The chapters in our stories are often marked by wins and losses. Getting a new job, getting fired. Getting a life-threatening medical diagnosis, beating it and getting a clean bill of health. Too often, due to a societal expectation of modesty and humility we are discouraged from talking about the risks we’ve taken that led to those ups and downs – because often those risks draw attention to how we are responsible for the outcomes – positive or negative. But those risks matter. Those stories matter. We asked some brilliant entrepreneurs, artists, creatives, and leaders to tell us those stories – the stories of the risks they’ve taken, and we’ve shared them with you below.
Elisha Sumo
I have been very comfortable over the last several years creating content for individuals, brands, companies, ministries, and corporations. It was not until July 2022 that I decided to step out of the boundaries of comfortability. July 15, 2022, I decided to launch an online network and magazine. Sumo Studios & The SumoTV Network The goal of this network is to create content that will educate, inform, and inspire creatives, leaders, and entrepreneurs. In this endeavor, we started a campaign to raise capital to ensure we complete the project in excellence. Read more>>
Lane Marie
Taking risks is not one of my natural characteristics. My natural inclination is to choose the safe route with the least amount of detours. Of course I’ve chosen a passion in which risk is not only present, but is required. Since graduating college and realizing my love for recording and writing music, I’ve grown immensely in taking risks. Releasing my first EP, playing shows with original music and marketing myself on social media have all been uncomfortable challenges. The most recent risk was buying a house with my husband and renovating a closed-in garage into a home studio. Read more>>
Sterling Cabbiness
I think the biggest risk I’ve ever taken was choosing to be myself when people tried to change me. Being a musician isn’t as glorious as people make it out to be. You get rejected a lot more than you get accepted. For me it started with people in my life telling me how making a living off of music was unrealistic. Knowing music was something that I had to do, and not just something I wanted to do. I would be betraying myself by not trying. Read more>>
Francisco Alba
Going all in as a barber. That has been the most important and riskiest thing I’ve done. We as humans tend to seek the conform in all we do. Going solo was the best thing I could have done as a barber. It highlights your weakness and strengths. In 2019, I took it upon myself to go on my own and continue building my brand. After working for a commission shop for almost 5 years, I knew I could run my own business. Read more>>
Kris Kinder
The greatest risk I’ve ever taken is trusting God in a world that reiterates our imperfections and lack. I remember when I was at my lowest place in life, there was no light. I took seven pieces of paper and listed seven talents that I had. I laid them out on the floor in front of me and told God that if he would lead me, I will maximize this life with everything he gave me when he created me. It was all I had left and that was the beginning of my faith walk. Read more>>
Shonda Williams
When the Keil Auditorium was for sale and I purchased it, I was skeptical, but I purchased it. Living up history of St.Louis,Mo I knew I was the person for the job. A lot of people knew me or and knew me,but most definitely didn’t know,my history and ties in the entertainment industry. I was asked questions, about how I was going to bring entertainment and people was, throwing names and groups towards me,that they wanted to see. No imposters. I amazed them every time. When I bought Pattie LaBelle,they knew I was real about the acts,that I booked Read more>>
Yvette Carrillo
A Periodontist is a dental specialist, who after four years of dental school spends three additional years focusing on gum and bone health and options to replace missing teeth which include implants. I never imagined myself a businesswoman or entrepreneur, but after various jobs not fitting my needs, I decided to branch out and take the second biggest risk I had every taken. Read more>>
Mohit Mehra
My introduction to the word “Risk” was in my graduation year of 1999, I read an article on Risk and reward and the 1st sentence of the article started with this saying, “The higher the risk, the higher the reward”. After spending a good 45 minutes and towards the end of the article it was clear to me that taking risks does not only apply in business, it applies in various aspects of your life. And time to time there is always a risk in everything we are involved in. I am sure there is risk in everything we do, however the article just made me focus more on the meaning of RISK. Read more>>
DJ Kidd
Friday, March 26, 2021, I quit my job. It was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken, a huge leap of faith. I was working at Starbucks for 2 years prior and simply felt unfulfilled. My days were routine, and going to work had become draining. I had been having scheduling conflicts, missing days of work to take gigs, and missing gigs because I had work. We had just gotten a new manager and were becoming increasingly unorganized. It seemed like each day was getting more stressful. Read more>>
Kaylee Shields
I have always been passionate about health and fitness. I’ve always loved to be active and I’ve always loved to help people. When I was a teenager I struggled off and on with an eating disorder for a number of years and after that God really gave me a heart to help other women that struggle in similar ways, but I wasn’t really sure what that looked like. A few years passed and I had just given birth to my son when I realized how much I wanted him to see and experience his mom pursuing her dreams and also helping others. I wanted him to know that no matter how much or how little we have we can always serve others with what we have and shine the love of Jesus. Read more>>
Nora Arenivas
One of my favorite quotes about risk-taking is from Oprah Winfrey “one of life’s greatest risks is never daring to risk.” I believe risks are opportunities waiting to be revealed; everyone has a purpose in life, and once you find the drive, things fall in place. In the past few years, I had to make a pivotal life change from my previous cosmetologist career to Real Estate; it was a big move for me. But, like many others, we face many challenges and changes in our lives. It is essential to keep moving forward, take all those experiences and skills, and apply them to the present. Read more>>
Heather Roddy
February of 2019, I packed up my life & shut down my beauty business in Seattle, WA and moved to Austin, TX to follow my heart! I didn’t have a place to live or a job lined up, but I KNEW that I had to go & it had to be in that moment. I had run a success makeup & lash extension business for over 15 years & I felt my soul calling me into something deeper, something bigger than I could ever imagine. Read more>>
Sandy Rubin
Being a small business owner, there is no shortage of risks. If you own a business, I’m sure you can agree that all the decisions made both large and small, can really affect your business overall. The risks you do take but also the ones you don’t. From the very first big risk of taking metal smithing classes on my $24k salary in NYC to shifting into engagement jewelry in the early 2010’s to the more recent risk of taking out a PPP loan to build our very special Collection of Time & Space. There have been actual hundreds of smaller risks that have ultimately shaped my experience and SRJ today. Read more>>
Rhiana Pfaff
In 2014, at a fork in the road of our lives, I convinced my family to move to Haiti and it changed our lives forever. Looking back to 2013, we had an amazing life, full of fun and adventures, but I kept feeling this pull to help the poor. Whether it was the homeless in our own community, or people far away, it grew from a whisper to a roar. Around this time, our oldest daughter (age 12 at the time) had just come to me with an idea for a non-profit. Read more>>
Kathleen Kline
The biggest risk that I have taken is to open my own gallery. Getting into shows, exhibitions is tough in this region so I decided to open my own gallery. I spent a year researching different locations, saving and budgeting for the right space. I found the perfect location, signed the lease, moved in art, got 4 other artists/photographers to come on board with the gallery. The day that was set as our grand opening was fast approaching and the Thursday before the gallery was to officially open the governor of the state shut the state down for 4 months. Read more>>
Ciera Young
In 2018, I feel that I was on a high. I had just published my first book, I turned 30, and bought my first home. At the time I was working a job that I had been on for almost 4 years, but it ultimately did not align with where I saw my future going. One day I walked into work and was called to the office by my manager who stated that the company would be relocating, and everyone had been offered a work from home job, except for me. Read more>>
Shannon Ligon
I started my own law firm at the age of 25 during the 2008 recession. This October I celebrate 14 years of business. One of my mentors told me to be a successful attorney in my generation you would have to learn how to run a law firm out of a backpack…$500, a laptop & backpack, some hustle and grit & I am living the life people dream of. I’ve gone from a small solo boutique law firm to negotiating entertainment and sports deals with some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports, to creating advocacy and reform to help change laws in my state and across America. Read more>>
LaTonya Turnage
As a child I’ve always dreamed of being around women and all things beauty. Playing dress up was my favorite thing to do. Fast forward years later working my career corporate job I felt a sense of what am I doing for people to remember me, how will my light continue to shine after I have left this world. I knew I was passionate about the beauty industry. This is what landed me as a freelance makeup artist and soon after a bridal stylist consultant owning my own company. Read more>>
Topher & Sara Mack
Life is full of risks. Do you go to college? Do you take out loans and go to your dream school, or maybe you settle for something less? Do you move away to build your own business, or stay close to home where you have more support? Usually, the longer the list of questions you ask yourself, the more risky it is to answer them. After both graduating from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), Topher and I were faced with one of these big questions. Do we take a risk, pack up our belongings and follow our dreams? Or, do we save up more than the few thousand dollars we had, play it safe and make our move when “the timing is better”? Read more>>
Savannah Pagnozzi
Life is all about taking risks. To me, that’s the key to fulfillment and happiness. Here’s the story of how and why I moved all the way across the country knowing absolutely no one… I was born and raised in Tempe, AZ. I went to good schools, had a great family, and was very active in sports. After enrolling in college, I quickly found out it was not for me. After about a year and a half of trying to make it work, I decided to drop out. From there I decided to bartend full time, as it was good money at the time. Read more>>
Moon Cat
Thinking about my legacy, I come from a very magical lineage. Both sides of my family tree are filled with witches, psychics, and folks who didn’t believe in either of those things but always seemed to “just know” what was going to happen or who needed help at that moment, and I am blessed to have been born gifted as well. I’ve also been making jewelry and playing with pretty rocks since I was super young, so it really seems like no matter how many different things I’ve gained or lost interest in I always come back to my roots. Read more>>
Jasmine Ryans
Originally, in 2017, when the business (Soul(tre)), first launched, we sold retail health and beauty products for the family unit. Over the years, we continued to change products and improve the formulations of our products. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, we began to grow internationally and in 2021 we were afforded opportunities to stock our reatail products in stores in Dubai, Switzerland and France, but we noticed a lot of service-based business that were negatively affected by the pandemic and decided to take a risk and change our entire business model from selling retail to providing white / private label products to businesses and brands. Read more>>
Lauren Guss
One of the biggest risks I have ever taken was moving to San Diego. I had planned to stay temporarily to help manage and build up San Diego Meditation, but have stayed almost 3 years now. Myself and the center have grown so much! I used to help run two meditation locations in NJ, before my trip to the West Coast. When I was asked if I wanted to help here at San Diego Meditation, I took it! The location here in North Park was not where it needed to be (considering the value the meditation practice brings to a person’s well-being). Read more>>
Nina Connor
From the very start of my solo carrier and deciding to open a small business, i’ve taken many risks, big or small. In May 2018, in Chicago i opened my small skincare studio with very little idea how to run a business or even open an LLC. My start was slow, i could count the clients who followed me from my previous place of employment on the fingers of one of my hands. The rent i was paying was affordable, the location however, not so great. So after 4 months in the space i decided to move in a prime location which of course came with double the rent i was paying at the time. Read more>>
Servian Santos
My cousin recently described me with the saying “She believed she could so she did”. That’s definitely what happened to me 2 years ago. After working in different industries since the age of 18 and helping other employers run their businesses as an employee I finally believed in myself and I took the risk. I ripped that bandaid off and started my own businesses without knowing how it would go. I took the risk by putting myself out there to others to help my businesses grow. I took the risk by not having an everyday income like I was used to. That risk saved my life. Read more>>
Stephanie Sahadeo
I started my business right after COVID had hit. Like many others, I was extremely financially affected by the pandemic and I wanted to find a way to create a livable income for myself that still aligned with my beliefs which is helping others become a healthier version of themselves. I was SO GRATEFUL to come across this boss lady, Ashlee Nicole, a fitness event curator, who was actually one of my customers and told me about her events which travelled all around the states. I was worried about the financial risk I would be taking as a new business, because although I wanted to try new things, I still had to factor the costs of gas, travel, hotel and let’s not forget registration fees and my own expenses for my company. Read more>>
Dani Dudek
I worked in television for over two decades. Working in promotion and marketing at TV stations around the country was a dream come true. For years, I loved every minute of it. But after many years and many moves, my passion started to wane. I had done everything I set out to do: 12 Emmy nominations, four wins, a stint at the Fox Network in Los Angeles and a Director position at a #1 station. But I wasn’t driven to do this work any longer and, quite frankly, I was unhappy. Read more>>
Pedro Mederos
Our entire restaurant was a risk. Before my wife and I opened Kojin, we had operated a dim sum pop-up in South Miami. In June of 2021 we were offered the ability to launch a concept in the back of Hachidori Ramen in Little River. The space itself offered many challenges, but our main concern was convincing people to give us a chance at serving fine dining. Both my wife and I had many years of previous experience working in fine dining restaurants across the country, but we had built our name in Miami and our customer base around our dumplings. Read more>>
Shyann Cooley.
The risk I took was about 4 years ago when I decided to quit my job and go full time in photography. I was a part time worker at Smoothie king in Tuscaloosa and doing photography as a side job. One day I decided that I wanted to fully give my all to photography and see how far I could really go. I have been successful ever since making that one decision. Photography is how I make my everyday living and it does well, Read more>>
Sari Beall
I’ve always had a plan for my life. Whether or not that plan panned out was up to the ever-changing universe, my choices, and how I reacted to them. When making this plan, I asked a lot of questions. I stayed curious about other people’s lifestyles and eventually formed mine. As much as I like to know exactly what is next, I wouldn’t be living the life I do today without a bit of risk! Forget the plan because what life has in store is better than before. Read more>>
Joana Zuppas
When I decided to leave my comfy corporate job at Xerox for real estate, everyone thought I was crazy! I had worked in corporate America for over 10 years, most of them in New York City, and was living the epitome of a “successful” life. The only problem was I felt very unfulfilled and desperate for a change. When I started telling my family and friends that I was going to quit my job to plunge into real estate, they gave me EVERY reason why I shouldn’t. Why would you give up the guaranteed paychecks, the guaranteed benefits, the “stability and security”? Read more>>
Melissa Londono
I came to the United States nine years ago knowing very few people and neither the language nor the culture. It took me a long time to adjust to a new culture and a new city, which made me feel uneasy and lonely. The cultural adjustment was quite challenging for me. However, I took the risk of changing my life because I was sure that in this country it was possible to realize all my dreams. I began taking English classes at the local community college while also pursuing my certification as a health coach. Read more>>
Christopher Baskerville
I’ve taken many risks in my short career of an artist, and a business man. As an artist I finally came to my own style and sound and am very comfortable and fulfilled with the direction I have stepped into, and way more accepting of my style and what I bring to music. As a business man I have taken the risk to invest in myself and get all I need for my music studio, photography/videography studio, and take my brand Baskerville 3nterprise to the next level with a website, and apparel. I can’t see myself being independent and working for myself. I love what I do Read more>>
Filemon & Maribel Garcia
It all started back in 2017 when my Husband and I decided to quit our 9-5s and break the chain of living paycheck by paycheck. It was always my Husband’s dream to start his own company, he has so much passion for the work of concrete, that it didn’t feel like work anymore but something that he loved doing. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, and that there would be so many bumps on the road. We had no other choice but to strive for success. With 2 kids at home, them going to school, doing after school activities and fulfilling their needs we knew in our heads, Read more>>
Morgan Mbadugha
In 2017, I remember sitting at my desk feeling overwhelmed and unfulfilled. I’d gotten my dream job, working for an amazing company and yet, day in and day out, I found myself less and less motivated in my role. I knew it was time to go back to the drawing board. Then one day, it came to me. THE plan. I felt this still small voice speak to me, guide me along a very strategic and specific path to financial and creative freedom. So, I quit. I bet on myself and what was once a hobby, became my full-time job. Read more>>
Ricardo Rodrigues
Growing up in a small village in the countryside of Brazil, my passion for design started at a young and, and it was realized when I graduated in Product Design and Architecture. As a hardworking professional for 25 years taking, what I dare to say, small risks; opening a store selling only the products I designed and at the same time having my architectural office in Brazil. I’ve gained international prominence through my work and felt I was ready to take another step in my career. I invited my family to take a more significant risk with me, and we moved to the USA. Read more>>
Pamela Olin
Taking risks is what artists do when we stretch. Recently I submitted a concept for a piece of work to a gallery that was outside of my comfort zone. It required me to learn about things I have never played with before: planetary gears and the engineering of predictable motion. While I have created revolving work, nothing like the choreographed movement I envisioned. When I was notified of my acceptance, the real work began! Read more>>
Whitney Hutchison
I previously worked in the mental health field, and more specifically with children who live in residential facilities for mental illness. Growing up, it was important for me to have a community or at least a single person that I could rely on consistently. This was my goal working in the mental health field; I wanted to be that consistent person for other people. I worked 12 hour days for 4 days out of the week and the work was mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. Read more>>
Tyler Visagie
I grew up in Cincinnati, OH and attended Wittenberg University where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and played football. After graduating in 2014, I backpacked around Europe for 5 weeks and ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. After I worked at Speedway LLC as a marketing analyst. At 25, I had a “quarter life crisis” where I decided to sell all my possessions and explore the world. Read more>>
Stanley Rowe
I was an Educator and Coach before deciding to resign my position in education and go out and take a chance on my own. I started my own seasoning and herb business 1st and then we got got a huge blessing with Walmart.com giving us the opportunity to put our products on their platform. This lead to Catering and the school systems giving us our first chance at doing banquets and school gathering. We have since catered for big business in the likes of Georgia Power, Delta, Flowers Bakery, Southwire amongst other. Read more>>
Patricia Dunn
When starting your business it’s so important to wash out all the noise. In any aspect of your life, business or otherwise, there will be someone giving you advice on the best way to do something. Any entrepreneur will tell you that there is no get rich quick solution. It’s all about doing your best and taking calculated risks. Some will work and some will not. Read more>>
Samantha Amara
No one likes to take risks. Let’s be honest. Change can be really scary and uncomfortable, but sometimes it’s necessary. I’ll explain. My first job was a “bus girl” at a restaurant in my little town I grew up in. I started working at 15 years old and found myself submerged deeply in the lifestyle of the service industry even years later. I began working for a big chain restaurant called Buffalo Wild Wings at 17. You may know it well. Delicious wings, beer, and sports, your perfect football Sunday headquarters. I worked with this company for over six years and dedicated more time and effort than I found myself putting into my family. Read more>>
Jarvis Tomdio.
7 years ago, I took a leap of faith that altered the course of my life. I was in my first semester of college at the University of Tampa, on a partial academic scholarship. The semester was going well – I was making new friends, coasting along in my classes, and enjoying the Florida weather. But there was one problem – I was restless. School had always been easy for me, so there wasn’t any real challenge there. My major was Cybersecurity, which I didn’t care about at all, but I knew it paid well. Read more>>
Hope Searcy
Taking a Risk requires your Faith. I worked in 7 hair salons before I opened my own. I believe when I gave God my YES to become a business owner it required me trusting he told me and that I heard him right then my Faith that he will see me through what you spoke. The first 3 years of opening my hair salon I worked my vision by myself. Now first I had a full staff. The salon was thriving and everyone was like family. Three months later of a 3 year contract I signed to lease the building everyone who started out with me was gone. Read more>>
Frederick Germaine
I feel we all take some sort of risk in life whether it is big or small. One of the biggest risk I took was to step out on faith and independently publish my own creative works also known as love novels. To this day, I have never regretted it or had to look back as if I made the right choice. From my early days, I always excelled academically in school. I loved to read and write versus playing sports. That’s not to say I was not good in sports but I preferred to use my brain over brawn. In high school, I was the kid who sat on the bleachers in gym class. Read more>>
Shani Cox
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken thus far was back in 2019. Prior to leaving my previous form of employment, I was contracting at a physician’s office in downtown Orlando. The doctor was adamant about me assisting them open their aesthetic practice. Unfortunately, we had to close down shortly after the grand opening due to the pandemic. I had two choices; either accept another employment opportunity or indulge in full time entrepreneurship. It has definitely been the most challenging yet rewarding experience. Read more>>