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.

Meshake Lusolo

Us an artist from the Democratic republic of congo, the country where I leave. People are suffering because of the authorities who are corrupt and want to make theme self Rich and leave the population in a situation of war and massacre every day. I always take a risks of doing dance pieces that denounce this side that the government ignores with their corrupt system. Read more>>

Dr. John Layke

My business partner (Dr. Danielpour) and I had the realization that if we are treating our patients and performing surgeries, including face and neck lifts, that we also have to treat their skin. It was this realization that led to our taking the risk of launching a skincare line – Beverly Hills MD (BHMD). Read more>>

Virginia Taylor

When I first started out with my business, I took a huge risk. I used all the money I had at the time. I didn’t apply for a business loan, because I didn’t want to start out in debt. I remember finding my first building located at 3607 S.Texas Ave. Bryan, Texas 77803. I didn’t even have all the equipment I needed, bit I stepped out on faith anyway, and was practically given everything that I needed. I’ve learned that taking a risk was the best thing I could have ever done. I have been my own Boss since September of 2006, and still loving it!!! Read more>>

Eddy Beethoven

I have taken many risks in my life. Some include switching Majors halfway through my college career to pursue what really made me happy; or after completing undergrad school jumping into one of the most expensive graduate schools to specialize in my field; or deciding to branch out from my home recording studio and open a commercial recording space in the heart of one of the most expensive cities in world; Read more>>

Gabriela Velazquez

I was asked to photograph a wedding last October which I was super nervous for and excited. I had always kept it small & local with my photography & this was a huge opportunity I knew I was ready for it; it was like a feeling of an instantly YES to something because it felt right in my heart if I can exaggerate a little bit. The wedding was truly amazing & the pictures turned out so beautifully I was impressed with myself & since I took that risk it allowed me to open doors for myself I never thought I would by gaining that extra confidence in my work. Read more>>

Betsy Chasse

We only live once, so they say. So, you might as well make it interesting. As I am well into my 53rd year in this incarnation, I’m grateful I came into this life with the willingness to not play by the rules, at least most of the time. For sure, it has meant sometimes living hand to mouth or month to month, and yet as I reflect back on my life I am filled with fond memories of wild adventures in amazing places. Read more>>

Ashley Varner-Warren

Growing in Indiana, my focus was always on school and sports! It was very important for me to finish school and to become the first in my family to receive my Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. It was a huge accomplishment for me and something I am very proud of, but I also felt that I owed it to myself to try something I have always been interested in doing, modeling! Read more>>

Earle Garnette

Taking aa risk is something scary yet the most brave and important part of any creative career “shooting you shot”, “taking the leap of faith” it come in many terms and has it own height for each individual. I recently took a risk and yes at first it was super hard the ups and down the not where and when something was coming up or down. Read more>>

Sabrina Taylor

2020 was the year I decided to open my business. The world had just shut down but I felt the call to open a place anyway. My husband had lost his job. Kids were home schooled now. But I knew that this was the time and God was by my side in all of this. Read more>>

Magge Nunez

I think as a creative and entrepreneur, you have to be willing to take risks to grow. This journey for me has definitely been one that I never imagined but in order to keep going I trust the community the supports me, the mission I carry, and the talent I own. Read more>>

Jaylynn Bigdoski

In order to get started with anything you want in life you have to take risks. When I first started posting on social media I was 11 and didn’t know what I was doing, and was nervous that I would get made fun of. It took me years to build up the confidence to post content on the platforms I enjoy. What I did to get there was watch the influencers I love enjoy what they are doing. I love travel and I love taking pictures, building a buisness around what you have a passion for so how you make life worth it. Read more>>

Jamie Campbell

During the lockdown portion of the pandemic, I did some artistic soul searching. I don’t think I’m in the minority in that category. I mean, the world was shut down. My job was on an indefinite hiatus as we sat with uncertainty, wondering if things would ever return to normal. Read more>>

Steven Williams

A risk I took was painting traditionally. I was never into painting, most of my work is digital. It wasn’t until mid-way through college that I started to really paint a lot of my work from 2019-2021 was painted with gouache. I used gouache because that was the medium we were assigned to use for a color theory class. Read more>>

JESSIE RUSSELL

I think risk taking is in my blood. I have traveled solo as a nurse, lived in 9 states, took extended trips to Europe and worked as a Level 1 pediatric trauma nurse for 8 years before starting my own business. When I decided to call Colorado my home, I had already made the decision that bedside nursing was no longer my passion. My father passed away from cancer just a few months before arriving in Colorado and with that experience my love for hospital nursing changed almost overnight. Read more>>

Cassidy Roell

I took a huge risk opening my business. Before furniture, I was remodeling houses. I invested young in my early 20s, purchased my first house and then sold it 2 years later for a profit. I then took that money, purchased a double wide trailer to flip and was planning to have it remodeled, flipped and sold in 6 months. Read more>>

Turtle

“A leap of faith” is how I would best describe pursuing Art as a career. Not only Faith in my dreams and abilities to achieve, but faith in God and praying he guides my path. It may seem like pursuing music as a career is taking a risk., but honestly I don’t see myself taking any other path in life. It seems like what I’m supposed do. Read more>>

Jenny King

As I’m contemplating this question, I’m remembering the many risks I’ve taken over the years. The boldest venture I undertook in regard to my artistic career was establishing my own gallery and working studio. It was in early 2009 right as the housing and banking crisis was happening, and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. BUT, I had a vision. Read more>>

Dr. Rasheda Jackson

Leaving my six-figure C-suite job in 2020 to pursue full-time entrepreneurship was indeed the biggest risk I’ve ever taken in my life. The decision wasn’t made overnight; it was the culmination of planning, cultivating a vision and wanting my time back, especially my parenting time. Read more>>

Janel A. Young

Faith has always been a constant in my life, both openly and privately. I wholeheartedly believe in the law of attraction and the power of affirmations as they relate to manifesting change. My internal mantra, which I often call upon to shift my mindset during challenging times, is “THINK. SPEAK. BE POSITIVE”. With a prayer and a plan, I will continue to work hard to achieve my goals! Life itself is a risk and I’ve never been afraid to bet on me. Read more>>

Katharine Kollman

The biggest risk I have taken in my life is moving somewhere I have never been, where I know no one, to pursue something I have never tried, and don’t know if I can even do. When I decided not to continue on to grad school, it felt like the proverbial rug had been pulled out from under me. Read more>>

Riri Tamura

This year, I was laid off from my full-time job as a Visual Designer and had to take a risk of pursuing freelance full-time. Prior to the lay off, I have been freelancing but was nervous to take the leap to take my creative business full-time. An unfortunate circumstance has allowed me the opportunity to finally take the risk of running my own creative business. During the last couple of months, I have learned and grown so much as designer. It has also allowed me to actually be able to work on projects that I enjoy and have a passion for. Read more>>

Kachelle Roark

A lot of us are told to stay in the safe zone and not take the risk because the uncertainty of what can happen, however nothing amazing is really ever birthed in the comfort zone! Throughout my life, I’ve always been a risk taker and a very determined individual. I remember just graduating high school and going into college, the only reason I went it because I was told, this is the next time you need to do to become successful however, I was kind of unsure. Read more>>

Alison Prehoda

When I was 26 years old, I took one of the most significant risks of my life. I worked in two high-profile corporate companies for most of my young adult life. They provided growth in my personal and business development But also showed me the toxic environment of large corporations. Then, in November 2013, I took a job at Nike Headquarters. This was a significant opportunity for my career and was an appreciated change of scenery after working in the tech industry. Read more>>

Candy Dillon

think being an entrepreneur is a risk in its self. My husband, Lorenzo is always the one pushing me to just “Do it !” I have second guessed myself so many times and pushed back so many dates. I’m not at my point where if I don’t take the risk on myself, why should others believe it. I have to get on the pot and make it happen, or get off and watch others make it and climb that success ladder. Read more>>

Cathy Schraibman

A lady living out of a van selling jewelry said the words that changed my life and those words may change yours too. Here’s the story. 15 years ago, I had it all, a successful career, boyfriend, house, friends, everything was perfect – and yet – something was missing. I journaled for years, expressing my inner truth of wanting to work in media, travel the world, Read more>>

Jennifer Fitch

I am where I am today because I was willing to take a risk. I quit my teaching career to stay home with my sons . . .risk. Which led me to find a passion for health and fitness when I was trying to lose my baby weight after having three babies. I then became a certified group fitness instructor and began teaching group fitness classes to other moms with small children . . .risk. Read more>>

Leah Sachs

A decade ago, I found myself at a pivotal moment in my life, where my passion for fruits, veggies and fungi led me to take a risk that would forever change my path. With a burning desire to share my love for these natural wonders with the world, I made the bold decision to start my own business, which I named “Slices Of Citrus.” Read more>>

Brenda Erika Jordan Manrique

Opening our lash studio was a big risk for us, but it was honestly a leap of faith that has paid off in so many ways. When we first started out we sort of had an idea of what we were getting ourselves into, and we were more than determined to make it work. We have an immense love for the beauty industry and were super excited to dive deeper into it, but we also knew that starting a business from scratch would be a challenge. Read more>>

Kirsten Evans

“Throughout my career, I have taken many risks, which for me, as someone who adores having not only a main plan but also several backup plans, was not something I thought I would ever be able to say. My first risk was singing in front of my entire school year at the age of 15. This might not sound like the world’s largest risk, but for me at the time, as a typical shy teenager with few friends, standing in front of 250 of my peers to sing as loudly as I could was an enormous risk. Read more>>

E.C. Pizarro III

My big risk came during my time in corporate America in 2017. The company I worked for had been purchased by a larger firm and I was officially transitioned to remote work. With that came staff shifts. I was moved to a different department and within a few months, notified that I would be laid off in 90 days. Then, in November 2017, my life changed through three major losses, the death of my maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother, and my fiance decided that she wanted to “just be friends.” Read more>>

E-EYE’S

I was so caught up in being seen and discovered by a record label for so long. In 2017 I decided to start my own record label, “Purple Sunrise Entertainment”. I took matters into my own hands and signed myself to my own blueprint and started to market my own materials. Read more>>

Tommy Wu

Looking back on my life, there are two risks that I took that have left a lasting impression on me. The first was switching my career path from management to music creation, and the second was coming to the United States. Read more>>

Dominique McGee

I am coming from a colorful background that holds a great tale of triumph. I have come from many forms of artistry,acting and more but my passion was in my performance since as long as, I can remember. The chances to win a few star searches throughout my life putting it all on the line taking risk showed me I had what it took. I have spent time in many states perfecting my craft through many obstacles, Read more>>

B. Nesia

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was 2 years ago. I took a hiatus from my 6-figure design business to strengthen my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The decision for me to step down , happened sorta abruptly , but it was long overdue. As a creative , your whole livelihood depends on others being happy with you and the quality of work you produce. Read more>>

Christina King

As an ocularist, our job is to perfect the look and match of an existing eye. Our job if done right, is to make the normal viewer not notice the visual difference and this blend is viewed positively through the public’s perceptions. I however, in hopes to help one heal from the trauma of eye loss, started creating prosthetic eyes that feed into one’s own artistic ideas and help that finally be able to address the eye loss and own it. Read more>>

Zakriya Rabani

In the Spring of 2011 I graduated from Lely High School in Naples, FL and I had already agreed to attend the University of Florida for their Summer B session to pursue a major in Athletic Training. At the time, I was shocked at the idea of leaving my hometown and all of my friends to attend a college that I knew nothing about. I didn’t know where UF was located, I didn’t know anything about college in general other than high school teachers telling me I was “supposed to go to college”. Read more>>

Cierra Lynn

I honestly feel like the evolution of my brand was all a risk. In 2012, I was laid off from teaching art. After countless interviews and feeling defeated looking for employment, I took the biggest risk. I risked my time and saved finances after being laid off to bet on myself. Read more>>

Zelena Hull

Currently I”m working on the world record for the most consecutive single releases. I wanted to use this as way to raise awareness for autism and shine a light on the struggle that indie artists face. Every Friday I’ve been coming out with a brand new song and lyric video (I post the video on YouTube). It’s been super fun and allowed me to experiment with my style. I’ve been able to create in genres that I never was able to before. Read more>>

Fay Inger

The biggest risk I took was opening my YouTube channel, SoularFlow, and sharing my extra sensory gifts on a public platform. I really wanted to help people navigate spirituality and make it more approachable as everything we see in the world has a soul or energetic component to it. Read more>>

darrell black

Many opportunities in all creative fields exist for anyone who stays persistent and determined never giving up on your dreams. This positive attitude, will often entail taking risks that are sometimes advantageous to your artistic career but more often then not the risk taking leads nowhere, which becomes very discouraging and disappointing for many creatives who falsely believe that rejection means you have no talent. This narrative, results in artists giving up too soon on their dreams of art world stardom and artistic expression. Read more>>

Linda Haley

Natural wellness therapies in general, and Reiki specifically, are not well understood in the MidWest. Most Americans would much rather follow the path of pharmaceuticals and surgery. I definitely understand this, as my background is traditional medical care. But when I got very sick in the late 1990’s, Western medicine made me far sicker. Reiki made me well. Read more>>