smoother transition. I’m a background designer, and illustrator, and I wanted to give my growing career the best opportunity to flourish as much as I possibly could. Since Burbank, California is known as the animation industry capital of the world to me the move felt essential. It’s definitely been a rollercoaster but in my two years out here I’ve gotten to do a slew of freelance work animation work for Disney TV, some boutique animation studios, and an animated comedy short for talented comedian Niles Abston for his comedy special Household Name, and I’m really grateful for those opportunities. Read more>>