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.

Christophe Piallat | Visual Artist- Light Installations, Multi-Media, & Photography

As an artist, you need to be constantly taking risks. If you are not taking risks, you are not pushing what art can be. Sometimes that can be a little scary. We all want to take calculated risks, but sometimes you need to fall flat on your face. That jump can sometimes fail, but that fail can sometimes be the key to next level thinking. Throughout my life I have always gravitated toward risk taking sports. Skiing and mountain biking have always been my sanctuary and meditation in balance and grace. One must bound down yet stay in control. If we don’t take that initial bound we will never know what lies ahead, what lies within, and what magic we can wield. Read more>>

Joseph Salerno | Sculptor

I think risk is essential and I also think it’s scarier than it actually is. We hold back for fear of making some life or death decision or maybe it seems we’re wasting our time but I’ve found that this is rarely the case. If you do your research, listen to others, ask people their thoughts and take a little leap of faith you’ll see that even if it doesn’t go the way you wanted it to, the landing is almost never as hard as you think. You pick yourself up and you move on to your next challenge but no matter what you’ll either learn what you did right and/or what you did wildly wrong. I’ve never looked for an easy way out and personally I thrive in my vulnerability because it reveals something deeper about me each time. While being an out-of-the-box thinker has made most things a little more difficult, the reward is all the better. Read more>>

Krista Mae | Singer-Songwriter & Indie Author

I think that nothing in life worth having or doing is easy, so you need to be willing to take a gamble when it matters. Failure is an opportunity to learn and grow from your past mistakes. The only way you can take advantage of everything life has to offer is by taking risks. Not all risks will reward you handsomely, but you will only know if you try. I’ve never been one to be boxed in. Genres or styles, I do not like to be confined. It’s always been my motto to do and ask for forgiveness later. Taking these risks in my life and career have been some of the best decisions for me; life changing. Read more>>

Matt Dulin | Chef/Owner GetRight’s Bakery & Plant Nursery

When I think of risk, I think of sacrifice. What you are willing to give up or give in to in order to make your goals happen. In this way of thought, all risk is very calculated. Not in a risk to reward ratio but more so in a, “What will you gain from the process?” mind set. The way I have calculated risk has always been by measuring how I will develop my skillset to become a better, fuller and more adaptable version of myself. I have always loved food. At first as my crutch to find comfort within a broken home but it soon began developing into a creative outlet, another form of expression during a youth where I struggled to find a true voice. By the time I hit my junior year in high school I was working full time in kitchens, learning the ways of the brigade, finding a good mentor and sticking to their side until I felt strong enough to move forward and hold my own, seeing how it mimicked the philosophies learned in my time playing football and other team sports. Read more>>

LERRAD. | Hip Hop Artist

Taking risks can give you so many different outcomes. You can succeed in what you set out to do, or you can fail. But whether you succeed or fail, you always learn lessons from the risks you take. Lessons that help further your growth, that’s something you never forget. And being an independent artist you learn that. I was being faced with so much adversity. So many obstacles in the way that could’ve altered my focus. I learned to stop listening to others, and to follow my heart. In my eyes I can’t fail because I make music from my heart. If I change one persons way of thinking with my music, then my work is done. Read more>>

Marketta P. Wilder | Singer, Actress, Writer, Entrepreneur

“If you dare nothing, then when the day is over, nothing is all you will have gained.” I remind myself of this daily, I’ve come to learn that no great success is accomplished without great risks. As a singer/actress and writer, I am constantly taking risks! I work in an industry where my creativity and talent are constantly being judged. I spend hundreds of hours working on projects, understanding that people may or may not love it. However, choosing to share my creativity with the world is a risk that I’ve had to grow to love. I’ve found that some of my greatest blessings came after I chose to take a risk. I would even argue that the greater the risk, the greater the reward. The answer will ALWAYS be “No” if you never ask. Humans hate rejection. The thought of embarrassment or hearing the word, “NO” paralyzes us. We lean more towards the thought, “What if it doesn’t work out?” instead of believing that it actually could. Read more>>

Chef Coop | Owner / Executive Chef

For me taking It is a way of life. Every day we have the opportunity to make a decision. Whatever that decision may be, it will impact our entire day and mindset moving forward. Personally, I see risk not as a board game or obstacle. Honestly, I view it as an opportunity to bet on yourself. Who has more to gain by this than you? With every risk, there should be a calculated game plan. For example after 10 years of working in radiology & hospitals. I had a burning desire to still serve people. Though now it would be through food as a chef in the culinary field. I counted the cost, sought out research on culinary academies, paid my dues in kitchens, and now looked to start my own company. With every risk, there is a percentage that things may not go your way. This is what I call the 80/20 risk rule. If the pro outweighs the con it’s defiantly worth pursuing. Sure there will be a slim chance of failure. Though betting on yourself in my opinion, is always worth the risk. Read more>>

Raymond Watanga | Actor

I believe that risk taking is vital to the elevation of self. Without risk, one knowingly or unknowingly chooses to live a mediocre and “safe” life. I say this because I used to be that person. I made sure to always make the safe move, the right move in everyone’s eyes. My biggest risk was becoming an actor. Coming from where I come from, there’s not too many of us creatives. I knew it was something that would probably be frowned but I also knew I could live the rest of my life not knowing. Not only did I risk possible shame but also the label of being the “odd ball” of the family. If not for me taking the risk to not only become an actor, but also move to Los Angeles by myself. I don’t become a better overall human. That’s what my biggest risk has done for me so far. So now every time I meet anyone who seems to be playing it safe, I make sure to encourage them and let the know. TAKE MORE RISKS! You’re life just might depend on it. Read more>>

Alexandra Boylan | Owner of Mustard Seed Entertainment

Taking risks is the name of the game for my life. At nineteen years old, I packed my Toyota corrolla and headed to California from Boston, MA in search of movie star career. After only a year in Los Angeles I found myself homeless. Determined not to give up, I spent a month living in my Toyota Corolla. After ten years of pounding the pavement in LA, and getting no where, I packed up that Corolla once again and moved to Albuquerque NM, with a new plan and determination to succeed at life. In New Mexico, I met a group of incredible independent filmmakers, and decided it was time to stop waiting for other people to choose me for their films, I was going to choose myself. I decided to create my own film career, by writing and producing my own films and then giving myself the starring role. We successful made our first feature film, on a shoestring budget and an incredible groups of friends. Read more>>

Ha Eun Chang | Motion Designer

For me, I believe that there are no opportunities without risks. We instinctively feel comfort through familiar things and become experts at what we are used to doing. However, there are unexpected moments that apply changes to our comfort zone. These are the times that we are tempted to try new things and take risks as needed. Although these spontaneous situations could sometimes bring frustration and unfortunate mistakes, these struggles are what motivates us to learn new skills and expand our problem skills as we learn from these mistakes. As I look at more art and design references, I get inspired by the work of others and become self-aware of my skills compared to other artists. This encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and try to bleach my head of familiar and unoriginal ideas. As I practice this, it makes it easier for me to give up what I already have and start from scratch rather than stressing out if what I already had is good enough. Read more>>

Rose Study | Florist

We life is all about taking chances and risk if you never take a risk you will always wish you could have or wonder what would happen if you did things different. Sometimes you just must jump in the deep water. By starting my own business, it was a huge risk. My background was in finance/ lending, although I loved crafts and I passion for the arts I had no knowledge of what I was getting into. Read more>>

Aaron R. Tucker | Wardrobe Stylist/Costume Designer

I think risk taking is necessary. Every “next” phase of my life came from taking a risk. It’s the only way to truly grow into yourself. You learn what’s important to you by what you’re willing to risk to attain. Taking risks forces you to know exactly who you are, and to ultimately trust yourself, your knowledge, and your abilities. I think there’s more at risk, and loss to be incurred by avoiding taking risks. Personally speaking, there’s nothing riskier than hindering your own growth through stagnation and complacency…I’d take risk over regret any day. I know who I am, and I know I can bounce back from anything. Even if the risks don’t yield the desired results, I will have learned and grown from them. Risk taking’s played a huge role in my life and my career. Sad as it is to say, living in a way that’s right for YOU can be risky. You’ll make choices everyday that are best suited for you, that may potentially upset someone else. Read more>>

Kyndyl Miller | Pianist, Songwriter and Producer

Risk is an interesting thing, because it’s essentially a gamble, which is a scary thing. However, it was necessary for a future which I wouldn’t look back on and regret not taking. A big risk I took was moving from NYC, where I had a foundation, life-long friends, and a steady income, to LA, with no real stability. However, it was one of the best moves I had ever made in my life. The initial struggle and constant hustle helped shape and focus for who and what I should song-write/produce for. The risk of moving, despite having moments of wanting to give up, really gave me a sense of clarity of how to make songwriting work for me. And because of this, I think it’s really important to experience some sort of struggle when reaching your goal, because the impact is so much more significant. Read more>>

Rahul Shah | Composer For Film, Television and Multi-Media

In my opinion, I see risk taking as going after an opportunity. There is a cost associated with taking a risk and not taking a risk. Having spoken to a few professionals in risk management, they always point out that before taking an opportunity you need to to know the answer to one question. What is your appetite for risk? Whether we’re talking about the music industry or Wall Street, They suggest to play within those boundaries to manage expectations. In my career I have taken risks, put myself out there for jobs, networking opportunities and never been afraid to go after an opportunity I want. You may experience rejection, but the cost of not taking that risk for something you want is far greater, and often you might need to learn/fail a lot in order to succeed. When deciding to take a risk I ask myself questions such as. Read more>>

Chani Friedman | Art Instructor & Business Owner of The Paintery

My business started out as a big risk. I had a secure, full time job that just wasn’t feeding my inner creative to it’s potential. So, I left my job without having a Plan B in mind, and just waited for my business to unfold organically. I believe that when we don’t pressure something into being, it opens a space for it to be, to grow and to thrive. I knew I wanted to paint. I knew I wanted to be social. I knew I had an innate desire and skill to teach. And with all of those combined, with risk being the kicker, my paint party events blossomed. Read more>>

Adriana Lámbarri | Costume Designer

Life’s full of risks, isn’t it? I suppose the biggest risk is not taking it. The most memorable risk for me became apparent when my husband and I were contemplating becoming parents. At the time, I’d only been in my new career for a few years (which came from taking another risk…changing careers…more on the that in a minute). It was a career that wasn’t necessarily the most “child friendly”, nor relationship friendly, for that matter. Being a designer in the entertainment field comes with it’s own unique challenges; weird, long hours, extensive lengths of travel, learning to work with all kinds of personalities, the uncertainty of knowing when your next job is coming, just to name a few. All of a sudden becoming a mother really made it seem impossible. Maybe I was ruining what little career I managed to scrape out for myself. Read more>>

Two Hour Shower | Musicians & Activists

Two Hour Shower channels risk within our live performances and in the songs we create. For our shows, we take risks by throwing objects at our crowd in order to engage them with the music, whether we throw them a large plush Spyro, a cucumber, one of Seb’s favorite bucket hats, a Mickey Mouse helmet, a sweaty stanky luchador mask, or if we throw ourselves into the audience or under the stage to truly be on the same level and incorporate props into the theatricality of our shows. A key risk we undertook was during our Fight the Power Summer Tour in 2019 traveling from our home base in Los Angeles up to the Bay Area. Given this was our first tour, we booked all the venues, organized with the other bands, advertised, and planned the traveling all ourselves. For a relatively unknown band from the San Gabriel/ San Fernando Valleys in LA to go to the Bay with bands we’ve never played with before initially seemed a big risk. Read more>>

Edouard Philipponnat | Actor

They way I think about risk is actually by not thinking about it. I mean, it’s there regardless, in every direction you turn to some degree. So why stress about it? As an actor that’s all I mostly do, stress about every little thing I have no control over. And that’s okay, it means I care. But recently I’ve started doing myself a favour, and not dive into that stress. Instead I flip it because it’s all about perspective at the end of the day. If there’s risk in a situation, then the odds are already against you. The expectation is not in your favour. So just ignore it, and go ahead anyway, because once you take that “risk” and go with it, whatever the outcome, you’ve already won. Because in the end, there wouldn’t be a risk unless it was related to something you genuinely care about, so isn’t that worth pursuing no matter? This way of thinking hit me during a tough point in my career. I was signed on to play my first lead role In, “The Runner”, an Indie that’s coming out this year. Read more>>

Mimi Amaral | Mimi Amaral – Human, No Better or Worse Than Any Other

I’m not sure I’d call it risk, rather opening to hear inner higher guidance and believing in myself. From birth, I have faced and walked through adverse circumstances that led me to a diagnosis of death at age fifteen, and a prognosis that I would never live past the age of twenty. I did not succumb to the belief set forth by doctors, and at twenty chose to change my outcome even if it meant, “To live to live, or live to die.” The Choice I made on this day, to advocate for myself, seek alternative manners of healing, and Self Actualization, led me on a path that I could never imagine or dream up in my most fantastical aspirations. Success does not necessarily need to mean monetary, financial, or material gains. Ones success is dependent upon who one aspires to be along their journey of life, which can mean becoming the best human each of us can be, and not following the crowd. Read more>>

Makaela Logan | Bartender, Tattoo Model, LGBTQIA+ Influencer, Business Owner

I am an adrenaline junkie- I love every action sports possible and I am always looking for the next thing to keep me on my toes. With that, I also love schedules and keeping things in order- you can probably imagine how crazy my thought process is at all times. I took a huge risk by ending a relationship that I was ready to settle down in and start a family with. I came out as being lesbian right after this part of my life ended. I am the happiest I have ever been in my entire life! Being a textbook over-thinker, I was terrified of being the woman my inner self continued to push out of me. I feel this initial risk of being myself is the first of many risks I continue to face everyday-not just as a member of LGBTQ+ community, but in my everyday life as a business owner. Part of me wants to jump out of my schedule and take a risk of following through with a random idea and seeing how my followers respond to it. Read more>>

Andrea Ámez | Holistic Esthetician, Melanin Specialist & Founder of amezskin.com.

The unknowing is what makes risk so vital and ultimately worth it. I firmly believe life starts once you’ve passed your comfort zone. My biggest risk to date was deciding to purse a career in beauty and leaving my oh-so stable salaried job as a curatorial research assistant. Imagine telling your friends and family that you are quitting academia to go to beauty school– it was not easy. I remember friend disappointed and shocked but I knew I just had to do it or I would let years go just wondering. Now 7 years later, I have my own studio practice and I meet and work with the most incredible people…I really feel like I have the most rewarding job. Read more>>

An. | Artist & Musician

Risk taking is unavoidable. There’s going to come a time where you’re going to have to choose either going down the safe route or taking the path with more challenges, but a better outcome. It’s easy to hear or think “risk” and perceive it as a negative but it’s just another possible opportunity. Your mentality going into anything really matters most. I think for me, trying to remember the why in everything I do is enough motivation to make the jump in new opportunities. Read more>>

Kali J | Artist & Songwriter

I think risk taking is a crucial part of growth and self-improvement and in my opinion, calculated risk helps to eliminate the “what if.” For example, when I reach the end of my life, I want to look back and know that I chased after my dreams, I gave it my best, and that I exhausted every option. Having to take on a little risk along the way just comes with the territory. I know too many people who didn’t pursue their passions in life because they were afraid what their friends and family would think, they were afraid failure, or they were simply afraid of the unknown. I just want to help embolden people to push past those uncomfortable parts. Don’t be afraid of risk. Be afraid of “what if.” Read more>>

Bella Zahn | Photographer

As someone who’s dealt with a lot of anxiety, so much of my mental and emotional energy as well as time has been spent trying to minimize the amount of risk in my life. Whichever decision was going to lead me in the direction most void of uncertainty and apprehension, that was the path to choose. Rarely with hesitation. In high school I wound up taking more difficult classes not because I wanted to challenge myself, but because my friends were taking those courses. The cost of putting myself through immense academic pressure was almost worth the trade-off of feeling socially comfortable in my learning spaces. This type of thinking became evident in a lot of areas in my life. It prevented me from trying new things and taking advantage of really beneficial opportunities right in front of me. Once I started to stray from prioritizing comfort and ease over what I actually wanted, I quickly learned that scaring myself a little bit nearly always brought me the most fulfillment and genuine happiness. Read more>>

Matt Farren | Writer, Actor, Director, and Producer

I mean– I think it’s safe saying that no one was ever remembered because they played it safe. I’ve always liked to think of it in the same way that I try to start each of my stories: it’s gotta start with something different; something memorable; something that no one else is doing– kinda seems like a dependable way to stand out. However, practically speaking, I don’t genuinely think I act in a risky way. It’s never about standing out JUST to stand out, but taking decisive action confidently. There are plenty of people who think good ideas are risky, so I guess the trick for me is tuning them out. Otherwise, I don’t think I’d be able to get anything done. Once you get into that mindset, it seeps into everything you do: you learn to work hard, persevere, and live resiliently. Even if you get knocked down, you’ll always be able to find the strength to get back up again. And I’ve failed A LOT: I’ve made short films no one saw, written songs no one heard, and put myself out there completely unsuccessfully. Read more>>

Gaddo: Artist, Singer, Songwriter, Producer

To me, taking risks is essential to real growth. I can’t recall when taking a risk hasn’t benefited me in one way or another. And after a while you can identify which risks are really worth taking. Moving to LA with nothing to fall back on was a definite risk but has changed everything for me. I get to do what I love, with the people I started with. Read more>>

Lisa Braithwaite | Public Speaking Coach, Trainer and Author

As an entrepreneur, risk-taking is part of my makeup. But it feels more like seeing possibilities, being okay with making mistakes, and trying again. Every day that I go “hunting and gathering” to make a living, there’s always a risk I’ll fail and have to get a job! As a speaker and trainer, there’s always a risk of failing miserably – and publicly – at expressing myself effectively. And because of the need for visibility and credibility-building, there’s always a risk that people just won’t like me! I’m willing to take the risks because I’m also resilient, and I know how to recover from setbacks. Read more>>

Rich Ayers | Muralist

Risk has been a common theme throughout all of my creative endeavors. From painting and taking photographs in places without permission to the very act of just creating in itself. Im constantly pushing myself and trying ambitious things with my art. Its how accel and learn most efficiently. There’s nothing like jumping right into the deep end and committing to learning to swim. Read more>>

Samantha Herrera | Actor & Filmmaker

Moments of greatest change and discovery happens when I take a risk. Including the times when I traveled solo, directed my first short film and moved & lived in LA which all helped me realize that anything is truly possible if you keep making choices to empower yourself. The love and excitement that fueled every decision to take the leap into the unknown was stronger than the fear. And this is a daily practice I must constantly remind myself. Read more>>

James Deane | Professional Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer

I personally believe that taking smart, calculated risks are a good thing in your career. You either succeed or you learn from your mistakes which in turn will make you better and stronger. I remember at 18 years old, moving out of home with my savings to further pursue my career in dance. There were several times where I wasn’t sure if I would completely run out of my savings. However, I learnt, I adapted and I worked hard to make it to where I am today. Read more>>

Abigail Gazda | CEO of Hearts Unleashed

Risk is relative. Some folks would never step foot on a plane and some folks jump out of them for fun. Others agree to million dollar contracts and some hoard money as if every dollar were their last. Some people are willing go into debt for a dream and some are afraid to leave a soul sucking job for a secure income. Risk is about discomfort. Can you withstand the temporary discomfort this may cause? Are you willing to experience all possible consequences of this choice? The perception one has of risk is often linked to reward; “will this be worth it?” We can evaluate if a perceived risk is in alignment with our commitments, our highest good, and the highest good of all. If it is, then it could actually be considered a leap of faith. I have taken risks in life and business that have usually turned out to be leaps of faith. Throughout my career, I have been willing to trade the good for the great, even when many would consider the good ‘good enough.’ My vision, ambition, and entrepreneurial spirit have always pulled me farther than my small self would rather go. Read more>>

Chris Lorraine | The Man Who’s Redefining Rock N’ Roll in Los Angeles.

I see life as a very malleable thing. You can do or be whatever you want. Risk is a word used by people who haven’t figured out that at the end of your life, there’s only gonna be the wish that you would have done more and not been so afraid to. To me, “risk” is just called “life”- and most of my life has been, in fact, nothing less than a constant river of risk. Risky behavior. Yeah, I definitely get off on it. I guess I’m what you’d call a “thrill seeker”. I certainly can’t stay in one place too long and am always searching for the greatest extreme possibly in a situation. I’m not exactly sure why I’m like this… but I always have been. This being an innate part of my core as an individual, one could conclude that that could definitely be the main factor of how I got to where I am now- living in my apartment here in West Hollywood playing music and enjoying life after being homeless having came out here all the way from a small town in the middle of Alaska. Read more>>

Angel Duran | Guitarist,Composer,Prod

The way I think about risk is actually as a necessity in the music business but at the same time I do try and make calculated risks. Any time I go into an endeavor that I see as a potential risk I am always analyzing the situations and people around me to make sure it is the right risk to take. While I do believe risk is a necessary tool as an artist I also believe we have to be very be careful on which ones to take to not end up in messy situations. It is never good to rush in and not question a risky move in my opinion we must always weigh the pros and the cons, and then decide not which pros you like but which cons we are willing to deal with. In terms of my own personal career risk has pretty always taken place. It is the very same reason I am in Los Angeles today and working as a musician. As of today I have just completed co-producing a 10 song country/mariachi fusion album and have gotten to work with some great session musicians within the industry. Read more>>

Will Heck | Rapper, Entrepreneur

Risks are a huge part of whether you succeed or not honestly. Either you jump at the opportunity or you choose to pass it up. That in itself is a risk right there. For me, I do my best to calculate the outcomes of every decision I make. However, the risk is in the outcome of if its a productive decision or one in which I’m set back. The challenge is how you allow it to affect you move forward, so I always look forward to the growth aspect of everything. Read more>>

Lucia Towers | Artist & Small Business Owner

Taking risks is the lifeblood behind all of my successes in life. Life is stagnant if you don’t take risks. You’ll never move forward. You’ll never learn. You’ll never fail. Nobody wants to fail but, hear me out – without failure, there is no success. It has taken years for me to get used to the idea of letting the fear of failure propel me forward. I’ve failed more times than I can count and that is what makes me successful. Read more>>

Jacqlyn Cope | Writer, Veteran, & Teacher

First off, I am a writer and a veteran, and I believe to be a writer, you must take risks everyday by putting yourself out there, if you want your work to be widely read or published. I’ve come to realize that submitting work to literary magazines and reaching out to an agent or publishing house is what most writers are extremely intimidated and afraid of. Risks must be taken if you want to grow, even if you fail. Looking back, one of the riskiest things I have done in my short life, was join the U.S. Air Force at the age of 17. Consequently, my writing is borne from my experiences as an aeromedical evacuation mission controller. I thought I would spend my life in the military and retire but deploying in 2012 to Afghanistan changed that view for me. The trauma I experienced when I was only 22 years old began to shape my decisions and it was like a poison taking over my mind, which I later realized was PTSD. Read more>>

Trina Rozen | CPA, Founding Partner of Rozen CPA and Writersroomcpa.com

Risk is something that all entrepreneurs must embrace. Without risk there can never be growth. The reason that people don’t embrace it fear of failure. I love what Steve Jobs said, “The greatest artists like Dylan, Picasso and Newton risked failure. And if we want to be great, we’ve got to risk it too.” There you have it. These great people took risks and look what they accomplished. What we really are risking is our own egos. I don’t think anyone is inherently comfortable with risk. I think it’s something you force yourself to take, powering through the negative emotions. When you do this, you start to view risk as a somewhat normal part of life. It doesn’t happen immediately though. It’s definitely a hard-learned behavior. The risk for me was leaving a comfortable corporate job of more than 10 years with excellent benefits and starting out on my own with a book of about 200 clients from a retiring CPA. If I knew of all the adversities and how hard it was going to be my first few year. Read more>>

Ciera Tavana | Creator + Health Guide

I love taking risks. While I may forget that from time to time, get comfortable, anxious, and stuck, eventually I remember this – Bet on yourself, every damn time. It may look like I fearlessly take big risks in my life and career, and make something out of nothing, but that’s not how I experience it. I see it as me creating what I want and need instead of waiting for it to be handed to me. Sometimes that looks like huge career and financial strides, sometimes that looks like prioritizing my well-being and trusting that I’ll be provided for by the universe. Sometimes both. 2020 is the year my company would have silently made our first million after being in business for less than 2 years. But I’m so glad I’m out and what that meant for my lifestyle and that I’ve had a year to reconnect and take care of myself. I’ve faced my anxiety, reprogrammed my body, redesigned my life, made sacrifices for my own well being despite my wants to hold onto ideas, people, ego, guilt and pain bodies. I’m still learning, but nature is the path. It’s my greatest teacher, mother, lover, doctor, and now my greatest business partner. Read more>>

Rafael Luna | Creative Artist / Conceptualist / Composer – Performer / Educator / Interdisciplinary Researcher

To me risk is something that we either look for or simply just creeps around your corner at any given time. Life has risks and a career has risks as well. Their both different though in my humble opinion because of the fact that we have values. I’m not speaking of morality in itself but what is most important to us on both ends of the spectrum. We all have different values depending on who you talk to, different paths, ideas, and so forth. It is impossible for us as human beings to compare off of each other in life and in our careers. We all have our own journey and risks which we partake in. I see risk as a personal investment which allows me to learn from two lenses, the outside world and myself. How my mindset connects with the world is how I decide whether to take a risk or not. Though the risks i’ve taken up until now has helped shaped my life and career. i’m constantly going further and further because a life or career doesn’t stop at a dead end, it’s moving forward at all times. Read more>>

Sean & Brenda Khalimov | Owners of Party Shakers Mobile Bartending Services

We think taking risks can be scary. However, it is one of the most important aspects in building a successful business. Risk taking is always a win. Even when you lose through some risk you took, you are actually still winning something. The one thing that you will always win is experience. There will always be a time and place where you can use that experience. I know sometimes it can be painful when your risk leads to a loss however, that experience will make you grow and take you somewhere you didn’t know you needed. Read more>>