You’re working hard, things are going well, piece by piece you’ve built a life you are proud of, you’ve overcome obstacles and challenges, beat the odds and then you find yourself at the center of an unexpected dilemma – do you risk it all to keep growing? What if growing means leaving the job you worked so hard to get or the industry you worked so hard to break into? How we approach risk often has a huge bearing on our journey and so we’ve asked some of the brightest folks we know to share stories of risks they’ve taken.
Tuesday Lewis-harris
I’ve always known I was meant to be an entertainer. As early as six years old, I boldly declared that I wanted to grow up to be an actress. Little did I know, this desire would be just the beginning of a much broader journey as an entertainment entrepreneur. To me, an entertainment entrepreneur isn’t just someone who starts or grows companies in the industry, but someone who wears many hats—I’m an actress, a development producer, a creative writer and author, and a teacher. Becoming this version of myself required taking bold risks, and the most life-changing of them all began in 2012. Read more>>
June Clivas
Before being a Full TIme Musician, I worked behind a desk in the Aerospace Industry. As much as I Loved the challenge the job gave me both mentally and physically- including the pay-I always caught myself looking outside that big window thinking “I just dont belong behind 4 closed doors.” Music is all I thought about day and night. Read more>>
Marie W. Watts
As a soon to be divorced mother of two young children, I began a job hunt during a recession. A friend sent me to visit one of his acquaintances, a dean at a local junior college. We hit it off and she asked me if I would be interested in co-authoring a textbook with her.
My first instinct was that I did not have the qualifications. While I had an MBA, my writing experience consisted of school papers and writing a management training program as a subcontractor. Besides being unemployed, I was not a professor! My teaching experience consisted of teaching a few courses in junior college and private business school. Furthermore, I had mostly been out of the workforce for ten years. At that point, my self-confidence was at an all-time low. Read more>>
Mea Kundurovic Amanda Buckman
AMANDA: Risk taking. Risk taking is not my forte. Which is most likely the explanation for why it has taken me so long to find a risk worth taking. Tilt and Squint Studio absolutely feels like the biggest risk I have ever taken ~ Bigger than
moving away to college, taking on management positions, even bigger than having kids. I see it as introducing myself to the world and offering to share what I have learned. Plus, learning new things to share and learning from those who choose to share while creating together. Seems scary but it is a risk worth taking with Mea, who believes so deeply in our mission to help people pause…, kiddos and grown-ups creating simple art that leads to complex connections. Read more>>
Corina Lipavsky
Taking risks has been a defining theme in my journey as an artist. As a Venezuelan migrant, I took a leap of faith when I first moved to Barcelona in 2000. It was a transformative period where I had to navigate a new cultural landscape while building a foundation for my practice. Read more>>
Jamie Cole
After running my business as a therapist for 13 years, I made the decision to pivot to life coaching and no longer taking my clients’ insurances. As a social worker, I felt obligated to my professional ethics, and I felt that insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid were pushing me away from what I knew was best for my clients. I don’t believe that a diagnosis and number out of a book best define my clients. I don’t believe in charging fees in a way that doesn’t defraud the insurance companies while completely disregarding my clients and their needs. I knew I would lose some people because everyone can’t afford to pay in cash, and there might be people who disagreed with my change, particularly some of my colleagues. Read more>>
Sarah Wiesner
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken in my career as a creative professional was deciding to leave the stability of a 9-to-5 job to pursue my passion full-time through Motivisualz. It wasn’t a decision I made overnight—it was a leap of Faith years in the making, built on countless moments of doubt, sleepless nights, and a deep desire to live a life fueled by purpose and creativity. Read more>>
Shannon Toner
Leaving my corporate finance job to pursue building my nonprofit, Protect Her Inc., full time has been the biggest, life-changing risk I’ve taken. I went from being a financial advisor at a leading global firm to founding a foundation focused on menstrual education for adolescents. Trading a prestigious brand name for building something from scratch felt like diving into unknown waters, but it was a call from my intuition I had to answer. This decision was deeply personal – at 15, I nearly lost my life to Menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome, and during my corporate years, I was actively involved in educating others while healing my own painful periods. Read more>>
Ashley Love
I think I’m a risk taker by nature! I’ve always been of the mindset that I don’t want to ever wonder “what if”. So when my previous employer gave me the chance to move 800 miles away, I took the leap! I didn’t know a soul, I had to be there in 3 weeks and it was just me and my sweet dog at the time, Bella. A 13 hour car ride later in the chill of January 3 years ago, I made Atlanta home. There was some adjustment but not much. Georgia felt like home in a matter of weeks. It is still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made but had I let the fear of the unknown get the best of me, I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I’m grateful for every moment! Read more>>
Darius Weber
I would say my biggest risk is taking a step into entrepreneurship. Becoming a realtor you are the business and the brand and the work mainly relies on you. But before that i did not realize it at the time but I was working for a cleaning company and I had a manager but he never came to check up on me but I was allowed to do my job at any time of the day but it had to be done. The hospital i was cleaning would notify him if it wasn’t, so i had to prioritize okay if i don”t go in now its going to be later so sometimes i’d wake up early to get it done or do it late, but I knew it had to be done. Read more>>
Jerry Fieldsted
Putting yourself into the spotlight is always a risk. As a highly sensitive person and an empath, I’ve had my fair share of struggles putting myself and my creative efforts out into the world. I feel there’s a couple key moments where taking a risk entered my life that helped me overcome hesitation and fear and gave me confidence and empowerment. Read more>>
Derrell Harrison
I remember being in college and my family being very very proud about it. But in the back of my mind I was screaming “THIS IS NOT FOR ME!’ Im a firm believer in “you can’t teach something you’ve never done before” and I had dreams and aspirations far beyond what college and my professor could teach me. I had to face the risk of being laughed at and hearing the famous line, ” I told you so” but I made the decision to bet on myself and not look back., I came to peace with realizing I would be misunderstood for a long time to those around me.. Read more>>
Rikki Van Brackle
For over 17 years, I served as a police officer with the NYPD. As a rookie with the NYPD, I prophesied that one day I would serve as an intimate partner violence officer—a role I felt deeply called to. Years later, that vision came true as my final assignment before retirement, a role that was both meaningful and demanding, shaping my identity as a protector and a voice for those in need. Ironically, it was in this role as the intimate partner violence officer that I was injured in the line of duty, which subsequently led to my early and unexpected retirement. Suddenly, I was retired, grappling with the loss of the only career I had ever known. For someone who had built their life around service and structure, the question became: what now? Read more>>
Amber Zuniga
I grew up in a small town near Omaha, NE. All I knew growing up was the landscape of corn and beans fields. When I was about 9 years old, I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Colorado with an aunt and uncle, and three of my cousins. We drove across Nebraska (which, if you have never done, you are not missing too much) and started our trip in Estes Park. I was so taken a back by the beauty of the mountains, the feel of a small town in the mountains and seeing a different way of life altogether. After Estes Park we drove down to Colorado Springs. I was even more memorized by the beauty. Oh, the fun I had on the train ride up to Pikes Peak. I couldn’t believe that it was the middle of summer and I was having a snowball fight with my cousins on top of a mountain! Read more>>
Morgan Scott
Taking risks is always scary, but it’s what is on the other side of that risk that could change your life!
I was sitting at the pool one evening thinking about where I was currently, where I wanted to be in the next year, and the years following that. I had just graduated college with my 4-year business degree and was anxious but hopeful for what the future held. I knew that I enjoyed social media and that I would love to make a career from it, but would anyone trust me with their money, business, etc.? Read more>>
Heidi Tacktill
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken in my life is leaving a stable, established career after 20 years to pursue a calling I’ve felt deep down for a long time—bringing breathwork and nervous system regulation to people. It’s funny, because before I even entered education, where I’ve spent the last two decades, I actually studied mental health. That’s even what I got my first master’s in. I had this passion for helping others in that realm. But then, life took a different turn, and I ended up teaching special education, focusing on reading and executive functioning skills in schools. Read more>>
Daniel Abbey
I had been doing photos at professional wrestling events around Michigan from my seat as a ticket holder, and had been gradually building a collection of photos i was happy with. The wrestlers on the shows would share my photos, and I started to get some attention from them. I was at a promotion that I frequently attended, and that particular month it was a two part show. Between the two shows, one of the staff members came up to me and said that the promoter wanted to talk to me. When I went to talk with him, he asked if I would be interested in taking photos from ringside for the second show because their usual photographer had a family emergency and had to leave. I was extremely nervous about being at ringside, not wanting to be in anyone’s way, but also excited about the opportunity it presented. Read more>>
Codie Scott
While I’ve always had a love for art, I never planned to become a Face Painter or pursue anything artistic due to the discouragement I faced growing up from my mom’s Husband. Despite studying Early Childhood Education and dreaming of opening a preschool, circumstances led me to leave my career a couple years after obtaining my degree to care for my children. Slowly we began to struggle financially due to my partner’s low motivation to work and my inability to work due to the limited childcare I had available. In January 2017, after an injury my kids father had gotten in an accident which escalated his inability to work. A local mom group provided support and an opportunity for emergency assistance, through the Chapter of the PEO Sisterhood. Read more>>
Ann Van Brocklin
I have never been one to take risks. However, I was approaching 50, moving into the empty nesting stage and fearful of this next season of life. Prior to this, we were moving towards the end of COVID. I was a teacher, and like most ,had the uncertainty if we were going to be going back to the classroom or teaching online. Read more>>
Annabella Leonetti
In February of 2024, I was laid off from my full-time job as a General Manager of a bar in Brooklyn. Having been working full-time in restaurants and bars since the pandemic while the film industry was suffering, I felt trapped in hospitality. When the bar I was managing at the time had a difficult financial quarter during the winter of 2023, and could no longer afford to pay my salary, I was laid off with little notice and no back-up plan. Read more>>
Shaniqua Jones
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was stepping out on faith to start Purple Path—not just as a passion project, but as a full-fledged business that would redefine how Restorative Justice is implemented in communities. At the time, I had been working independently in the field since 2010, balancing my passion with traditional roles in education and leadership. But in 2019, I made the decision to officially launch Purple Path as a for-profit social enterprise, stepping away from the conventional career track and into the uncertainty of entrepreneurship. Read more>>
Jhalen Daniels
Nearly five years ago, I made the life-changing decision to move from the small town of Palm Coast, FL, to the heart of the industry—Atlanta, GA. At that time, I had reached a breaking point. I was frustrated, tired of teaching myself, and struggling to piece together the puzzle of my dreams. I knew I was meant to be in this industry, but I couldn’t quite find my way. Read more>>
Hannah Lawson
When I first signed as a model, and this is often the case with new signees, my agents were not quite satisfied with my measurements. I was told to tone up, lengthen, do pilates, stop weight-lifting, etc. Unfortunately for them, I did not listen. This is a large risk to most outside the industry. Many girls try for years to get signed and, so, when faced with this undue criticism, they bend over backwards to make sure they are not dropped. I did not have these stakes surrounding my signing. I have always believed that regardless of the job, I should be accepted for who I am. I should be qualified, but I should not have to change physically. Read more>>
Akary Busto
In early 2020, I was just beginning to step into the global stage of my work. People from all over were reaching out after hearing me on a Human Design podcast I had recorded in 2019, where I talked about the power of Breathwork in helping us decondition from the beliefs we had absorbed—culturally, socially, generationally. At the time, I was doing sessions over Skype, dipping my toes into something bigger but still unsure where it would lead. Read more>>
Aldo Widjaya
I believe that nothing good in life comes without risks, and I’ve learned to embrace that truth. Like most people, failure scares me, but I’m still willing to take risks in pursuit of my goals. One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was moving from my hometown of Jakarta to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. At first, the idea of uprooting myself and jumping into a completely new world seemed crazy. But the excitement of working in film outweighed my fear of failure. While the journey hasn’t been easy, every challenge has been worth it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Read more>>
Jo Gough
I always had a passion for painting. Growing up there was rarely a time when I did not have a pencil or paint brush in my hand but like many of us, when it came to picking a career path, I started to think more practically about my future. It was a close call between Art and IT, but in the end, I listened to my head and opted to study for an HND in Computer Programming and went on to work for my local council for many years. Despite making this career decision, my heart would not be silenced and I continued to indulge in my passion for art in my spare time. Read more>>
Loretta Goldberg
I’m honored to share my small story with your readers. I haven’t run into burning building to save victims, alas, but I have taken risks with my creative work: author now and professional pianist before.
The risks I took to realize my ideas have blocked me from some opportunities, but unimagined rewards have come, so I’m excited to float in this zone of uncertainty. First, I was retired when my first novel was published by a small traditional press, and my second novel six years after that. One thing I don’t worry about is a decline from youthful success! It’s soothing; I can have a sense of humor about my rejections and mistakes. Read more>>
Moz Rude
When I first started attending undergrad in 2016, I was a Psych major. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to help people struggling with their mental health, because I was struggling with mine for what felt like my entire life. It did not take long before I dropped out thanks to a traumatizing event. I was in a deep dark place, and everything felt hopeless. The only meaning I could find in life was to be there for people who needed someone. To play a role in other peoples lives that I so desperately needed in my own life. Read more>>
Mike Mogavero
I had a long career in the technology industry. The first part of that journey was great as it was family owned and we could innovate and take risks. We opened one of the first data centers, acquired a company in Las Vegas and did many cutting edge things. But in 2009, things got challenging and we sold the company to a public company. At the time I was in Los Angeles and, after integrating my team with the new company, I was asked to think about a new role. It was then, that I made the decision to move to Austin. I didn’t know anybody in Austin and the company had no resources – what could go wrong, haha? My boss at the time said “the deck is stacked against me” and predicted I would not succeed. Read more>>
Ronald Akbar
One of the biggest risks I took was leaving a stable job in healthcare to start my own transportation business. It was a leap into the unknown, fueled by passion but riddled with uncertainty.
The Backstory:
For years, I worked in the healthcare field—a career that offered steady income, benefits, and job security. But deep down, I always had a love for vehicles and driving. A family friend who owned a semi-truck had once sparked my interest in transportation, and the thought of running my own business never left my mind. Read more>>
Ronald Akbar
One of the biggest risks I took was leaving a stable job in healthcare to start my own transportation business. It was a leap into the unknown, fueled by passion but riddled with uncertainty.
The Backstory:
For years, I worked in the healthcare field—a career that offered steady income, benefits, and job security. But deep down, I always had a love for vehicles and driving. A family friend who owned a semi-truck had once sparked my interest in transportation, and the thought of running my own business never left my mind. Read more>>
Bizee
For me, taking risks has always meant believing in myself before anyone else did. One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was trusting my vision and committing fully to my passions—despite having no guarantee of success. For years, I kept creating without knowing if people would connect with my work. It wasn’t just about financial gain; it was and continues to be a personal journey that involves time, effort, and consistency as I invest in learning and evolving as an artist and a person. Read more>>
Melanie Symanski
The risk: we just became business partners! Kate and I both found ourselves at crossroads in our careers for different reasons. I started this company 2 years ago and found myself at a place of closing it without loss or keeping it as a hobby company. I’ve known Kate for the better part of a decade and timing felt impeccably right for this opportunity to partner and ignite our creative and communal similarities. -Melanie Read more>>
Krystyne Escalambre
At 17, Krystyne “GandaKris” Escalambre reached out to Nintendo, aspiring to join their ranks. Although she received a gracious rejection letter, this did not deter her. Instead, it fueled her determination to pursue her passion for gaming and art.
Over the years, GandaKris honed her skills as a custom amiibo artist, gaining recognition for her unique creations. Her dedication and talent eventually led to a partnership with Nintendo, a collaboration that has flourished for over seven years. Reflecting on her journey, she shared, “I never knew if my custom amiibo got to Reggie Fils-Aimé. Warms my heart to know it’s been sitting on his desk at Nintendo the whole time.” Read more>>
Laursz Official
Having no job for a while to Successfully building my own property management company whilst becoming a new parent, achieving lots of clients and reaching new financial heights.
I dedicated lots of time to it and achieved a lot from it. Had I never had this idea, I wouldn’t have been able to reach these levels and fund the life I wanted. It was a great idea that just came into my head following leaving a previous job role. Read more>>
Tiffany Cataldo
I started my journey in beauty 20 years ago and quickly fell into hair. I went to cosmetology school as a young, new mom because of my passion for makeup. Back when I graduated cosmo school the makeup industry was difficult to get into and people didn’t have their makeup done for every occasion like they do now. About 7 years into my hairstyling career I developed carpel tunnel and was told by my doctor to take a step back, which I had no problem doing at the time because it wasn’t my passion. I started bartending full time and just quickly got comfortable doing that and feel into a routine. Fast forward to 2016 and I was ready to start my makeup journey again and Wicked Makeup was born. I didn’t start out with a ton of products or clients or an LLC but I was ready and knew that everything else would come in time. Read more>>
Michelle Garramone
There was a moment when logic told me to play it safe, but my gut told me to leap. I had a steady job, a predictable paycheck, and the comfort of knowing exactly what each day would bring. But deep down, I knew I needed to build something of my own that would be my legacy.
The decision wasn’t easy. I wrestled with doubt for years, the fear of failure creeping in at every turn. But one day, I stopped overanalyzing and at the start of 2024 I just decided to go for it. I went all in on launching my own business. I went all in on putting myself out there. There was no safety net, just a vision and a determination to make it work. Read more>>
Martha Jackson
A big risk I took was launching The Bubble Lounge Podcast. It might not seem like a huge leap to some, but for me, it was stepping into the unknown. I had a background in media and communications, but I had never been the face—or in this case, the voice—of a project before. I had spent years behind the scenes, helping others shine, but putting myself out there, sharing my voice, and building something from scratch was intimidating. Read more>>
Elizabeth Ayoub
“We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,
but not delight. We must have the stubborness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world.” – Jack Gilbert
If music is memory, then song is its wings.
I have been singing since I have memory. Family videos of myself as a toddler back home in Caracas, singing freely in Spanish, English and Arabic with mic in hand were the norm, not the exception. At the International American School I attended, the arts had a way with me. From choir to dance and musical theatre, music enveloped me. Being a protagonist on stage was thus not a burden, but a calling. Performance became a way of understanding my place in the world. Read more>>
Vic Savage
I’d say quitting a 9-5 to become self employed is a pretty big risk. Going from making a steady paycheck to not knowing if you’re going to have zero clients or twenty that week. Not having a 401k or health insurance. No payed vacation or sick days. These are all the things you give up when you take the plunge to become a tattooer. I wouldn’t change a thing tho honestly but I would love some affordable health insurance. Read more>>
Dorica
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was quitting my barista job at Starbucks to fully pursue my creative path. It wasn’t just about leaving a job; it was about stepping away from security and into the unknown—where success wasn’t guaranteed, but freedom was calling.
I transferred my barista job when I first moved to New York City from Ohio. It gave me stability, paid my bills, and provided a sense of security in a city that could otherwise feel overwhelming. For a while, I found pride and gratitude in that—especially because my transfer was delayed by three months. In the meantime, the only income I had was from UberEats… on foot… in January. Yeah, it was rough. I only had a pair of off-brand Uggs, too. And for some reason, New York’s cold in January feels like a different kind of disrespect. Read more>>
Rose Savage
The biggest risk I ever took was moving to Nashville almost three years ago. At the time, I was living in North Carolina, working back to back meaningless jobs, and feeling like I was being depleted of my life‘s purpose, which has always been music and the creative arts. I knew deep down that I wasn’t meant to stay in the same place, and I needed to go somewhere that could help me achieve my life’s purpose. I already had a few musician friends who lived in Nashville and all it took for me to take this chance was to be so sick and tired of being sick and tired of not doing what it was that I really wanted to do with my life. So, I packed up, left my dead end relationship, moved to Nashville and I never looked back. Read more>>
Claire Wellin
In 2024, after a lot of time (many years, haha) thinking about and wrestling with my relationship with social media, I decided to really go for it – prioritizing posting / participating every weekday, spending some money on ads for shows, hiring help with content creation, scheduling, and editing, and in general having a lot of conversations about being out there on the platforms. At the end of the year, I was both over- and under- whelmed with the results. The myriad of ads I’d run didn’t meaningfully push the needle on ticket sales, my reach and follower count hadn’t grown in a way that justified all the time spent working towards that goal, and my brain felt fractured. Read more>>
Amber King
The biggest risk I think I have taken was moving to atlanta georgia from long island new york. About two years ago I chose to leave and bark on a new adventure. I was guided by my spirit’s And ancestors To move to atlanta to get back into the natural holistic indigenous ways of healing. I have been through a variety of my own drama such Eyes being expelled from school , living in the woods for 2 years, abuse, death of brother, gun violence and so much more. It was my mission to heal myself and then in return Help my clients heal themselves. I call myself amber The soul therapist because I use a variety of non traditional ways of healing the mind. Read more>>
Luke Stoffel
I’ve taken plenty of risks in my life—moving to New York with nothing, launching a startup with no safety net, throwing my savings into one scheme after another—but one of the biggest risks I ever took was believing in my own wildest idea.
A few years ago, I co-founded Cinderly, a fashion-tech startup built on the idea of turning dressing rooms into a social experience. I poured everything into it—time, energy, and nearly my entire savings. My co-founder and I somehow hustled our way into a major tech conference, where we had to pitch to some of the biggest investors in Silicon Valley. The only problem? We weren’t exactly “tech bros.” So, we leaned into what made us different—glitter, fairy wings, and a pitch full of personality. We turned heads, made the press rounds, and even caught the attention of a Saudi investor who invited us to a high-stakes meeting. Read more>>
Gina Liberman
In the literary world, there is a theme whereby the hero (ourselves) must experience a period of exile, a distance from the soul’s arc, such that we might create the path for which our steps were made. In my own life, it has never been a direct route.
Whereas the big cat of the African savannah rations their energy for the hunt, the butterfly or songbird must explore every branch and flower to understand the nectar that will feed it, and to cross-pollinate its ecosystem with joy. For the butterfly, its purpose is to lift our gaze. For the songbird, it is the invitation to step outside our busy lives and listen. Read more>>
Elizabeth Eichhorn
Growing up, I was taught the world looked and worked a particular way. As I got older, I started to learn how untrue that really was. I didn’t feel settled or happy in most of the courses I was taking in college or the jobs I had afterwards. I had to allow myself to feel. When I did that, I recognized that I was meant to be something more and push myself. I created a food company. It was vulnerable to put myself out into the world, but I did it. I look back and see all of the mistakes I made, but also all the growth i’ve had. It is not about focusing on the things you can’t do, be proud of taking the risky steps, because most people don’t. Read more>>
Pateley Nichols
I’ve always believed that sometimes you need to leap ahead of what you think you’re capable of, and trust that you’ll learn to catch up. In September 2022, I took that leap when I quit my job on a whim, with no real plan, just a fiery ambition and a determined spirit.
Now, you might be wondering how I got to where I am today—building and scaling a successful brand and web design studio in under two years. The truth is, it’s never as straightforward as it seems. Read more>>
Manu Saluja
What felt like a big risk to me was stepping out of my comfort zone as a figurative portrait painter and giving myself permission to explore entirely new ways of applying paint. I had, of course, enjoyed exploring new themes and strategies while painting portraits in my 20 plus years as an artist, but making a complete departure from the familiar towards new visual discoveries felt terrifying! Read more>>
Nora Tatina
It still feels like yesterday. With tears dripping down my cheeks, I held another rejection letter. I had cried so hard that day, the kind of ugly cry that leaves you looking like a morning zombie with mascara running down your nose and face. At that time, my big dream was to be a writer. I wanted to write books, travel the world, and speak in big venues. I was the girl with big-city dreams. After submitting more proposals than I could count and receiving more rejections than I wanted to read, the dream of writing slowly became as distant as the night sky. Although my dream of becoming a writer was dying, I held on to it with a tight, clenched fist until….a conversation that changed everything. Read more>>
Mari Maldonado
When I was forty I tried out for Sesame Street. It was the summer of 2012. I received a text message from my Mom saying “Sesame Street is hiring!” She also included a picture of the job posting. I could not believe my eyes. It had been a life long dream of mine to be on Sesame Street. So much so, that as a child I wanted to grow up to be a Muppet! How could I not? I was growing up in a time where Jim Henson’s Muppets ruled the evening television time slots and Sesame Street was the piece de resistance of public television. Puppets and people living in harmony, singing songs and teaching. It was glorious and I wanted to be part of it! Time progressed and I realized it was impossible for me to be a Muppet but I never gave up my love for puppetry or Sesame Street. They just became a part of me.Now here it was decades later and I had the opportunity of a lifetime! The job criteria was specific: Read more>>
Philip
I began my college education at Temple University, initially pursuing a degree in liberal arts. However, after a semester, I felt creatively unfulfilled and decided to transfer to the University of the Arts, where I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts. Like many artists, I had dreams of making a living from my talent, but pursuing a career in the arts always felt like a huge risk. The term “starving artist” was often mentioned when I shared my aspirations, and I saw friends and family either thriving in their artistic careers or stuck in unfulfilling jobs that didn’t allow them to fully utilize their talents. Read more>>
Jasmine Charbonier
I’ve always loved being creative, and for years, I worked a corporate job in New York City that I liked at first. But over time, being micromanaged made it hard for me to grow and be myself.
The job paid the bills, but it didn’t make me happy. I was chasing someone else’s idea of success—working long hours and hiding my creative side. One of the biggest challenges I faced was overcoming my own imposter syndrome. I had to confront my limiting belief that I wasn’t “qualified enough” to create digital marketing strategies through content for myself and others. Read more>>
Leigha Baker
Starting The Social Aspect was a leap of faith that pushed me outside my comfort zone. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was going to work, there were so many unknowns, and the risk of failure weighed heavily on me.
But I trusted my expertise in social media and my ability to help businesses build their online presence. The initial uncertainty was daunting, but with a strong support system of friends, mentors, and clients cheering me on, I found the courage to take the plunge. Their belief in me gave me the confidence to keep going, even when doubts crept in. Today, The Social Aspect stands as proof that trusting my knowledge, and having the right people by my side, was the right choice. Read more>>
Mascara Beetle
The riskiest thing I’ve ever done was moving from New Jersey to California to pursue a nursing degree at Fresno State. I was only 18 years old and I didn’t know anyone in California. I had to support myself and I needed straight A’s, even though I had been mostly a B or C student in high school. I had to take certain classes before applying to the nursing program itself and my grades determined whether I got admitted or not. I also had to establish residency in California to get into the program. I just took inventory of what needed to be done and got to work. Read more>>
Leon Agee
Everyday we live with what ifs. For a majority of my life, that’s all I knew. My parents had worked regular 9-5 jobs. I only expected the same from myself. As my world grew, it only allowed me to know. I don’t have to fit in and I’m not meant to. One Christmas several years ago my mom and I went out for Chinese food with a movie. The movie we watched wasn’t really good. I told her I can do way better. She put me to the test and I created my first book Campfire. Just hearing her say that let me know she had faith in me. I finished and published it a few years ago. I’m still surprised I can say I’m a published author. Read more>>
Karpit Patel
One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was leaving a stable career in the healthcare industry in India to pursue my passion for filmmaking in Los Angeles. While working in healthcare, I was also nurturing my creative side by pursuing photography. I worked as an Assistant Photographer, carrying equipment, setting up shoots, and learning the art of visual storytelling. This experience fueled my desire to explore the world of storytelling further, eventually guiding me toward filmmaking. Read more>>
Blake Priebe
Risk-taking is a common aspect of being a full-time real estate investor. However, one of the biggest risks I took was committing to becoming a business owner and real estate investor in the first place. I had opportunities to pursue athletics, modeling/acting, or work in a corporate setting with a steady income and benefits. Yet, by the time I graduated college, I chose to set those paths aside and pursue my own business despite obtaining the degree. At the time, I really wasn’t making much money outside of what I could pull in from side hustles. I watched several friends move to new cities with awesome job opportunities and great starting salaries, while I moved back home to my moms basement (which I am incredibly grateful for), with no serious income. Read more>>
Dr. L. Quaneck Walkes Commander
Taking risks as a serial entrepreneur across multiple vocations requires courage and perseverance. Early in my journey, even before my forties, I struggled with the pressure to fit into a predefined mold. However, I have come to realize that my mission, goal, and desire lie beyond conformity. I thrive on versatility, embracing opportunities in education, technology, and spiritual modalities. Read more>>
Chef Kia
I believe my biggest risk was me choosing to go against the grain of what my parents and brother as far as going to a traditional college. I chose not go to a 4 year school, simply because it didn’t excite me, the thought of it never made me feel passionate, and I chose to go a college that offered me a skill/trade, and I could become certified so I could be able to charge people for my knowledge. At Le Cordon Bleu, the kitchen is literally your classroom, and I enjoyed that. Read more>>
Mina Vergel De Dios
In my mid 30s, I took a risk that would change everything—I started my own business while still working a full-time job, with the goal of eventually walking away from the stability of a paycheck to build something of my own. The risk? It might not work out. But the bigger risk? Never knowing if it could. Read more>>
David Ludlow
In April of 2017, I was a one of fork in the road moments in life, to either keep living life the way I had or seek help & get brutally honest an admit I was suffering and need a serious intervention. Growing up I had everything I ever needed, like many not always what I wanted. My parents did their absolute best, but there was always something missing I felt & couldn’t identify anything particular. There was an emptiness growing inside me that I never felt like I was enough & developed a fear of being my truly authentic self. This manifested over the years & in my late teen years, I discovered that alcohol & other substances took that feeling away. I had found my solution, finally! Read more>>
Shonda Smith
I actually started providing loc services to clients in my living room while working a full time job in corporate America. It all started once they fired my coworker and I had to take on their responsibilities as well as mine. So this went from one full time job to two quickly. After 8 months I was fed up, one morning I decided to quit. I had zero savings and no plan. I turned my laptop in that morning and sat in a salon that day with zero clients but I made a few posts on social meds to market. At the end of the day I told myself I think I made a mistake. The next day I received 3 phone calls and had 3 clients. The next day more phone calls. I’ve been extremely busy from that day forward. I’ve always believed in God but in that very moment I knew I made the right choice and my faith grew even stronger! I will tell anyone, if you’re in alignment; TAKE THE RISK! A leap of faith is all it takes! Read more>>
Larissa Rinaldi
Six months after launching my first book, “City Echoes: Lessons From New York,” I sold a copy to everyone I knew and was not even close to my “best seller” dream. This is how I started my business. I would teach you how to write a book in exchange for a social media post.
The demand increased, and I started charging for book coaching, but something was missing. The best part of launching a book is the event, the party, and the speaking gigs. So, I promised my clients an event to launch their books. This is how CRiA started. When my first client finished her book, I crafted a creative event from scratch with 12 professionals working in big companies like Google, Meta, J.P. Morgan Chase, and marketing agencies. Read more>>
Sarah Metcalf
I have always had a passion for photography. When my boys were little, I bought my first “nice” camera and began dabbling in photography. I would practice with my own family, and that grew into more. Soon, I started photographing other families, taking senior portraits, and even shot some small weddings. I always wanted to be a photographer full time, but I could never justify the risk, the pay, and the lack of insurance for our family, so I kept plugging along teaching. I ached to be home with my boys more, while following this love of photography. Read more>>
Asha Hopson
Once finishing college and figuring out my way around the food industry in Charlotte, I decided to trade in the city I had grown to love for home- Memphis, Tennessee. While owning my business has always been plan A, working in a fine dining restaurant was the last thing I needed to cross off of my list before pursuing entrepreneurship. Within a couple of months of being back home, I become the assistant pastry chef at Restaurant Iris. I joined the team during a critical time; the restaurant was reopening! New menus are being created and tested, and there are brilliant ideas and even better food options being brought out of this kitchen. Before we all knew it, it was time for Iris to open its doors to the public. Read more>>
Cassandra Hesseltine
I took a risk. A big one. I believed in myself. Call it what you will, I learned early on that I was capable of whatever my heart desired. I was capable of learning a skill set and executing said skill. However, what I didn’t know was the power of believing in yourself and how far that would take me. That is the difference between doing and not doing. Read more>>