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.

Tabitha Endicott | VP of Finance

Risk: a situation involving exposure to danger. I don’t want to be afraid of anything, and I’d love to say that I am not. I do tend to stand firm in front of things that are scary or uncomfortable and make them move, but fear has become familiar territory as I’ve aged – I hate it! I’ve jumped out of a plane, moved across the country with kids in tow, visited or lived on four, soon to be five continents! Read more>>

Emily Lewis | Health Coach – Gut Practitioner & Macro Specialist

I took a risk of doing completely opposite of societal norms. I quit my full time job in the middle of the pandemic in 2020 when things were just starting to shut down. I could have fallen into fear and made my decisions out of fear, but I knew if there were no risk taking, I would stay exactly where I was. I would never have taken the leap if I didn’t do it right then and there. There are risks you take almost every day as an entrepreneur. Read more>>

Ken Phox | President & Creative Director

For me, taking risks isn’t about jumping in blind—it’s more like taking a calculated leap of faith. I really believe that risk is key to growing, both personally and professionally. Over the years, I’ve realized that the biggest wins usually happen when you step out of your comfort zone and try something a little different. Read more>>

Amanda Rief | Cake Decorator

In all honesty, I was not that big of a risk taker in my career or life, until the risk of opening my own business. For the longest time, I would plan meticulously. I had lofty goals, for sure, but I had detailed plans on how I would get there from one step to another. But the thing is, when you plan so rigidly, you often can forget how to plan for things not going exactly according to plan. So when all my meticulous plans fell apart after 2020, I had to rethink quite a bit about risk and failure in my life. Read more>>

Dani Sjostrom | Travel Agent Specializing in Disney

I’ve always thought of myself as a moderate risk-taker, whether it be in school, trying new sports, or even physical risks like endurance running, climbing, and hiking. It wasn’t until I had my daughter that I really thought about the importance of risk-taking, however. As a mom, I now strive to take risks, calculated ones of course, and show my daughter that taking risks allows us to grow. Read more>>

Charnise Moore | Nonprofit Executive & Advocate for Women and Girls

I am the middle child of my family. So, growing up, I was the rule follower. I followed the path that I knew was right and always adhered to the recommendations of my parents. In a way, this followed me into my adult life and career. Early in my career, I entered the field of compliance; true to heart to my rule following nature. However, I still encountered times where risks were inevitable. I took a risk when deciding to move sight unseen to another region of the US to pursue a graduate degree at Brown University. Read more>>

Isai Barajas-jimenez | Artist & Producer & Songwriter

I think of risk as a good thing, the way I see it is no risk no reward. All my wins in life have come from taking risks therefore I love risk and takes an important role in my life. Read more>>

Kareem Arias León | Creative Director & Stylist

Risk-taking has been a cornerstone of my journey in the fashion industry. I view it as a 50/50 chance where you either succeed or learn from failure, but either way, new doors open, leading to fresh directions in your career. Over the past two years, I’ve had to make tough choices, often prioritizing my career over other aspects of life. It’s been a challenging path, saving every last penny while working a 9 to 5, but it’s also been rewarding. Read more>>

Karina Castillo | Designer & Founder for “Castillo By Karina”

Life is about taking risks and what you do with the opportunities that arise from that. I recall the start of my career where I was faced with a choice: a full ride to a more conventional college program or pursue an arts education that I was not sure how I would afford. I also didn’t have any knowledge of the obstacles that creatives often encounter in their careers. That was the first of many risks I’ve taken in my life. So as an early high school graduate, an opportunity I know is not afforded to many, I began my college career in what would’ve been my senior year of high school. Read more>>

Bryan Bongard | Bryan Bongard: Aqua Cop Pools – Servicing with Integrity

When it comes to risk, I believe it’s all about balancing a clean dive with a well-placed safety net. In the pool service business, especially in Chandler and Gilbert where we’ve got everything from backyard lagoons to lap pools, taking risks often means pushing for better technology, more efficient methods, or just trying out a new approach to servicing clients and with better problem-solving. Read more>>

Nick Sivak

I was never a risk taker in my teens or early adulthood. Financial weight was something I’d avoid coming from a household who’d declared multiple bankruptcies. I eventually took a leap of faith and purchased a $17k industrial laser cutter with payments spanned across three credit cards. Stress and financial anxiety will force you to do whatever is takes to see your goals come to fruition. For me, I need a challenge to keep motivated with my business goals. Read more>>

Angela Tait

Risk-taking is something we often shy away from as we get older, but it’s essential to remember that the risks we’ve taken throughout our lives have shaped who we are today. For example, when I was 19, I took a leap of faith and decided to study abroad in Florence, Italy—a place where I knew no one and was thousands of miles away from home. It was a bold move that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Read more>>