There is a wealth of academic research that suggests that differences in risk appetite are at the heart of differences in career and business trajectories. We wanted to go beyond the theory and ask real people from the community about their perspectives and experiences with risk and risk taking.

Monica Aragon | Executive Director of Plantiness

I worked at King Soopers for going on 16 years. I was comfortable. I never imagined I could own my own business. I had taken some risks in my personal life before, but nothing major in my career. I lost my dad to cancer in 2019 and plants had really helped in my healing journey. 2020 rolls around and the whole world is on fire and is nothing but chaos. With the Black Lives Matter movement, and the pandemic, people were scared, angry, panicked and really sad. I could not be complacent any more. I wanted to share with the world what was helping me, plants. I wanted to hug the entire world and say, it’s all going to be ok. I started giving away plants to anyone and everyone and I called it . ” spreading the plantiness”. I would invite friends over to make handmade cards and pass out plants. I had worked at the grocery store during the extreme height of the pandemic and panic shopping, and it was not pretty. In October of 2021 , I decided to take the biggest risk of my life and quit! I had no real plan, no income, insurance or any real idea how Plantiness was going to work.. I truly believe that Plantiness is a light this world needs, so I did not feel scared , I felt excited. To me, risk equals change, and we all need change. You cannot grow without change. Taking this risk has been the best decision of my life and I do not regret anything!! Read more>>

Mawa McQueen | Chef/Owner/Entrepreneur

I learn a lot from taking risks. You will find the known in the unknown. For me taking a risk means I am alive, and I don’t even see it as a “risk” I see it as a learning experience. If I fail I learn something and I can move on. Perfection doesn’t exist. It’s by doing things that you grow, if you aren’t growing you aren’t taking risks. So actually I don’t like the word “risk” I like to think of it as taking new experiences. Read more>>

Haley Wilhelmsen | Small business owner and artist

I’m an anxious person. I’m scared of almost everything, and I’ve been that way since I was a little kid. I’m anxious in most social situations, in traffic, at the grocery store… I’m constantly fighting this feeling that everyone I know secretly hates me and I’m not actually good at anything I do. Read more>>

Marissa Yarrow | Horror author

If I hadn’t taken a risk, I never would have tried writing my first novel. Everything about writing and publishing is a risk. There’s the risk that people won’t like your work, there’s the risk that you’ll spend time working on something you don’t even like, there’s a risk that you’ll lose money trying to succeed. The great thing about all of these risks, I’ve found, is that they won’t kill you. My first novel, which I self-published (there’s another risk!), is either loved or hated by the people who read it, and there’s really no in between. My first year of writing, I definitely lost money, and I sent manuscripts to people who only sent back rejections. Yet, I live to write about it. I’m lucky that I have a supportive husband who keeps me motivated and helps keep a roof over our heads so that money isn’t as big of an issue and the journey I’m taking continues to be worth the risk. Read more>>

Emma Schwarz | Documentary Filmmaker, Photographer, and Vegan Activist

Taking risks is absolutely essential. Nothing worthwhile in life or business is achievable without taking risks. The ability to plan, execute, and weather risks is what sets you apart from those who aren’t willing to do the same. Read more>>