Legend holds that Cornelius Vanderbilt had built a massive fortune in the steamboat shipping industry, but then realized the railroads were the way of the future and invested almost his entire net worth into railroads. The gamble paid off and made Vanderbilt one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs ever. But risks are inherently…risky. How do you think about risk and how has it affected your life and career? Some of our community favorites share their perspective below.

Karen Meadows | Artist, Mixed Media Workshop Teacher

My entire working life has been in the arts. I’m a risk taker, in that my work needs to feed my passion of creating. Currently, the process I use to make my paintings is all about risk. Even if I have a painting that has some pleasing areas, if the entire piece isn’t speaking to me, I will paint over it and let go. It feels risky and a little exciting to let go. I guess its been my motto my entire working life, to let go of what isn’t working to pursue my passion for art. Read more>>

O.B. Amaechi | Social Architect, Author, & Coach

I Think about R.I.S.K as a – Righteous Intention, Supernatural (spiritual) Knowledge. As inquisitive beings, I believe that our lives are all about taking risks. We often discuss calculated risks but I am talking about risks that bring you closer to who you are, fully. Once I learned this I always decided to go after what seemed so far away, lofty, and damn right difficult! This isn’t based on a calculation that adds up but a risk that only you can believe will work in your favor. I have learned that risks require some bit of difficulty or discomfort but what is more important is the vision that led you to even considering the risk. Read more>>

Lonnie Webb | Yoga Instructor and Director in the Education Non-Profit Sector

I will admit, that I used to be quite afraid of taking risks. I would overthink things because I felt like I had to be overly prepared to do something. Well, that not only became exhausting it also didn’t allow me to press the go button. Then I realized that life isn’t about getting it right always and that risks actually are key to sparking growth. When I started taking risks, I found myself being more at ease I challenged myself in my personal and professional life. One area I took a risk in was teaching virtual classes immediately after I became a certified yoga instructor. Was I nervous!? Read more>>

Sholeh Asgary | Interdisciplinary Sound Artist

Risk is a precondition for creation. To determine that one is risking something, one must accept that there is a possibility of loss. The “happy accident” is a moment you gain and lose everything at once. For example, sometimes, the best part of the work will become irrelevant to the whole. Often, I begin projects with a tip of intuition or curiosity, eventually leading to a massive amount of research, which is the easy part. Read more>>

Carina Dawn Reed | Pastor & Christian Life Coach

There is a simple phrase among Christians that we embrace; “risk = faith”. And it is derived from Hebrews 11:1 which says “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” Most people don’t associate Christians with risk but actually our entire faith, and the way we live, is all about taking risks. And this includes how we pursue our careers and how we involve ourselves in our local community and the world around us. Read more>>

Justin Barrett | Jade Carver and Jade Diver

I consider risk to be an opportunity for adventure. Risk has shown up in my life in many ways, from Surfing in different parts of the world, to taking the plunge to become a full time Jade artist. It has afforded me the opportunity to build a lifestyle and career around Big Sur Jade supplemented by diving to harvest the stone in remote areas of the coast. I believe that I have a healthy relationship with risk as it comes in to play each time I enter the water to go diving. It helps me to create experiences that inspire my creativity. Read more>>

Abraham Justice | Actor & Stuntman

I’m a risk taker and I believe that taking risk is a must to when aiming big, I started my big risk taking decision when I went to Police Academy in Egypt and wanted to become a police officer to protect my country knowing that I will face the risk of injury or death everyday while in police academy, after graduation when I was in the service or during the special training I took after. Later I found out that I wasn’t protecting my country and I was only protecting corrupt politicians so I took a big risk and I arranged an escape from Egypt and I cam to the land of the free. Read more>>

Carolyn Ceballos | Cosmetic Tattoo Artist

Taking chances and risks runs through my veins. I’ve always been a risk taker even as a child. Taking a risk to achieve a goal requires courage to face the fear of uncertainty. No matter the outcome, either way, we grow through the process & become more resilient & confident. Better yet, building those skills helps in taking more risks and improves chances of achieving goals. The unlimited upside potential of a business that actually takes off is more interesting than a job you know what’s going to happen at the end of the year. I get bored quite easily so i thrive from constantly being out of my comfort zone owning my own business. Put it this way- im stressed when im not in a state of stress. “You gotta risk it to get the biscuit!” Read more>>

Linda Maxson | Artist

For me, risk is motivating. It’s how breakthroughs happen. Exploring and challenging myself and the mediums that I work with is exciting, but it can be risky. I work in several mediums, but my favorite is clay. It provides the biggest challenges and the most satisfaction when something new actually works! I’m constantly experimenting by adding different materials like paper or cotton to the clay or by trying new finishes on fired pieces. Read more>>

Joseph Herrera | Gym Owner

It take a lot of balls to take risks. A lot of people are scared to take the risk because they do not want to fail. But starting a business, you have to take risks to not only survive, but to become successful. When I decided to open up my gym, I had a lot of people that had doubts. When I started NXTLVL, private gyms were not popular. The big box commercial gyms like 24 hour Fitness, LA Fitness, or Golds Gym was the place to go to 18 years ago fitness. But I was confident in my skills and I knew that my overhead cost of running a my business was low. Read more>>

Adana Chaharmahali | Realtor-Founder of Adana Homes, Inc.

In general I would say , I love taking smart risks! In my opinion people who want to see a big change in either life/carrier they have to take calculated and smart risks and success most of the time will be there! I used to work in a banking corporation, with great amount of income+ commission and by the time I chose to take the risk and quit my job, I was the top performer on my position! Well, It was definitely a difficult decision to leave the stable income and build a brand new commission base only business! Real Estate! But it was my passion and my goal, and I was sure I would succeed. Read more>>

Luka Weinberger | Artist, Tattooer, & Consultant

I want you to repeat this sentence in your head, because it has changed my life: I am free to fail. Perfectionism helped me develop the fundamentals of my craft faster. But it did not make me a better business person. It did not make me a more vulnerable human. It did not make me a better advocate for myself. It did not make me a more confidence artist. Read more>>

Rebecca Ford | Artist

If you were to ask anyone who knows me if I am a risk taker, they would probably laugh in your face and say that you must have me confused with someone else. Risks are scary and I prefer my scares to come in the form 80’s horror movies with rubber knives and corn syrup dyed with food coloring. I have always been someone who follows the rules, puts in the hard work to get from point A to point B, because that is how it’s supposed to work. Like a lot of people, in 2020 I found myself with a lot of time on my hands and started toying with the idea of making art and trying to sell it online. Read more>>

David & Ashily Vo | Wedding & Family Photographers

It’s certainly no surprise that starting your own business involves a multitude of risks, and we definitely were no strangers to this reality either. However, when it comes to what you love and what you’re passionate for ~ the perspective of “taking a chance” for us was more of a necessity than a risk. When we first started manifesting our business endeavors, the first 2-3 years involved expenditures that exceeded much more than what we were actually able to bring in. Though it was something that we had planned for and anticipated, Read more>>

FILFURY | Director

I’m constantly taking risks… If I’m too comfortable it probably means I’m not growing. I moved my lil family to LA 3.5 years ago to chase my dreams… We had no family or friends here but came anyway. We took the risk and it’s paying off. I’m constantly pushing and looking to evolve, grow, learn. Without taking any risks that ain’t gonna happen. Read more>>

Henry Zammit | Benestates Elite Franchise owner & Co owner of Benestates Franchise.

Life if full of risks, It’s even a bigger risk not to risk. I have played my a low risk life from when i was born till the age of 25 ! Living in the fear that something wrong is about to happen. I tried getting out of my comfort zone but was back in after the 1st hiccup. At the Age of 25 I discussed to make the change leave everything i had about was about to have and start it all fresh. ( My father and this father my grandfather having been building a Business for more than 40 year and I decided this was not my thing and embarked this new Ventur full of risk ! But there i found myself on the line of risk. Read more>>

Téa Elani | Artist & Performer, known as The Polynesian Princess

In my opinion, especially as a Samoan and Black woman, everything I do is a risk. Waking up, walking out the house, falling asleep at night. And as an aspiring artist/performer, I’m surrounded by more risks than ever. Attempting to do what seems like the impossible has been a hard mental bridge to cross. The hardest part is taking that first step, believing that all the anxieties would follow me. However, I know that the pay off will last longer than the journey itself. Taking risks have always served as motivation in my life, rather than a fear of what’s to come. Read more>>

Cristina Tustin | Program Coordinator and Certified Child Life Specialist

Taking risks can be scary, however taking risks has led me to where I am today. When I think about taking risks, I think about a challenge, new opportunities, new lessons, and adventure. When I was 21 years old, I took a risk and moved to Oregon from California to finish my Bachelor’s Degree. I remember after moving, I sat in my apartment thinking “Why am I doing this, I was perfectly happy at home”. This transition was difficult for me, but that was the beginning of shaping me into the person I am today. Read more>>

Daniel Byers | Director & Writer

On my 30th birthday, we had themed drinks for each of my near-death experiences… from being swarmed by fire ants (The Spicy Shuffle – whiskey with red pepper and lime) to being struck by lightning (The Bizuli Shocker – pineapple juice and grenadine.) There were 9 in total, completely running out my cat lives, and the game itself probably should count as a 10th. Read more>>

Sophie Pollack | Founder of A Path 2 Courage, Junior at the University of Southern California

Risk-taking has played a significant role within my grassroots organization. Taking the risk of being open and honest with my sexual assault history and trauma allowed me to start authentic conversations with students both at the Archer School for Girls, where I went to high school, and the college that I attend, the University of Southern California. Since I started at USC, I have strived to provide more support for sexual assault survivors in Greek life and all around USC campus. Through the founding of my organization, I have been able to hold A Path 2 Courage presentations within 14/15 fraternity chapters, both Interfraternity Council and University Park Interfraternity Council. Read more>>

Tee Nguyen | Artist/Instructor: Serendripity Studios and Academy

My view on risk taking decisions that affect our life/career is that is it essential to our growth in terms of understand out capability, and our limits. Most of the tougher decision require a little risk taking, which sometimes turn out to be a mistake but other times the turnout is life changing. When I started my business Serendripity Studios and Academy, that was a risk taking decision all in itself. I decided to change my career course completely, deep diving into learning the ins and outs of providing a service and opening up my own business, rather than working for someone else. Read more>>

Ethan Rodriguez | Model, Actor, & Influencer

I think about risk as being the biggest opportunity to discover [your life’s] purpose that is most often missed or denied due to internalized fear of the unknown and internalized fear of failure. All of us are born with purpose, and I believe it is our responsibility, our obligation to find that purpose and pursue its highest potential. Yet, we can only find said purpose when we choose to leave every ounce of certainty and security behind. We can only find our personal meaning to life when we embark on the journey to realize our fullest potential; when we embark on the journey that is characterized as chasing your dream. We can only find purpose… through risk. Read more>>

Phoebe Jane Hart | Filmmaker, Animator, Fabricator

For me, risk-taking is all about being honest with yourself about what you want to make and making exactly that. It takes a lot of courage to make something that is completely yours and may not be within the wheelhouse of your prior work. I am always working in different mediums: film-making, miniatures, ceramics, puppet shows, installation work, drawings etc. I somehow don’t find myself able to stick to one way of making, and that used to scare me. I thought for a long time that I had to find one thing and stick to it in order to have a solid career. Read more>>

 

Alexia DelGiudice | Violist, Singer

I think risk taking is one of the most important factors as a musician. Having had a classical music upbringing and background, deciding to delve into the alternative rock world as well has been a definite risk. It is not a conventional path having graduated from The Juilliard School, but I feel that it has actually made me a stronger & more passionate musician classically. Read more>>

Jennifer Lieberman | Actor/Writer/Producer and #1 Best Selling Author

I’m all about taking risks and truly believe ‘no risk no reward’. I was a competitive gymnast for over a decade growing up and in my training I was conditioned to take huge risks almost everyday when learning new skills. The tricks I dared to do a child, most people never dare to do in their lifetime. I’ve always been a daredevil, and adventurer and a little bit of a rebel so taking risks is just part of who I am. Read more>>

Sharon Pulwer | Cinematographer

I think taking risks is the funnest part about being a cinematographer – trying new things in every shoot is the best way to learn, to evolve, and to keep myself curious and engaged. I think that only through taking risks you give room for real discovery, and these moments of discovery are the ones that really make this work worth while. Read more>>