Are you a risk taker? Do you think you have a stronger appetite for risk relative to your friends and family? We asked some folks from the community about their approaches to risk and have shared their thoughts below.

Lynn Bjostad | Small Business Owner

One of my favorite poems is ‘To Risk/Dilemma’ by William Arthur Ward. It states that if you don’t take risks, you will never be free. Fear of failure holds us back from taking risks, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. I tend to overthink most things. When it comes to taking action on something or someone that involves risk, I educate myself and I weigh the options and the outcomes. Not everything works out, regardless of how much preparation and thought you put into it. Learning how to own up to my mistakes and live with them is a lifelong lesson. But I would do most of it all over again because the lessons are so valuable. As a reminder, I have my favorite word around my office…Fearless! Read more>>

Catie Cohen | Sourdough Bread Baker

When I hear the word risk, my default is to think “lack of planning and preparation”. Since changing careers from engineering to baking, I more often think of risk holistically. Risk, in this context, is trusting yourself enough to handle what comes your way. This has been a big growth area for me as an individual and business owner. I would say even more so than from changing careers, moving and training in baking, I have learned this mindset from my husband. He has constantly encouraged me to trust my own skills and prep work, then to go for it because no plan is perfect and you can adjust as you go. Read more>>

Sean Starr | Artist & Sign Painter

I think over the last few decades risk has been confused with recklessness by some people. By the very nature of being alive, we are exposed to risk daily. Just crossing the street contains an element of risk. Some of the most rewarding experiences of my life and biggest leaps forward with my business as a creative have been when I took risks. Earlier this year we teamed up with the Dallas filmmaking duo Sarah Reyes and Daniel Driensky of Exploredinary to shoot a film in Nepal about traditional craftsmanship. When we got on the plane in late February, no one knew at that time the impact Covid would have on 2020, but we knew there was a risk of getting into a complicated situation as well as the risks involved with using motorcycles to travel through the Himalayas and camping on mountaintops to document half of the film. But we went, we shot the film, and even with running into multiple complications, we made it home and now are in the editing stage of what is shaping up to be an amazing film. Read more>>

Ralph Strangis | Sports Broadcaster, Writer, Actor & Lecturer

The subject of risk-taking has always fascinated me. We take risks – large and small every day, but we don’t do a lot of examination either in advance or after the fact about the relative opportunities for loss or gain. Long-established human beliefs and cultural conditioning cloud our minds and inhibit rational examination; we do things, we believe things so often because we’ve always done them or believe them. Here’s one example: As a career sports broadcaster who looks at data and numbers and analytics, it’s always seemed especially interesting (if not blatantly troubling…) that football announcers, some of whom played the game at the highest level, routinely characterize “going for it” on fourth and one as “risky”, or at the very least “gutsy.” To be clear, there is nothing risky or gutsy in taking an action where the success of taking the action is statistically in your favor. Read more>>

Teresa Saffold | Serial Entrepreneur, Author & Speaker

Risk is a scary word – no doubts about that. Everything we do in life does come with some form of risk, some small and some huge. Becoming a business owner presents different level of risks. You have the multi level marketing risk, where you are out some start up kit money and potentially a reputation if the company doesn’t live up to their promises of service or product. You have the solo-prenuer risk where you can take a hit personally in your finances and time. If you continue to build a bigger vehicle, then you will become a larger target for things to go wrong and risks become a part of the equation daily. I think the greater the reward, the greater the risk. If you don’t have a lot at stake, chances are you might be trying to live under the radar and life may not be as big for you as it could be. I personally, welcome calculated risks. Risks that I weigh the pros and cons, and decide how much I could lose if things go south. Read more>>

Jodi Maria | Owner & Head Baker

.“No risk, No reward” period. I haven’t risked it all for success by any means, but the struggle is real and I’ve triumphed over it in the last couple of years. In 2017 I found myself a stay at home mom who blossomed to a size 4X and became increasingly depressed. I literally decided one morning I’d had enough and had to take my life back. I began walking and, in an effort to hold myself accountable, started an Instagram account, FortWorthFatMom. Connecting with others struggling with the same issues is powerful stuff. I went platinum blond, tried out for the Fort Worth Police Department (and passed!) am heading back to college and in March 2020 started Fort Worth Cookie Gal. Read more>>

Rosalyn Grayson | Receptionist

When it comes to taking risk. I think about how is this going to affect my life/career as a whole. Is the risk worth taking? Things of that nature. I do feel that risks help you grow to be the best you. If you don’t allow yourself to try something that’s out of your comfort zone then you will always remain stagnant. Risks, in my opinion, builds character, strength, and resilience. I’ve learned from my failures as well as my victories. I don’t think I would be the woman I am if I hadn’t taken various risks. Read more>>

Gina Scholl | Hairstylist & Founder

I think risk is an important part of an individuals growth process. Risk pushes us to expand our understanding of what we’re capable of. In 2015, God spoke to me and said I wasn’t going to grow into the person He needed me to be unless I said “Yes” to him. I decided to take a chance on allowing the Holy Spirit to lead me for an entire year on a secret journey of discovering my purpose and spiritual identity in Christ. It was a crazy experience that led to big transformations in my career, my marriage, and allowed me to meet strangers along the way who taught me important life lessons. I shared that journey in 2020 in a book I published, called “Hairspray and the Holy Spirit”. It explains how when you’re willing to take the risks that God asks you to its an opportunity to see God in motion. It isn’t always the easiest road but I know now its the right one with the biggest reward. Read more>>

David Bates | Managing Director

I’m a firm believer that risk is an essential value of both creative and business growth. Risk taking has been a huge part of my creative career, and has become an integral part of my leadership style. Whether it’s being willing to take a step back in order to redirect and take larger steps forward in the future, or being willing to break what’s “now” in order to realize what’s “next”, building for the future, moving forward, and taking risks all go hand-in-hand. It’s definitely a fine line to walk, and sometimes you may find yourself extended well over the tips of your proverbial skis. Managing that risk, then, means continuously studying whatever response or data is available to you, learning from it, and course-correcting accordingly. I believe managed risk is critical part of leading a creative business, or any business for that matter, and if you are not encountering some level of risk, then, you may be safe for now, but you are in essence stagnant even if you don’t realize it yet. Read more>>