In our experience, most folks, including ourselves don’t have enough of an understanding of risk and the role it plays in our lives and careers and so we have made a concerted effort as a team to have conversations about risk with our interviewees. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Sophie Graefenhain

When I think about taking risk, I think about how essential it is for growth. It should be done with thoughtful consideration and a clear understanding of potential outcomes, but it should also be done with courage. The most courageous risks are those taken with purpose, where we embrace uncertainty while being prepared to learn from both success and failure. Intelligent risk-taking involves balancing ambition with wisdom, ensuring that each step forward aligns with our values and long-term goals. Read more>>

Sarah Mount

Risk is something I find very exhilarating, and it’s something I have a good handle on naturally. I am very grateful for this actually. The colloquial saying ‘no risk, no reward’ really has a lot of truth to it. If you don’t take chances then you’ll never reap the benefits. Just choosing the entrepreneurial lifestyle in the creative arts is taking a big chance. The reward is built in. Making a living off my art is the most satisfying, and validating career choice ever. Read more>>

Lea Alvarado | Spiritual Leader

Taking risks means stepping forward even when there’s a chance things might not go as planned. Taking risks has always been important to me in my life, both personally and professionally. I believe it’s essential because it’s where growth and opportunity begin. I don’t believe in failure because every decision leads to more learning. When something doesn’t work, it just means I have to regroup and try another direction. Read more>>

Danielle Daynos | Fineline/Anime Tattoo Artist

I took a lot of risks when it came to tattooing. I was actually an Elementary School Art Teacher (K-5) before I came into this career. For a long time, going to college and getting a job with that degree has always been the goal. It was not until I actually started my job, that I realized I wanted something different for myself. Read more>>

Stefanie Abrams | College Consultant | Teen Coach | Parenting Coach | Executive Function Coach

Taking risks was not allowed, and it was not an innate skill I had for the better part of my life, nor was I allowed to have it from early childhood. Therefore, I have needed to grow in my understanding of risk and what it means. Overcoming the fear of failure launched me into gaining a greater awareness of healthy risk and how it can be applied to all aspects of life. I was recently exposed to the concept of what feels like two opposite ends of the spectrum; risk and faith. Yet, they can show up in parallel to one another in our lives and careers because they both require us to believe in something we cannot see. It makes so much sense and I am very well aware that I have been a person who has avoided risk at all costs (meaning I like to control things so there is no risk). Yet, in my new era of life I am much more faith-driven and lean into the uncomfortable areas of life that feel like risks but they may in fact just be opportunities for me to grow in new ways. I really like the latter approach to life and I plan to instill this in my everyday rather than operating from a fear-based narrative that was once mine. One door closes so another can open and I have a sign in my counseling office that says, “everything you ever dreamed of is on the other side of fear.” I should take that risk and not be fearful but have faith to do it! Read more>>

Sarah Morgan | Co-Owner

Owning a small business is all about taking risks! We opened our retail store on January 1, 2020 and little did we know, the world was about to change drastically. Deciding to open a small business is a huge risk, but you have to be willing to take those risks to achieve your goals. When everything shut down due to COVID less than 3 months after opening our small business, we had no idea what we were going to do. We had to get creative fast if we were going to survive as a new small business. We were in uncharted waters and had to take some major risks to ensure our business survived the pandemic. We pivoted from our model of being a brick and mortar retail store, to selling via social media offering free, non contact local delivery and shipping items to customers who saw us online. We had no idea what we were doing, but despite that, we pushed forward and took risks to keep our store afloat. It was a ton of work, but it paid off as we were able to ride out the pandemic and grow our small business. New Year’s Day we celebrate our 5th anniversary and none of that would be possible if we were not willing to take risks. Read more>>

Lisa Pizzo | Owner – President

You have to take risks! Without risks how do you know the rewards. We took a huge risk almost 16 years ago when we quit our jobs and took all the money we had in savings and started our own painting business. Prep-Rite started out of our basement at our home and consisted of my husband and myself. We added a project manager and small crew. All we did was work. There were many sleepless years to build up our business and reputation. Over the years we continue to take risks. Our business plan at first was just to paint houses. Then it evolved into painting multifamily and HOA’s. That turned into studying, testing and adding roofing services to our list. From there we added apartments and industrial. All with a new set of risks and rewards, challenges and obstacles we never thought of. Read more>>

Jessica Langley | Sex, Intimacy, & Relationship Coach

As a Somatica trained s*x, intimacy, & relationship coach, there is inherent risk in starting a business that many may view as taboo. I am diving head first into an area where there is great need, but where many people are still so shy and carry a lot of shame. As a somatic practitioner, I am using tools that are not widely known and/or new to many people, so part of the risk is also in whether people will be receptive to this work. So, it is a challenge to educate and bring awareness to this area of healing. Read more>>

Shelby Burtlow | Photographer & Waitress

Risk; a situation involving exposure to danger. Though the definition of risk may sound scary to others, I’ve always been intrigued by the “what if”. Risk taking has played a trumendous role in my life/career by simply just putting my little unknown name out there. It’s showing up and putting my best foot forward. Reaching out to managers and media personals for big named artists asking permission to even get a chance to photograph the artist. 9 times out of 10 it’s usually a no, but that no has never stopped me from pursuing what I genuinely love to do. Though I must say manifesting does play a huge factor if you believe in yourself enough, you can always reach your goals. Read more>>

Casey Grimes | Home Remodel Contractor

I think risks come in various shapes and sizes – I risk a small piece of my health by eating ice cream; I risk my life every time I drive my car; I risk a little money when I buy stocks; I risk a steady paycheck by opening my own business. Risk-taking is an essential part of growth, both personally and professionally. In my career as a residential remodeler, I’ve learned that success often comes from stepping outside of my comfort zone and making decisions that aren’t guaranteed to succeed. The key for me has always been taking calculated risks – assessing the potential rewards against the possible downsides and making informed choices that align with my long-term goals. Read more>>

Megan Elizabeth Smith | Multidisciplinary Artist

I think taking risks is an essential part of being an artist. The tricky part is figuring out which risks are worth taking and which aren’t. In my career, there have been moments when I’ve had to take a leap of faith without knowing how things would turn out. But I’ve learned to trust my gut—it tells me that even if I can’t see it yet, good things will come from this. At the end of the day, you have to trust that instinct and resist the urge to second-guess it. You just can’t stay on the cliffside. Sure, it’s safer there, but it’ll only hold you back from your own progression. Of course, there’s always the chance that things won’t work out the way you hoped, but I remind myself that failure is just as essential as success. Without mistakes, there would be nothing to learn from. Read more>>

Lily Buonocore | Vocalist & Yoga Instructor

In 2020, I made a huge career change. Prior to 2020, my identity was wrapped into being a musical theatre performer and in 2019, I received my bachelors from the University of Northern Colorado for Musical Theatre and Dance. During the pandemic, I began looking for performance opportunities in other places and decided to audition to be a wedding singer. Before I saw the audition notice, I never even considered the possibility of singing at weddings. It felt like such a huge risk at the time to completely switch career paths, after having spent my entire life as a musical theatre performer. It was also hard to cut out the noise from various peers saying things such as “well whatever you have to do to pay the bills”, assuming it was a job I couldn’t possibly love as much as theatre. 2025 will be my 5th wedding season and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. I had no idea that I would find such fulfillment and joy from singing at weddings but it has become my passion. Singing with a live band and being challenged with new song requests every weekend keeps me on my toes in the best way. Although it wasn’t what I expected this time of my life to look like, it was the best leap of faith I have ever taken. Sometimes a door opens, and it may not look familiar, but it opened for a reason so why not go through it? You’ll never know what you love until you try it. Read more>>

Christopher Yates | Professional Bartender

I have always been a risk taker. I truly believe in order to grow, you have to take risks. Whether that is growing as a person, a business, in your personal life, or your career path, risk is necessary. It’s what keeps us evolving and prevents us from staying stagnant. Read more>>

Ryan Watters | Professional Photographer

As a photographer who specializes in outdoor and action photography risk is enmeshed into every aspect of my business. Being a new business owner is a risky proposition; there is always the unknowns of how successful will this be, when will I feel the success, how do I stay afloat when work is slow, and all the doubts that come along. My risk is two fold when coupled with the activities and locations I bring my camera. Most of my work is spent taking photos of rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and the beautiful landscapes where these activities bring me. Read more>>

Anthony Garcia | Entrepreneur, Jiu Jitsu Academy Owner, Algorithmic Software Developer, Published Author

In order to be an entrepreneur, one must be comfortable with taking risks. Our success in life is directly correlated with the number of awkward conversations we’re willing to start. I look at risk in different ways depending on what type of risk it is. If it’s a business related monetary risk, and the goal is to make a profit, then I have to do a simple cost benefit analysis. That’s led me to learn things like advertising is not always the best way to expand your brick and mortar business. It’s important, but not always the best. Advertising lasts as long as a potential customer sees the image, but if I spend the same amount getting my business an accreditation that will last forever (essentially evergreen content) and is a big draw for customers then that is a much better return on investment. Read more>>

Kat Surber | Tattoo Artist & Private Studio Owner

For me, risk is taking a deep breath, taking the leap & staying fluid. Starting my tattoo career was a big risk. I was giving up a full-time job with consistent pay & security for something that most consider not a ‘real job’. On top of that, I took that leap during covid quarantine. I had no idea that the tattoo industry was about to be shut down for 3 months. When the news hit I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life. After quarantine was lifted people were desperate to get a new tattoo. Read more>>

Maya Rose | artist

I think risk is unavoidable, so I have decided to embrace it. Sometime in my imagination, risk appears as a door draped in ivy vine. I have the choice to open the door and cross from the know into the unknown. This always brings change, and is often the subject of my drawings. Sometimes, I feel that embracing risk has lead me into the world of dreams. From here, I can write stories, find new parts of myself, and collect wisdom from hidden corners of the earth. I own my gratitude to taking risks, and when the door appears choosing to enter the unknown. Read more>>

Narissa Ribera | Indigenous food activist

When I started my business I did not fully realize there would be risks involved. From small to large, taking risks is an important step to building a successful business. Sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn’t. But as time goes on I have learned how to gauge what risks are worth taking. Read more>>