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.
Undissassembled
Recently, we have embarked on our longest tour yet. It has not only tested us mentally and physically but has also made us the strongest we have ever been. Of course, there have been a lot of classic tour shenanigans, like being too broke to eat, barely making it to the next city with the fuel tank on E, and other stuff that we’re not allowed to say. Putting it together was the hardest part, emails and messages with no response, and even more “no sorry, my drummer is going to be in the Bahamas that weekend”. How? You’re a punk! Go back and practice that d-beat before you earn our beach time, cowboy. Read More>>
Phaan Howng
Probably like every college graduate who decided to choose Painting as their major, after I graduated from Boston University and moved back in with my parents in South Florida, in hopes of taking some time off to work on a portfolio to apply to grad school. I thought I could work jobs that could provide me with a creative outlet and/or provide me some time to be able to paint. Read More>>
Matt Wovrosh
Our upholstery workroom started in my garage. My business partner and I had built up our skills while holding other jobs, and finally taken the leap to doing upholstery full time as our main gig. That running leap from the high dive from stable career into a small business in my garage wasn’t the scariest risk we ended up taking, however. Read More>>
Feathers
I used to be in a pyschedelic doom metal band that was known for its live shows to be more of a circus. It garnered attention wherever we went. Guaranteed to have heavy sounds with a beautiful female lead vocal, dancers using LED hoops, fans or ribbons, and a light show on top of that with a smoke machine. Always a spectacle. I was really happy to be in this project as we were invited to festivals, prominent venues and interviewed in Rolling Stone Magazine and Revolver Magazine. We felt on top of the world. Read More>>
Al Hall
One of the biggest risks we’ve taken as a band was going all in on our last album back in 2023. At the time as always, life was hectic—jobs, school, and other commitments—but we believed so much in the songs and wanted to make something real together. We self-funded everything: recording, merch, promo, and even threw a hometown release show, It was a huge leap, and honestly, we didn’t know if we could pull it off at such a level. Read More>>
Gabriel P. Gonzales
For the last 8 years I ‘ve worked full time as a production designer and art director for the film industry. Although I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the work I have always sought to one day transition to directing. Nearly two years ago I managed to scrape together a few bucks to be able to self finance a short film that I wrote and directed called “Hog”. This 5 minute dark comedy, although modest in scope and budget, gave me a major creative boost and further fueled my desire to make the transition to full time directing as soon as possible. Read More>>
Tiffany Vivaldi
As a mom of three, starting over was a huge risk — and not an easy one. Learning a new trade while stepping into a childhood dream felt both terrifying and thrilling. Art has always been a part of my life, but turning it into a career was a different kind of journey. Read More>>
Shellee Fisher
Tell us the story of a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big, life changing risk or a small risk. Either way, paint the picture for us, tell us the backstory and all the relevant details so we can fully understand the context and circumstances around when and why you took the risk and tell us how it turned out Read More>>
Gracie Otto
After spending four years at the University of Hawaii at Manoa getting my undergraduate degree in Marine Biology with a special interest in sharks, I was living in California with my older sister, Cece. I had gotten a job at a scuba dive shop and had become a dive master while applying to grad schools across the country. Read More>>
Madison Tevlin
When I was 12, I had a vocal coach who really believed in me. I’ve always loved music and singing, and my parents helped me explore it by giving me the opportunity to have lessons. For some people with Down syndrome, singing doesn’t come easy, but I was determined and practiced a lot. Read More>>
Ramessu Ali Bey
Growing up on the west side of Chicago, I was no stranger to the struggles of the streets. Being a hustler was ingrained in me at young age and I learned early on how to move around in an environment that was filled with danger and opportunity. But as I hustled to make my mark, I watched friends become victim’s of drugs, many ending up in prison or worse. Read More>>
Daphne Subar
For 26 years, I built a successful career as an attorney—a path that was stable, structured, and intellectually challenging. Yet, despite my accomplishments, something was missing. Baking had always been my creative outlet, a passion that brought me joy. But the idea of turning that passion into a business? That felt like a distant dream. Still, the thought lingered, nudging me toward a future I hadn’t yet dared to imagine. Read More>>
Grant Martel
Some risks feel like free falling. Others feel like stepping onto solid ground you’ve never walked before, familiar, yet untested. That was the feeling when a couple asked me to photograph their wedding entirely on film.
I had been shooting both film and digital for years, incorporating film into my professional and personal work. But I had never relied solely on it for an entire wedding day and while I felt confident in my technical ability, knowing there would be no digital safety net was nerve wracking. Read More>>