You’re working hard, things are going well, piece by piece you’ve built a life you are proud of, you’ve overcome obstacles and challenges, beat the odds and then you find yourself at the center of an unexpected dilemma – do you risk it all to keep growing? What if growing means leaving the job you worked so hard to get or the industry you worked so hard to break into? How we approach risk often has a huge bearing on our journey and so we’ve asked some of the brightest folks we know to share stories of risks they’ve taken.

Valeria Chelius Saldaña

Throughout my life I have taken risks countless times, and I have continue to do so because I have discovered that taking risks has made me grow and made me experience situations that challenge my whole being. The biggest risk I took in my life was to make the decision to move out of state completely alone, without my parents, without acquaintances, without any support. Why did I do it? Because I knew I wanted my life to be different and that nothing was going to change in my life unless I made a decision. When I moved to Los Angeles I found many challenges a long the way but all of these experiences is what made me grow. Read more>>

Nathalie Marti

From an early age, I always loved art, but when it came time to choose a profession, I leaned toward law. It seemed like the sensible choice, a path that offered stability and prestige. I still pursued art in my spare time, and eventually took a year to study painting and sculpture in Florence. That year was a life-changing experience, as I realized that art wasn’t just a hobby but my true vocation. Yet, I didn’t want to give up on my law career cause I didn’t want to “close a door” nor abandon on a difficult challenge, so I completed my internship and passed the bar exam in Geneva. Read more>>

Eric Clark

A few years back I came to place in my life where I knew I had to make a decision about music. Was I going to keep deep within my heart the fact that I had a gift to sing and perform and do nothing with it or bring the musical acoustic dream into reality? Under my bed, I had a guitar that I just used to play around on occasionally. Then something just snapped. I knew that if I didn’t take the risk, I probably never would have the opportunity again.  So, I tuned up that guitar and went to the city market of downtown Savannah, Georgia just playing for whomever wanted to listen. I stood there and people started putting money in my guitar case. I was clueless as to the fact of having a “tip jar.” I just wanted to play and sing. That’s it!  Read more>>

Byrne Owens

I work a remote job in tech, not a creative role by any means, but it pays decently. It just isn’t my passion. My wife is an architect. A year ago, she left a corporate firm in LA so she could finish her licensing exams and pursue residential architecture. We’ve been staying at her parents’ in Monterey while she wraps up the testing to save money. All this to say, when she finishes her tests, we’ll make a decision on where to move. Read more>>

Camille Kerner

A huge risk I have recently taken was moving to Chicago, IL from Western NC with no job or housing lined up for myself in August of 2024. I had an opportunity to spend two weeks in a program called Interplay; Art & Social Change in Chicago wherein a cohort of sixteen eighteen to forty year olds spent eight hours together everyday with four amazing facilitators . We sang, danced, jibber jabbered, and witnessed one another in simple and complicated ways. We spoke to our inner children and allowed all parts of ourselves to emerge and be without shame or judgement. A close friend and mentor had introduced me to the practice of Interplay in the year previous, and they had a plethora of connections in Chicago which gave me confidence to chose this windy city as my next home. Read more>>

Rishale Zou

I know that many people, include myself, have their own comfort zones, and for artists in particular a suitable form of expression may have been going on for years, fascinating and impossible to break away from. I’ve been enjoying and creating in the field of illustration for several years now, but the reality is that it’s quite difficult to get a job just as an illustrator, especially in the area of supporting myself. I’m not a risk taker, and I couldn’t give up on my favorite field of art, so I took a cautious step out of undergrad: I applied to a whole new field of art for graduate study. Now I’m studying animation-related content and more diverse art fields, including design, 3D, Motion, and more. My portfolio at the time was not even relevant to these new fields, but I was given a chance to learn from the ground up. It was great because it actually gave me a broader range of artistic expression. Read more>>

Tiffany Neuman

I recently closed a membership community I was running which was a big risk because it was full of clients I loved and a source of recurring revenue – but I knew in order to take my business to the next level I had to remove what was no longer serving me, everything that was a distraction and do what was best for my clients. It turned out to be an amazing decision, I replaced the revenue within 2 weeks and it was a win/win for all involved. Read more>>

Caitlyn Tsikretsis

Taking risks is a part of life. Since 2021, I have taken a few risks of my own. Once I graduated high school in 2021, I decided to make the big move to South Carolina. I had been dreaming of living here in South Carolina since elementary school because I always felt like I could be myself there when visiting and I could grow there as a person. Not only did I move to the Carolinas to live there and start a new life, but I also went to college in Charlotte, NC. Another big risk I took was becoming a student athlete at that college. It was very time consuming and was a lot of pressure on someone who had just moved away from family and friends and starting a new life, let alone starting the college transition. After a year and a half of being at the college in Charlotte, NC, I had to decide to take the risk and move forward with pursuing my academics to a more serious level. Read more>>

Daniel Reece

The one moment that I always play back in my mind is from 2017 when I quit my job, packed my bags, and moved to Thailand by myself for 3 months, with no prior knowledge of the country or culture. My only plan was to learn marketing and build a clientele and brand from there, for better or for worse. The day-to-day routine of a 9 to 5 job was just draining my life away, and I eventually became so fed up with it that I was willing to risk everything to try something I wanted to do. I spent every lunch break for 3 years daydreaming about living the “laptop lifestyle” until I was consumed by the urge to go for it. The final catalyst was reading The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. Read more>>

Abby Schirmacher

Pursuing a career in journalism, specifically related to fashion writing, hasn’t been easy. After obtaining my degree in journalism, I discovered quickly that the industry is difficult to navigate and many opportunities are either freelance or with little to no compensation. I pivoted my career after starting a job in marketing but felt there was something missing as I wasn’t involved in the fashion and writing community in Denver like I had been in previous roles. I took a risk by starting a digital magazine called The Curio Cabinet alongside my Co-Founder Jordan McClendon Garcia and with the help of our Music Editor Victoria Glidden, we continue to grow. We all were working full-time but felt having a passion project would allow us to continue to pursue our passions on our own terms. We self-funded our launch process and built our own website and have been growing a following over the last year and half, hoping to showcase the fashion, beauty, music and culture in Denver through writing and content creation. Read more>>

Giulia Cammarano

I was 22 years old, living in Virginia as I finished up my masters degree in Kinesiology & worked full time as a trainer at a local gym I had interned at since I was 19. I had spent the last 4 years at school, living with my best friends, working a secure job for the last 3 years & supported by a community of clients who loved me & I loved back. I lived only a 4 hour drive from my family in New Jersey & I had just started dating the man I am now married to, Anthony. Life was good & comfortable, but it was getting kind of boring. I yearned for a new environment & I dreamed of opening my own training business but I certainly was not going to take the first steps. Read more>>

Joshua Wright

In 1997, I took a significant leap by starting my own record label, but as the business grew, I realized I had a vision for something bigger: a retail store that could serve the local music community. After three years of balancing my day job, I decided it was time to fully commit to my dream and left my job to pursue this new venture. The search for a location was challenging. I encountered many landlords hesitant to rent to a 22-year-old with no financial backing. Fortunately, one kind individual saw potential in me and agreed to lease a space. I’ll always be grateful for his belief in my vision. Read more>>

Samantha Sander

Taking the leap to apply for a position with Strange Music, Inc. was one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken. The journey started back in March when I submitted some graphic design work into a competition for a contract job with them. Honestly, I had little expectation that it would go anywhere—after all, Strange Music is a well-known label, and I was sure they’d get hundreds of incredible submissions. But despite my doubts, I pushed through the hesitation. I’ve had a deep passion for the music industry since junior high, where I first dreamed of being a part of something creative in that space. So, even though the odds felt slim, I took the shot. Read more>>

Kimberly Lopez

In 2020, I was working for a tax company. It was still the early days of the pandemic. We had just returned to work in the office in May after working from home for two months after the lockdown started. My job was already incredibly stressful, essentially a bulk of my day was spent just being yelled at by our clients while the higher-ups pushed us to drag out their cases to siphon as many fees as possible from people who were already struggling. The job felt like an ethical mismatch once I understood what was expected of us as the months working there rolled by. And once COVID hit, the environment felt much more hostile. On top of that, I was on edge being back in the office so early, with next to no precautions being taken to prevent any of us from contracting and spreading COVID. Read more>>

Damani Anderson

One of the most significant risks I’ve ever taken was branding myself as My Big Black Therapist. For most of my life, I tried to make myself small—ironic, considering I’m 6’9″ and over 350 pounds. Deep down, I wanted to blend in, avoiding the stereotype of the “big, goofy Black guy.” My size has always drawn attention, but not always the kind I wanted. To most people, I was either seen as intimidating or as a form of entertainment—rarely anything in between. I was either the “threat” or the “security,” the sports player, or the entertainer. Growing up, my experience was shaped by how others perceived me. Despite being a regular teen, my playful personality and size led to constant misunderstanding. In school, especially in classrooms where the teachers were predominantly white women, I was harshly treated and quickly labeled as a troublemaker. They saw me as a disruption rather than a child needing a little guidance. Yet, I thrived in classrooms where the teachers were predominantly black and were treated with understanding and love. Read more>>

Courtney Istre

Everything we do involves some amount of risk. Whether we are exploring a new coffee drink or traveling to a new country. Many things I’ve done in my life involved tremendous risk. I’ve traveled to many countries on my own, and I’m a roller coaster junkie. I’ve hiked some difficult trails, mastered yogic techniques, achieved my master’s degree, and gone to the movies alone. All of which I’ve been perceived as “brave” for doing. However, the bravest thing I did for myself was leave what was expected of me to pursue what I wanted. Read more>>

Sharae Teria

One of the biggest risks I took was deciding to write sweet romance novels, even though a lot of people were urging me to go for the edgier stuff. For a while, I felt the pressure to fit in and follow the trends, but I realized I just wanted to write the kind of romance that makes my heart happy—full of warmth and positivity. So, I took the plunge and embraced my own style. I totally respect writers who choose different paths; we all should be free to do what works best for us. The cool part? The feedback I’ve gotten has been amazing! Readers seem to really connect with my stories, and it’s been so rewarding to see that there’s a place for my voice in the literary world. Choosing to stick to my guns has turned out to be a great decision, and I’m excited to keep going. Read more>>

Samira Hardcastle

Starting a business is a huge risk in itself. It is a commitment to offering services or products to people. When I started my journey I decided I had a talent I wanted to monetize. I did not realize I was basically creating another job. It quickly became supplemental income and gained traction. Owning a business can be scary and the risk honestly never goes away. You have to constantly keep it up. However, risks that pay off are worth it. I wouldn’t change a single step of my process. Read more>>

Erika Reyes

The day I decided to literally quit my 9-5 was the day I knew I would be taking one of the biggest risks of all time! A few years ago, I opened up my small business, Krafted Kyndleigh (crafted kindly) in the corner of my bedroom. I had no clue what I was doing. I worked so hard day and night to make a name for myself. It had always my dream to become my own boss, and I was so set on doing so. Things did not come easy for me, on top of trying to start my own business I was a mom first and had a 9-5 job I had to work around. I decided to take the leap of faith with Kyle’s full support to quit my job to focus more on my girls and build up Krafted Kyndleigh. And that I did! Read more>>

Patrick White

My entire life I’ve craved security. My goal in life as a child was just to be happy, and at peace. What I’ve learned in my 33 years on this earth is that life is not about being happy, and if one wants peace, one should prepare for war. Growing up, I was the guy who would rather not try to do anything and not be involved, in anything, because there is no failure in watching and learning. I’ve spent most of my years learning, and growing, and experimenting so I can learn some more. And at some point in my adult life it became apparent to me that all of my knowledge is useless without action. I am not just a head. I have a body as well. I had a lot of thoughts about how the world should be, and how I should be, and how my life should be. But my life, my self, and this world could never change and become what it should be without my actions. Read more>>

Biani Xavier

Taking risks is a huge part of my life story. I took my first big risk when I moved from Brazil to the USA when I was only 19 year old and very alone. I didn’t speak english and I didn’t know anyone. I had very little money in my pocked and a mind full of hopes and dreams. Honestly, thats all I really needed it to succeed. I learned english and put myself through school/college. I graduated with honors and was able to create a wonderful life for me and the family I then created. Fast forward, I now live in a beautiful town, have countless friends, and love what I do. Life is all about taking risks. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t help you grow. Confront your fears. Take the chance. Life is full of uncertainties and while it can be tempting to play it safe, some of the most rewarding experiences in life come from stepping outside our comfort zones. Read more>>

Kierah Darling

When I attended cosmetology school I remember telling my classmates that one day I hoped to be able to do hair and makeup for weddings and special events, even right out of cosmetology school I would watch fellow Michigan artists doing it and wishing that I could too, until one day I was like I should take the leap, and so I did.I think that was the biggest “risk.”Going for it no matter what and not looking back. I think fear can hold us back from taking a step towards a goal or dream but as one of my best friends always says “There’s no growth in your comfort zone” and I really live by that. Taking that leap has opened so many doors for me that I could’ve never imagined, Amazing people I have met, Amazing experiences, and so much more. I am so glad I made the decision to just go for it! Read more>>

Ana Beij

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was completely shifting the direction of my career. Before, I was working hosting artsy team-building events for companies in the Bay Area. It was rewarding, but I realized that I wasn’t truly dedicating myself to my own art. I was helping others create, but my personal creativity was sitting on the sidelines. That realization hit me hard while I was traveling the world for a year and a half. That time gave me a new perspective: it reawakened my passion and gave me space to reflect on what truly matters to me. I returned to the U.S. and relocated to Austin, and that’s when I took a leap. I decided to focus solely on building my own creative career, leaving behind the steady work I had been doing. Read more>>

Shauna Pointer

One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was betting on myself. Could I rise to the challenge when the going gets tough? Or be able to make a living working for myself? Entrepreneurship and small business ownership is not for the weak. As an entrepreneur, we are building something that has growth potential, adds value to our community, and ultimately reaps the rewards of the investment of time and ideas. However, I commend small business owners more than anything. Creating longevity, hiring and managing a team, withstanding change, pivoting when needed, and providing a stable and reliable environment for our staff and clients is the ultimate test in succeeding long term. Read more>>

Theresa Pulickal

In 2014, I was working as a hospital-based physical therapist at Sharp Healthcare, 50% focused on rehabilitation for post-operative patients and those recovering from strokes or severe injuries and 50% Pelvic Floor patients. The work was demanding but rewarding. I had built strong relationships with my patients, colleagues, and mentors. But as time went on, I began to feel a pull in a different direction. I had been reading more and more about pelvic floor physical therapy, a niche that I noticed wasn’t getting enough attention in traditional hospital settings. By 2020, I had already been treating pelvic floor patients 100% of the time for the past 6 years. Read more>>

Ashley Skandalakis

I was an out of work 50 year old just looking for a way to make a living. As a college student, I majored in Interior Design and am still in love with color and texture. After school I worked in interior design for a few years then an opportunity came up to totally switch career paths. I went into the pharmaceutical world and stayed there for 15 years. One day I was in the bed with a severe migraine and my daughter brought some soup to me on a bamboo tray. The tray was dirty, the handles were broken, my soup spilled and I had to sit up to eat. I layed in the bed that day and dreamed up a new more ergonomic tray that would go in the dishwasher, have great handles that even a man could pick up, would nest easily and most importantly would hold your dishes in place even tilted at an angle. Read more>>

Rebecca Pappa

I believe that life without risk is a life without growth. So when I feel the desire to dream, or leap, I try as hard as I can to lean into the risk. Two years ago, as covid was fading away, I saw clearly the lessons it gave me. 1. I can work from anywhere. No longer location dependent, I felt free, and also overwhelmed. As the world became our option. 2. My husband and I are highly adaptable individuals. With the loss of his job in New York City, we moved to the Catskills, and he renovated a house with his own two hands. After two years, we also learned that isolation was not what we needed in the long run. So we sold our home, and all of our belongings with it, and moved to Italy with four suitcases, 3 boxes, and two cats. Read more>>

Soo In Michelle Lee

One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was leaving the traditional corporate world. As a first-generation immigrant, I grew up with the mindset that security was the ultimate goal, instilled in me by my parents who believed in the stability of a steady paycheck. However, I found myself at a crossroads where the security I was taught to value no longer aligned with the passion I was eager to pursue. Read more>>

Andre Stewart

Making a short film during a global pandemic and using my own money and others to make it work. I’m on the the spectrum so just difficulty of just sitting down and writing was hard enough but I can only write so much, but I had help James Garcia he sort of pushed me to do it, because I certainly wouldn’t have gone as big as we did, I think most difficult was the changes to the script I wrote something I was proud of, but because of funding and logistics it had to change. But I think the risk was worth it because I put it in a film festival and I got to be finalist 2 times and got a premier so I just feel like I can do it again. Read more>>