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.

Seth Hall

For ten years of my life, I lived in an environment controlled by two people who were financially and emotionally abusive. I felt like I had no way out, and was constantly covering myself with chemical means of escape, which made conditions worse. In a nutshell, I was not allowed to work unless I gave my entire paychecks to them. They made a point to chase friends off. I was ostracized from other family members, was encouraged to think negatively of people that the two did not like. I was called names, gaslighted…it wasn’t a safe environment. Read more>>

Tiana Aguado

I’ve been creative ever since I was little, so as I grew older, it was a no-brainer for me to find a way to make a living through art. I have to admit, my family wasn’t thrilled—they believed the “smart” approach was to get a “regular” job. But I wanted to live a life true to myself and my dreams. So, I moved to the US, earned a degree in animation, and worked hard. Five years later, against all odds, I was hired at a well-known studio. Read more>>

Giselle Bonilla

I see taking risks whether big or small as moments where you are truly confident in who you are and trusting yourself wholeheartedly.

A moment where I have felt truly confident and trusted myself wholeheartedly was when I made the decision to move to Kiskeya (Dominican Republic).

These moments are not just a one-time experience. When you start to trust more in who you are, everything will become more clear and more aligned, and these moments will just become your life. You will start to live within the energy of your heart and intuition with discernment. Read more>>

Enjelle Mitchell

Taking the risk to put myself out there was one of the scariest but most transformative decisions of my life. Growing up, I was often the only Black girl in predominantly white spaces, which left me feeling so out of place and intimidated that I sometimes couldn’t even bring myself to speak. It got to the point where I’d wear a hat and jacket, even in 90-degree weather, just to blend into the background and avoid being noticed. Being in those environments made me feel small and insecure, and it took a long time before I found the courage to start speaking up. Read more>>

Azul Zapata

By far, one of the biggest artistic risks I’ve taken was truly embracing my authentic presence as a queer, immigrant singer-songwriter in the music industry. As an Argentinian in North Carolina, I made the intentional choice to interweave my identity throughout the music I make. There’s really not a whole lot of “separate the artist from the art” when it comes to my music; my experiences, my beliefs, and my history are all there. This wasn’t just about the songs – it’s about fostering an equitable platform for change. I’ve made it my mission to actively create performance opportunities for femme, queer, and POC individuals both in my band and on stage. Read more>>

Nancy Cruz

Starting over as a single mom with no financial backing is an immense risk, but it also speaks volumes about my courage and determination. With no savings to fall back on and just a vision of launching a caviar cart business, I’ve chosen to bet on myself in a way that many would find daunting. The uncertainty of this path is undeniable—there’s no safety net, no guarantee of success—but my willingness to embrace the unknown reflects my resilience and belief in my ability to create a better future. It’s a risk not just for myself, but also for the life I’m rebuilding for my son, and that makes every step forward a testament to my strength, grit, and unwavering commitment to turning a bold dream into reality. Read more>>

Leslie Silverman

Nine years ago, I took what felt like both the scariest and most natural risk of my career – leaving an unsupportive work environment to start Hive180. This wasn’t just about changing jobs; it was about fundamentally changing how I showed up in my industry and lived my values.

The backstory is deeply personal. I was working at an agency where I felt undervalued and restricted, watching my creativity and drive slowly drain away in an environment that didn’t align with my vision of how clients and employees should be treated. Every day reinforced the gap between what I knew was possible in branding and what I was allowed to deliver. Read more>>

Tia Baker

When it’s comes to starting a business/brand it’s all about taking the risk. Whether is the risk of failures, financial loss, or lack of support. I started my business and podcast with a dream and I took that leap before I was ready. I didn’t have the proper equipment, products, or branding. However, I knew if I kept waiting until everything was perfect, I would never start. So I do it I took the risk of starting and embarking on this journey to be a successful business owner and podcast host. Within a year I’ve seen so much progress and growth within myself and brand. Had I not taken the risk to just do it. I wouldn’t be were am I am toda. Read more>>

Amik Kler

There was a time in my life when I felt completely disconnected from myself, unsure of my future, and unfulfilled despite outward success. I had followed the traditional path society prescribes: go to school, earn a degree, secure a job, and work hard to build a stable life. By all accounts, I was doing everything “right.” I lived in Northern Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., working for a prestigious Big 4 consulting firm after earning a degree in business, marketing, and communications. But despite the accomplishments and stability, something fundamental was missing—I felt out of alignment with who I truly was. Read more>>

Mario Pile

Three years ago, I was made aware that the University of Idaho was going to be hiring a director to run their new cultural center focused on Black students. At the time I lived in Boise, Idaho where I had a great job working with Veterans, a great place to live, all my debt paid off, great group of friends, my mental and physical health were intact, and life was in a good place. Yet didn’t live close to my son. Who lives closer to Moscow than Boise. I spoke to my son about me applying for the job, which he was 12 at the time if he thinks I should apply. He let me know that he would be very happy if I would apply and if offered to take the job. The risk of moving to a small rural predominantly white town with almost no diversity, no friends or family in this area. Read more>>

Omar Tarabishi

Toward the end of 2023, I felt stuck at my current job. I was doing the same job for about 4 years and wanted some change. I started having some conversations about possible raises/promotions and senior leadership didn’t have a future plan for me. I decided that you can’t wait for change to happen, but that you have to take matters into your own hands. Sure the comfortable salary, international travel and benefits were amazing but to do the same job over and over year after year started to get redundant. I didn’t see the change and impact that I wanted to make in the world reflected over the last 4 years. I had slowly been growing this idea of a local food rescue organization since Summer 2021, jotting down notes, brainstorming and sharing the idea with friends and family. Read more>>

Valencia Peterson

.Choosing to use football as a medium for violence prevention was a risky decision. Being a woman of color came with its own set of challenges in what is a male, alpha-dominated sport. Many coaches assumed, every time they saw me, that I was the significant other they needed a break from—this presented its own difficulties. Would they even let me onto their field? For many, football was a way to release their frustrations, and here I was, talking about violence prevention. Let’s face it, violence is what makes the game the game, after all. Read more>>

Nicole Hodges

2020 was a year of uncertainty, a whirlwind of challenges for so many of us—and for me, it was the year that changed my life forever.

I was set to start chiropractic school in July 2020, a dream that already felt like the biggest leap of faith I’d ever take. I come from Logan, Ohio, a small rural town where pursuing a trade is often the more practical path, and earning a college degree can feel like a far-fetched dream. My childhood wasn’t easy; love was scarce, and survival became second nature. By the age of 9, I had learned that no one was coming to save me. I became my own motivator, my own guide, and my own caretaker. Read more>>

Trevor Dahl

For many years it has been a dream of mine to travel the world painting large murals. There is such an opportunity with murals to share an uplifting and meaningful message with a large audience, and change someone’s daily experience of their neighborhood and community for the better. Read more>>

Evan Jaster

When I first started producing music it was for fun, how everyone starts out. Over time it evolved into something I was set on doing the rest of my life. Everything was telling me no and it’s a huge waste of time and energy but I’m happy I took the risk. “Making it” in any creative industry is very difficult, I haven’t even “made it” yet, but I am constantly working towards my dreams and aspirations. I believe if it truly brings you joy, take the risk. Read more>>

Chloe Spinks

So you see, people knew me as a gymnast and don’t get me wrong, gymnastics was good the majority of the time I guess while I was doing it but I always had a deeper passion for music, I was so scared to make the change but for that I’d need to quit gymnastics, I was so scared of failing in music, I was scared of judgement and what people would think of me. I’ve been bullied quite a bit so yeah, plus with my seizure disorder- epilepsy, I wasn’t entirely sure if I’d be able to make it as a musician. I was so incredibly shy, I didn’t know how to put myself out there so I actually started off anonymous. Read more>>

Katie Viana

My name is Katie Viana and I’m a hairstylist based out of Webster, Texas. The risks I’ve taken during my career have been big. For example when I first started doing hair I immediately got put onto the service floor at Ulta Beauty and from there started doing hair. I had no prior experience besides school and had to learn a lot in a short period of time. From there I got education and experience behind the chair and gained clientele. Only less than a year later I left and took a risk and jumped into a new salon a day before Christmas and immediately took clients Christmas Eve. It was a huge risk as many people know Christmas is the busiest time of the year but it felt like it was perfect timing. Read more>>

Marshall Haque

A risk I’ve taken? I think other then to express ones self, taking risks is what been an artist is all about. To keep pushing yourself and stepping outside of your comfort zone to learn more about art or even yourself. For me, I could say something big like when I said yes to being the official photographer for megacon in Orlando, but what I’m going to say is the first portrait shoot I ever did. Because without that first step I wouldn’t have made that bigger step to megacon. The first step is always the biggest risk because it’s the only thing deciding on if you make that second one or not. At the beginning of my photography journey the one subject I always told my self I wouldn’t shoot was portraits of any kind. Read more>>

Tiffany Rufino

In my soon-to-be 45 years on this Earth, I’ve learned that if you are not taking the risks you were meant to take, the Universe puts you at risk. Whenever I debated leaving a “secure” job role with a corporation, I seemed to get rear-ended to the point where I could no longer get to the “said” job. This time, I had only myself to risk. Read more>>

Bradford Roberts

I remember, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had just lost my job in November and I didn’t have that much money saved. However, besides searching for a new job, I had to figure out how I’d survive with the money that I saved. Unfortunately, a lot of things went wrong at the time – including finding a job. By that time, I moved out of my apartment and back into my Family house in Flatbush, Brooklyn. It was 5 of us living in the house at the time – including my mother, my aunt, my grandmother, and eventually my aunt’s new husband. Read more>>

Nyree Jordan

I believe apart of being a creative is vulnerability and what better time to be transparent than for canvarebels! The most life changing risk I have ever took was choosing myself. And I know just simply off hearing that you may be confused but I’ll dive in a little deeper. Growing up me and my father’s relationship had been through a lot as far as trust and respect , we don’t see eye to eye with everything just like any other father daughter relationship. Sometimes though my dad would over step his authority as a father in hopes of doing what’s “best for me” without taking into consideration my thoughts on what’s best for my life. Read more>>