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.

Isiah Barnes | Filmmaker

I personally wanted to touch on the major importance of risks and taking them. I deeply believe with personal life and career, we all are faced with decisions and choices on how we all choose to live day by day. Risks are so important because they are like seeds needing to cultivate the life that you want. Every successful person I’ve had the pleasure of meeting tell me of stories of where they were at a crossroads and they could stay in the comfortable, stable existence that they were accustomed to or take a leap into the terrifying unknown. And that fear freezes most people and I was one of them for years. I had a good, stable job, bills were paid with a family. But I always felt that there was more to me than what I was doing. And I knew starting a business, chasing a dream, didn’t pay the bills right away so I had a choice to make. Stay making pretty good money, continue down this path or risk everything… I took the leap and I can say it was one of the best decisions I ever made! Years of hard work, planning, ups and downs come but you get so much stronger as you continue your journey. Against the odds we made and completed a feature film, that was profitable. Now have other dreamers on the team, collaborating making something we can all be proud of. To any person stuck at the crossroads, you can stay doing what you been doing and you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. Or start slow, start small and start with what you have. With the hard work over time, your breakthrough will come and you’ll go to a place even you didn’t think you could make if to. As well with the second option, the possibilities are limitless, I hope my story helps inspires even one to take on and conquer that fear. Read more>>

Jason Brown | Stock Market Coach and Real Money Options Trader

I think about risk as something that is necessary for success and that every aspect of our life has risk so the key is not to avoid it but learn how to manage it as well as when we take risk make sure we are taking “calculated risk” Read more>>

Imari Sharie | Singer, Entertainer, & Real estate agent.

The way that I think about “risk” is simply frustrating. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing lol. The more I get frustrated the better the outcome, Taking risk helps me better as an individual, an artist, & entrepreneur. Taking risk played a huge role in my life by teaching me that closed mouths don’t get fed. It’s literally as simple as that. Had to ask myself “where do you see yourself in 5 years instead of 10?” to make it more intense with time. Realizing that I’m getting older and the world keeps spinning no matter what. Figuring out what I wanted to pursue as a career was easy, it was making it happen that was the challenge. Knowing that’s when I had no choice but to take risks for my future/career. Read more>>

Lowena C | Entrepreneur & CEO of Eighty-Seven Ten Dispatch

When I think about risk it puts my mind in a state of frantic. To think of all the possible outcomes whether you will succeed or not is a major risk that most individuals battle amongst the 2 factors “Should I or should I not ?” . Risk taking has definitely played a major role when it comes to my life and career. Most of all my biggest accomplishments or celebratory moments came from me betting on myself and taking major risk; risk that I was once afraid of. I honest feel like if I have not taken those major risks I will definitely be in a stuck and stagnant position. Thankfully, I decided to pushed through to bet on myself and take the major risk that made me the astounding woman I am today! Read more>>

Lisa Shaw | The Bigger Picture Photography

Faith. Self-love, empowerment, awareness, growth mindset, gratitude, wonder. I left my family and my life in Michigan in my twenties and moved to the middle of the Pacific, not knowing anyone. I stayed on Maui for three years and “grew up”, as I say. Living on Maui taught me about the simplicity of happiness/ happiness in simplicity. Nature is such a great teacher. There were many lessons, wonders, beauty, hardships to handle everyday. It was the first time I was on my own (but made a “chosen family” thanks to God putting amazing people in my life), and I felt so empowered. It was a time to allow myself to focus on me, instead of family, boyfriends, bad relationships, etc. I took everyone and everything said from strangers as teachings. I was facing fears on a constant basis and feeling so empowered by that. Stretching myself. I was working different jobs that I was passionate about and stretching that way too, always learning. I was a journalist and photojournalist, art gallery manager, photographer, etc. I started following other photographers there to see which area I wanted to get into. I absorbed everything I could. At times, I waited tables and worked in a wine cafe. All the jobs were interwoven, in a way, with creativity and expression as the binding factor. Read more>>

Freddy Djogo | Sr. Accountant & Entrepreneur

Taking risk is an element important to reach success. Playing it safe will slow your growth and prevent you to reach your full potential. Read more>>

King Bethel | Singer/songwriter, poet, music producer, musician, actor, motivational speaker, and mentor

Taking risk equate to how much you trust yourself to succeed. Low risks have low results and low backfire. As opposed to taking high risks that have high results but have high chances of backfire. This matters because if you truest believe in yourself and how much you work and dedicated to your craft then why not take high risks. Average people have average lives, homes, friends. Above average people have all of those things but they have more of it or a better quality because their above average. Read more>>

Brandon Casey | Entrepreneur & Full time creative

I believe in risk taking, as an entrepreneur it’s crucial to take risks and bet on yourself. That’s what brings me joy with my brand is that I’m not scared to risks and try something new, if it works I have a lot to gain from it and if it don’t then I have a lot to learn from it, which in my opinion it’s a win win situation. For an example my last release was my first collection, I created a good summer collection which was sleeveless shirts and tracksuit pants. Long story short I learned that a lot of people don’t like wearing sleeveless shirts but my designs for the shirts was well received, I can easily just create a regular tee shirt with the same design or add something new to it, sell it and I’m pretty sure the results will be a lot better . Taking risks is key and vital gaining the experience of just trying to see if your ideas will work is better than just not trying at all. Read more>>

David Basila | Actor

Taking risks is pretty much what an actor does every time we pick up a script and start working on something. You can never play anything safe because life in general does not work that way. The riskier the better!! What’s great about my profession is that you are not right for every role, but you can envision yourself in it and that sort of sets the safety net in place for you so you are able to let it rip and never be afraid to fall. Not every job is right for you. And more often than not you are auditioning for whatever future projects that casting director is doing.. My entire adult life has been centered around change, adventure and doing things I never thought I would do, and going places I never believed I would see. Never be afraid of taking huge risks in life. What you put out will almost always pay off in the end. Read more>>

Kalil Zender | Jewelry Designer and Metalsmith

I have always been somewhat of a risk taker. When I was twenty-two I moved to Thailand, a country I had never even visited, to start a career as a Muay Thai fighter. When that phase was over, I saught out other adventures and thrills, whether through travel or through sports. I like to live at the edge of my seat. When it comes to work, I tend to take a similar approach. In my twenties I bounced from job to job – cook, waitress, English tutor, English teacher, Tattoo shop receptionist, writer – moving on to the next thing as soon as the thrill wore off. That’s a big reason why starting and running my own business has been so fulfilling. The challenges never go away, and it never gets boring. There is always more to do, more to learn, new skills to master, new tactics to try. The constant risk of failing and having to get a “normal” job keeps me perpetually at the edge of my seat – just where I like to be. Read more>>