Taking Risk is essential, but how much, when and why? Taking risks effectively is as much of an art as it is a science and we’ve asked some of the brightest folks in the community to tell us about how they think about risk taking.

Sarah Hindi | Actress

There is a quote by novelist Anais Nin that defines my relationship to risk — ‘And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.’ I first started my actress career as a child on national television in my home country Lebanon where I was playing a rebel kid on a hit sitcom of the nineties. The small screen was my comfort zone for a decade but then it felt too small, just like the bud in the quote, and so, fresh out of high school, I took on my first role in a feature film “Rue Huvelin” by Mounir Maasri . Read more>>

Allison Goldberg | Creator & Comedian

I think pursuing a career in the arts is so risky that you can’t even think about it that way. It’s not risk; it’s a lifestyle. When I register that I feel nervous or fearful about, for instance, a new show, I literally ignore it. Bottle it up, that’s what I always say! But in all seriousness, risk is essential to creating something that didn’t exist before, so you do have to ignore that element to some extent. Read more>>

Arend Jackson | Celebrity Colorist/Hairstylist & Creative Director

When I think about taking risks… I instantly think about how many risks artists, myself included, take in order to get to where they want to be. If I hadn’t stepped out on a limb and showed what I had to offer, I would’ve never had a successful clientele, been a celebrity colorist, done any kind of creative directing… all of that takes courage. Risk. To literally not know the outcome, just do it. Read more>>

Obiloh II Egu | Curator of the Arts

I believe you must take risk in order to achieve anything special, and lord knows I want to go down as someone who was special, a one of a kind individual. Because of this ambition it’s my understanding that I must take high risk, sometimes I reap the rewards and enjoy the fruits of my labor. Other times, I fall flat on my face and have to suffer the consequences of my risk taking action. Either way the dice rolls I am always happy when I bet on myself. Read more>>

Ruhani Sandhu-Kamboj | Lawyer & Aesthetics Entrepreneur

I feel the need to take risks is absolutely essential to accomplishing the dreams you have, and quite honestly, even though its frightening at times its extremely worth it. Was fortunate to see other successful female entrepreneurs such as Sarah Blakely, Vera Wang, and Tory Burch whose stories are very inspiring and gave me a pathway to chase my passions and show that it is possible. Without risk and passion I quite honestly find it impossible to achieve your dreams…so definitely its absolutely essential. Read more>>