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.

Mertz Nicolson | Music Producer

I don’t know if I can cuss on this, but my initial thought on this is “Fuck it!” You only got one life to make the most happen, so why not just take a couple risks. One of the best things I did for myself was taking the risk to meet new people in college, which unexpectedly led to the chance to produce, record, and mix an entire concert performance for these two artists, A1 and OCBaller, that opened up for Ravyn Lenae. Read more>>

Maria Farré | Illustrator

I always try to keep an element of risk in my daily life, and if I feel I am not taking any risks, it means I should go out and take some! Risk is what helps me learn and have fun at the same time in both my professional and personal life. I could even say that dealing with risk through creativity is one of the things I enjoy the most. Read more>>

Avith Miracle | Music Composer and Multi-Instrumentalist

We have all heard the saying, if you dont step out of your comfort zone, you will never grow. This is especially true in the creative and artistic business, taking risks can improve one’s career opportunities and are almost always encouraged. Although there are specific trends and paths that have a good chance to become successful, they can’t assure success to all, thus the appeal for risks. Read more>>

Daniel Sukara | Special Makeup Effects Artist

Well, I certainly wouldn’t be answering this if I hadn’t taken a major risk. I wouldn’t have a career to speak about. All of my life I really played it safe and went with the flow, never really making much of an effort to do anything except get by. I spent almost all of my 30s just spinning my wheels, hoping someday something would magically change. Read more>>

Shay Dempsey | Hair Artist

I have been a Hair Artist for over 25 years , and I have to say most of my success is from the Mentors I surrounded myself around . You must have the basic fundamentals first , then you need to know what you really want to excel at , I don’t believe you can do it all. Read more>>

Sami Grisafe | Actor, Singer-Songwriter, Chief of Staff, Instil, Inc.

Risk is at the heart of breaking barriers, creativity, and innovation. I think most of what I’ve pursued in my life can be perceived as risky. Whether it was my pursuit of: becoming the first female in California to play QB in men’s Varsity Division I High School Football game, a scholarship to one of the top theatre conservatories in the U.S., Read more>>

Nick Lambrou | Filmmaker, Producer & Photographer

Nothing is promised. We don’t start living until we have the courage to take a risk and reach for what we believe in. Taking the leap of faith at 18 and moving to the United States from my hometown in Athens, Greece was one of the most defining moments of my life. Read more>>

Abbey Engel | Social Media Manager, Entreprenuer, and Model

I love taking risks. I look at risks as opportunities, however I didn’t always used to see risks in this way. I grew up in a very small town called Fountain City, WI. My parents went through a very messy divorce when we my little sister and I were younger which caused a lot of “risks” in our lives such as financial risk, risk of not seeing one parent over the other, risk of instability, just to name a few. Read more>>

Corey Saldana | Videographer/Photographer/YouTuber/Podcast Host/Streamer

I love when I get asked about risks because I’ve been taking a lot of risks the last 5-6 years. Originally, I’m born and raised out of my hometown of Seattle…Go Hawks! Moving to Los Angeles has been a goal and dream of mine since 2013 when I decided to enroll into Film School. Read more>>

Fayza Khalifa | Actress

I believe that when you agree to be an actor, the risk is inherent. It comes with the profession. You must know and accept that you will have to take a lot of risks, get out of your comfort zone, try different things, be vulnerable, and experience new things to express the best of your artistry. Read more>>

Demi Lan | Designer

Choosing between the predictable and the unpredictable, or the safe and risky route, is always challenging. Personally, I have taken significant risks in both my personal and professional life, and these decisions were not easy to make.
One notable risk I took was switching my college major to graphic design, despite having limited technical skills. Read more>>

Moneee Monroeee | Model & Background Actress

When I think of risk, I think of faith, belief, and getting up every day without worrying about how the risk is going to affect my success, just having that positive mindset about doing it no matter what the outcome may be. Risk has played a huge role in my life. Read more>>

Brian Franklin | Vow, Wedding Speech, and Ceremony Writer

There are people who take risks because they’re either delusionally optimistic or they enjoy the thrill of the gamble. I’m neither: I get excited about opportunities, but I am very deliberate about not getting too far ahead of myself. I once had a therapist coin me as “relentlessly hopeful,” which tracks pretty well and to me, is different than optimism. Read more>>

Sterling Avery | Independent Music Artist

You have to not be afraid to take risks in this business. It’s so many things that are uncertain and a lot of rare moments are captured & cultivated the moment you step outside your comfort zone. Read more>>

Almudena Fernandez Vicens | Printmaker & Painter

Growing up, I was naturally cautious and steered my decisions to minimize potential negative outcomes and to minimize the chances of feeling regret This led me away from choices that carried a higher risk. However, as I entered adulthood, I realized that this strategy, while safe, often limited my opportunities for growth and advancement. Read more>>

Stephanie Thompson | functional nutrition specialist & classical musician

I’ve never really considered myself a risk-taker (except for loving extreme rollercoasters!), but someone I admire once told me they think I’m brave, because I go after my goals. In my first career, I was an orchestral musician. As a student, if I wanted to study with a well-known clarinetist, I reached out and asked. Read more>>

Elijah Dickson | Photographer & Videographer

Risk taking has been pretty much my biggest thing I’ve been focused on my whole time with my career. I constantly invest in myself and am very experimental with trying new things so it truly doesn’t phase me with new stuff. This has helped my life greatly due to how I’m not scared of losing. Read more>>

Loudmar Portilho | Software Engineer & Spare time traveller

How I Think About Risk. For me, taking risks is synonymous with living authentically and pursuing the life I envision for myself. It embodies boldness and the decision to be true to oneself rather than conforming to societal expectations. Read more>>

Donald Nally

I take a lot of risks and some of them don’t turn out great and I don’t care, because you have to try a lot of things before you find “the thing” and “the thing” may not last all that long. That’s not just in art; I’m like that in life. I’ve had a lot of great jobs and I’ve quit (nearly) every one of them. Read more>>

Ash

For me, risk is proof that I am climbing the stairs to the next stage. Some people call it a risk, while others call it an opportunity. Depending on whether you are afraid or enjoy it, the name risk turns into opportunity. Read more>>

Saalihah Mays

With Taking risk I have learned that it has been important for my growth and experience in building and creating my brand Edgy Chić. I am a person who is a risk taker that has learned over time the importance of taking the right risk. Starting Edgy CHIĆ was one of the biggest risk I have taken in my life. Read more>>

Kenny Adrian

In the past, I tended to play it pretty safe and stick within my comfort zone. I liked to maintain a high degree of control and predictability in my life. But as I’ve grown personally and professionally, I’ve had to become more comfortable with risk-taking. Read more>>

TIMUR GUSEYNOV and KATERYNA KURGANSKA

KATERYNA: Love this question! One of my favorite quotes is from A Most Violent Year (2014): ‘When it feels scary to jump, that is exactly when you jump, otherwise you end up staying in the same place your whole life.’ I can’t say it better myself. Risk is an essential and inevitable part of any creative process. Read more>>

Daniel Tauber

Usually, I think about risk alongside whether or not I’m going to regret doing or not doing a certain action. When having to make a decision, whichever decision will leave me with the least feelings of “what if” generally works out the best for me. It was how I decided to move to Boston from Sydney to start studying at Berklee College of Music, it’s how I decided to move to LA to make the most of my career and it’s why I decided to start working at Audiomachine. Read more>>

Jerad Atherton

Success requires risk. If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving back. We love routines and think strategic habits create the best lasting changes over time, but there are always going to be pivotal times that require bold belief. Failure to make these hard decisions at the right time can be costly. Read more>>

Asha Iwanowicz

Taking risks is sometimes necessary to find success. I took a risk when I decided that making music was going to be my life. A lot of my former classmates and colleagues have given up on that dream to pursue more stable jobs and income, and there are times I certainly wish I could do the same. Read more>> 

Gregory Yuan | Actor

Risk is something that comes with the territory of being in the entertainment industry. The whole thing is essentially a risk as there are no guarantees in it. I try to live my life with the motto of you’ll never know if you don’t try, so even if something seems scary I have learned to just do it scared. Read more>>

Alexis Marrero | Pop-Rock Singer/Songwriter

Risk taking is a major part of my career and life. As a singer/songwriter, I choose to take a risk every single day. Trying to achieve a career path that has many unknowns is very risky, but it’s part of the thrill of it all. When you want something bad enough, the fear of the unknown scares you less. Read more>>