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.

Dr. Christopher Chance | Board Certified Pediatric Dentist

My father once told me “boy, your last name is Chance. Taking risks is what we do. Just make sure they’re calculated.” My childhood forced me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and because of that it fueled me to never be complacent. It also forged within me the values of patience, hard work, and a strong relationship with God. For me, taking risks starts with work ethic and consistency. Read more>>

COACH KEY KEYANA WILLIAMS | LIFESTYLE COACH

Most people are scared to take a risk; I was once that person. To get different results in life, I had to take risks and do things I had never done before. Being a risk-taker was not part of the plan when I started my entrepreneurial journey. Understanding risk is a must in business. I learned from my journey that you could be whatever you want in life, stay in control, have faith, believe in yourself, and take risks. Read more>>

Aiden (Aidxnft) | Content Creator

Risk has defined the last six months of my life. From dropping out of college a month into my TikTok journey to moving across the country at 18 to chase my dreams, risk has played a huge part in my life. I think about risk as an opportunity. Where taking a risk and failing is an opportunity to grow and learn, and taking a risk and succeeding only furthers my passion to chase my dreams. Taking risks is part of life, and without risk, I would not be where I am today. Read more>>

Avery Carrier | Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger

I’ve always viewed risk as taking a leap of faith. I like to see it as an opportunity for growth by taking steps out of my comfort zone. Starting my blog and presenting myself as a “blogger” on social media was initially intimidating. I knew I had a passion for fashion and design, but was terrified of looking silly and placing myself in a box. I was scared to fail, to be embarrassed, and to put myself out there for the world to see. Read more>>

Mizzy | Artist/Rapper

I think everyone should take risk! It’s the only way to grow, I took the risk to put in a investment to grow my clothing brand not knowing if I would make the money back or not, but it teaches me to just try new things, and it’s necessary to learn how a business works Read more>>

Sharon Chapman Fibelkorn | Horse Photographer

Let’s talk about the role of risk taking and Horse Photography. I am an Aries so it’s not uncommon for me to charge head first into anything I do because, in my head, I always think it will work out. You could say that my glass is always half full and I am always encouraged to try things. Read more>>

Emily Perez Scarlet Bracho | The owners of now is clean

We never saw any risk in our decision to undertake, in fact we saw it as a risk not to do it. When you decide to undertake, you clearly feel fear and uncertainty thinking that every dollar you make depends on yourself, when your work habits no longer depend on 8 hours a day but up to 18 hours a day. You no longer depend on a check every 15 days, but everything depends on your own decisions. Read more>>