Risk is the most common topic that comes up in our conversations with entrepreneurs and so each week we ask entrepreneurs to talk to us on the record about how they think about risk.

Priscilla Runion | Photographer and Filmmaker

Risk has played a major role in my career. It basically drives everything I do. I always think to myself: if you’re not taking risks, are you really going to grow and achieve your dreams? Read more>>

PABLO.ANMUAR | Producer/Composer/Performer

In general, I think life constantly presents us with challenges that lead to making decisions that are at least, moderately risky: Do I want to stay in my comfort zone or leave it? In my life, there have been many moments when I have had to weigh my options and take risks in order to achieve what I set myself to do. Read more>>

Zhanerke Koilybayeva | Screenwriter

I come from a patriarchal society where women have to follow culture, get married, and shouldn’t work. I put all my money and my hopes into becoming a professional screenwriter. I don’t want to return to my country after graduation without any luck in the film industry. The US government allows international students to stay one year after graduation, and it is my chance to show myself from the best side to get a job and work in industry. I don’t have much time. Read more>>

Junyi Zhang | Multidisciplinary Designer

Instead of looking for a stable job like my classmates, I became a freelance designer after graduating from college. To me, risk means taking on a lot of uncertainty, and this career is certainly high-risk. In my career of more than two years, I have experienced client questioning, unstable income, and self-time management challenges. But there is not a single day that I am not happy, because every day is my own choice. I have also gained a lot of experience and lessons that I could not have gained in one company or one particular position. Read more>>

Travis Farris | Actor, Father, Husband, Cattle Rancher, Small Business Owner, Artist…

Well, I decided to become an actor…for me, low-risk equates to high comfort. While this may feel safe and easy, it most often leads to very little progress or evolution. I’ve always seemed to make most decisions big and small from an intuitive place. Risk always gives me a “gut feeling” ex. fear, excitement, vulnerability. These things keep me stimulated, and aware and more often than not, lead me somewhere or to something, even if I don’t reach that initial desired outcome or destination. All that said, now that I have a family, I have to really be conscious of when I’m taking a well thought out, calculated risk or just being reckless. Sometimes it’s a fine line. Read more>>

Que Heffe | Artist & Host of Za or Nah

Risks play a big role in my life; I am a big believer in the idea that the bigger the risk the greater the reward. For lack of better words, one would have to take risks to live like this. I wholeheartedly believe in betting on yourself, the win just feels different. Read more>>

Mark Daftari | Dancer

I take risks every single day. Being a professional dancer is a risk in itself. But without risks you never know how far you can actually go to achieve goals and success. But some risks include possibly switching agencies, or maybe creating choreography that you aren’t fully confident with, or even taking a class that might make you look crazy, but the more uncomfortable you are the faster you’ll improve. Read more>>

Yifan Connor Hu | Cinematographer & Co-Founder @ DFI Rentals

Risk is something I grew up on. I believe fortune favors the unconventional, and taking risks is a part of departing from the mainstream and creating one’s own path. Even if I had a comfortable choice every time opposing a risky one, the weight of “what if” will be something I cannot carry. It was risky to arrive abruptly in the US at 15, knowing no one here. It was risky to choose to pursue an education in cinematography instead of something more “traditional.” It was risky to hang outside of a car holding a camera moving at highway speeds, and it was risky to start a rental company in the middle of a historic strike. Thank goodness I was always fortunate enough to be surrounded by a group of level-headed collaborators with whom I can always seek advice in navigating these risky businesses. It continues to be a driving force behind my creative work and business conduct. Read more>>

CT Adams | Comedian/Wine Expert

At one point in my career I was the USA national brand ambassador for Ararat Brandy. My team put together advertisement and social media campaigns and this ultimately took me to Armenia, where the manufacturing takes place. The journey had such a positive impact on me through the food, people and the inspiring sense of community was everywhere. And it was fun! I love traveling around the world and meeting new people. I’m glad I took the risk to experience international travel and work outside of my comfort zone. My comedy career has also experienced a risks and challenges. I had a milestone in 2023 when I performed at the world famous Comedy Store and The Ice House venues for the first time. I look forward to what the future holds for me in the comedy field. I am playing bigger shows to bigger audience every month. Read more>>

Sara Chujun Li | Jewelry Artist & Gemologist & Spiritual Healer

Risk, to me, is synonymous with growth, innovation, and an indispensable part of life. Throughout my personal and professional journey, embracing risk has played a pivotal role. Stepping out of my comfort zone has led me to new opportunities and valuable experiences, enriching the narrative of my life. Just like The Fool card in tarot symbolizes, life is an adventure where courage is required to explore the unknown, and risks are the rewards or consequences to be embraced. While not every risk yields favorable outcomes, I find the thrill of adventure more appealing than the predictability of a well-trodden path. I prefer to embrace the uncertainty and walk the roads less traveled, seeking the excitement and discovery that come with taking risks. Read more>>

svetlana Chernienko | President and founder of For us Tv

I believe that risk is an inherent aspect of both life and career. Personally, I view risk as an opportunity for growth and innovation. Throughout my life and career, taking calculated risks has played a significant role in shaping my experiences and achievements. Read more>>

Dallas Anselmo | Model, actress, singer-songwriter

Risk taking is HUGE to me! Ultimately in life, no risk = no reward and no risk = no story. I never want to go through life playing it safe because in the end, that gets you nowhere. Taking risks has played such a crucial part in my life and career and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. Read more>>

MeccaGodZilla | Music Producer, MC, & Light Warrior

Such an amazing question. My entire adult life has revolved around going with my intuition, following my gut feelings, going against the grain, and quite literally leaping off cliffs—taking risks. I firmly believe that, even if I crash, there’s immense value in the experience, and I will simply reinvent 起死回生-style, like the phoenix! Read more>>

Max Tomack | Musician and Songwriter

As a songwriter, everything is a potential risk. Will people like it? Are people going to think it’s lame? It’s always a risk. The least risky thing I could do is to be myself in my writing. Staying true to yourself is the best way to feel comfortable in what you put into the world, and even then not everyone is going to be a fan. So just be you! Read more>>

Megan Tully | Actor, Filmmaker

My tendency toward risk got a really bad rep when I was growing up because I had no where to put it. Partying, sneaking out, driving too fast, skipping school, you know, classic teenage behaviour. But I realized later after reading my friend Sophie Morrison’s book, Brain Judo, that that same tendency toward risk could be a great thing when used constructively. Read more>>

Sevin Mundo | Photographer

“Those who have nothing to risk have nothing to gain” is something I live by. My life has always been a gamble. I live with an undying hope for a better future and that has come with a lot of success and failure too. Read more>>

So Jin Kim | Musician

I think taking risks are usually big decisions you have to make when you are at a crossroad. And I truly believe it’s important to take risks and to be fearless in putting yourself in a new situations, because one can always grow from experiencing the unknown. It can be something as small as learning a new piece of music or as big as moving to a new country. There are certain decisions that have an immediate pay off that reaffirms your decisions, but there are also ones where you feel like you have to start from scratch or perhaps made the wrong career choice. I think with the latter, I personally realized over time that even though those decisions didn’t seem like the obvious right choice at the time, I found myself growing personally through those choices; figuring out what is right for me, growing endurance in some situations, and in some cases, realizing my personal boundaries. And maybe the most important lesson I learned is that it’s not the decision itself that defines the outcome of a situation, but all of my actions after a decision that ultimately defines the outcome of that decision. Read more>>

Paola Gladys | Singer, Producer, DJ, Visual Artist, Actress

Risk-taking is an integral part of my life and career, shaping my identity as a person, musician and artist. The creative journey is inherently filled with uncertainties and challenges that demand a willingness to take risks. For me, these risks extend beyond the artistic realm and encompass a myriad of aspects, including emotional resilience, career decisions, personal growth, and the pursuit of acceptance. Whether it’s experimenting with new genres, pushing the boundaries of my creativity, or facing the vulnerability of sharing my work with the world, each instance involves an element of risk. Moreover, the decision to live across the world, away from the love of my life, family, and closest friends, is perhaps the most tangible manifestation of my adventurous spirit! Read more>>