By far, the topic that comes up most in our conversations with entrepreneurs and creatives is risk. We’ve had conversations about risks that worked out and risks that did not. We’ve seen eyes light eye sharing about career-trajectory changing risks as well as folks sigh about the risks they wish they had taken. Below, we’ve selected and shared some of those thoughtful conversations.

Korey West | Business Owner & Investor

I’ve always been a risk taker. However, I try to be strategic about it. It takes work to have multiple plans to backup the risk you’re willing to take. I feel like the most rewarding goals aren’t achieved without putting something on the line. In each of my businesses, I’ve had to make very important decisions not knowing the outcome. So far, the risk has paid off. Read more>>

Dawn Candy | Strategic Marketing Consultant

Without risk, there is no reward! Starting a business can be risky, and starting from scratch is hard. I had guidance as to how to start, but I did not follow a specific template, and the decisions I made were often reactive instead of proactive. I believe staying in your comfort zone prohibits your growth, and my mantra for as long as I can remember has been to “Do it Afraid”!  Read more>>

Hala Karn | Content creator, Digital creator

Honestly I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with taking risks. Always avoided it because my brain would automatically think that whatever I’m about to risk is just going to go downhill. Throughout the years I’ve trained my thought process that one, just because I’m taking this risk does not mean it will have a bad outcome. Read more>>

Marette Gillen | Branch Manager & Residential Mortgage Originator

As a mortgage professional, I think about risk almost 24/7. Each loan applicant is reviewed based on the level of risk it would be to give them hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions, of dollars to buy a home. In my personal life, one of the bigger risks I take is time with my family; the notorious “work life balance”. I will risk working a little too much now in order to invest into real estate. Read more>>

Zamia Johnson | Content Creator/ Aspiring Model

I definitely think it depends on the risk sometimes risks are worth taking to build a strong foundation, sometimes you have to take some risk to accomplish things. You wouldn’t have accomplished the “normal way“, but sometimes trying to take big risks can make everything fall apart. Read more>>