Risk-taking is at the heart of making a difference, but often we’ve been conditioned to avoid risk as much as possible. So, we asked some successful risk-takers to talk to us about how they developed their comfort with taking risk.

Hannah Lester

Knowing how to take a risk is not something you learn overnight. When it comes to starting your own small business, taking risks is a part of the job.

Hi my name is Hannah Lester, I live in Richmond Virginia with my husband Tanner. I own a Permanent Jewelry business called Interlinked, which I founded in March 2023. Read More>>

Jennifer Mccloud

I have developed a strong tolerance for risk because I’ve experienced the deep sense of accomplishment that comes from overcoming obstacles to achieve meaningful goals. This has been true in many areas of my life, particularly in my success as an entrepreneur. The greatest rewards often come from pursuing challenges that carry the greatest risks. While overcoming small risks can be satisfying, it is conquering what once seemed insurmountable that brings the most profound sense of achievement. Read More>>

Felix Martinez

I’ve always been a risk-taker. I believe that behind every risk is where success lies. Nothing great ever comes from staying in your comfort zone. Taking risks—whether it’s investing in new equipment, expanding into new services, or pushing creative boundaries—has always been part of my journey.

Over time, I’ve learned that calculated risks are the key. It’s not about jumping in blindly but trusting your skills, experience, and instincts. Read More>>

Shivan Mahadeo

I was able to learn risk management skills by driving two thousand miles to Canada by myself, three times in snowstorms that could make your car veer off the road. After taking that risk, nothing else really seem that difficult. I also was able to work for a company on the Top 300 Branham List at 22 after having to work from an early age due to family separation of a parent at fourteen and having to fill that role early on. By the age of fourteen, I knew how to pay a mortgage and utility bills. Read More>>

Brian Bouldin

I’ve been a natural risk-taker since I was a teenager. My ability to take risks more confidently has come from past mistakes and other people’s failures that I’ve had the opportunity to witness. At the point where I’m at in my life right now, I’ve gained enough wisdom and knowledge over the years to make sound decisions but I’m always still learning. I trust God and that everything will go according to his plan. Read More>>

Valeria Villarreal

During the pandemic, I felt like I was living in a loop. Same room, same routine, same feelings. It was a strange mix of comfort and restlessness—safe, but not satisfying. I realized I had been playing it safe for too long, and if I wasn’t careful, I’d look back one day and see a life full of “what ifs.” I made a promise to myself: When things opened up, I’d start saying yes to the things that scared me. I wanted to feel that rush of doing something bold, something that mattered to me. That’s when I decided to audition for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Hitting “submit” on the application felt huge, but the real leap came when I packed my bags and moved to LA—all on my own. Read More>>

Tamy Idrobo

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been the type to play it safe. When I decided to move to the U.S. at 21, without knowing anyone and with shaky English, I knew I was betting everything on my dreams. But I also understood that if you don’t take risks, you stay where you are. And I wasn’t born to stay still.

Breaking into the fashion industry in a country that isn’t mine has been a constant leap into the unknown. Getting to NYFW and navigating spaces where I didn’t know anyone was intimidating. Yes, imposter syndrome has visited me more times than I’d like to admit, but every time it tries to paralyze me, I remind myself: What’s the worst that could happen? That they say no? Well, I already have a no, so I’m going for the yes. Read More>>

Grayson Murphy

As a professional runner, I have learned a lot from my sport. While running has taught me many life lessons, learning to take risks has been of the most impactful. In races, and in training, you have to push to your limits. In order to get to places you’ve never been, you have to do things you’ve never done. Whether that is running a mile faster than you ever have before or setting a personal record in the gym. In races, taking risks can sometimes look like signing up for a race distance you’ve never done or running with people who might have faster PRs than you do. But in the end it almost always pays off.  Read More>>

Dr. Shana T. Jones

In 2022, I found myself in a space of burnout, mental, physical, and emotion fatigue. I was unable to shake what I was feeling and knew that I was depressed and needed to make some changes if I stood a chance at bouncing back and thriving in the ways in which I desired. These feelings stemmed from working as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Director during that time, but in the field for over ten years. I was a department of one, with little resources, charged with implementing DEI across the entire organization. Read More>>