We asked some of the most interesting folks in the community to open up about how they think about taking chances and the role risk has played in their lives and careers. Risk is by far the topic folks talk to us most about and we hope the responses below will help shed light on many different perspectives.

Laneya Christine Johnson | Designer

The role risk taking has played in my career is really just going for an opportunity and not accepting the answer No. I’ve taken so many risks in my career just by being me and believing in myself no matter what. I’ve pushed myself to keep going and never stopping and having an amazing support system behind me cheering me on. Read more>>

Monique Berduo | Alternative Development Executive

Approaching risk in my life and career is like walking a delicate balance between passion and uncertainty. As a daughter of Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants, I was born to a family that has taken risks in more ways than one. Growing up I was handed a blueprint for success that was traditional and clean-cut: be a great student in school, don’t get in trouble, don’t make too much noise, get a college degree and land a respectable job. However, from an early age, my grandfather nicknamed me the “troublemaker” of the family because I would constantly challenge expectations or take unconventional risks. Read more>>

Jonathan Talassazan | Real Estate Agent & Investor

As a realtor, I believe risk is just a natural part of life and work, especially in real estate. It’s like a necessary ingredient. Every deal I handle has some level of uncertainty – you know, things like the market suddenly changing, clients’ needs shifting, or unexpected situations popping up. Dealing with these uncertainties has really shaped how I operate in my career and life. Personally, I’ve always seen taking risks as a way to grow and find success. I mean, without taking a few chances now and then, it’s tough to move forward, innovate, or hit those big achievements. I’m a firm believer that the road to success often runs through failures and the risks we take. Read more>>

Shermane Cowans | Content Creator & Actress

Taking risk has helped me FLOURISH, honey! I’ve gotten to go to NYC and do a summer program at one of the top NYC schools there in Manhattan. I attended the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts in July-August 2022 and was offered at 13k scholarship! I was picked of 13 from 210 other students! I also have been in an Awarded short horror indie film, I’ve been in an Amazon prime TV show turned Tubi Movie! I’ve been in another short film shot in my home state of Kentucky. All by just putting myself out there! I truly just have a “wing it” mentality! I think if every one just put themselves out there and they see how much further they get .. they’d do it ! And love it ! Read more>>

Shunta Graham | Shunnie Marie Affirmation Queen

First off let’s define what taking a risk is. Taking a risk is the act or fact of doing something that involves danger or risk in order to achieve a goal according to Webster dictionary. Now that we have define it now I can explain how taking a risk has played a role in my life. The first risk I can remember taking that had a tremendous impact on my life was informing a teacher when I was in junior high that I was being sexual abuse at home. I knew by taking this risk that I could be taken away from my mother or my life and my family’s life could have been in danger or she would not believe me and nothing would have happened. But I decided to take the risk and prayed that it will work out for my good and it did. Read more>>

Vivian Acevedo | Salon Owner & Facial Specialist

I think of risk as an opportunity to be one step closer to achieving your dreams. I feel the fear of risk has held many back from achieving their full potential and it has held me back in the past as well. I used to always play the safe route and had a previous career that was financially stable and gave me a sense of security. However, I was miserable and was under bad management. I knew I needed to make a change but was afraid. I had to shift my mindset and embrace risk instead of avoiding it. Embracing risk allowed me to change my career path and open up my own business, Lux House of Beauty Salon & Spa. Read more>>

Belle Sinclair Pace | Actress & Writer

I think any artist who decides to give themselves fully to their craft experiences a good deal of fear and doubt in their thought process, whether they’re just starting out in the industry or they’ve been in it for years and are looking to grow in a new direction. Instead of pushing these natural feelings of doubt and fear away, I use them to propel me into my work. Ultimately, the question for me came down to this – when I look back on my life, will I regret never having given acting and writing a shot? Will I regret not giving it my all? When the realization hit me that I’d only ever experience this life once, that sense of finality led me to shed away all of the beliefs that weren’t serving my happiness. Read more>>

Evalyn Lopez-Benoit | Salon Owner & Stylist

I believe that the path to achieving your goals is often paved with risks. When you pursue your passion with absolute determination, the thrill of the journey out weighs the feeling of the gamble. Even though Ive had setbacks from taking risks, they have all been a valuable lesson. This is how I try and approach life – moving forward in the pursuit of my dreams, regardless of the risks and staying focused on my goals while enjoying the journey. Read more>>

Dean Sadler | Photographer/Videographer

I think of risk kind of like an admission fee into the next story of my life. And it’s not always guaranteed that I’m going to like the next story or feel the most comfortable but I will learn something and gain some sort of knowledge or resource regardless. I’ve found an understanding that I have to give up or leverage something in order to enter in to the next phase of my journey, whether that’s time, money, relationships, sleep, stability, clarity… risk, to me, is physical proof that I’m faithful and determined and believe in my vision. Read more>>

Shandilin King | Hair stylist and Make Up Artist

Risk has played a pivotal role in shaping both my life and career. Transitioning from a career as a probation officer to a full-time hairstylist was undoubtedly a significant leap of faith. After a life-changing car accident has left me unable to return to my previous profession, I saw it as an opportunity to pursue a passion that had always been present but unexplored fully. Embracing the risk of returning to the beauty industry brought a sense of fulfillment and joy that I hadn’t experienced before. It allowed me to channel my creativity into something positive and uplifting – helping people feel confident and beautiful through hairstyling. Read more>>

PC Babyy | Artist Actor Model

You know of the phrase, “Life’s a gamble”? I totally agree. Without risk, I believe one shall never know the true power within themselves. Where I come from, as a black man, we take risk everyday. Whether it’s, getting pulled over and enduring the process of police brutality, gang violence, poverty, over load of unhealthy fast food businesses and liquor stores. We risk just surviving on a daily basis in South Central, however most of us let faith continue to play it’s role in life. Read more>>

Bianca Rugimbana | Principal Publicist + Lead Consultant

Risk taking is KEY! I have operated my own business and agency for over 5 years now, yet I took the leap aka RISK, in July of this year to join forces with an Australian communications agency that is both corporate and consumer public relations focused. This has been one of the best career moves I’ve made. I’ve been able to incorporate past clients, while also acquiring new business clients, so we can all continue to grow within this industry. Read more>>

Red Woodsum | Music Producer & Writer

While I’m now generally seen as the “responsible one” among my friends, there was a time when risk-management was an integral part of my treatment plan. Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teenager, reeling in my impulsive risk-taking became a primary focus for myself and my doctors/therapists throughout my coming-of-age. Successfully, I eventually came to a point of adulthood where I no longer took the ride with a stranger or trusted every person in a suit who said they could offer me a business opportunity that would set me for life. I found myself with a comfortable office job for a hospital, complete with health insurance and a 401K. Read more>>

Emily Guglielmo | Entrepreneur ~ Mermaid ~ Model ~ Adventurer ~ Leader

Risk is instrumental to creating wealth and living a full filling life ! I know that no matter what happens, I can get back up and do it again in a different way if I fail the first time. The beauty of living to do things and try things ! Leave a legacy Read more>>

Jamall Anthony | Songwriter & Boxer

I’m 2018 I packed up my 98 Ford Mustang with everything I could fit into it and moved to California from Pennsylvania to pursue singing/songwriting so that’s the biggest risk I’ve ever taken and almost 6 years later and I’m grateful everyday for taking that leap of faith. Read more>>

Kotta (Eric) Gorlow | Musician/Singer/Songwriter

I’ve always felt a bit out of touch with the cultural idea of risk. Perhaps “risk” is more of an outside perspective, similar to a judgement. But from the inside, someone doing something “risky” is usually just doing what makes them feel alive or enchanted. I believe most of us can not help but go after the things that have possibilities attached to them, and it seems to me that a “risk” is just a possible way toward a desired outcome. For me, risk is not something that is avoidable, the “risks” that are on my mind are just the directions I have to head to discover what’s behind them. Read more>>

Heidi Duckler | Artistic Director of Heidi Duckler Dance

Risk-taking in general is an important aspect of life, It challenges our grit and our perseverance. Taking risks has played a monumental role in my career and journey of site-specific work. Embracing risks leads to a more creative practice for the work that I do. Experimenting with risks has encouraged me to be an innovator and a leader in my field. Creative risks have also provided me the courage to create change in my process. Read more>>

Rachel Bergeron | Pro Dancer

My entire career and life here in LA was born from risk. Risk taking has always been something I’m extremely comfortable with. I’m comfortable with being uncomfortable and I trust myself with decision-making regarding my career. It really is true when people say “no risk- no reward.” In order to obtain something out of reach, you have to stretch further than is comfortable-or sometimes even imaginable. This is wear the magic lives. This is where you meet your next level of self. I’m always taking risks and investing in myself- if you are willing to match the level of the risk with the same level of intensity in the work you do, chances are the risk will always result in reward. Read more>>

Stratøs | saxophonist, producer, 5x award winning composer

Taking risks is the only way to grow. However, the current struggle is to be able to make space so that one CAN take risks. As a freelance artist, every time I’m able to carve out space to create is a risk. An example of a risk I took recently is the sample pack I just released. The time it took to make something original, unique, thorough, and stylish is time I had to pin down. You never know when a gig or a job is going to be offered, so creating is often a risk. This can’t be forgotten. Read more>>

Gaspard Gabriel | Bassist, Composer, Producer

When I think about risks, I’m first thinking about going somewhere I’m not comfortable in my playing and approach to music. I think it is important to take risks and put myself in danger somehow to reveal what I have to practice and focus on at the moment but also to enable myself to let go and being surprised. I’m a musician but an artist first and taking risks is part of my creative process. I believe mistakes are pure creation. Not knowing is sometimes more beneficial than intellectualizing every note and color. The greatest musician often where able to achieve singularity and innovation through embracing mistakes instead of controlling everything and sound “right”. Read more>>

Isaac Alvarez | Film Director

Risk-taking is crucial when you want to advance your career and life. Of course, there are different aspects of risk-taking, and you have to determine whether you need to take a chance. Life is entirely of decision-making, and for you to be successful, from my point of view, you have to identify when you need to take that leap of faith. In our lives, we always encounter those obstacles, whether they are significant risks or small ones. There’s a quote that Denzel Washington once said that stuck with me. He said “Dreams without goals are just dreams, and they ultimately fuel disappointment. On the road to achieving your dreams, you must apply discipline but, more importantly, consistency because without commitment, you’ll never start. But without consistency, you’ll never finish.” Read more>>

Kara Duffy | Founder & CEO Powerful Ladies LLC + Kara Duffy Coaching & Consulting

People often exaggerate risk. We’re afraid of what other people will think. We’re afraid about what if it all goes wrong. We’re afraid that if the first domino falls, they’ll all fall before we can stop it. Most of my experience as a business coach (if not all of it) is that what we’re afraid of doesn’t happen. While it’s proper planning to evaluate the risks in our plans, where we should be really focusing our energy is the opportunity we see. Plan to mitigate risks and then spend your time thinking about and acting on all the possibilities before you. Read more>>

Ashley Victoria Robinson | Actor/Host

No risk, no reward! That might seem trite, but I immigrated to the United States as a teenager to pursue my career and passion as a professional creator. All I had was two bags and a plane ticket. I had never been to Los Angeles before. Since then I’ve starred in an international commercial campaign, become an award-nominated stage actor, podcaster, and comic book writer, and travelled across the world to perform. My best advice to creatives is to always aim high and bet on yourself. Nobody else is going to. Read more>>

Sonia Jimenez | Kay’s Boutiquexoxo

You have to be willing to take risk in life in order to reach your goals and full potential In whatever it is that you do. It really scares me but it also strengths me. A lot of people may not know that my boutique is my part time job and everything comes from scratch! I feel like I’ve accomplished many things running my business of my own that makes me proud of myself. I am a believer i trust in God and his timing is perfect! If you don’t take the risk, you will regret it. Read more>>