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.

Maria Wickwire | Figurative Sculptor

I have apparently lived by the philosophy of “Jump off the cliff and build your parachute on the way down.” When I discovered clay at age 45, I fell in love and felt like I had won the lottery in midlife. I haven’t been able to stop myself exploring and learning what the clay wants to say as it channels through my hands. Based on nothing in particular (ie Art School, gallery representation, sales, etc), I just declared myself a sculptor and proceeded forward. Read more>>

Jason Pearsall | Founder and CEO at Club Caddie / Managing Partner at Warren Valley Golf Course

In navigating my career, I’ve learned that too much caution can be a more significant roadblock to success than the mistakes we often try to avoid. At Club Caddie, we view each error as a stepping stone to improvement, and our ethos revolves around the belief that a project only fails when we decide to give up. This philosophy has empowered our team to approach challenges resiliently, learning from missteps rather than fearing them. Read more>>

Danielle Lerner | EMMY Award Winning Journalist, Lifestyle Host and Media Consultant

Working in an industry as competitive and intense as broadcast news, it took me longer than I’d like to admit to realize that risks are an essential part of not only your personal growth but also your professional growth and development. For many years it felt safer to follow the “rules,” stay the course, and be who others wanted me to be, knowing there were plenty of aspiring journalists waiting in the wings to take my place. Read more>>

Alex Simental | Music Artist

For a Trap metal artist like myself, risk taking can be integral to my artistic expression, career advancement, and personal growth. Here’s how I personally think about risk and the role it plays in my life and career: Read more>>

Huy Nguyen | Photographer / Ecom

I’m all about taking risks, seriously. It’s like, I’ve always had this idea in my head that if you’re gonna go big, you’ve gotta risk big too. That doesn’t mean I just jump into things without thinking, but I definitely lean into chances more than most people I know. There have been times when things didn’t exactly work out the way I hoped. Like, there were moments when I thought I had a great idea or opportunity in front of me, and it just flopped. But here’s the thing – I don’t look back at those times and wish I hadn’t taken the leap. Every time something didn’t go right, I learned a bunch. It’s like collecting pieces of a puzzle; each risk, win or lose, gives me a piece that helps me see the bigger picture better. Read more>>