Shoot your shot?  Take a chance?  Society bombards us with messages, phrases, examples and stories of how taking risk is the key to success, but is anything ever that simple?  We asked some of the brightest folks we know to tell us about how they think about risk.  We’ve shared their responses below.

Amani Roberts

Risk is crucial when it comes to doing all you can do in your life and career. The famous saying is that ‘you will miss 100% of the shots you don’t take’ (Wayne Gretzky is credited with saying that). This statement seems so simple, yet it is very true! Read more>>

Kendra Gottardi

Going to Loyola Marymount University to study acting was definitely my first big risk. I knew it wasn’t the most traditional or stable path, and that scared me. But I also knew that if I didn’t try, I’d always wonder what would’ve happened if I had. Since then, continuing to pursue acting full-time instead of stepping into a conventional 9-to-5 has been an ongoing risk. Read more>>

Nao Fesseha

Risk has shaped almost every major transition in my life. Earlier on, it meant stepping into uncertainty — moving cities, pursuing creative work without clear guarantees, and trusting intuition over stability. Those experiences built resilience, but more importantly they taught me that growth often happens through direct engagement with the unknown. Over time, my understanding of risk has become more intentional. Read more>>

BRENT RAMIREZ

For me, risk isn’t about being reckless—it’s about stepping toward something meaningful even when the path isn’t guaranteed. When I started Born to Perform Studio, the goal wasn’t just to open a business. It was to create a community where young people could build confidence, creativity, and leadership through the performing arts. That was a risk, but it was rooted in purpose. Read more>>

Alexandria Vargas

I tend to think about risk as something necessary for growth rather than something to avoid. I remind myself that if I don’t pursue an idea or opportunity, someone else will. So I’d rather take the chance than wonder what could have happened. Taking risks has played a big role in my life, especially creatively. Read more>>

Hunter Hudson

I’ve always felt like my life has been one big risk. I’m drawn to the unknown, to opening doors without knowing what’s on the other side. Comfort has never excited me. Complacency feels like the enemy. I grow most when I put myself in situations that challenge me, force me to be vulnerable, and push me beyond what I thought my limits were. Read more>>

Ivan Cloyd

As a man who grew up on the streets of Washington, D.C., I learned early on that you are always taking a risk—the only choice you have is which kind of risk you’re willing to live with. When I was 16, the ‘easy’ risk was staying in the cycle I saw around me. Read more>>

YVETTE MARIE

I don’t necessarily plan ahead I like to live in the moment, but in a smart way. I moved to LA and New York with a very small amount of money and made a name for myself so I think that in itself was a huge risk. A lot of people would never do that but I just had faith. Read more>>

Hani Parhizkar

I think a huge portion of my adult life has been based on risks. It started the first time a film opened a portal in me – Black Swan. I was 14, dancing ballet at the time, and the psychological themes deeply resonated with me amidst my adolescent angst. Read more>>

Carlos Ordonez

I think taking risk was essential, not knowing who I was working for, where the job would take me. I’m Carlos Ordoñez, a Born and Raised Angelo from Los Angeles, California. And growing up, the film industry always inspired me, and caught my eyes. Read more>>

Mike C. Nelson

I have learned that life is all about risk taking. The choice I made to move to Los Angeles as a 30-year old with no resume, headshots nor representation was a risk. But that choice has led to an interesting life filled with too many experiences and relationships to mention that have been extraordinary. Some risks don’t work out the way you hoped. Read more>>

Bianca Boey

I think about risk as necessary to achieve the life you actually want. As difficult as it can sometimes be, if you’re not a little uncomfortable, you’re probably not growing. Read more>>

Cierra Pashawn

Risk taking has played a huge role in both my life and my career. I believe it’s essential, even when you’re afraid. You can’t be afraid to be a beginner, everyone starts somewhere, and growth only happens when you’re willing to step into the unknown. Earlier in my journey, always was afraid of failing. Read more>>

Karim Dakkon

I often take risks as an opportunity to grow, whether it be with a project beyond what I believe is my scope, or experimenting with a new medium. Sometimes I will even take risks in collaborating with fellow artists who may not have past work to prove their talents, but give off a particular vibe that attracts me. Read more>>

Khalil Soto

Risk, to me, is less about gambling and more about commitment. I don’t believe in reckless risk-taking, but I do believe in decisive action when you feel conviction. My brand started when I was 22 and made the decision to leave my stable job as a bartender. I didn’t have a perfectly structured business plan. I didn’t have investors. Read more>>

Paul Gilmartin

Risk has been a big part of my career starting with me changing my major my junior year of college from pre-med to theatre. I listened to something inside me that said it was the right thing to do for me having a life that would feel right. Another risk was becoming a standup shortly after college. Read more>>

Temani Hill

I think choosing a career in music is a risk to begin with in most people’s eyes. Although I’ve always had a very clear vision and strong belief of where I will eventually end up, I think there’s been risk in every step along the way. I try to always embrace that fact. Taking risks is how change happens, how momentum is in-acted. Read more>>

Scooter C. Draughn

I mean, everything we do comes with some level of risk. It mind sound cliche´, but, ‘the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.’ I think it’s imperative to take risks in life. I am definitely a risk taker. I’ve built an entire organization on pure faith that has helped tens of thousands of families in my community. Read more>>

Sabina Tenorio

An artistic life it’s always intertwined with risks, my acting teachers would always say that you have to take high risks in order to be a great actor and I think it applies to everything in life. We don’t like ordinary, we like bold, brave and out of this world stories and characters, so why not apply it to life itself. Read more>>