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.

Rich Hennessy

Risk is an interesting word. I see risk as an important part of someone’s life. While taking risks may scare many people the word that scares me the most is mundane. Risk is a part of my journey, saying no (within reason) has never been in my vocabulary. I’ve never turned down the chance to perform, no matter how sketchy, unorganized or divey the gig was. Read more>>

Makayla McIntosh

About a year and a half ago, my acting teacher inspired me to write my own spin-off. After writing it, he thought it was so good that I should actually fund it, produce it, and create it. That project gave me the push I needed to create my own production company – and co-write my first film, Shredded. Read more>>

Aaron & Abby Parker/Lynch

Starting up this small business, based on something we both simply love to do, was quite the risk. It meant investing in something we didn’t know would work. It meant time, energy, money being poured into something without any return to begin. It meant choosing to do something different, because what we had always done wasn’t working. We were tired of being on someone else’s clock. Read more>>

Marcus Eaton

I think that jumping into any creative endeavor and putting your heart and soul into it is a risk. Artists risk many things in life, including stability, in order to fulfill their creative impulses. I decided to be a full time musician when I was still in high school and along with that decision comes all of the beauty and challenges of the decision. Read more>>

Barbara Exposito

Reflecting on my life trajectory, I have always been a risk-taker, but I never considered myself to be. I auditioned for the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders (MDC) at the age of 17, while still in high school, in order to become a member of a prestigious group of women. This began my voyage of development, inspiration, and service. Read more>>

Abel Hernandez

When i went from a barbershop to starting my own studio that was a big risk for me, at 22 with no experience of running my own Buisness it was pretty difficult, all of a sudden i was in charge of everything. From figuring out how i was going to get clients in my suite, marketing, how to do taxes the right way, staying organized, and keeping track of everything in my Buisness was pretty overwhelming to say the least. Read more>>

Sandra Astacio

I took a huge risk back in 2017 when I quit my corporate job to enter full time Ministry work & becoming an Author. I had already been deeply involved with the Church consistently for over 7 years and served in multiple capacities. I was writing/editing for the church for a couple of years, but I felt that there was a story within me that needed to be told. Read more>>

Alex Vlasov

I ruminate quite a lot on this. I think taking a risk means going against culture and the established norms. The moment you decided to become an artist is your first risk. Because for a lot of people, it is not a very normal path. So, since the first day of being an artist, you are dealing with risk. It is almost like playing video poker at the airport in Las Vegas, who knows what’s going to happen next? Read more>>

Emily Winzenz

The biggest risk I have taken in my life thus far has also reaped the biggest reward; that being my choice to challenge the social constructs surrounding the selectivity of settling on a career and investing in my passion to pursue modeling. When I arrived on the University of Minnesota Campus my freshman year, I had my my mind made up: I was to be a neurosurgeon. Read more>>

LIndsey Casmer

I’ve always been a creative person. Growing up, I would write, film, and edit short movies with my friends, take countless pictures with my camera, and write music on the piano and guitar. I’ve always loved this part of me, and I was scared to let it go for future responsibilities as I grew up. So, I decided to take my passion and use it as a way to express myself beyond my own measures, and into helping others and their businesses as well. Read more>>

Jalen Anderson

I started DJing in the fall of 2014 with the intent to establish a new hobby in my last high school semesters. I obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree majoring in Corporate Marketing and Corporate Management. I enjoy meeting and understanding people, and I often believed a career in marketing to be the best fit for me. Read more>>

Olivia Knox

When I was 18 I was on track to finish a music degree to become a music teacher. I was also chasing this crazy dream of wanting to be a songwriter and an artist. While I was attending music classes in college, I would travel to different studios in LA to work on different projects. It was the craziest 9 months of my life it felt like. Read more>>

Sarah Moore

I believe anytime you venture out on a new project you are presenting to others or a business like I have you are taking a risk. I chose to start my business out of passion and purpose. I didn’t start with capital or money, so each month was a deep breath and sometimes still is. Having a wellness business where your services aren’t covered by insurance brings a different level of trust from your clients. I also extremely value that they choose to invest their money and time with me. I love what I do but you are always on growing a business. Read more>>

Jordan Dixon

While ending my college career in creative advertising, I was lost in what my near future was going to look like outside of being a student. That prompted me to problem solve and apply anywhere and everywhere no matter how far-fetched some of the applications seemed. I was rejected by all ventures I tried to pursue except one, Pensole. Read more>>

Avaryana Rose

A lot of acting is taking risks, and I’m very glad I decided to take a risk and pursue acting! I love it. Read more>>

Teresa Heath-Wareing

Starting my business was a massive risk! After finishing a degree in marketing I spent a decade working in every different marketing role you can imagine. I was a great employee and I loved it! However, after 10 years in various marketing roles I found myself as a single parent of a 4 year old. I was head of marketing for a marketing agency and after coming through a separation I thought I needed a change. Read more>>

Bruce Ellis

Taking a risk is the hardest part. Everyone has to work, pay bills and try to get a head in life. Most of us have jobs that we go to everyday. That place that you go that serves as a safe, warm place when it comes to getting our weekly stipend. Leaving that security to start your own business based solely on your talents is a scary thing. Taking that risk can also be the biggest reward. Read more>>

Guy Stanley Philoche

Without risk there can be no glory is my daily reminder that I live by to the extent that I have it tattooed on my ribs. I took a major risk leaving the comfort of home at the age of 17 just after graduation to pursue my dreams of becoming a great artist. The risk of leaving home when my parents didn’t support my dream, they wanted me to go to school get a degree and get a job, and not in art. You see when you have caribbean parents the goal for their children is to secure a government job with a good pension. Read more>>

Tunisia Offray

Taking risk in life are necessary to growing and evolving. Every time you level up in life you would need to step out of your comfort zone. Everything I have accomplished in my life has been because I stepped out on faith and took a risk. I have learned to always bet on myself because I trust myself. I trust my divine intuition and I have total faith in God. Read more>>

Tony Wright

Taking a risk in the film and tv business is one the biggest risk a person can take. I am Army Veteran who realized that I wanted to do something that I loved but also could give back at the same time. So rolling the dice in the movie and tv business is the biggest lottery. Most people have no idea if its going to hit but it’s job to love your content and everyone else love it too. Read more>>

Corina Corbeille, RN, CANS

My name is Corina Corbeille, RN, CANS and I’m a Registered Nurse and Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist by the International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Nurses. I am Founder & CEO of The Art Of Anti-Aging® in Austin, Texas and have been in medical aesthetics in Beverly Hills and Austin for 20+ years. Read more>>

LaynoProd

The life I have is the life I chose. I chose this life of being a full-time music recording artist. It’s one of the riskiest decisions I ever made back in high school in 2011 when I started to record my rap songs and produce beats. Fast forward to 2015 and I decided to go to college to get my foot in the door in the music industry. Fast forward to 2019 right after graduation I land my first professional job in the music industry in audio tech in Silicon Valley. Read more>>

Samantha Strawser

One of the greatest risks I’ve taken in my life is opening my own business. Of course there are risks inherent to starting any business, but what made this move extra risky for me was the path to get there. I had left my comfortable full-time job the year prior and had taken time away from work to recover and reconnect with myself after experiencing burnout. Read more>>

Jina Duchnowski

One of my favorite quotes is, “Well behaved women rarely make history.” While this has been accredited to a few of history’s classic women, it is currently unknown who actually first spoke these provocative words. This quote hangs in my office. Why? Because I’ve forced myself to look at it every day and reflect. Read more>>

David Kruse

I was studying to become a Catholic priest for 8 years. I was convinced that that’s what I was called to do, and that that’s what I wanted to do. In 2020, however, things changed drastically for me and I decided to discontinue in my studies, move back to my hometown with a few dollars to my name, an old Jeep, and some leatherwork tools. Read more>>

Jessica Calderon

Starting a business is definitely a risk. You invest all your time, effort, and sometimes life savings. To try to grow something that you are passionate about to help you reach financial freedom. There will be lots of doubts, what ifs. But at the end of the day, it’ll be worth it. It’s a job you’ll be working for yourself. An idea you are passionate about. I definitely took a risk. I knew I wanted to be a business owner. Read more>>

Jasmine Bradfield

Taking a risk. If you are familiar with maternal health care in Ga, then you know there is a touchy relationship between industrial practices and holistic and/or holistic care. Although I have seen the cup half full for both sides, my practice is centered around the traditions and holistic care of whole woman wellness. Read more>>

Ethan Carling

Every choice we make has risk attached to it. Of course choosing to be an artist has a larger risk than climbing the ladder at Gap. Climbing a ladder is less risky than building a ladder to climb. I remember going to a church event in my hometown right after I dropped out of college to pursue a career in music. I met a middle aged man who knew my parents. Read more>>

Jill Capri

This journey in the arts is all about the risks… Trial & Error. Never Giving In… Read more>>

Cara Lundy

In May 2022, I took the risk of starting an instagram account to share my recipes. This was a risk for me because it involved putting myself out there. My food allergies have caused a great amount of stress and some insecurity in my life. Certain fun activities such as going out to eat with a friend, now require much more thought and effort, with the lingering worry that I may eat something I cannot have. Read more>>

Princess Castleberry

From a twenty-year career in corporate risk management to launching my own business as a professional speaker and wellness consultant, the concept of understanding, calculating, and embracing risks has always captivated me. I’ve been on a journey of taking career risks and breaking boundaries since the very beginning, working in a male-dominated industry with few Black men and women leaders. Read more>>

Jazmyn Wilson

I embraced a risk and placed my bet on my own abilities! Despite having a satisfying and well-paying job that I genuinely enjoyed, I yearned to explore a venture that aligned with my natural talents. Cooking and event planning had always been passions of mine, despite my formal training as an Architectural Designer. Read more>>

Stephanie Kennedy

When I graduated from college, I couldn’t seem to find exactly what I was looking for with a job. I was looking for something in Digital Marketing that would keep me busy but also had me learning new things in the digital marketing space. I was hired by a print marketing company where I was the Digital Media Specialist. As you can imagine, there’s only so much to do as a Digital Media Specialist within a company that sells direct marketing and signage. After talking with my boss, we discussed the possibility of starting my own consulting business. Read more>>

Jesse Shirts

I had a great track record in high school and was making good grades in college. I decided to take the risk and drop out to pursue my dreams of being a full-time music producer. You should always bet on yourself. Read more>>

Lauryn Bell

The biggest risk I took was relocating to a new state in the midst of a Global Pandemic for my career and starting a whole new life with my spouse. I can say it was the most chaotic and emotionally draining experience ever, that I feel like I didn’t fully recuperate from until about a year or so ago. Read more>>