Are you a risk taker? Do you think you have a stronger appetite for risk relative to your friends and family? We asked some folks from the community about their approaches to risk and have shared their thoughts below.

Tristeon Moore | Chef/Mixologist & Author of Spoiled A$$ KIDZ!: Home Happy Hour Recipes for the Family

When I’m faced with a decision to take a risk my mindset is to be aware of the challenges, but I focus on the reward. Taking risk and mainly betting on myself has helped me achieve many things in life. I never thought I’d become a published author, but I took a major risk to create something without any experience or knowing how the world would receive it, and it was very successful. Read more>>

David Hooey | Management Consultant & Real Estate Agent

Risk has always been one of my fears, but has truly taught me that it is ok to push the envelope and take a leap of faith. Being able to embrace fear and retrain my mind to know that “without risk there is no reward”. I am a dreamer and believe that I can and will accomplish so much in my lifetime, but how can I truly get there if I’m unable to take the risk? The role risk has played out in my life is knowing that with proper preparation and due diligence you can do more than you ever set your mind out to do and get out of your own way. Read more>>

Darren Randle | Houston Tents & Events – Owner/President

I’ve always thought that if you weren’t given advantages during youth/early adulthood then you were going to have to take risks to achieve a certain level of success. Every day in both my personal and professional paths I take calculated risks. I left my hometown where I grew up in Memphis, TN a few weeks after high school graduation. I gave up multiple academic scholarships that would’ve provided me a full-ride opportunity at any Tennessee state school and instead chose to move to Houston to attend college with my now wife, Kori. Read more>>

Chad Gunner | Entrepreneur/People Leader

I truly believe that growth in any form requires risk taking. I clearly remember my reluctance to take on a promotion. From the outside looking in, this was not a huge jump from my current job. It was just a change in visibility from “higher ups.” I listened to many people both ahead of me in the reporting chain as well as subordinates express how well I would perform in the next step. For me, fear of failure was the overwhelming thought. As I look back, this particular move was the risk I had to take to grow. Fortunately, I survived the leap and it became what I consider my first considerable risk as an adult. There are levels to risk taking and though minor this occurrence, it proved major in the the grand scheme. Read more>>

Dan MacFarlane | Pro Skateboarder & Owner of Houston Skateboards

Taking risks is a necessity if you want to progress at anything in life. For me, as a skateboarder I’m always seeking new levels of skill for myself, and naturally it has physical risks. When you’re skateboarding and are about to go for a trick, if you think about falling you’re more likely to fall, and if you think about landing the trick, you’re more likely to land it. The key is to set new goals that you feel are worthy, and to keep a positive mental dialogue as you do the work it takes to execute your goal. Read more>>

Danielle Centeno | Charcuterie Entrepreneur

My main focus has always and will always be my children. We were in a situation that I needed to get us out of. Only problem was, I had no degree. I had no money of my own. It was rough. I was scared, but I was also determined to do something more with my life for us. So, I set my pride aside and asked someone to give me a loan of $300 with the promise I would pay them back with interest…and I did within a month of launching Boujee Box. Read more>>

Emily Rae Arbogast | Owner of ‘E|R|A Beauty Lounge’ in Kingwood

I believe we truly can not get anywhere in life without risk. Risk is Inevitable if you really think about it. You never know what you’re capable of until you push yourself, you take the risks to achieve the things you dream of. From the very beginning we all had to take a risk of falling when we learned to walk and in that same example, we all fell a few times. We don’t always see reward from every risk that we take but if we never give up & never stop learning, the rewards will eventually come. I look at risk as an opportunity & in my present day life my most recent risk has been to start my own business & open my own Hair Salon. Read more>>

Nicole Bennett | Realtor, Serial Entrepreneur

I’ve always been an entrepreneur since I was twenty years old, and I’ve always had the willingness and ambition to go after what I want in life. Therefore the adversities that I faced and experienced from being an entrepreneur; I know exactly what it feels like to succeed, fail, and pick have to pick myself back up to start from scratch. Therefore, I understand the process of what it takes and the risks that comes along with it. Read more>>

Katherine Burks | Teacher and starting my new business

The way I think about risk is that it can be good and bad it all depends on how you go about it. The role that has taking risk in my life and my career is starting my new business I have always wanted to start my new business but I was scared and nervous how it will turn out so I had a close friend tell me just jump out there taking risk maybe good for you. So I decided to just jump out there and see how it go but also with risk you have to have patients as well, I’m learning that every day. Read more>>