Legend holds that Cornelius Vanderbilt had built a massive fortune in the steamboat shipping industry, but then realized the railroads were the way of the future and invested almost his entire net worth into railroads. The gamble paid off and made Vanderbilt one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs ever. But risks are inherently…risky. How do you think about risk and how has it affected your life and career? Some of our community favorites share their perspective below.

Torrie Cutshall | Permanent Makeup Artist & Owner at Brow Louie Studio & Academy

Taking the risk is the first step with anything, really. I’ve always been the type of person who dives in head first, I think when you start to overthink potential life- changing decisions you can talk yourself out of it before you even tried. I changed my mindset early on when I was working towards owning a business and without that shift in my mind and working on myself every day I definitely don’t think I’d be where I am today. Read more>>

Nikola Reinfelds | Executive Director & Chair

Running a community-based nonprofit out of my home has exposed myself and my family to risks that I didn’t think to consider. I committed to take over Stork Support of Northern Colorado in 2020 and turn it into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and was focused on keeping a much-needed community service going, not the risks involved. As a mother first I sometimes worry if I risked too much. And there have been times when the risks felt really, really scary. Read more>>

Sam Reid | Wealth Expansion Coach

I was raised in a very financially conservative family, so taking a financial risk was never encouraged. I was taught to take the sure thing, hold onto your money, sacrifice as necessary and prepare for the worst. This way of living kept me moving forward ever so slowly, but I honestly felt so unfulfilled. I was really struggling trying to build my business while I worked a full time job that required a lot of my energy. I came from teaching elementary school, so there was a lot of patience, love, and constantly reevaluating how I did my job happening every day, which was exhausting, but I had a steady paycheck. Read more>>

Howard Snooks | Model and commercial actor

I reinvented myself as a model, commercial actor, and social media influencer at the age of 67. I had been a psychotherapist (PhD, Clinical Social Worker, Smith College) for forty five years and had just retired. I had just been informed in mid 2015 by my wife of 34 years that she was divorcing me! I had no idea that she did not love me and that we were in fact not partners in life forever. That she did this because she did not wish to share a large inheritance was devastating to me. Read more>>

Charlie Hoch | President of Hoch Brands LLC

Risk taking is important in any part of life or business. Without risk, you’re not experiencing anything new and not opening yourself up to new opportunity. Your chance to be great requires risk. However, there are different forms of risk. There is blind risk, which no better than gambling. Taking a shot at something with no real gauge on your success opportunity, just closing your eyes and jumping. Read more>>

Susan Dicklitch-Nelson | Professor of Government and Founder of the F&M Global Barometers

I was the first woman and first lesbian to receive tenure in my department, almost 20 years ago. I came out to my department 2 years before earning tenure after a painful department-sponsored dinner that involved homophobic and racist comments. At that point, I decided that I could no longer hide in the closet, and went to my Provost and told him that I was gay (I couldn’t even bring myself to use the word lesbian). I was an Africanist by training but had a keen interest in human rights. Read more>>

Erik Seversen | Author, Speaker, Adventurer

I think taking risks is very important. I try to climb at least one big mountain every year. My last one was Mt. Aconcagua, the highest in South America at 22,841 ft elevation. When I’m feeling the effects of high altitude and am on an incline such that if I slip, there are potentially fatal consequences, I am able to touch a space acute focus where every aspect of my physical and mental abilities are in tune with keeping me alive and getting me to the summit of the mountain or safely back down. Read more>>