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.

Lori Hoffman | Travel Enthusiast & Dreamer

When Sarah and I first met, neither of us was a big risk-taker. Though she admittedly was a little edgier than I was. She had studied abroad, lived away from home for extended periods, and was once a police officer. On the other hand, I had been teaching for eight years in the same school and was still living less than 5 miles from where I had grown up. Read more>>

Krista Lane | Co-Founder Noel Estelle Creative Designs, Yoga Instructor, Reiki Practitioner

I view risk differently than I did in the past, where I was probably a little more risk averse. Now, I see risks as a cornerstone of building a business, career, or really, any part of the journey of life. I’m a big fan of disruption, meaning the interruption of your normal routine, or what you get really comfortable doing and before you know it, 10 years have passed and you aren’t sure how that happened. We need disruption, which is really risk, to create change, and to continue to evolve on our personal and professional paths. Read more>>

Andranique Mercier | Entrepreneur

Very few people take risks to stay in the safe zone of life. This is because risks are viewed as scary, irregular, and something to avoid in order to guarantee a predictable life. However, majority of the most successful/wealthy people had to take risks to get to where they are. Taking risks has played a major role in my life for the simple fact that all of the risks I’ve taken has not only helped me become successful, but has encouraged full awareness of myself and the world around me. It also creates the guts to think and be bigger. Read more>>

Katarina Radnic Zmazek | Jewelry designer & entrepreneur / ex lawyer

Risk taking is and was crucial for my personal life and career. Although, at first I wouldn’t say I’m the type of person that takes risks, when I look back, taking risks was how I got to where I am today. After I finished high school, smart choice for college seemed law school, my mom having a successful office in Zagreb, it was a sure thing, a job and an office waiting just for me. Deep inside me I knew I wanted something different, but not knowing what that was specifically, I didn’t have any arguments to what else I would be studying or doing so I thought, might as well try law school. Read more>>

Laura Kwok | Artist & Muralist

Before I became an artist, I received a degree in English Literature and Education. Right after graduation, I traveled to Hong Kong for a family vacation to attend my uncle’s wedding. While I was there, I interviewed for a teaching position at a local school. I decided to forfeit my return ticket and wait in Hong Kong to see if I had secured the job while my family returned back home to Canada. I did get the teaching position and ended up staying in Hong Kong for 1 year (with just my suitcase of necessities for 1 month). Read more>>