Taking Risk is essential, but how much, when and why? Taking risks effectively is as much of an art as it is a science and we’ve asked some of the brightest folks in the community to tell us about how they think about risk taking.

Rico Coria | Photographer, Videographer, Graphic Designer and Artist

Taking risks is the best thing you can do on your life path. Taking risks artistically and with your career can be great to learn from. I have taken risks where the end result wasn’t what I would like but I learned a lot from that risk and use that knowledge I learned from that risk. I have taken risks where the end result is amazing and it also can create a stepping stone to the next part of the journey or it may lead you down another path which is very cool. Read more>>

Josh Iwanaka | Gym Owner

There is risk at every opportunity. You can play safe and not take risks but that may also lose you the chance for the next big opportunity. I grew up saying yes to every opportunity. However, as I’ve matured I’ve tried making smarter, more calculated, decisions to mitigate fallout. This has come as a necessity as my family has grown. There is just too much to lose. Read more>>

Chet Bentley | Musician & Sound Healing Practitioner

Risk is the Universe’s way of testing my faith. I’ve never advanced in any aspect of my life without taking some form of risk. It’s like something much bigger than me is asking, “How much do you believe in yourself? How much do you believe in me? How strong is your trust that this is all by the design of some higher spiritual intelligence putting everything in perfect order?”. Read more>>

Rachel Zehden | Somatic Partitioner and Self-Love Coach

Conquering fears and taking risks has shaped my life and career, leading to incredible opportunities. One major turning point was when I fearlessly moved from Germany to Los Angeles, despite uncertainty and limited funds. This leap of faith opened the door to personal and professional growth beyond my wildest dreams. Read more>>

Omur Ozgur | Artist, Motion Designer and Photographer

I believe we should always strive to maintain enough freedom to take risks. When we tie ourselves too much to routines and structures, it often limits the number of risks we’re willing to take. I consistently make an effort to remain free enough to embrace risks. This way, I was able to leave behind a comfortable salary and stability, moving to distant countries to build a new life. Read more>>

Yajie Qin | Production designer

Embracing risk often unveils remarkable opportunities. The pivotal moment arrived when I boldly shifted my academic focus to filmmaking and resolved to pursue education overseas. Acknowledging the inherent uncertainties and cultural contrasts between China and the U.S., I was undeterred by the challenge. Driven by an unwavering passion for filmmaking, I embarked on this transformative odyssey. Read more>>

Emmett Preciado | Actor, Model and Trans Activist

I think that everything in life comes with a risk, right? Love is a risk. Walking out your front door is a risk. Transitioning is a risk. Everything is risky. So why not go after the things in life that you truly want? I’m so passionate about telling stories and helping people de-stress and heal through TV/Film. Yes, it’s a stressful career path but the risk has been so rewarding and worth it. Read more>>

Chaz Haye | Business Owner, Clothing Designer & AMFT

Taking risks is very important, especially in the business. As an entrepreneur and designer, I’m constantly taking risks in making business decisions and producing designs. I’ve learned from every risk I’ve taken, no matter the outcome. I think the goal is to learn from those risks and eventually learn how to take better risks, that bring even bigger rewards. Read more>>

Richard Crossley | Books and connecting people to nature

Everything I have done, or wanted to do, meant making it better or changing how we do it. Change is risk. For many, fear of failure is debilitating. For me, doing something that somebody has done before is typically not worth doing. Making something better is the real reward in life, particularly if it positively effects peoples lives. Failure is part of that success. Read more>>

Glen George | Transportation Designer

From a young age, I’ve always been someone to go against the social norm. When it came to finishing high school, while all my friends were preparing for entrance exams for colleges in India and around the world, I myself was adamant about preparing. my portfolio to pursue Transportation Design. It is funny now that I look back at it, I had no guarantee on how things would turn out but I was just focused on my dream. Read more>>

Cody Salas | Photographer & Director

Risk taking is the reason why I am here. For so long I was hesitant to take risks within my career but I got to a point where I realized I was going nowhere if I didn’t risk betting on myself. Ultimately the way I see risks now, I have less fear of what the outcome will be and have gained more curiosity as to where I will find myself after making the decisions that feel “risky” Read more>>

C.G. Ryche | Award-winning filmmaker, Producer & Drummer for IronWrath

I think anyone that pursues a music project in today’s world is taking a giant risk. The industry has changed so much in recent years, especially post-Napster. The infrastructure to get from point A to point B is nonexistent. And it’s meant to favor the record industry or manager more than the artist. With that said, I believe it’s not intelligent to take uncalculated risks but figure out innovative ways to reapply the wheel to a broken industry. Read more>>

Sébastien Hameline | immersive production specialist, director of photography / Cameraman , filmmaker, Musician, coffee enthousiast

I was told a while back, “the risk in life is not to take it”. As we grow in our careers (and our life), the type and the importance of the risks we are willing to take change. We also get more confident in taking them. And sometimes, they might be just a façade. Read more>>

Electric Sky Drone Shows | At Electric Sky Drone Shows

Risk taking is an integral part of our drone technical side, particularly when flying numerous drones 400 feet in the air to create mesmerizing light shows. However, it’s precisely this element of risk that motivates us to be experts in our field and implement robust safety measures. Read more>>

Sebastián Chicchón Motta | Visual Artist

I’ve always considered risk-taking to be a significant aspect of my life, especially when it comes to my career. While I used to lean towards a more cautious and safe approach to everything in the past, I realized that that mindset was going to lead me nowhere so I started to embrace a bolder stance when making decisions and I feel that really paid off for me. Read more>>

Tokie(Jiayin) Wang | Choreographer/Art Director/Visual Artist

For me, taking risks is like the secret ingredient that keeps my life and career flowing smoothly. It’s been the driving force behind some of the most transformative moments in my journey. From the decision to move alone to the States for my Choreography master’s to the experiences of crafting and presenting shows, collaborating with admired individuals, and stepping into new roles – all these choices were rooted in taking risks. Read more>>

Markell Titov | Owner & Executive Chef

I believe that risk is an integral part of success in life and business. History is full of examples when people, risking everything, and for frequent life, turned their routine around and achieved great success and public recognition. I would say that risk is an additional pushing, motivating tool. When we take risks, we often make incredibly difficult decisions. Read more>>

Janet Miller | Theatre Producer, Director, Choreographer and Educator

I have taken several risks in my career. If my first reaction to a project is, “No. I can’t do that,” then I know I should. Often I don’t think about the choices as risks until after the fact. I would not be doing what I am doing today if I hadn’t taken many leaps of faith. Read more>>

Jami Lee Avery | DEN Meditation CEO + Business & Strategy Consultant

Life is risky, baby… but I’m all about it. Risk-taking is an integral part of both my life and my career philosophy. It always has been and I would not be who I am today by playin’ it safe. I wholeheartedly believe that embracing risk is necessary for personal and professional growth, and it has been a guiding principle throughout my journey. Read more>>

Sem&Stènn Sem&Stènn | artists, singers, producers, songwriters, videomakers

We consider ourselves as spontaneous risk takers since day one. When we released our first single “Baby Run” in 2016 we came out with the single cover showing us kissing. That was a strong statement of who we are. At that time, we were basically the first declared queer artists debuting in the music business, which was pretty odd to us. Read more>>

Andrew Garcia | Model/ photographer

Taking a Risk always works because it’s about the experience you gain. For me taking a chance has shaped my life dramatically. Take a risk ! Read more>>