Taking Risk is essential, but how much, when and why? Taking risks effectively is as much of an art as it is a science and we’ve asked some of the brightest folks in the community to tell us about how they think about risk taking.

Michael Morse | Wedding/Elopement Photographer

If your biggest needs from a carrier is security being an adventure wedding/elopement photographer is not a great path. Every season, month, year I make different amounts of money. My financials are very boom and bust and it’s terrifying and thrilling. At times I feel validated and valued, other times, I feel like a fearful failure, and facing impending doom. Being a wedding photographer is about lifestyle, connection to nature, meaningful experiences, but it has not been about security. There are ups and downs and this carrier has required me to be resourceful, scrappy, and ruthlessly and intentionally optimistic. Bravery has been required, but the experiences continue to exceed my dreams and expectations. I may not die rich, but I will live fully. Read more>>

Erika Strassberg | Founder & Owner

I believe that every business venture requires some amount of risk, but I personally like to call it “calculated risk.” When I began the initial concepts of The Weathered Wick, I used other businesses of all types are were succeeding & doing well as influences and inspiration. If you can take a risk while also feeling confident in the leap based on data & research you’ve done, it becomes a lot less intimidating. Plus, I back myself always. If you don’t trust yourself to be able to succeed no matter what arises along the way, then you’re doomed from the start. Read more>>

Jordan Person | Educator, Nurse, Massage Therapist, Business Owner

No risk, no reward.

When I started my business in 2010, the entire concept was a risk – one I was completely willing to take. Cannabis Massage was a brand new idea a decade ago, and the idea gained traction quickly. Before I knew it, I was receiving media requests from around the world, and I had a growing list of potential students and partnerships. Read more>>

John Zamora | Photographer & Videographer

The best quote I’ve heard about risk is that your opportunities in life grow and shrink in relation to your tolerance to risk. I don’t say this in a pessimistic way, but the reality is that most people who want to start a business, work for themselves, freelance, etc. don’t ever take the chance, and the ones who do usually don’t make it. At least not long-term. I think the main reason for this is that people tend to be overly risk-averse. It’s the way most of us have been taught to live. I lived the majority of my life this way. I went to school, got good grades, did well in sports, listened to my parents, teachers, coaches, went to college, got a corporate job, the whole thing – and there’s nothing wrong with taking this path and enjoying this path. I sometimes wish I was satisfied with this path because it would be simpler, and wouldn’t ruffle so many feathers. It’s the traditional path for a reason. There’s not a whole lot of risk involved, and it’s predictable. You pretty much know more or less how your life will turn out and you have a huge pool of people who took a similar path that you can look to for advice, mentorship, and so forth. The reason it didn’t work for me was that I felt like I was never asked about what I really wanted to do, or who I really wanted to be. Of course everybody told me I could be anything I wanted to be. What they meant, though, was I could choose anything from a list of realistic careers; what I actually wanted wasn’t on the list. It was like fitting a round peg into a square hole. It still sort of works. I got praised for fitting into the square hole, but I had to shave off things that made me unique. Eventually, the things I was shaving off became more important to me than the praise I was getting, so I made the jump and quit my job to chase my passion 6 years ago. I don’t get praised as much anymore. Most of the people close to me still think I’m making a mistake. I’ve failed more often these past 6 years than I have in my previous 26 years combined. But being able to live a life that’s authentic to me is something I’m proud of myself for. I know that quitting your job to chase your dream can have consequences if you fail, and those consequences might even affect more than just you. Not everybody is in a situation where they can quit their job to chase their passion. I was lucky enough to be in a situation where I could, and I’m a strong believer that if you ever come across a window of time where you have the opportunity to chase a dream, it’s almost a responsibility to jump. Not everybody has the privilege of taking that risk. Read more>>

Angie Colee | Marketing Strategist & Business Coach

I think of risk as an inherent and necessary part of life – especially if you’re after a well-lived life.

Risk has showed up time and again over the course of my career, and the majority of the time, it preceded a huge leap forward. Almost like the universe was daring me to bet on myself before it’d bring me the thing I wanted most. Read more>>