We asked some brilliant folks from the community to talk to us about how they think about risk and the role risk has played in their lives and careers.

Cristina Pagnoncelli | Visual Artist, Letterer & Muralist

I guess that’s the only way to go. If we get to scared to try new things, to leave our confort zone and be afraid of taking different paths we get stuck. I see myself as a very curious person and even though I was not sure about the decisions I made, I jumped. I like to be always learning and experimenting, and this is something that took me further in my career, opened some doors and connected me with other people and artists. Read more>> 

Alexa ‘Lex’ Hadley | Aspiring Concert Photographer and Full Time Student

About a year and a half ago I brought my camera to a friends concert for the first time. Seeing as I had been both a hobbyist concert goer and photographer since I was 14 it made natural sense, but even asking was out of my comfort zone. From that point on most of my gigs were based solely on risk- talking to people I would’ve otherwise never felt I had the authority to talk to and asking them for permission to take photos of their shows. Read more>>

Maggie Thompson | Physical Therapist

I was never a risk taker growing up. I played it safe in my comfort zone. That is how I was raised and the family environment I grew up in. It was about being comfortable. I was very self-motivated and high achieving but never took big risks at all. I am from a smaller town in Mississippi, went to college at Ole Miss, and not until I graduated from physical therapy school did I move away from home to Oklahoma first and now to Colorado. But I didn’t get out here without taking risks. Read more>>

Leigha Crumbley | Singer/Songwriter & Real Estate Agent

Taking risks has played a huge part in my life- it has been engrained into my stubborn and passionate personality. Black sheep, middle child syndrome.. whatever the label is, we love a risk. I’ve built all of my businesses out of one risky idea and I don’t know of one successful person who hasn’t. Without risk there isn’t much of anything at all. We would live in a stagnant and boring world. Sure, you can risk to fail but how about risking to win? When I look back at all that I’ve accomplished, it’s typically because I took a risk after someone or something said “NO”.  Read more>>

Bryan finocchiaro | Professional Skier, Crypto Enthusiast, Bellmen

Up until 18 months ago this question would of had a different answer. I now have a seven month old son. Up until the time me and my wife knew that she was pregnant the answer would probably seem selfish and nonchalant on the outside… but it is more complicated than that… Growing up I was definitely an accident prone kid. I broke my femur at age 8, this was just the start of my skiing/injury relationship. That being said I have had over twenty years of recovery/physical therapy due to all my injuries. Read more>>

Taylor Eisenach | Marriage and Family Therapist

Risk is hard because it requires perseverance over fear. Risk is vulnerable and comes face to face with rejection. I fully believe in the theory of loss aversion, I can easily focus on what I’ll lose over what I’ll gain when it comes to risk. Even as I talk about risk, my body starts to ping with anxiety. However, the proudest moments of my life are when I risked the most. Sure, I’ve been daring with adventures. My business was also a risk, I started it in the heart of the pandemic after all. But I think the biggest risks that I’ve taken stem from moments where I showed up authentically, vulnerably, emotionally true to what I believed. Read more>>

Adam Carpenter | Musician – Dealer Takes Four

As musicians from Colorado we have been working our way through the music scene for over 15 years, we have learned that taking risks is an essential part of achieving success in the industry. But the road to success is not without its challenges, and sometimes, tragic losses. Seven years ago, our band, James and The Devil, experienced the heartbreaking loss of our lead singer and best friend James Campbell to brain cancer. It was a devastating blow, and we took a break from music to grieve and find a way forward. Read more>>

Adrienne Sirianni – Cavallario | Restauranteur

Risk sounds daunting to some, but to me, it doesn’t. To me, risk sounds like an opportunity. A chance to try something new or unknown and learn and experience new and different challenges and outcomes. Risks have played a huge role in my life and career. Whether the risk has been moving to a new city and starting over, throwing all caution to the wind, and putting everything I have into a new business, or hurling myself out of an airplane and navigating a safe landing. Risk has taught me to take that leap, try that new idea, believe in my instincts, and learn from every single negative and positive result. Read more>>