How do you think about risk? What role has taking risks played in your life/career? Check out responses from hidden gems from our community below.

Felicia Munion | CEO & Co-Founder

Risk is an essential component for growth. There are different kinds of risk, and it is important as a business owner to understand how much uncertainty you are comfortable with. Rachel Botsman, one of my favorite thinkers on trust and uncertainty, explains that when you are faced with risk you can do one of two things: either decrease the amount of perceived risk, or increase your own tolerance for uncertainty. As I have grown in this business I have definitely increased my tolerance for uncertainty, but I have done it by creating structures in which I feel secure. When I have something stable and known to move forward from, it makes the uncertainty of risk and new opportunities more exciting and less daunting. Read more>>

Portia Chapel | Fashion Model

I feel that risk taking is a necessity when having your own business. There could be many opportunities that you could miss out on that you wouldn’t ever know about. The role that risk taking has affected my life is moving to a whole new city and finding out my passion with modeling. If I never took that risk, I wouldn’t be where I am in life. Taking risks has brought me more knowledge, passion, adventure, and ambition and I can’t wait to see the risks I take in the near future. Read more>>

Debra Ferguson | Business Owner

I believe risk taking is essential if you seek to expand, grow and push the boundaries of limitations we place on ourselves. Unsubstantiated fear often prevents us from reaching and achieving our goals or even pursuing the things we love. When you understand that failure is part of being human, part of the process of success – taking risks becomes a little less… risky. When I was in my mid 20s, I took the risk of moving across the country to experience a life outside of the small town I grew up in. My entire world/reality changed in the most amazing way. In my mid 30s, I quit a job that was sucking the light out of me daily to pursue starting my own business. I haven’t looked back since. And now, as I approach my mid 40s, I’ve put my fear of failure/rejection aside and started a second business and a passion project. Read more>>

Sadie Such | Filmmaker, Photographer & Storyteller

Risk. With risk, you are exposing yourself to potential loss/failure/embarrassment. However, with risk, you are creating the opportunity for something great to happen, to learn something new, to go somewhere new. For me, counting the cost of taking the risk and being willing to continue to move forward, even when fear is present. It has played a large role in creating our Documentary, Where We Belong. The whole 5+ year journey was a risk, taking it step by step, not knowing fully what it would look like, but trusting the journey. For me, knowing the WHY and the purpose behind what I am doing, helps mitigate the risk and gives motivation, even if things don’t go the way I plan. I know the WHY is worth the risk. It is not always easy, but we had to risk failure in order to grow and go somewhere new. Read more>>