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.

Chrysta Joy Jaucian | Student & Singer

I think of risk as a way to grow and become more open to new things. Taking risks has played a huge role in my life and career. It’s opened a lot of doors and has given me many opportunities to learn and grow both professionally and personally. In my career as a musician, taking risks sometimes looks like playing new songs and not knowing how other people will receive it. Sometimes, it looks like getting vulnerable, trying to convey a certain emotion, and putting it out there for everyone to hear. In life, taking risks has really been getting out of my comfort zone and trying new things, not knowing what will happen next. It’s looked like falling a few times and getting back up, and it’s involved a ton of learning many lessons. Overall, taking risks has helped me become more confident in myself and my gifts, and it’s taught me the importance of getting out of my comfort zone. Read more>>

Sy Asad | Author, Songwriter, Entrepreneur

Life is a lot about taking risks. I honestly feel as though my young adult life might have panned out a bit better if I allowed myself to take more risks. Some of the risks I wanted to take were like when I wanted to go to a particular high-school that I actually wanted to go to despite being told that I wasn’t allowed to go to that school, or reaching out to the piano teacher who wanted to train me to learn piano despite the fact my family wouldn’t allow me to take piano lessons. I was raised to be obedient and I thought taking risks was somewhat disrespectful and depending on the risks you’re taking they can be disrespectful and dangerous, but the risks I wanted to take were opportunities I didn’t allow myself to take. I do believe that sometimes taking risks are detrimental but sometimes not taking risks are just as detrimental. I think life is a lot about balance; I try to make wise decisions and take wise risks. Read more>>

Mandy Retsuko | Artist

I feel like for a lot of my life, especially growing up, I was constantly taking risks and looked at risks as a way to get something new/better out of life. Like the saying goes, you really do miss 100% of the chances you don’t take. When I started my Trinkitz nail business, I feel like I took a risk with the pricing of my nail sets and with how extra my designs were. I was a new nail business and my first nail sets were starting out at $130+. A lot of the popular press-on nails I saw being sold were mostly 2D or with painted gel art. Selling my nail sets for this much and selling nail sets with unorthodox designs felt like a risk because I didn’t see many others doing it. But one thing I knew was that even though I was a new nail business, I definitely wasn’t new to nails. I’ve been doing nails for years and I knew not to undersell myself. Taking this risk set the tone for my brand and every time I sell a set, the risk definitely feels worth it. It’s up from here. Read more>>

Chynell Lee | Marketing Strategist & Entrepreneur

The term “risk” typically comes with a negative perception that you’re taking a chance that you should be hesistant about taking. For me “risk” has always been getting out of my own head and doing what I know I need to do, hoping for the best and settling for nothing less to come from it. Even if the take away is simply a lesson. I worked at Chick-Fil-a from the age of 15 to 21. I started as a crew member making $4.25/hour learning the ropes, serving the world famous chicken sandwich. I worked my way to shift manager in college making $11.50, until I was given the opportunity to intern for McDonald’s DFW marketing team. This was a pivotal moment for me because of conflict of interest, I had to quit my well-paying college job to intern for class credit for one-semester. For me the answer was easy, for others I was taking a major risk. “What if nothing comes of the internship and you’ve quit your job?” “How will you supplement the money you made working while interning? “How will you drive to Dallas from Denton everyday and make it to class.? All of these comments caused doubt for me, but it was worth it. Read more>>

Jessica Ibarra | Lash Technician & Treat Maker

Taking a risk is always the hardest thing to decide to do because you know that you may lose something. When deciding to start a lash business it was something that I went back and forth on because there is so much money and time that must be invested. I decided to go for it because I have always had a love for lashes and a passion to be my own boss. I consider myself a risk taker because I have learned that you must be brave and have courage to get the things you want and deserve. Read more>>

Christine Parizo | Content Marketing Writer

Risks are a part of life, and you absolutely have to take them. The key is weighing whether the risk is worth the reward. In my career, I risked leaving a full-time job to start my own business as a freelancer. In my personal life, I risked leaving Massachusetts, where I had lived for half of my life, to move to Houston. Both were not easy to do, but I now have a rewarding career as a freelance content marketing writer and live outside a great city. Read more>>

Jennifer Lopez | Co-Owner PupFit

I believe in taking risks, without them you’ll never know if you could’ve been successful! I’ve gone skydiving and I ride motorcycles. I took a big chance by investing everything I had to start a business that I truly believed in my heart was going to work. Read more>>

Denise Giordano | Gio Studio – Multidisciplinary Artist

In the words of Paulo Coelho “Be Brave, Take Risks. Nothing Can Substitute Experience” I’ve pretty much been taking risk my entire life. Switching High School three different times in my ninth year, Deciding not to go to college and pursue a career in computer technology to leaving 3 months later to work for the American Stock Exchange on Wall Street. I allowed myself to grow in different areas and companies. Once I learned the skill set needed and processes I worked my way up to a manager running the department I moved onto another area only to start over. I even left Wall Street (twice) to start a graphic arts business which I knew nothing about only to be called by the CEO’s of the Wall Street companies to come back and start a department that was just coming to the for front of their business. I think one of my major risks was leaving my home, family friends when I was offered a trading position for a top 5 energy company here in Houston. Plus the fact I had no trading experience. I thrive on learning and becoming an expert. That brings me to trading which is all about taking risks (buy low sell high). Read more>>

Paula Urdaneta | Model & Student

I believe risks are what makes a person grow and flourish. Personally, my life has been filled with many risks, from changing careers to trying new hobbies and passions. Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a dentist, but years passed by and I started to get close to the entertainment area, modeling and attending to events. Therefore, I realized that I should follow my creative side and follow what felt right. When I was in my second year of college, I decided I wanted to pursue the area of communications to nourish my creative self. Now, I am closer to earn my degree in Strategic Communications with a concentration in public relations. I feel that If I had not taken that risk of actually pursuing what made me happy, my life would not have been the same. Read more>>

Lissa Lopez | Artist

The decision to create life is a risk, and here we all are. Without risk taking, making hard decisions, nothing moves forward. The hardest choices I’ve had to make in my life both personally and professionally have been some of the best outcomes. The decisions that lead to not so great outcomes have taught me how to live my life in a more thoughtful way. How will my action effect others, or how are others influencing me?. Read more>>

Trinidad “Machete” Gonzalez | Houston’s Top Chef

Risk is real. Flat out. But I’ve always been a risktaker; what fun is life without journeying into the unknown. Read more>>

Keshena Patterson | Business Owner and Notary Public

Yes I think about risk all the time and if it’s truly worth it. What’s interesting is I’ve taken so many risks with business and career because I felt passionate about the move or believed I could do it, Most have paid off or was a great lesson for me. I think playing it safe with timid steps is not the way to transform in success. It’s like getting your feet wet which means the effort is not gonna be 100% at least for me knowing you can easily get out of it. Read more>>