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.
Taya Marroquin
I often found myself shying away from risk growing up, especially the unknown! Choosing risk has never been an easy decision for me, especially when it goes against everything I was raised to prioritize. But in building a bakery from the ground up, I couldn’t embrace risk more even if I tried! Throughout my career I have learned risk is a necessary step towards expanding my comfort zone, especially when choosing to follow my passion. It was a learning process but I realize risk is necessary when taking the unconventional path. Read more>>
Sarah Scow
Some of my biggest payoffs have come from taking risks! I think in general, studying art, being in the creative industry, or starting a business around either is considered “risky” because it’s not as lucrative as say, the medical field. And I’ve been doing at least one of those my whole life. There’s also an element of vulnerability in sharing your art because you’re expressing your point of view, and that can be uncomfortable. I think there’s a lot of artists in the closet. And by that I mean they literally have works of art in their closets that they don’t share with the world for any number of reasons. I think one of those reasons is that they don’t want to risk rejection or even expose themselves as artists and deal with everything that label comes with. Read more>>
Megan Mauk
I started making YouTube videos at the age of 11, and now at 24, I’ve seen how much the landscape of YouTube and social media has changed. Back then, doing something different was frowned upon. The people I went to school with all had their favorite YouTubers, from PewDiePie to Bethany Mota, but when one of their peers started creating content, it was so out of the norm especially at such a young age. I had to step out of my comfort zone and take risks because I knew I wanted to pursue this. I was never good at school or sports, but talking to a camera was a no-brainer for me. Read more>>
Allison Scavo
I was raised on a 1962 Panhead Harley Davidson, playing contact sports, and raising Hell praising Dale. I have always enjoyed life. I’m the type to break my ankle jumping into the river and then realize I should have checked to see how deep the bottom was. My impulsivity has led to a lot of great things and it made me confident in my ability to take risks. I’m just not afraid of life. I’ll develop fear after the risk. Read more>>
Danika Cantrell
For me Risk is Adventure; and what is life without a little adventure? With that being said, what is life then if there is a LOT of adventure? Whether I was looking for it or not, adventure always seemed to find me. Maybe it’s my Venus in Sagittarius in my Astrological chart, but I always desperately sought from work, relationships, and places I lived a slightly out of reach, ephemeral Platonic “Good, Beautiful and True.” If it (whatever “it” was) didn’t match up to my expectations, I simply didn’t stay. Escape was my backdoor exit plan for the risky Uknown. Read more>>
Cheryl Smith
I started cooking and baking for just small gatherings or family functions and I would get so many compliments on how good it tasted and I would be permanently assigned to make certain things Lol. I decided to venture out into decorating cakes and making different assorted goodies and was told numerous times “you really need to consider going into business for yourself, these cakes and sweets not only look good but they taste good”. I was nervous to even think about trying to sell my stuff but one day I said you know all my 3 children are adults and this is something I absolutely love doing and I told myself it’s now or never so I pulled the big girl panties up and just did it. Read more>>
Sarah Brown
Pain—that’s where! Most effective teacher in the world. I built my risk capacity at 19 and it’s been my most powerful asset as an investor and entrepreneur. At that time, I was pregnant, jobless, single, unmedicated for my mental health diagnoses, filing for bankruptcy and handing over my car for voluntary repossession. Read more>>
Therese Paige
Most people seem to be risk averse. It’s in our nature to play it safe and choose the established path for our own self-preservation. What I’ve found is that if something doesn’t really scare me, it’s probably not worth doing. Now, that doesn’t mean that you should be reckless or fool hardy. You should grow that big idea and put it out there, but you must develop a plan, a path, that will provide the steps to see it thorough. Read more>>
Sarah Rice-maldonado
When I first started my business, taking risks seemed scary. I wanted to play it safe because I thought it was the best choice in the beginning. Building my portfolio and clientele really helped build my confidence. That, in turn, helped me develop the ability to take more risks. I also realized that in taking risks, I was growing faster than I was when I was going the safe route. My designs became better as well. I pushed myself and my team to do more complicated and intricate work which has ultimately made our team stronger and clients happier.. Read more>>
Dani Gorin
Oddly enough, I think my ability to take risk has largely been shaped by my anxiety. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder during graduate school, but I’ve dealt with anxiety and panic attacks since childhood. Things that really shouldn’t make you scared–raising your hand in class, for example, used to make my hands shake and my heart pound in my chest. When banal things make you scared, the things you really care about are downright terrifying. Over time, I started to realize that, at least for me, anything I really wanted to do would make me deeply uncomfortable. Read more>>
Melissa Edwards-parsard
I got tired of seeing others in my community living in fear and losing hope. So they developed a mental state to just go with the flow. Some reward is better than no reward and how will I know if I can overcome a task if I never tried. Read more>>
Alex Harrom
I have worked for various businesses and companies under various management styles. I have learned that what is typical or traditional for a business only sometimes works, yet that is the status quo or what is followed without question. I frequently use the term “unconventional” when referring to Pop & Dot’s business practices. I have learned the rules and respect them, which puts me in an excellent position to break the rules and make them work for our business and what we are trying to accomplish. Read more>>
Felipe Alexandre
My ability to take risks has developed throughout my career, where a passion for helping others has driven every decision and step. I have faced challenges and uncertainties, but I have always believed that the best opportunities come from stepping out of my comfort zone. This mindset has allowed me to explore new approaches and expand my work. Read more>>
Stavroula Zigouris
Many tend to think that art and design is just about elaborate brushstrokes, aesthetic colors, and such… but at its core, art is about narrative. More specifically, it is about taking the risk to communicate a certain narrative. Whenever I show someone my artwork, be it a professional, a professor, or even a family member, I am risking a part of myself by being vulnerable. The way I like to get over the anxiety of taking risks is by thinking about what I can gain instead of what I can lose. Read more>>
