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.
Dola Posh
In the winter of 2018, I relocated to England for love and to further my life and career; it was terrifying as I had to start my career from scratch. I remember reaching out for opportunities, and I wasn’t given a chance; time passed, and I got to work with a big media company. After I started work, I found out I was pregnant and got terribly ill in the first trimester. Read more>>
Plaboni Sharif
Funny enough, one of the first, most significant risks I’ve taken now seems so minor – cutting my hair. Like many women, I’ve equated my beauty to the length of the hair on my scalp. The longer, darker, and thicker my hair, the more beautiful and feminine I was. So, when I decided to cut my waist-length mane to a pixie cut, I truly started my transformation into my most confident self. Read More>>
Carmen Farmer
I’m actually taking a risk at this very moment. I officially decided to resign from my day job to pursue entrepreneurship full time. There are a number of investments I have made/am making in order to make this possible. One being growing the business of Achilles’ Love Body Care. I am in talks with surrounding businesses that want to support and feature local vendors within their market and we are excited to expand. Read more>>
Kevin Mack
With the topic of taking risk, it is important to understand the difference between taking risk and risky behavior. One of these can elevate us the other can lead to our demise. We might over look the difference between taking risk and risky behavior. The 2 can seem the same but can be vastly different. In taking a risk, this are things needed to do to “level up” or increase ourselves. Read more>>
Gabriel Turner
When I think about certain risks I’ve taken in my life, my mind immediately goes back to a specific event. At an early age, I can remember being interested in music and when it came to an instrument, electric guitar was the “Holy Grail”. I can remember listening to my favorite artist and running to my room to try and pick apart the guitar parts played over the radio. It was such an unknown part in my journey because I had no idea where to start. I finally understood how to play, through error and multiple DVD rentals. Read more>>
Camora Fuller
While working a full-time job, in February of 2020, I decided to start school to become a licensed nail tech. At that time, I did not know a month later it would be the start of a world pandemic. I continued with school and kept working my 8-5, but unfortunately, I caught COVID-19 in the middle of June. I had to take leave from work under the Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to get better. Read more>>
Elisa Lyons
While working full-time in a community mental health center providing school-based therapy services in my local community, I quickly noticed the need and limited options for quality mental health counseling services in this rural area. I established my private practice out of this need, and after a few months of working both practices, after much thought, deliberation and guidance, I made the huge decision to resign from my comfortable and safe community mental health job, to pursue my private practice full time. Read more>>
Tiana Shai
One of the biggest risks I have ever taken was when I gave up a successful career in cosmetology to pursue my true passions. One day I just decided that I couldn’t continue to live life in a way that didn’t feed my creativity, so I dropped all of my clients and went after my dreams. Read more>>
Christina Golson
My life has been characterized by taking big risks in order to explore new possibilities for my life and livelihood. The first big risk I took was when I left everything I knew in my hometown, Chattanooga, TN in order to experience cultural immersion in Spain and become fluent in the Spanish language- which had always been a passion of mine since I was a young girl. Read more>>
Jenny Powers
This is to every woman and to every girl who has ever wanted to follow her heart. My name is Jenny Powers and I am the founder of The Empowered Woman and the author of Empowered: The Woman’s Guide to Following Your Heart. Empowered is an inspirational guidebook that is full of guiding truths that will help to show you the way, through the sunshine and through the rain, and through every chapter of your life. Read more>>
Steff Leppard
Starting a new career is always risky. It’s like you hit a reset button and you have to start from the beginning. I knew going into the tattoo industry would be difficult at first. You only have friends and family and from there, it is word of mouth essentially. When I decided to jump, I had to devote all my time and invest in order to advance. I had no idea if I would be able to afford living expenses in the beginning. During the time I first started my apprenticeship, I was unemployed due to my work closing. I knew I was limited on time to begin making enough to support myself so I worked very hard, almost every day. Read more>>
Eloise Stewart
The last seven and a half years of my life have been a risk! My life as a business owner has been made up of risk after risk – but each of those risks, however big or small, has led to an ever evolving business and career. My real risk taking started before my business ever began. The seemingly small risks kept adding up: Deciding not to get a fully-paid PhD degree to have a secure, tenure track, academic career was a risk. Read more>>
Kaesyn Green
Grown, unemployed, and living in my parent’s basement. It was April of 2020, a month after our “extended spring break”. COVID sent me home from college. I lost my job and returned back to Indiana, 19 hours away from my friends. My classes moved online, only I had no way to pay for them. Times were uncertain, and I needed a way to pay my bills. Read more>>
Tamika Hill
In my career, I have taken three major risks and learned that each risk led me to something greater. The first risk was quitting corporate America in 2019 after 17 years and starting my full-time private practice without a step-by-step plan. The second risk was expanding my practice to a group practice during the first two years of COVID-19 to two locations and adding five staff members. I still did not feel like I was done. I always felt some people will never go to therapy for various reasons but how can we still expose them to therapeutic experiences? Read more>>
Jerica Watson
I started out in business in late 2018 making aromatherapy candles with my daughter. I choose a name based off what my daughter thought sounded good with no real research or effort. The business name was available as a whole but it was partially trademarked. As we grew I started receiving letters and emails regarding that every year. I kept proving them incorrect but I always seemed to come to a halt when trying to advance the business. Read more>>
Dee Brown
One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was leaving my home state, Mississippi, with no place to live in Atlanta. I planned to move to ATL since 2012 when I heard music artists were performing out here. So 6 years later, I took that leap of faith. I was homeless for 1 year and 3-5 months and experienced a lot of ups and downs in the process. From sleeping in my truck to couches and back to my truck, it was a real struggle. I took that risk because I have a weird belief in myself. Read more>>
Jacqueline Arce
Being in your mid 30’s with 3 kids—2 with special needs, RISK isn’t a major part of my life…only stability and routine as I was working in Property Management for nearly 10 years. As much as I enjoyed helping families find a place of their own, many whom are in the military and relocating and adjusting to a new city—a small town life, I felt my role at work was becoming more limited with time. I wanted to do more, more with work capabilities, Read more>>
Tayl’e Hubbard
The decision to branch off into my own business and start “COACH TAY PERFORMANCE” was an indefinite risk. I knew I had the knowledge to do it, however, I needed the confidence to execute as well as a little bit more business knowledge. I started COACH TAY PERFORMANCE little by little; I accepted a few clients here and there and trains them in their apartment gyms, Sooner or later, I began working at a private gym as a contractor in the Addison area and since then business began to grow. Read more>>
Jalisa Keyes
Covid changed the dynamic of my life along with the rest of the world. The world stopped and life slowed down. Consequently, I was able to stop, pause, and reflect on my life and what I truly valued. I realized, though, I was doing well financially, I did not have a healthy and thriving work-life balance. Even with enforcing my boundaries, work seeped into my personal life. I never felt as if I had time off or away from work. Read more>>
Chelan Harkin
Near the end of 2020 I realized, with quaking terror, that I needed to publish my collection of mystical poetry. This realization was terrifying because it involved bringing forward a part of myself that mattered so much to me and that had been well hidden. I knew it would change the way people related to me and I was afraid I would be met with rejection or misunderstanding. Read more>>
Nadira Swanson
I started bellydance for physical therapy from a car accident that left me with a herniated L4/L5 disc as well as my head wrapped around the head rest that left me with what’s called an Environmental Illness. That means that the blood brain barrier that surrounds the brain was jostled when my neck wrapped around the head rest, which then lets in chemicals to the brain. That unlocked migraines and sensitivity to scents. Read more>>
Lauren Garza
In February of 2022, I met a beautiful bride online, Andrea through a Facebook group that referred my company, Timeless Event Planning, as a company she should consider. Our initial consultation was great, and our vibe was immediate. Early on, she was interested in having a wedding in San Antonio. A few weeks later she decided to change plans and get married in Cabo Mexico instead. Read more>>
Kenzie Hunter
I think as creatives, we are required to take risks. Going against the grain or thinking outside the box, frankly, kind of demands it. I have always thought far in advance of any move I’ve made, especially when it came to finances. However, in 2018 I made the decision to jump with not much more than faith, determination and less than $100 and rent out my first studio space. Read more>>
Keisha Spencer
In 2018, I separated from my husband and began to work on myself. I focused on becoming mentally and physically fit to walk in my purpose. In 2019, I became a Master Life Coach and launched a nonprofit called Fit for a Purpose. In this space, I am able to do what I love, which is helping others grow socially and mentally. Read more>>
Alexis Forteza
Probably the biggest, yet the most rewarding risk, I have ever taken was when I packed up my entire life into my car to move to Dallas from Florida. At that time in my life I had just found God, and I desperately needed a new environment to not only grow, but to heal from deep rooted scars. Read more>>
Deanna Silverman
After my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer & eventually passed away from the disease I knew I wanted to get into Medical Social Work to help families going through really tough times. I graduated in 2012 from The School of Social Work at USC with my Masters Degree and quickly found myself working in a few hospitals in Southern California. Read more>>
Kathryn Fraggos
How is this for a big risk… My husband and I were professional performers living in NYC, and also both working at an extremely well paying, high-end fitness institution. I was training A-list celebrities almost daily, and my husband was fortunate enough to be performing alongside a few of them as well. After 11 years in NYC, however, we both decided that it was time for a change. Read more>>
Phylicia Bernard Alexander
Seven years ago, I made my boldest move ever and quit a growing career in nursing to start my styling business! Nursing was a journey I began in my high school years and continued into college. It required persistence, dedication and provided great fulfillment when I saw how much I helped or changed someone’s life health wise. Read more>>
Alexander Clary
My only regret, is that I didn’t take the risk to start my own Martial Arts sooner. My story of going from student to instructor, and then to black belt many years later, is a strange one because most people become black belts and then instructors afterwards. But, at my very first martial arts school (which was also my very first job), the testing processes were separate for achieving black belt and becoming an instructor. Read more>>
Devon Anderson
Starting a business in itself is a risky move. I always like to tell people that although I have no glass ceiling and my options for growth are endless, I also have no floor. There is little to no security when owning a business; having a strong client base is beyond imperative. That said, I started my business while living in an idea, and within a couple of months, I moved to Washington; this is where my client base started to flourish. Read more>>
April Brown
I recently celebrated three years of entrepreneurship in March of this year. In March 2020, I decided to leave my full-time job. Although I did not have a plan, I decided to take a risk. I felt that it was time for me to step away for good. I needed to do this for me. So, I told them my last day was March 31, 2020. To my surprise, the pandemic hit, and my last day on the job was March 13, 2020. Read more>>
Dayne Silveira
I grew up in Hong Kong but moved to Toronto to pursue a future in the creative arts. I had a few different art related jobs as an illustrator, graphic designer and vfx artist. At one point I was even drafting for an architectural firm and although these were great jobs, I just wasn’t fulfilled. I remember feeling completely lost because I spent so much time in school setting myself up for success only to feel miserable with where I ended up. Read more>>
Stephanie Weeks
Taking a risk on myself. That is hard as a person. Usually we have confidence in others more than ourselves. The risk of my 2 different youtube channels, my course, my mortgage business, , my book, my podcast. I come from modest beginnings. My dad had a 6th grade education and my mom did not further her education until adulthood. There were times our family had to share cans of vegetables as our dinner and there was not always enough left for mom. Read more>>
Jordan Beecham
During the course of my life I have taken a few risks Straight out of college I moved to Louisiana to live with my then girlfriend and now wife. I knew she was a special person, and we had been together roughly a year at that point. This was a good risk for me I didn’t fully know what I wanted to do for a living at that point but I knew who I wanted to be with. Read more>>
Lucia Genao
In the wake of COVID, my position underwent changes prompting me to reflect on my career path and quality of life. So in 2021, my family and I decided to move from New York to North Carolina in search for a change in lifestyle. We had peace in our hearts that this was where God wanted us, so we made the move. Read more>>
Emma Persaud
My pursuit of happiness lead me to take the biggest risk of my life! the decision to be a full time freelance Makeup Artist was always a dream that I never thought would come true. I battled with negative thoughts and lots of doubt, was I good enough to be able to make a living doing makeup for clients? do I need to save a years worth of bill money first? I was very apprehensive and maybe my little makeup hobby should just be that- just a hobby I did on occasion for just friends and family. Read more>>
Catherine Berra
As a single mother for many years, I avoided dating due to the difficulties of balance life, work and all that goes with raising a son alone. Once he made his way to college, I decided to try online dating and what transpired over the course of the few years I attempted this new adventure, was cause for some serious laughter. The stories I shared with friends were the topic of lots of some crazy conversations as well as a study in the human condition. Read more>>
A.J. Thomas
In 2013, I was entering my last year at North Central College in Naperville, IL without a clue what I was going to do next. I was entering my senior season playing a sport I loved more than anything in the world, football.l and had no clue what the season was going to hold for the team and me, personally. Any aspirations of going to the league we’re still alive, but dwindling due to the reality of timelines and understanding how the NFL works with recruiting and draft boards etc. Read more>>
Ashley Taylor
The biggest risk I have ever taken was taking the leap and moving my business into a suite. At the time I was 22 and I was working full-time in the wellness field and traveling to clients on the side, building my business however I could. Unfortunately, I did not drive, and traveling to these clients cut deeply into my profit margin. I was hemorrhaging money and I knew if I wanted my business to prosper I would have to take a different path. Read more>>
Terri Hoover
My story has been full of risks from the beginning, from a high school drop out going to cosmetology school and buying a salon all in a years time to navigating thru the pandemic after losing 11 employees. As a single parent, bartending at night and going to school during the day my days were exhausting from the beginning. My grandparents had left me a little money and when I completed school (the first thing I ever remember completing as an adult), Read more>>
Courtney Lockridge
The biggest risk that I’ve taken would be starting this business without first testing the waters. From taking my classes and receiving certification, I jumped right in by securing a lease before even obtaining clients. I just knew that with properly planning, Gods grace and dedication to my goals, that I would succeed. Read more>>
Shenelle Roebuck
I am a trauma therapist. I have spent many years learning skills to help my clients to work through their trauma. While I have helped so many people through their trauma journeys, I too have embarked on my own healing journey. By the end of 2020, my trauma felt different. Racial trauma was on an all time high, human rights were being violated, hate was running rampant, and the trauma of a pandemic and living in a world that was altered so drastically and not knowing what would come next had begun to affect me. Read more>>
Anya Szigeti
I took a huge risk when I quit my lucrative job in corporate America to pursue my doctorate degree and a career following my passion of empowering, educating and equipping others to make the best decision for their own health…it could have ended badly. I had experienced such a transformation in my own health and life that it was worth the risk to pursue this passion, with the hope to be able to help others on the other side. Read more>>
cristin klonowski
In 2004 I graduated from The Ohio State University in Art Education and dreamt of being an art teacher. Art was my life, it helped me manage stress and depression and I loved sharing it with others. I couldn’t find a job being an Art teacher so in 2007 I applied at my local big box retailer and quickly moved up in management becoming a Store Director by 2012, at one point running two-multimillion-dollar stores and overseeing a store launch in Canada. Read more>>
Anna Martinez
Sometimes you find yourself at a crossroad in life, and that was where I was in January of 2022. I had just turned 30, I had recently stepped away from a chocolate job because of an unhealthy environment, and had taken another job in the service industry to pay the bills. The job was fine and the people were great, but it wasn’t for me. It was not what I wanted to do. I had discovered chocolate about three or four years before, and realized working with chocolate was something I was good at and really loved. Read more>>
Kristina Compton
Building Hilda and Jesse. We are two queer female women who decided that they wanted to open a restaurant which elevated the daytime meal period. We saw an opportunity to apply the same level of discipline, intention and attention to detail that one expects in the evening at dinner, to daytime dining. In making this decision, we effectively chose to create a new meal period – one that was not easily identifiable and different than what people already are familiar with. Read more>>