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.

Jessica Hess

Photography is an oversaturated market in a world where everyone, even non-professionals, carry a camera with them 24/7. Making money from photography is no easy feat, but it is made even harder by choosing a niche that is often considered less valuable in the photography industry. For those that find success in their photography career, 99% of them are photographing commercially; newborns, family sessions, seniors, etc. Read more>>

Molly Schroeder

I had just closed a small home business, which was risky by itself, but two weeks into my new job, we had a funeral for a girl who had lost her life to substance abuse.  Hundreds of kids filled our sanctuary that were lost, in shock, and grieving.  The faces of those students and their sense of hopelessness and needing so much support to process what had just happened to their friend were burned in my mind and in my heart. Read more>>

Daniel Buckingham

Risk is the vulnerable core of a Creative-Path. My childhood was framed by a desire to explore beyond the local. I always nurtured my interest to be curious about the natural world, objects that were unique, including bands. While studying at Tulane University, the Studio classes and Art History provided a tangible map, one could ride though history beyond the well edited photograph and constructed text. My fantasy to travel to the “Center of the Earth” was fixed on Visual Culture and the Human-Condition. I graduated with a BFA from Alfred University in May of 1979. Read more>>

Amanda Mbata-Graham

As my business started to expand, I realized I did not have the proper systems in place for expansion. I came across a private practice ceo/business coach and I had the initial consultation with her. Everything went great, but the cost was very steep and I was afraid to take that step. Read more>>

Ellen Cappard

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>>

Mikey Schelling

i started playing kendama at 13 years old, i was in state teams for sports like soccar and basketball. i dropped both those sport instantly the day i found kendama. Read more>>

Shawna Brioux

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was to not take a risk at all. My life goal after high school was to enroll in film school and be able to have a flexible, fast paced career. I loved the idea of being able to choose what projects that I could work on and when. Unfortunately, I was convinced that it was too risky of a career choice and ended up pursuing nursing school. Fast forward, I became a registered nurse and became very unhappy in the hospital setting. Read more>>

Marguerite Levinge

I have been a photographer for almost 13 years now. I had a very strong presence and clientele in North Georgia. In early 2022 we listed our home with the hopes of relocating closer to the wedding and photography venue I have been working with for the last several years. Unfortunately with the housing market crazy as it was we sold our home and couldn’t find another. We have 5 children so we could just settle for anything. Read more>>

Matthew McIntosh

About 7 months ago I was going to quit photography in general and get a “real job” lol however before I got the chance to do it my brother Shaad (Speedyflicks) called me and said what he said I’m not the type to get swayed but his words were true so I made one more push. I quit my job without a plan. Had a great job btw I worked in mental healthcare I loved my coworkers and the people. Read more>>

Candace Noel

During the beginning of the Covid pandemic, I was the creative director and graphic designer for a youth chamber orchestra. Though I had worked in-house for six years for the non-profit organization, my salary was reduced by half without any explanation. I originally thought it was Covid-related and that donations had slowed since many people were being laid off and were cash-strapped. I soon realized that of the three employees’ salaries, mine was the only salary cut without any reason. Read more>>

Knarik Arzumanyan

In 2010 my family of four(me, my husband and our 2 kids) decided to take a large risk and apply for a green card in the States. It was fortunately granted and we took a large leap of faith and decided to permanently move from a small country to one of the largest. Back in my country I had a position of employment at city’s international airport. It had always been my dream to be employed at one of the largest international airports; Read more>>

Alexia Acebo

I’m not what you would call a stranger to risk. I love it, I’ve chosen it in most areas of my life and I plan to continue forever because in that margin is where I feel like I learn the most about people, life, and myself. At the end of 2021, I made a decision to leave my salaried job in fitness and start my company, THE BKFST CLUB, in order to do meaningful work and free myself up to approach the opportunities that were waiting in the theatre industry that I wanted to call home. Read more>>

Imani Winfield

Making the decision to become an entrepreneur alone, is a huge risk. Even while working a 9-5 I was committing myself to working to build someone else’s dream, while building my own dream, simultaneously. Early mornings and late nights ran together, sleep, free-time, and sometimes self-care was sacrificed. That alone is a big risk to take, but deciding to take the risk of becoming a full time entrepreneur, with no 9-5 was a huge, life changing risk that I never thought I had the courage to do… but I did it! Read more>>

Kevin Savage

I remember when I made the decision to move to Atlanta to pursue my acting career. I’d lived in Philadelphia my whole life so this was a super huge decision. I was extremely nervous about taking such a big leap of faith but I wasn’t really scared to do it. I was excited about the unknown. Of course I knew there was a strong possibility that I could fall flat on my face, but for me failure just wasn’t an option. And that was the mindset that got me through when times got extremely difficult. Read more>>

Gabe Gordon

Taking risks has always been an integral part of Reach’s DNA. My cofounder Frank and I share backgrounds of working at massive agencies like William Morris Endeavor. There, we noticed the meteoric rise of social video in what was becoming an increasingly digital world. So in 2012, we left our traditional agency background to create something new and independent with Reach Agency. Read more>>

Chermetra Keys

“When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump, otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life.” Unknown or some Pinterest quote. Thats exactly have I have lived my life taking risks and seeing what happens after! I don’t regret any of the risks Ive taken either because I seriously wouldn’t be where I am today had I not jumped. I remember sitting in my car in the garage at Children’s hospital (in 2018 if I remember correctly )crying my eyes out before walking in to clock in for the day. Read more>>

Elisa Yip

I took a risk during covid to offer a luxury price point in women’s clothing while most people in the US are losing jobs and homes. I figured some women would still want comfortable clothing that was well made, comfortable and looked “put together”. To my surprise, there were many customers (mostly friends and family) took the risk with me. Saw the value of the product and ultimately become repeat customers. Read more>>

Jackie Bookstein

Opening an improv theater is definitely the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. I have worked and played in the improv space for many years, but it was always something I did on the side. I had been working on this project, starting Mockingbird Improv for a while in my spare time, but it got to a point where I either had to go at it 100% or leave it behind. Read more>>

Jordan Turner

I took a risk when I was younger and always told myself that I never wanted to work corporate world. I graduated high school but I never went to college. I always knew school wasn’t for me and I didn’t like the fact that I had to go pay a lot of money to find a job that I never wanted to be in. So instead of going to college like all my friends I took the risk to jump into my own world of business and it started from there. Read more>>

Sarah Bender

When it comes to vertical dance, most performances are site specific and designed to be performed on the side of buildings. There is no risk quite as gratifying as repelling down to side of a 60+ foot building! There is also no risk as dependent on trusting your team and yourself. Read more>>

Liz & Garrett Armijo

Taking risks is no secret to the foundation and success of any entrepreneur, but we learned together early, that it also applies to life. From the outside looking in, the story of how we got here may be difficult to see, but we began taking risks from the moment we met. On our first date we started dinner by both trying Escargot for the first time, because why not?! From there, it was a fun journey of doing everything “the wrong way” in our relationship and as luck would have it, our business as well. Read more>>

Xavier Carter

I recently packed up everything I owned and moved to Richmond, VA. I left behind very good clients with trust that the universe had something for me. I am challenging myself daily to be the very best I can. No doubt or fear can get in the way at this point. Honestly I just felt that it was time to go. I am from Georgia so moving here was a big leap. Read more>>

David Hankins

I was a full time youth pastor beginning in 2015, and in that field in some shape or form since 2008. In the beginning of 2020, after having enjoyed the progress I was seeing in the gym, I became certified as a personal trainer. In summer of 2022, I took a massive risk and jumped full time into training, leaving a career I’d been in my entire adult life, at the age of 31. It’s been a blast so far! Read more>>

Orlando James

I grew up under what most would consider a stable, straight forward house. My parents wanted me to go to college after high school, get a job, have a 401k, probably start a family somewhere along the line. I did that, well most of it. But I did that because I was scared. Scared of being who I wanted to be. I graduated college with a Bachelor’s degree in 4 years. I took some time to figure out life after school, I didn’t necessarily jump right into a full time job. Instead, I worked 3-4 part time jobs over a span of 3 years. Read more>>

Shelly Mohammed

Leaving a permanent job with loads of benefits to start my own business with little resources. Having a degree in marketing and Human Resources Management, clearly was me not knowing what I wanted to be doing career wise. What I knew though, was the fact that shipping and logistics was at the top of my list. Starting off at age 19 is where I began the journey and at age 26 was when I took the risk in starting off on my own. Read more>>

Angela Schmitt

Risk: That is what got me here. It was about 7 years ago that I went to network with a local equine therapy program that was presenting at Aurora Behavioral Health Campus for their monthly lunch and learns. I was hoping to get an opportunity to maybe work with this woman and her organization. Read more>>

Paul Lysy, Sarah Ricca (i use Ricca as my first name)

The biggest risk we took was when we decided to open our own salon and work for ourselves. We met working together at a salon in the Central West End. Ricca had just moved back to the area and was just starting her career in the salon business. Paul had just graduated from Cosmetology School and was eager to find an apprenticeship to strengthen his skills. Read more>>

Madeleine Lyon

As someone who performs in front of thousands of people for a living, it can already feel risky enough to step on stage and open yourself up to an audience. You leave yourself vulnerable to others criticisms and judgements, something that can feel akin to stepping into battle. To be a professional opera singer, you must dedicate years and years to perfecting your vocal technique, your acting, and of course on top of that, singing in five or more foreign languages. Read more>>

Erin Ross

I never thought I would be a business owner. I work in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and started giving talks to educate professionals about helping premature babies learn to eat safely. These small talks grew to many, and soon I had a 2-day course that I gave to professionals around the country, and then around the world. I had a 3 page website just to let people know how to reach me. Read more>>

Charly Reynolds

Early this year on January 12, 2023 I went to Vanderbilt Medical Center and had vocal cord surgery. This was something I tried to avoid for months considering my worry was the slim chance I wouldn’t be able to ever sing again or sing the same as I could after surgery. Read more>>

Alexis Tence

From a young age, I remember, as I’m sure most do, having to answer the daunting question of “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I remember unlike most kids, I never had that one thing. In fact, I think I changed my answer every time. Sometimes it was a singer, sometimes it was a painter, sometimes it was a teacher, but no matter what I chose, Read more>>

Raluca Ghura

In 2018, me and my husband took a trip from Bucharest, Romania, my hometown, to New York City to visit one of my husband’s lifelong friends which he hadn’t seen in a long time. Over dinner, we found out that he was working for a scent marketing company. He filled us in on how revolutionary scenting is and how much joy and excitement this emerging industry was bringing to his and his customers’ lives. Read more>>

Tony Kariotis

I believe calculated risks are a must. I can sit here and say yes risks are worth taking, but in the moment, we all know they are something you can lose sleepover. I’d love to say I’ve taken all these risks, but for the most part, there are plenty I passed on, but a few that worked themselves out. Read more>>

Margarita Bukšnaitytė

I think to become a freelancer is always a risk, especially if you used to work in a good advertising agency. The volatility becomes your best friend at some point. Sometimes to freelance it is like riding the roller coaster, so if you decided to do that at least – enjoy it! I found that this kind of work and lifestyle gives me the opportunity to work and travel, explore different countries and cultures and that is why I love it so much even sometimes I feel tired to be responsible for everything I do. Read more>>