Are you a risk taker? Do you think you have a stronger appetite for risk relative to your friends and family? We asked some folks from the community about their approaches to risk and have shared their thoughts below.

Alex Peña

I just realized I couldn’t wait for things to happen on someone else’s terms. I couldn’t just sit down and wait for the casting call to get a chance at doing anything, I had to take the reins to create opportunities for me and others like me who are always looking to work and grow. Read More>> 

Jasmin Mueller

I believe risk is essential for real growth. If a decision doesn’t feel a little scary, it probably isn’t worth making. After college, I moved to Los Angeles for an architecture job, even though I had no network, no money or any expectations. It was uncertain, but I chose growth over comfort, and it launched my career. Later, rather than returning home, I chose to work from Mexico, today still a bold personal gamble. Those experiences taught me that stepping into the unknown consistently builds my confidence, adaptability, and creative edge. Read More>> 

Janina Washington

Q1: Risk-taking — how do you think about risk, and what role has it played in your life and career?

Risk is the heartbeat of everything I’ve built. From the outside, it might look like confidence — but really, it’s been a practice of moving forward despite the uncertainty. I don’t wait to feel 100% ready, because I know that moment never really comes. Instead, I listen to my gut, take the leap, and trust that the net will appear — and when it doesn’t? I learn. Quickly. Read More>> 

TANNA HARRIS

I have taken big risks & leaps of faith a few times in my personal and professional life, but that is not my go-to state. When I have taken risks, the pay-offs have been substantial changes for the better. It is complicated and scary to have a “what do I have to lose” attitude or no Plan B, but those have always been the most rewarding. The key, though, is to not lose that self-confidence that fed the seed of ideas in the first place.  Read More>> 

Tran Dang

My parents gave up their house, their career, their family and friends, and everything safe and familiar to provide more opportunities for my brother and me. I didn’t think too much about it when I was younger because they made it seem so effortless. All I had to worry about was going to school, eating my meals, and hanging out with friends. Now that I am an adult and having to experience life myself, I admire my parents for their love and courage in moving to a completely new country to start all over again with barely anything. Read More>>

Letizia Zocco

To me, risk is inseparable from creativity. Every time I start a new project, I know I’m taking a chance, on the story, on the people I choose to collaborate with, and often, on myself. But I’ve learned that if you believe in your ideas, you have to be willing to invest in them, even when that means going into loss, both financially and emotionally. Read More>> 

Amy Pickering

I think taking risks is crucial to growth! Betting on myself was a risk taken! When starting a new travel business, your first concern is how to get clients.
As clients begin to trickle in, you’re suddenly faced with a confusing mass of deeper questions. There’s always risk in starting any business, not to mention the hundreds of questions that flash through your mind.
“Will my travel business take off?” Read More>>