Legend holds that Cornelius Vanderbilt had built a massive fortune in the steamboat shipping industry, but then realized the railroads were the way of the future and invested almost his entire net worth into railroads. The gamble paid off and made Vanderbilt one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs ever. But risks are inherently…risky. How do you think about risk and how has it affected your life and career? Some of our community favorites share their perspective below.

Kyu Min Lee | Better known as OG Chino. Artist, DJ.

In my case I think my whole life was based on risk. My parents took a huge risk moving from Korea to Colombia at a time when there were no other Koreans living there, then they took an even bigger risk sending my three older siblings and I to study in Los Angeles. We were left to live on our own and attend public school, my sister the oldest, was 17, me the youngest about to turn 11. At age 12 I was started getting in trouble running around with the gangs, and I almost got us deported or taken by child services when they found out there was no parent at home. Still that culture that our parents were naive to, kept me getting kicked out of every school and arrested multiple times, risking our student visa status that kept us in the States. Read more>> 

Hank (chia-hung) Lin | Musician/Drummer/Multi-instrumentalist

Decisions are being made every day, and every decision has its own risk. As a musician, we might encounter opportunities quite often, and then there will be decisions that must be made. It can be hard sometimes to make decisions. Life is all about making choices. Every decision you make opens a new door, but at the same time, you close another door as well. It all depends on what you want, what you see as potential in those doors, and sometimes, what your gut tells you to do. These doors play such a big role in our lives and careers, they can change our lives, both in good ways and bad ways. Just make sure you think of all the pros and cons before you make the decision, and don’t look back after you make the decision, live with the path you chose and the risk you picked, and dedicate yourself fully to the world behind that new door. I’m sure good things will come to you! Read more>>

Gagan Gill | Writer & Director

I have a complicated relationship with risk. When faced with the idea of taking a risk, my first thought is – “avoid it.” But every single time I have taken a risk, I find that I have grown by leaps and bounds. Coming to film school was a risk. Making the projects I have made was a risk. Jumping out of a plane was a risk. Performing stand-up comedy was a risk. Every single time, I was far from ready to take on those challenges. I even considered delaying until I was ready. Read more>>