There is a wealth of academic research that suggests that differences in risk appetite are at the heart of differences in career and business trajectories. We wanted to go beyond the theory and ask real people from the community about their perspectives and experiences with risk and risk taking.

Christiana Burak

I feel like my whole life was based on taking risk, living on my own terms, and not what society or pressures have tried to condition me to believe about myself. At the age of 16 I literally was already owning my own apartment and I’m having my own substantial income at the age of 19 I started a business, and I’ve never looked back ever since. I knew once I got a tattoo for sure that I was never going to be able to work for any traditional corporate job.  Read More>>

Dani Holman

I am a firm believer that you have to take big risks to make major changes. Not only in your own life, but to make a major impact on the world. I was a young widow and single mama of 3 when I made the decision to quit my corporate job and focus solely on my business. Read More>>

Walker DuBois

Pursuing a career in the visual arts has ALWAYS been considered a safe and easy way to financial success and stability in one’s life, and is exactly why I chose this career path. Not to mention: have you heard how time‑efficient and easy hand‑drawn animation is, and just how sane and levelheaded the people of the art world are. Right? …Right? Well, luckily a little bit of tongue‑in‑cheek is a nice consolation prize if literally none of the things I mentioned above are inherent or even common in my chosen career path. Read More>>

Adeline Uwizeyimana

For a long time, I thought risk was something to avoid since I am all about plans and certainty. Over time, my perspective has changed. I have realized that some of the most meaningful opportunities in life don’t come with guarantees. They simply ask whether you’re willing to grow. I don’t think taking risks means acting impulsively or ignoring fear. Read More>>

Meg McCarter

I mean, if you aren’t willing to take risks, you can’t move forward. Everything I have done in life involved risk. You never know until you try but if you don’t try you won’t grow. Read More>>

Tesia Blackburn

I took a big risk in becoming a visual artist. I had left a marriage and was sort of at my wits end. It took me a couple of years to figure it out, but I knew I wanted to do something creative. I enrolled in art school in San Francisco and took various odd jobs to get me through school. Read More>>

Brian Lewey

I view risk as an unavoidable part of both business and personal growth. If you’re unwilling to take risks, you’re often unwilling to pursue opportunities that can create meaningful progress. That doesn’t mean taking unnecessary chances—it means evaluating the potential rewards, understanding the possible downsides, and making informed decisions. Read More>>

Tajé Prest

Risk has played a defining role in almost every major decision I’ve made throughout my life and career. For me, risk isn’t about being fearless. It’s about being willing to move forward even when there are no guarantees. One of the biggest risks I ever took was leaving the familiar behind and building a life and career between Lagos and Los Angeles. Read More>>

Carolina Colombo

Risk has played a major role in both my life and career. Looking back, every important opportunity I’ve had started with a decision that felt uncertain at the time. I started working in the film industry when I was just 15 years old, learning the technical side of filmmaking in camera rental houses in São Paulo, Brazil. Read More>>

Christy Harst

Risk is such a heavy word, right? It conjures up visions of jumping out of airplanes, snapshots from Fear Factor, and getting stuck in an elevator with your ex and his new girlfriend… or maybe wife and kids by now! Then there are the everyday risks that feel HUGE in the moment but really aren’t that big of a deal. Read More>>

Brandon Bailey

Risk-taking has played a major role in both my life and career. I don’t think it’s possible to build an unconventional life without being willing to take risks. Nearly every meaningful opportunity I’ve had came from stepping into the unknown before I felt completely ready. One of the biggest risks I took was allowing myself to evolve publicly. Read More>>