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.

Chatti Phal-Brown | Mental Health Therapist, Vibrational Sound Healer & Entrepreneur

When I was 22 I met Ray Bradbury at a Q&A and book signing event. I asked him to write his favorite word in a copy of Fahrenheit 451. He in turned wrote “YES!!!” underlined. That meeting has stuck with me all this time. I grew up in a very protective family. Having gone through a genocide, we were very much taught to stay in line, don’t stick out, play by the rules and nothing bad will happen. Reading those words written by Mr. Bradbury helped me to take risks and put myself out there. I have since lived and worked abroad, traveled, built businesses, and changed course when I need to. I jumped in and said yes to many opportunities. I don’t advise doing this without checking in with your body and your felt senses so I’ve also worked with my body and my instincts to figure out what risks I want to make. Read more>>

Andrés Molina | Wedding & Lifestyle Photographer

I think not a lot of people take chances on themselves, I believe there is a fine line between going after what you want and feeling an stuck due an indescribable amount of fear that things may not work out, many people work a 9-5, feeling miserable about what they do, with a hidden talent or many. the truth is taking risk and chances is what has taken me to where i am today, and had made me the person that I want to be in the future, trusting my own skills and the support of the people surrounding me is also a big factor, Read more>>

Stephanie Holmes | Rug & Furniture Showroom Owner and Interior Designer

When it comes to the big decisions in my personal life and my career, I have always trusted my gut instinct. Each life-changing event that has happened in my professional career as well as personal existence has presented itself at just the right time. To an outsider, it may feel like a risky move, but to me, something inside tells me it is the right move. I do my research on what my gut tells me, but it hasn’t led me astray yet! Read more>>

Katelyn Simkins | Makeup Artist

When I was fresh out of college, I made my living as a nanny. I felt like I was good at it, and fairly well paid for my age. But I also felt a lingering discontentment because of the lack of creativity involved. I began dabbling in the makeup world in felt a turbo powered drive that put the start of my career into fast forward. I was juggling both careers simultaneously – and something had to give. I was turning down makeup work because I had a job with regular hours that required my commitment, but I also knew that if I wanted to ride this wave of early success and enthusiasm I needed to jump in with both feet. Read more>>

Cassandra Cooper | Dual Licensed Esthetician

Risks are definitely scary especially when you know you either can fail or succeed. Every risk I’ve taken for myself or my business was because I knew God wouldn’t put me in any situation I couldn’t handle. I also know that if I do fail, I just need to find an alternative where I can still achieve the goal. My first major risk in my business was basing it around Cannabis. I didn’t know how people would perceive it and I was scared I would be judged. So thankful I took that risk because there’s so many of my clients who really want what I have to offer but just hadn’t found anyone who could do it or have never heard of cannabis and skincare in the same sentence and are very much amazed! Read more>>

Michael Rice | Owner of 5 Rice STudio – Custom Shirts & Decals

In life you have to take risk in order to be able to move forward. Without taking any risk you will never have a new experience, you will never get that new job, you will never meet the love of your life, you will never find your purpose. You take a risk every day waking up. You have to make a decision, each and every day, that you are willing to move forward. You will have to try. You will have to step outside of your comfort zone. It is going to be scary. It is going to be stressful. You will fail. Without trying, you will never achieve failure. Only in failure will you learn. Fail. Fail many times. One of these time you will succeed and at that moment you will understand fully why you took the risk. Read more>>