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.

Alyssa Rodriguez

Risk is everything. If you aren’t willing to risk, you’ll never know your own potential. Read More>>

Ny’L Thompson

I believe in living without regrets. I always tell myself, “You don’t want to look back and say, ‘I should’ve done that.’” So when it comes to risk-taking, I run it through a personal checklist: Is it safe? Is it legal? Will it cause harm to anyone? Is it ethical?
If the answers align, then I ask myself the final question: “Why not?” If I can’t come up with a valid reason not to take the risk, then I know the only thing standing in my way is me. And honestly, that’s often the case for most of us! We can be our biggest obstacle. Fear, doubt, overthinking… it’s not always the world holding us back. Sometimes, it’s just us. Read More>> 

Rick And Rose Bengtson

We’ve both spent years working in fields where risk is part of the job—so our perception of risk might be a little different than most. In that context, flower farming is a different kind of risk. Read More>> 

Kaden Demedeirosz

Risk has shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve always been “risk on,” never really afraid to take the leap. For me, taking risks is the only way to build the life I want—to do what I want, when I want, how I want. It’s not always easy, but over time you become empowered by it. When a risky decision pays off, there’s no better feeling—you start to trust yourself more, even when everything is on the line. And honestly, the worst thing that can happen is you end up back where you started. I’ve had to start at square one plenty of times, and each time, I built it back up by betting on myself and taking that leap of faith again. Read More>>