We asked some of the most interesting folks in the community to open up about how they think about taking chances and the role risk has played in their lives and careers. Risk is by far the topic folks talk to us most about and we hope the responses below will help shed light on many different perspectives.

Caro

I see risk as a necessary ingredient for growth. To me, taking risks doesn’t mean being reckless—it means being willing to step outside of my comfort zone, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed. Some of the most defining moments in my life and career came from taking risks: choosing a less traditional path, moving to a new country to pursue dance more seriously, investing a significant amount of money without knowing if it would lead anywhere, or saying “yes” to opportunities I didn’t feel fully ready for. I’ve always tried to keep the bigger picture in mind. Every time I’ve leaned into uncertainty, I’ve either learned something valuable or opened a door I didn’t know existed. Read More>>

Ursula Mayes

I’ve always believed in taking risks. I’d rather try and fail than live with the ‘what if.’ The greatest opportunities in my life have come from stepping out of my comfort zone.

One of my biggest risks was moving from a small Virginia town to Southern California to pursue a career in entertainment after landing a hosting contract. As a single mother, I packed up and traveled across the country with my daughter – no family, no connections – and ended up landing a role in a major network TV show. Over the next 15+ years, I worked as an agency represented actress, model, and makeup artist. Read More>>

Elyse Willems

As a naturally risk-averse person, I’ve worked hard to try and reframe my mindset. Risk, more often than not, will translate to opportunity. It doesn’t always mean making a chance investment, or starting a new enterprise. Risk can mean taking a foreign language class you have zero background in, volunteering in local events, or going to an open mic night. Sometimes it’s simply and enthusiastically saying “yes.”  Read More>>

Emily Lopez

I live my life according to the whims of the great magnet so I should probably attribute every success I’ve ever had to risk. Every time you put yourself out there it’s a risk, every time you try something new and have a teeny whisper in your mind of “are people gonna get that?” It’s a risk .I have always a lot of faith in the things I don’t see, don’t know and don’t understand. More as time goes on and the risk reveal their strange rewards !!! With creative risks we have nothing to lose because imagination is infinite and nothing lasts forever Read More>>

Marc Tarczali

If you’re pursuing something for a genuine reason, you’re not taking a risk. Risk only comes into play if you’re not there for the right reasons. There’s a big difference between asking for something you might want, and asking for something you need, and people can tell the difference. As a filmmaker I try not to ask for things until I absolutely need them, I try to do as much work by myself as possible until I am out of options and the only way forward is to ask someone to either collaborate or join the project. In a lot of ways, this is out of respect to the performers and collaborators I’m approaching, I want to ensure that I’ve done my due diligence before approaching them to join the project. Read More>>

Nick Sharma

To me, taking risks means following your convictions, even when failure is a possibility. Once you choose to be an artist, embracing risk becomes essential for artistic discovery and growth. Read More>>

Anna Koukouli Born

Risk is such a misunderstood word, I find. It’s associated with dangers, getting out of your “comfort zone” maybe it be geographical or metaphorical, or it signifies that you just splash the waters with words or actions that make others uncomfortable. I’m all for it – for the obvious translation in my head: risk for me is searching for the unknown, taking a leap of faith in different places and people or telling people what I think, in the “risk” (or maybe relief) of them not liking what I say or do.  Read More>>

Matthew Mathison

I began my career on the public equities trading desk at Goldman Sachs—public investing is all about pricing risk: risk to the upside, risk to the downside. And when risk is mispriced, there’s an opportunity to generate profits. Shortly after I started, the dot-com bubble was booming—and then it crashed. I watched fortunes vanish overnight. I also saw fortunes made by those who managed risk well. Read More>>

Tiago Santos

Risk-taking has always been a crucial part of my journey as an actor. As an artist, stepping into the unknown is often where growth and discovery happen. In theater, film, and TV, the roles that challenge me—whether they’re emotionally intense or physically demanding—are often the ones that push my boundaries and lead to the most rewarding experiences. Read More>>

Anne Koolen

As I am currently in school, I try to take as many risks as possible, so I can learn as much as possible while I am here. I am very interested in virtual production and VFX. Last semester I was learning about Unreal Engine for the first time in my life and decided to make a film about a young woman turning into a dragon for my “Virtual Production in LED Volumes” class at USC. I had no idea how I was going to do it, but as I learned more about Unreal Engine and VFX, we came up with a shooting plan that turned to work out great. Read More>>

Claire Mulvaney

I believe taking risks is an essential part of growth. What is often perceived as a risk is usually just something outside your comfort zone. If you educate yourself, do the research, and spend time laying the foundation, then that “risk” isn’t really a risk. It’s just something unfamiliar. Something different. Something uncomfortable. That said, I also recognize that some opportunities in life are genuinely daunting. They excite us and maybe make us anxious. Trusting your instincts is important, but I also think leaning into what unsettles you (and unpacking why it does) can teach you a lot about yourself. Read More>>