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.

Kristen L | Guitarist + Songwriter

I think risk is absolutely necessary. It goes back to the saying, “You never know unless you try.” But there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about taking risks. If you’re careless and reckless about it, that’s how you can get yourself into trouble. I’m always confident rolling the dice because I consider what can go right, what can go wrong, and I’m ready to navigate the ‘what if’ factors in-between. If that risk pays off? Read more>>

Mollie Jane | Songwriter, poet and front woman of Mollie Jane and The Band Milk

I’m born and raised in LA and have lived here for 26 years. I’ve watched a lot of creative folks come to this city with a hunger in their eyes for opportunity and collaboration, and I’ve watched that same hunger turn into a sacrificing of integrity and truth. I think one of the biggest risks you can take as an artist is to remain balanced in your integrity amongst the compromise of working with people who are going to help elevate your craft, and hopefully aid in carrying it where it is meant to grow. Read more>>

Solija Mitzi Rian | Writer, Musician, & Storyteller

Thank you for having me! In retrospect, I can’t seem to stay in one place. When I feel something get too repetitive, I especially like the act of “changing” and trying something totally different that fuels my energy and perfectly chaotic brain. In the creative field, I think that risks are designed for us, and are necessary because they teach us a thing or two about how we react. Read more>>

Bart Saric | Filmmaker/Artist/Writer/Business Owner

Risk is a part of life. Whether it is rarely, daily, weekly, yearly .. risk is a part of life and growth of oneself. It teaches us about what works and doesn’t work, based on trial and error. If one does not take any risks in life they are avoiding the essence of experiencing life and it’s gamuts and endless levels of educational dynamics. I feel that if you avoid risks in general, ones life can become more at risk of dangerous, or real adverse situations that can and will occur. Read more>>

Haley McClain Hill | CEO & Founder, USAF Veteran

Risk taking is essential if you want to be a trailblazer! I took a huge risk trying out to be a professional NFL cheerleader and I made 2 teams! I took another huge risk starting a business and getting out of the military and it has been the best decision of my life. I took a huge risk when I applied for Veteran Shark Tank and our brand won $50,000 when we won! Read more>>

Bailey Roberts | Photographer

At some point, I realized that in order to live the life I’d chosen and built, I’d need to get comfortable within the sweet spot of risk; a state of being that is characterized by an alchemy of authenticity, hard work, consistency, and faith. By “comfortable,” I mean extremely uncomfortable all the time. Read more>>

Berenz Castro Daniel | Hair Stylist

I think the story of risk is a tale as old as time that has been proven to be effective. Now, putting it to work in my own life and career was much harder than I imagined! I was living the corporate life working a 9-5 job in El Segundo. I thought I was happy until one of my closest friends, Preston from Beauty School, started to bring me to set to assist him. Read more>>

Mikaela Mosley | Artist, Production Designer & Creative Director

Risk is something that I embrace as a catalyst to change. The only way anyone can grow is to step outside their boundaries of comfort. If all anyone did was what everyone did, we would never have new ideas or discoveries. Being black in the United States is inherently risky. Where you go, how you present, how you talk and many other factors determine your safety and your success in anything. However, with those risks comes the opportunity to formulate change. Read more>>

Karen Reyes | Event Coordinator & Artist

Life is a risk- We are here to experience and pursue our desires, and all of that requires risks to be taken. The greatest risk truly is not risking anything at all. Risks play an important role in my life, and I believe they have significantly contributed to my personal growth. I like taking risks in all aspects of my life. In fact, one of my new year’s resolutions revolved around taking risks and doing something new and out of my comfort zone every month. Read more>>

CHISOM IFEACHOR | MUSICIAN / PRODUCER/ EXECUTIVE / FACILITATOR

Coming from nigeria in african and now living in los angeles i have had to take a lot of risk, leaving my home to a land where i know no one to chase my dreams so i say risk is an inherent aspect of life and is present in various aspects, including personal relationships, finance, career choices, and business ventures. Taking risks can lead to both positive and negative outcomes, and its role in someone’s life or career depends on various factors, including personality, circumstances, and objectives. It’s important to note that risk-taking should be balanced and calculated. Read more>>

Abby Feldman | “Comedian births pop star messiah ORiMOH”

I love taking risks. Risks feel like the safest way to live. Maybe it’s because I’m an Aries. I feel most comfortable and in flow when I am taking a leap of faith and don’t know what’s about to happen next. Maybe it’s because I was a really stressed out kid. The daily routine, having to go to bed, school, chores, ugh. Maybe it’s because Chiron is in my 6th house.  Read more>>

Jesse Sasomsup | President of Earnest Homes Property Management

My wife was pregnant with our first child and I had the sudden urge to start a business before we got too busy with life. I had to take a well calculated risk by studying almost every industry. I found that almost half of small businesses failed within the first 5 years which prompted me to create a criteria of the business I want to start. Then came the research, I was looking for a business that can withstand recession and AI proof business. Read more>>

Alana Cloud-Robinson | Writer

I have had a tendency to pretty firmly stand on one end of the spectrum or the other when it comes to risk. I have spent extensive periods of my life paralyzed with the fear of making the “wrong move”—of taking a misstep and ultimately being plagued with regret. Read more>>

Kiana Corley | Singer / Songwriter / Musician

Risk has been everything in my career, honestly. It’s been a risk to move across the country to Los Angeles, to invest thousands of dollars in music creation and development programs, and it’s also been a risk to pursue what I’m pursuing amongst friends and family that don’t fully understand the choices I make for my career. It’s almost a blessing to be naturally impulsive, in this way, because I can just lean into it & not have to spend too much time convincing myself to take these risks. Read more>>

Robert Downs | Professional Photographer

“RISK in business is everything if you want to move forward. I believe some risks are easier than the other, like what coffee to buy for the kitchen, but the tough ones can be incredibly difficult to get through. I typically rely on my gut feeling when taking on a risk; my inner self has never let me down. Read more>>

Andrew Lipow | Film & Television Composer

I am a big risk taker. And in the music industry, it seems the higher the risk, the higher the reward. Risks help me grow as a musician, composer and human being. I have uprooted myself several times and moved around the world to pursue music. I wouldn’t have met my wife if I didn’t take a risk and attempt to talk to a beautiful stranger at a Nashville bar. Read more>>

Detroit Diamond | Artist, Songwriter, Model, Actor

I believe I’m a professional risk taker: I’m always just getting up and going to new places in the world and trying new things. Even if I don’t know how to do certain things, ima try it. Like last year, I went on my first tour (Shoutout to MossFest) and didn’t have a fan base in any of the 8-10 cities and states. But I still took that risk to grow and build with the fans organically and it was a major success. Read more>>

Miranda Schry | Professional Dancer

In my opinion, anyone who chooses to pursue a career in the arts is a risk-taker. To deliberately go down a path that is notorious for its uncertainty is taking a risk greater than most individuals will ever dare to take. We as artists never really know when that next paycheck is coming, whether or not we will get consistent work, or when a possible career-ending injury may occur. Read more>>

James Fabio | Horror and Sci-Fi Composer

To me risk and creativity go hand in hand, especially with music. If you approach a score the same way every time and stay within your musical comfort zone with choices such as instrumentation or genre, you’re limiting your own potential, creative spectrum and creating a sonic ceiling for each project. Eliminating those limitations is a risk though when it comes to time constraints or pleasing your audience. Read more>>

Natalie Mazzolini | Artist: Experimental Expressionist

Taking risks is very important to me in my artistic process. To be a great artist you have to push the boundaries and think outside of the box, and in order to do that you have to throw the rule book out the window and follow your gut. Always trying something new, and embracing the absurd has allowed me to find new methods and perspectives in my art journey. Read more>>

Sierra Scott | Software Developer & Brand Specialist

Risk only exists if you’re highly attached to something; Making insane money, getting a million followers, thinking that you’ll fail, or that you’ll succeed…having some type of fixed outcome in your mind, those are things where your decisions to achieve those ends could be “risky” since it all hinges on whether or not that specific outcome comes true. My take is that I don’t care. Read more>>

Chris Hepburn | Video Game Industry Veteran

I grew up in Orange County in the 80’s and like many teens I was a skateboarder. Unfortunately, I was never that good as I learned the sport is inherently physically risky and the fear of injury held me back to a certain degree. While my friends were jumping off and over bigger and bigger obstacles, I was never able to ignore the risks to be as good as them. Read more>>

LaFaye Baker | Stunt Woman Xtrodinaire

I’ve always been a risk taker and trailblazer starting back at Angeles Mesa Elementary when I saw a lady with a dance troop and was taught how to hula hoop. From there I later was named in the Guinness Book of World Records, as the 1st Black Hula Hoop Regional Champion in California. I’ve learned to step outside the box and trying different things. Read more>>

Celeste Lanuza | Professor, Choreographer, Actress, Dancer, Singer-Songwriter,

I think risk taking is beyond worth it. For me, risk taking has been a necessity for me because I do not enjoy feeling complacent. I need to be stimulated and inspired to continue growing. Embracing challenges are essential to my journey as I have always followed the light towards the unknown and fulfilling exploration. Moving to LA was a risk I was ready to take. While I had established myself on the east coast, I was ready to take the leap towards the unknown. Read more>>

NATHAN WATERS | Expressionist, Photographer & Stylist

Often times in life, we consider our dreams a risk. Those fears embedded within us are what we truly love to do whether that’s being a creative or nurse. Those instincts we feel inside, that voice inside of us that you keep hearing is your higher self speaking in light of where you are and where you can be. Read more>>

Arminda Foster | Producer and Real Estate Agent

I’ve always taken risks. In 2003 I decided to leave all my family and friends and move to Chicago illinios. I never been there or knew anyone but I wanted all the opportunities and chances for a great life 🙂 since then Ive taken sooo many risks and they all payed off except one LOL but we live and learn Read more>>

Xi Wang | Digital Art & Unreal Engine Artist

Every creative endeavor comes with its own set of risks and rewards. I am naturally drawn to taking risks, but I recognize that not all risks are worth pursuing. My willingness to embrace risk is contingent upon whether the choice aligns with my passions and contributes to the vision I have for my future career. For instance, before coming to Los Angeles, I lived a simple life as an independent artist with my family. Read more>>

Gisela Prunés Garcia | Strategic People and Business Partner & Creator

Taking risks has given me access to career milestones I never thought possible and that went way far beyond my dreams. Looking back I can also view risk taking as the best Master Class I ever had, which served as an accelerator educational program for my own development. My career was already going well in Barcelona, my hometown but when I decided to move to the US with no expectations I entered an unknown dimension that forced me to create a new identity for myself and once I did it, I could never return to the way things were once before I became an immigrant. Read more>>

Thaddeus Newman | Actor

I believe that taking risks is the only way to ever achieve anything worthwhile. I used to think that in order to be successful I had to follow the “rules” and do everything a certain way and eventually I’d be able to accomplish what it was that I wanted to accomplish. If I stayed with this mindset not only would I have never been in the position I’m in today but I would’ve been miserable somewhere I don’t belong, doing something that isn’t aligned with my God given purpose. Read more>>

Zihan Zhao | Actress & Content Creator & Singer & Dancer & Singer& Live Stream& Mandarin Tutor

I consider myself very adventurous. I always love to challenge myself and take the risks because I know the risk will help me open another world or help me improve. Read more>>