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.

Seana Lamothe

After a hiatus from performing, I had returned to the world of community theater. I spent a few years doing local plays and musicals, going from my day job straight to rehearsals at the theater till 10pm. I loved it. I felt fed by it. I’d always been afraid to take a risk and perform professionally. Auditions are intimidating. There’s so much competition. But I knew that despite my anxiety, I was a good performer, even if I occasionally blew an audition. Once again, I considered the possibility of acting professionally. Read more>>

Seyi Solaru

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was investing £4,000 in an online course designed to teach people how to build a successful YouTube channel to grow a business.

At the time, I felt a strong calling toward creating content on YouTube. I had been an avid viewer, so I understood the basics, like needing a camera, lighting, and a setup, but I had no idea how to turn YouTube into a business or how to sell a service or product through it. Read more>>

Baby 5

Taking a risk is not always about who finished first but it’s about who can keep running still able to keep goin during the risk. Read more>>

Felix Davis

Even having the IDEA of “entrepreneur” is a big risk when coming from a lower class family. So the entire journey is a risk, because most people learn their way of life from their parents or relatives. With me being adopted, I have FOUR PARENTS (who are all alive) but still have to take the risk of going completely against the grain of everything I was taught/programmed to think or believe. “Always have a plan b”, you should do barber school”, “get a trade”, “it shouldn’t matter what the boss is telling you to do if they are the ones paying you”, etc. were things I’ve been told since I had the dream of becoming an NBA player.. which AUTOMATICALLY sets an ounce of doubt in your mind that your goal is a little far fetched. So “take the risk” wasn’t really our family’s thing, we were the ones who rather work for someone who took the risk of their own dreams because it was always easier. Read more>>

Valerie Peppert

In 2017, at just 18 years old, I took a leap that would change the course of my life—I moved to the United States to be an au pair for a year. It was a dream I had nurtured for years. Long before I ever booked a flight, I spent hours watching YouTube videos of other au pairs, imagining what it would be like to experience life in America firsthand. I had romanticized every detail—the travel, the friendships, the idea of fully immersing myself in a new culture. When the opportunity finally came, it felt surreal. Read more>>

Elizabeth Carranco

I think that life presents us with these types of opportunities all the time so that we can show ourselves what we are capable of, whenever a challenge is presented to me I take it and always seek to learn from it. Read more>>

Destiny James

Showcasing a talent that my family shunned while I was growing up has always been a challenge. Taking the risk of becoming a music artist was the biggest leap I’ve ever taken. There are days when I contemplate giving up and going to law school instead, to become a lawyer. Growing up, my family discouraged me from pursuing a music career, and looking back, I realize they were likely afraid of me failing. Ironically, it wasn’t until I began singing that I started to fear failure. I’ve always loved singing, but never in front of others. Once I accepted that I couldn’t escape this passion, I decided to take the risk and pursue it anyway. Read more>>

Kelsey Ochaba

In 2021, I became a mom for the first time. For many, becoming a mom isn’t a monumental idea, but for me this was something I never thought I’d experience. For starters, I always thought I lacked a certain motherly instinct, and then, when we finally made the decision to start trying for children I struggled with fertility issues for 1.5 years. Once my first was born, I had anticipated returning to the classroom after a leave of one semester. However, three months into my leave and I realized I was about to take a huge risk and leap of faith to stay home full time with my son. Read more>>

Becca Rozar

The year is 2017 and I’m standing on the cool tile floor of our casita, strapping the last gear essentials to my bike; a snorkel and flip-flops. After a series of events involving dark skies, the Coast Guard, and an unhinged co-worker, my partner and I decided to quit our jobs at the rental shop and go ride our bikes instead. With another good pal, we set off down the coastline of Costa Rica to pedal our way to the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. Sitting in the saddle, looking down at my fully loaded bike, uncertainty washed over me like a wave. Each pedal stroke was a risk, accelerating me into the unknown. Read more>>

Kris Finn

In 2021, I left my longtime career as a public school art teacher to start my own mobile art business in a repurposed city bus. It was a huge risk, and one that I had never planning on taking. I LOVED my job, felt that it was using all my skills and talents, and that I was fulfilling a vital role in my community. My plan was to retire from the school system…and then that path was derailed by the COVID 19 pandemic. Read more>>

Annie Stormant

I took a risk last year in April. My husband and I were living outside of Boulder and came to visit Trinidad Colorado. We immediately felt a pull to this small beautiful town- it was intriguing in a way I can’t really put into words. Trinidad is full of untouched historic buildings, nestled beneath Fishers Peak, with the Purgatory river flowing through. West of town, there is a glittering lake with views of the Spanish Peaks. Historically, it’s fascinating. I could go down a real rabbit hole there, but I’ll spare you! Currently, it’s redefining itself after the marijuana boom and multiple other boom-and-bust cycles. We decided to move here after one visit. Read more>>

Adriana Eberhardt

I graduated in 2012 from the College of Healthcare Professionals. I started right away at a Massage chain. I worked for them for 2 years. For those two years I would spend 8hr shifts working on clients and also waiting on walk-in’s to come in. Sometimes we would work on 6 to 7 people a day. Having to really ask for our breaks. We would only make so much while the company was taking most of the profit. For some people it’s ok and it’s easier for them because they don’t have to worry about advertising or getting a client base themselves. The company handles that. I then went on to another Spa. The same situation really. Read more>>

Clayton Shay

I’d say the biggest risk that I have taken was moving to Nashville to pursue music as a career. I graduated from college with my bachelors degree and was pretty well set up to go into graduate school. But, after meeting with a few of my professors/mentors, I decided to pursue my strongest passion, which is music. Continuing on with school felt like a more guaranteed path to success, but I felt compelled to chase what was calling me. Looking back, I have no regrets. I have a long way to go to be where I want to be, but I have done a lot of cool stuff along the way, and have reached millions of people with my music. That’s all that matters. Read more>>

Aracely Ramirez

I remember that a few years ago, I felt I was at the top of my career, but I also felt I was capable of doing better work. At that time, I had a pressure on my chest and a voice that kept my mind very busy, saying all the time, “You must leave.” I was very confused. I had always wanted to travel around the world doing my art, but I was afraid of failure. That voice never stopped. It sometimes got quiet, but it always came back, stronger. Read more>>

Ama Adams

I’m from a very small town in Kansas, where people don’t take risks. They live comfortable content lives, which never appealed to me. At a young age I knew I wanted to be an artist and to see the whole world. I would say I have always lived a pretty risky life. but the biggest risk I ever took was my move to Brooklyn. Read More>>

Jamie Beal

An example of a risk I took in my creative career was deciding to publicly present myself and my work.

I came from a small town in Iowa, where it was out of the norm to promote yourself and your work online. Growing up, I had begun a YouTube channel with a few friends at the time. This was my entry into a creative outlet, and I spent many hours dedicating myself to filming, editing, and posting videos relating to fashion or beauty. However, it became something that people would joke about and eventually turned into something that I became embarrassed about. I private all of the videos but one, and left the YouTube channel. Read more>>

Derrick Stamps

The risk I took was back in 2020. I went full speed and started a payment processing business with no experience. When Covid hit, I needed the money to be able to take care of my family. My wife is a stay-at-home Mom, so she takes care of our two kids. I saw an Ad on Facebook and immediately started learning the ropes. Fast forward to today, and we have close to 60 accounts. It has been a huge blessing to our family, and I am able to help other business owners along the way! Read more>>

Bailey Pepper

One of the most transformative moments in my life, career, and business ventures was realizing that the traditional path wasn’t the only option. After passing my boards in July 2024, I started as a new graduate physical therapist in a clinic because I thought that was what I had to do. In school, we’re presented with a limited set of options—clinic, hospital, school, or rehab/nursing home—and I chose what felt most comfortable. Read more>>

Amir Pierre

One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was stepping into entrepreneurship. I was raised with the belief that the only path to success was working a steady job for someone else until retirement. But deep down, I always felt drawn to something more—something that allowed me to create, build, and grow on my own terms. That desire for independence pushed me to take a leap of faith into the unknown. Read more>>

Elise Mears

I was in college at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA. It was my first year and I was studying Fashion Merchandising. I was also modeling at the time because I was signed to an agency in Philly. However, I didn’t take modeling seriously because it didn’t work with my school schedule, and school was my priority. Fast forward to the end of year, when they kicked us out of the dorms because Covid was shutting everything down. I finished the last semester online, and with little hope of covid getting better anytime soon, I really just had time to think. We all know what a time that was LOL. Modeling was always in the back of my mind, because I loved it. I had worked a handful of jobs in Philly, so that was nice to get some experience when I could. Read more>>

Giovanni Burgos

Taking risks isn’t just something I do in business—it’s something life has forced me to do. One of the biggest turning points in my journey happened on December 21st, 2023 at 5 in the morning, just days before Christmas.

That was the day my house burned down.

By the grace of God, my wife, my two babies, and I made it out alive. That’s something I will never stop being thankful for. But in that moment, we lost everything—our home, our belongings, the life we had built up to that point. Waking up to flames and realizing that everything was gone just like that—it was devastating. Read more>>

Melinda Anna Farina

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was launching Beauty Brokers Inc. in 2001. At the time, the idea of a plastic surgery consultancy simply didn’t exist—there were no university programs, no blueprint, and certainly no industry acceptance. I was creating an entirely new category in an industry that has traditionally been very closed off to outside innovation. Plastic surgery is a field dominated by surgeons who operate within a tight-knit, hierarchical system, and the idea of a consultant guiding patients and helping them navigate their options was met with tremendous resistance. Read more>>

Celine Williams

It was March 2020. My husband had just graduated from engineering school and landed a job two hours from our home. The long commute quickly wore on him, so we decided to move closer to his work.

We sold our first home, found the perfect new construction within an hour of his job, and moved into an apartment while we waited for it to be completed. Then—like so many things in 2020—COVID changed our plans. Construction delays pushed our move-in date back by three months, turning our temporary stay into a longer-than-expected wait. Read more>>

Mark Kadow

In 2020, Mark Kadow, the owner of Tucson Games and Gadgets, faced a pivotal decision: whether to expand his gaming store within the Tucson Mall to include a medieval-themed bar, later known as The Short Rest Tavern. This venture was unconventional, blending a retail gaming environment with a themed drinking establishment, and it posed significant financial and operational risks. Read more>>

Jelani Barber

So there I was, struggling artist with a low paying job and in between homes. I wasn’t “homeless”, but I was crashing at my best friend’s house riding a bike from North Hollywood to Pico Union to get to work. Eww. I honestly was pretty depressed, working full time for $12/hour and going to the studio almost everyday. I just wanted to be able to take care of myself for real. Read more>>

Alexander Buyanov

One of the biggest risks I ever took was leaving behind a well-established, successful business in the beauty industry to pursue something entirely new—creative DIY kits. For 13 years, I had built and managed one of the largest businesses in the nail care industry, and I was comfortable. But deep down, I felt something was missing. I wasn’t creating something truly personal—I was running a business, but not something that felt like a reflection of my passion. Read more>>

Ninja-dee

I attribute where I am in life thanks to Lord of the Rings, Behide the Scenes. As nerdy as that is. I remember being awed as a teen that the armor and props were all hand made, and I wanted that to be a part of my future. During my early cosplay days in high school, I dabbled in prop making with cheap foams. I applied to collage with the intent to get an Industrial Design degree which lead me to learn CAD modeling and the wonders of 3D printing. Now I utilize those skills professionally and to better my cosplays. Read more>>

Megan Keller

Ever since I was a little girl I’ve always been the artistic kid. I had an adult in my life who would tattoo out of their home and I always thought that was so amazing; I knew that I wanted to do that too at the age of 7. However, my parents weren’t supportive of the idea and said I would make no money in art, so I gave up that dream and went the more traditional route. I was in my third year of my psychology degree, and it was during COVID. I was struggling with the online aspect that the pandemic introduced us to, and professors were not understanding about the workload they were giving all the students during this time. After a disagreement about a grade I decided to drop out, I wasn’t happy in school and I also wasn’t ready to take 4 more years of school to get my Masters in Psychology. Read more>>

Cecilia André

I’d say taking risks comes hand and hand with choosing to be an artist. In order to make work that is exciting for your public, you must embrace the ideas you deem random or too far out of your reach. Two big leaps of faith led me to making the immersive textile installations I work with today. The first was using stitches to join pieces of canvas as background for my oil paintings which of course led me down a rabbit hole of textile possibilities and gaps in the works which filled the traditional canvas space with light. The second was embracing transparent colors and using colored vinyl as material to be stitched that led to a playful experimentation with natural light and has brought me to a place where viewers identify and differentiate my work from the work of others. Read more>>

Madison 7seven

One of the risks I took was to go back to my university and to complete my Bachelor of Business Degree while still working as a Cosmetologist. That was one of the greatest decisions I made, in which many of my strategic management classes helped me with creating my lipgloss brand! I remember my professor instructing my team members that we had to create a global online sneaker company. In order for our team members to graduate, we had to come together and create a mock sneakers online company. We had order/adjust inventory, managed and sold sneakers, and also handled profits/losses for the sneaker company. We passed with an A+and I received my Bachelor of Business Administration Degree! Read more>>

Nicole Shrestha

Taking a leap of faith was starting my own company at the very beginning of the pandemic. Businesses were laying off employees, closing their doors, and the world was in turmoil. Reiki and energy wellness weren’t even on most people’s radar, let alone something they’d consider trying. Yet, somehow, Reiki started taking off for me. Read more>>

Genai Walker

Moving to Garland, Texas, from Conway, Arkansas, was a defining moment in my life. Leaving behind everyone I knew to start a financial advising career was terrifying, but I was determined to make it work. With no family, friends, or safety net, the transition was tough—I had to build a network from scratch, gain trust, and push myself out of my comfort zone. Read more>>

Brianna Saba

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was deciding to open a photography studio with my sister. It started with a simple phone call and an impromptu brainstorming session. We’re both photographers in our own right — my sister is a full-time photographer and director, while I’m an Art Director / Designer and film photographer working mostly in the street photography and documentary space. The idea was extremely exciting to me. My mind began racing with all the possibilities of how we could make this something really special. My creative acts have never been restricted to one lane and this new endeavor sparked something deep within me. Read more>>

Michaela Brown

One risk I can vividly remember was the time I went skydiving back in 2021. Backstory: earlier in the year of 2021, the plan was to do something big for my 21st birthday. As 21 is one of those monumental coming-of-age years, I wanted to do something that I’d always remember. So I thought to myself, why not go skydiving? It always seemed so cool to me and like it was an exhiliarting yet anxiety producing experience. Since I knew I wanted to spend my birthday weekend in Charlotte, I chose to go to Piedmont Skydiving. I asked my best friend Kayla if she wanted to join me in this first-time experience, and she excitedly said yes. I purchased tickets for us; then the date and time was finalized as Saturday, October 23rd at 1:00 p.m. would be the day of the “big jump”. Read more>>

Rebecca Kolb

About a year and a half ago, I decided I was going to pursue a career in stop motion animation. But what took me so long to really commit to the idea? I think I was afraid of the risk. I was afraid of the possibility that I might never reach certain goals or live up to the title. Sometimes, I can still feel like that. I had always wanted to work in animation but didn’t know where I could fit into the pipeline. I felt like it was impossible to break into the industry. Read more>>