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.

Ryan Slaughter

I took the biggest risk by believing in myself. If I never took the leap of faith and quit my job I wouldn’t have known all that I was capable of and wouldn’t have accomplished all that I have. always bet on yourself ! Read more>>

Nancy Dunitz

The risks we take as a small business owner are nonstop. Oh my gosh. We take risks daily. I left “Corporate America” in 1989. My friends and family thought I was nuts when I ditched a promising career in the entertainment business. I had worked in the home entertainment divisions of Warner Bros. and MGM/UA and had drool-worthy positions. At least it seemed that way to others looking in. I wasn’t happy and boldly threw my hat in a new ring. I decided to work with artisans (mostly in Guatemala) and collaborate on gift and jewelry designs. It was also important to me that all my business dealings and decisions were made with a strong sense of ethics. It’s why my business Dunitz & Company has been screened and verified by Fair Trade Federation. Read More>>

Zoey Philippou

I believe life is all about taking risks, if you don’t get out of your comfort zone you won’t be able to ever know your true self and what you can accomplish. For me the most important risk i took so far was the decision to start my small business. It wasn’t a risk in terms of what i had to loose, the hard part for me was to let other people in and be seen through my work, without seeking validation from the outside world and no matter the end result. At the time I was living in a 9-5 designer’s job everyday loop, which was draining my creative energy away and just by taking this step forward i managed to break out of this. Read more>>

Anthony Flores

 

I took a risk in 2020. I felt safe at home in Houston, Texas, but I felt like I had come to a standstill with my own personal progression. It was a time in my life when I felt like I needed to make a drastic change if I wanted new doorways to open. I was after new challenges and an entirely different scene – but I didn’t know how to get there. At the beginning of that year, I was working for a wonderful museum, but I wanted to branch out to a new career where I could financially sustain myself and grow to what I felt was “the next level”. Read more>>

Michelle Mazzarella

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I’m a very risk-averse person… except for that one time when I changed careers practically overnight. In 2019 I loved where I was in life. I had graduated from UCLA and was teaching full-time in a new city. I was in a great relationship, and I found a new hobby of aerial arts. My boyfriend at the time was also a “circus person,” with a lot more experience (and sense of adventure) than I had. He suggested pursuing circus full-time by attending the ProTrack Program at the New England Center for Circus Arts (NECCA). I waffled about, unsure if we could afford it, or even be accepted, since auditions occurred two months prior. Read more>>

Jeanna Lopez

Building my business was a very big risk I took, and it did take a lot from me. Quitting my job, and betting on myself (several times, because you will never get it on the first) took a lot of mental strength. I ran into slow moments that turned into discouragement and then eventually at times…self defeat. Reminding myself of the goals i had, multiple passions I wanted to pursue, and the ability to make it happen is what pushed me through. I realized I had to meet a certain point in my life where I could be financially free, take care of my family and doing all the things I loved. Not just one thing I had a little passion for the rest of my life “stuck”. That is no way to live. You have to constantly PUSH. Read more>>

Kumiko Yamamoto

The biggest risk I have taken in my life changed my life. I experienced how darkness in life can turn into light in life. Looking back, it is interesting to see that the opportunity to take that risk presented itself during the most difficult time in my life. I took that risk and went for it by following my heart and taking solid steps even though I did not have a grand plan at that time. That was, indeed, a life changing moment in my life. I am who I am and where I am because of that journey I took. Life unfolded and expanded for me beyond my expectation and imagination. Read more>>

Justin Stricklin

Jim Rohne has a average of 5 rulew, where yiou take the 5 closest people in your life, the average of their income is what yours is. It was spot on for me, so I knew I needed to connect with more influential people. Two of which were in the hail repair industry, I wanted in. One day I received a call asking if i still wanted in, I said yes, he said your plane leaves tonight. Whoa! I need time, he asked if Im in or not, so I said yes, I left the next morning to my first hail job In Tucson AZ. From there I learned alot, by the end of the year I started doing my own thing and made more income in one month that I ever made annually. It was great, until I blew it all as fast as I earned it. I fell on my face and lost everything, homeless in fact. Read more>>

Dr. Julie Osborn

I have always been a risk adverse individual, I liked knowing my paycheck would show up on time and how much it would be. So starting a private practice full time was never in my plans. I was working at University of California Irvine full time as a therapist in the outpatient clinic. I also was the breadwinner for my family so all of the responsibility was on my shoulders. I decided I would see clients on my own only on Saturdays. This worked well and didn’t effect my full time job. It began to grow and I would fill up my Saturdays with clients on a wait list. Read more>>

Michael Rosenfeld

Being an artist means approaching a blank canvas, and creating something out of nothing. It also means communicating one’s ideas and visions with imagery as opposed to words.The most important things in one’s life and mind are likely to be the basis of the strongest work.While an artist should approach the subject matter with all of the hard work and ability one has to communicate their desired vision or message,the most poignant work will also invariably be that which is close to the artists own heart and soul. It is therefore imperative that the artist never edit or dilute their own vision to fit the mores of societal acceptance. Read more>>

Konstantin Lavysh

In life, so many things are a risk. Leaving home is a risk. Driving. Going to a shop. And then roller skating, swimming, skiing – you name it. A more fundamental risk would be a life changing decision. I have made those and I have taken those risks. In my profession, the very decision to choose the path is considered a risk. It’s not a safe choice to be in entertainment. Studying to be a doctor or an accountant almost certainly guarantees the scholar a profession that is respected and provides substantial revenue. The whole life can be planned ahead. Still a risk, but a tiny one. As an actor, one can plan nothing at all, as one doesn’t know if they will ever work to begin with. Read more>>

Kevin Maher

Taking risks can be so scary. I was once told something that stayed with me in the best way possible. “Just keep moving towards it” That really helped me believe in myself even if I didn’t know exactly what I was doing. Sometimes the risk you’re taking is not even the scariest part. Just remember to always keep moving towards the goal. Read more>>

Melanie Grunwald

Ten years ago, I was teaching little kids doing what I had studied in college to do and what my mom and grandmas had done before me. Then I got laid off–twice in one year. My parents suggested I consider other options but I thought I had studied for 4 years and what else was I going to do? Thankfully I had a general liberal arts degree and loved English and grammar. Teaching one boy piano and helping one guy at my alma mater with his English paper helped make a little money, and actually fueled my desire to make editing and proofreading a long-term thing. Read more>>

Anthony McLean

Around my early 20s, I was traveling around the country on my first nationwide tour. This tour was for five months, where we visited over 40 cities. We had a week of shows in Los Angeles during the music tour. I remember stepping off the tour bus and seeing the clear blue sky, feeling the perfect 75-degree weather on my skin, and noticing the swaying of the palm trees. This was my first time in LA, and I thought, “I think I could live here.” As the week progressed, I had the chance to visit the different bars and night spots. My tour manager lived in the city then, so he introduced me to other DJs and entertainers. By the week’s end, I knew I had to become an Angelino. After the end of the 5-month tour, I returned to my hometown of Washington, DC. Read more>>

Dr. Kimberly Lee

Our industry has evolved over the last several years into doing more minimally invasive things to achieve an aging-graceful appearance. However, with the rise of social media, there is a slight change in that we are reverting to some of our classic tried-and-true ways, but with a twist. For many years, facelifts were popular amongst people in their 50s and 60s, but over the years, we’ve leaned towards minimal or less invasive techniques such as thread lifting or radio frequency. We’re seeing that many trends are going back to our tried-and-true ways. Read more>>

Rochester Juice

I recently for the first time in a long time became a full time artist. It took me almost 2 years to build up the resources and confidence to take the leap. Its crazy because I’ve had some amazing opportunities that would justify me going full time a lot earlier but there’s something to be said about trusting you plan and seeing it through. I strategically laid out how I was gonna transition into full-time where in my younger years I would be more spontaneous. It’s still a struggle but I noticed that once I made that decision to remove the safety net and close that door a lot more doors started to open up that I didn’t expect. Now I take that lesson with me whenever I make big decisions and understand that faith is believing in what you can’t see and trusting that you’ve put in the work for it to all work out. Read more>>

Jake Somnath

Growing up, I always wanted to be a doctor. And of course I was music to my Indian dad’s ears. I thought it would be a job that would help people and make the world a better place. But the older I got the less attached I felt to that career. I started to question if that was the right choice for me. I also started to question how could I let my dad who has given his all to me down. I felt very conflicted to say the least. It was a tricky situation. I didn’t even know what I’d do if I didn’t become a doctor. So I ended up sticking with it. On the side I would take pictures with friends and model whenever I could but surly that couldn’t pay the bills? Read more>>

Daniel Klein and Jason Latin

Leaving a secure job with good pay, benefits, and a supportive community is a significant decision, particularly when it’s about starting a new venture such as executive recruiting. We both took a major risk by leaving our past job with great pay, support from colleagues, and benefits to go out on our own and start our own business with none of these things. The 3 biggest risks that we considered were: Financial Risk, Job Security and Market Risk. Read more>>

Andrew Toth

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk.” All of us have big dreams, the most difficult part is to be brave and dare to live new situations, while accepting whatever is the outcome. Being risky, means there are no guarantees that you are going to achieve your dream. Starting this agency was a huge risk, not only was it the first of its kind, but I’m also in competition with larger and more influential agencies that have been thriving in the industry for quite some time. Read more>>

Chimezie and Ayeshia Duru

Making the shift into full time entrepreneurship was in itself the biggest risk. After many years being an IT executive and a stint overseas for personal and family reasons, I found myself unable to find a job in my prior profession. When it became apparent the reentering the corporate scene would not happen, I knew I needed to stay open to new possibilities. One evening on a coffee date with my wife, I had a sudden but somehow familiar epiphany, I told her that I wanted a coffee shop. Luckily my wife has always had full faith in whatever I’ve put my time and decisions behind and so she simply said, “Ok.” Read more>>