In our experience, most folks, including ourselves don’t have enough of an understanding of risk and the role it plays in our lives and careers and so we have made a concerted effort as a team to have conversations about risk with our interviewees. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Cagla Aykac | Tattoo Artist & Marketing Manager

Risk is essential in my life. Taking calculated risks has consistently led to success. I believe that risks should be taken thoughtfully and with proper planning. The risks I’ve taken in my personal and professional life have been pivotal in my journey. Read more>>

Ana Roman | Producer, DJ, Generative Artist, and Creative Technologist

Risk is VITAL to everything I do. I see risk as a direct correlation to learning new skills and evolving as an artist. At the tail end of 2019 I felt very stuck in a creative crisis – I nearly gave up on music making and dj-ing. But then I started reading about AI, Machine learning, and generative art. I knew something was going to change. Then the paradigm shift happened. I was forced to take a leap into those skills during the pandemic. Read More>>

Deniz Cimlikaya | Multidisciplinary Artist

Every topic we discuss about art, in my opinion, involves risk in today’s world. Having a goal outside the norm often scares everyone around you, even a lot. The most accurate thing I can say about this is “don’t listen to anyone.” However, to have the luxury of not listening, you need to work hard and minimize the risk factor as much as possible. Especially in countries where it is hard to sell art, the families of aspiring artists are usually afraid that their children will be left unemployed. Read more>>

Agustina Alvarado | actress and journalist

Risk-taking has been central to my journey as an actress and journalist. Moving from Chile to LA to pursue my dream of being a performer was a huge leap of faith. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I knew that if I wanted to give myself the chance to grow, I had to take that risk. I left behind a stable career and the familiarity of home to face the unknown in one of the most competitive industries in the world. Read more>>

Laura Harrison | Hairstylist

Risk taking is everything. I moved from Washington DC to Miami to pursue my career in hair styling, then from Miami to LA. Coming to LA was a major risk because its all the way across the country, its expensive and it can be hard to make it here. I faced some challenges in the beginning but everything fell in to place. I can truly say anytime ive taken a risk my life has changed for the better. Read more>>

Daniel Sandell | Artist, music producer & DJ

Since my mission in life is to be an artist & musician, I wholeheartedly embrace risks that are in alignment with that. I live every day in the pursuit of reaching my full potential, both on the musical side as well as the personal. With this as my foundation, I trust my intuition strongly when it comes to taking certain “risky decisions”. I understand that the ego will always struggle with the unknown, but operating from a place of trust and faith is where true power resides. And where truly exciting results can manifest. Read more>>

Brad La Pointe | Digital Product Designer & UX/UI Strategist

Risk is something I try to avoid. My upbringing was risk-a-verse in multiple ways. From school, to work, to living life; my first instinct has been to weigh the pros and cons, and plan for any risky situations. Now, has that gotten me to where I am today? Sure? But not entirely. I can vividly remember the day when I realized the next step in my career was an incredible risk in itself. Read more>>

Sarah Noelle | Actress

My relationship to the concept of risk has changed over time. Every choice we make has an element of risk, does it not? Even staying the same weighs just as heavily on the risk scale as making a change and taking a step forward. Even more so most often. There is no way of knowing what the future holds so in a backwards way, the most logical move is to make that “risky” step forward that frightens and excites you. Read more>>

Shantelle Rodriguez | Makeup Artist & Hairstylist

Risk taking happens more often than usual, specially when you want to try something new and push your creativity. It’s honestly a thrill when I get the chance to take on a new risk and I’m scared out of my socks! It means I completed one part of my life or skill and I’m on to something different. It can be so scary that I almost don’t want to take the leap of faith, but that’s when I know that the risk is big and it’s something I need to accomplish because my faith is greater. Read more>>

Hae Ji Cho | Director, Writer, Producer

If my one life on this planet will someday come to an end regardless of what I do, I may as well go out swinging. Knowing myself, I can either spend my energy going after the things I want or spend it feeling regret for not trying, so I’d rather choose the former. I spent a lot of time being afraid of going after the opportunities I wanted out of fear that others would write off my entire potential if my work weren’t amazing right out of the gate, but turns out that most people are so preoccupied being the protagonists of their own lives that it doesn’t matter nearly as much as we may think. Read more>>

Marissa Comstock | Artist

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a risk taker. I’ve always put myself out there pursuing my interests. The same doubts run through my head like everyone else but they’ve never stopped me from doing anything. In times when I’m afraid, I always just put my head down and focused on one foot in front of the other. Action is always the best remedy to doubt. Read more>>

Muhyi Ali | Actor, Filmmaker, Comic and Creative

Without risk there is no reward and as a Capricorn, I love me a REWARD. I am a firm believer in risk taking for your overall advancement. In order to get something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done. With safety at the forefront, I believe risk taking is the only way I’ve been able to get to where I’ve wanted to be in life and I plan to continue moving in such a manner. Read more>>

Nami Dae | Artist

I feel like risks are necessary sometimes in order to move to the next step of your journey/career. Especially if they’re well thought out and won’t leave you too unstable if you do them. I’ve taken many risks in my life and my career. One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was moving to LA a year ago. I had no family on the west coast and no real jobs lined up. However, I felt that I had outgrown all the other places I had lived and that I wanted to give LA a try. I won’t say that it was an easy start, but I do not regret my decision at all. Read more>>

Tia Minzoni | President of Stella Jets

Taking risk has been a key element in my success. Throughout my entire life, I’ve never avoided risk, which sometimes leads to success, and sometimes leads to falling flat on my face. But even falling coming with lessons that helped me become a higher achiever. Without failure, the entire human race would not move forward, because the only way that we can grow, is through the lessons, and the best lessons are learned through risk taking, wins and fails. Read more>>

Erik Barrios-recendez | Artist

Risk-taking has been an indispensable part of my professional growth. As an artist without a bachelor’s degree, I wasn’t taken as seriously in the art world, and I decided to go back to school and graduated from UC Berkeley in December 2023. There, I was mentored by renowned artists such as Stephanie Syjuco, and I learned so much about the art world’s inner mechanisms, which has helped me navigate my career. Read more>>