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.

Charlie Miller | Master Player Development Trainer

As a former professional basketball player and someone who struggled to do well in school because no one identified that I was dyslexic, risk-taking has been a major part of my journey, both personally and professionally. It’s a concept that has shaped my life and drives ATTACK Basketball Academy to this day. I took a risk choosing which D1 college I wanted to play basketball at, not knowing what the culture would be like and moving away from the only home I had ever known for 18 years. I took risks moving to different countries in Europe to play professional basketball, knowing I could be cut from the team at any moment.  Read more>>

Kristin Brittan | Entrepreneur

Without great risk there is no great reward. TX Creamery began out of necessity. In 2018 we were opening a new Hey Sugar Candy Store in College Station and did not have an ice cream supplier that could deliver to us. We decided to start our own ice cream manufacturing facility to supply to all our Hey Sugar Candy Stores. We knew nothing about manufacturing ice cream. We took a risk, educated ourselves quickly, and created TX Creamery. With hard work and a bit of luck TX Creamery became a success! Risk taking can be scary but is exhilarating. You have to be willing to lose at something you are risking but I have always found I learn more from my failed risks than my successful risks. Read more>>

Mary Mcdonough | Businesswoman & Entrepreneur

Risk taking has had everything to do with starting a new business, especially at an age where most people are hoping to retire soon. My husband and I have been talking about starting a business, The Pub McDonough, a traditional Irish pub, since 2014. About 3 years ago, we discussed either quit talking about the Pub or just go for it. We decided to go for it! The restaurant/bar industry isn’t easy, so it’s taken a lot of courage, determination, and love for what we’re doing to keep going. The biggest risk factor is that I have never owned or really worked in the food service industry. I’ve always been a risk taker. I believe that I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. I’ve been pretty successful at anything I’ve ever done because of that attitude. Read more>>

Ryon Gross | Founder/CEO

Owning a business and making decisions that impact employees and their families inherently involves a great deal of risk. At Local Leap, that risk is amplified as we manage the marketing efforts for over 1,000 local businesses, where our strategies can significantly influence their success. I’ve always embraced an entrepreneurial mindset and never shied away from taking calculated risks when I believe in the potential upside. It’s about weighing the potential rewards against the potential downsides and having the confidence to move forward. I think a positive mindset and optimism play a crucial role in navigating those risks. Read more>>

Anna Irvine | Gallery Owner & Director

Risk is something that every entrepreneur needs to become intimately familiar with. Often people think that there will be a “perfect time” to start a business or to make a big change. The only requirement for taking risk is the delusional confidence you need to make anything happen. For years I worked in a safe corporate environment and I was petrified of putting my livelihood, my reputation, and my comforts on the line for my dream. However, after years of corporate burnout and frustration with the limitations of a 9-5 job, I decided that I was tired of waiting for an invitation or the perfect opportunity to drop in my lap. To me, the risk of not being happy/fulfilled was infinitely more daunting than the risk of instability. I decided to jump right into entrepreneurship and after a few months of trying to balance my corporate job and my business, I left my safety net behind. Read more>>

Michelle Owen | Artist, Program Manager and Dog Rescuer

I have always like to think of myself as a “risk taker” – one of my favorite sayings is “you only live once!” There have been more than a handful of times where I regretted taking the risk but even more times where I looked back on a certain situation and was glad I just jumped in with both feet. Many opportunities literally do just come once in a lifetime, and if you wait around to find out if it’s one of them, it’s probably too late. Many of my “risks” have been “no choicers” and by that I mean there really wasn’t a good alternative, so I just needed to do it. There was no option but to make it work. Which, in turn, taught me how to meet deadlines, follow through on commitments, make choices in a quick and decisive way, and try not to say “should’ve, could’ve, would’ve”. Once you take a risk, it’s water under the bridge. At that point you can only enjoy the good outcome, improve upon the outcome, or take note of the outcome, learn by the experience and never do it again. Read more>>

Caroline Parrish | Home Stager, Art Curator & Realtor

My parents met while they were both working in risk management, so risk is something I was raised to consider. But I do think it’s wildly important as an entrepreneur to take calculated risks, especially when it comes to betting on yourself. I spent a few years in Corporate America before realizing I wanted to pursue a more creative career. Every night after getting home from my job as a management consultant, I took online classes from Parsons New School of Design. Once I earned a design certificate, I took the plunge and went off on my own. So I tried to educate myself before leaving the safety net behind, but I will say the biggest lessons I’ve learned have been on the job! Read more>>

Dr. Tiffany Tajiri | The Colorful Psychologist, CEO of Freedom Rhythm, & Dr. America 2024 of Dr. World Productions, LLC

Success and confidence are not built by being comfortable. Confidence only comes when you hold yourself accountable to doing things outside of your comfort zone. It’s about discipline and keeping the promises you make to yourself by not backing out at showtime. Avoidance and fear are the heroes of stagnation. Have your childhood dreams of grandeur dwindled down into a goal that significantly pales in comparison—just so that it fits within the boundaries of your comfort zone? You can only live as big as your ability to get uncomfortable which means taking risks. Read more>>

Hannah Mosing | Author & Residential Concierge

When I think about risk, I consider the following – whatever you believe in, there is one common fact that is true for all human beings – we only live ONE life. So, by being afraid of taking risks, you’re stopping yourself from living your full potential of the one life we all are blessed to get. That’s why I took the risk of releasing a poetry book – if I don’t take the risk now, I may never take the risk, and I don’t want to live my life in regret of not having taken risks. Risks also factor into my life and career – I graduated during the pandemic, so getting a job where I love where I work AND I can allocate time for my passions is extremely important. By taking the risks that I have to get to where I am today, I am a much stronger, happier person for it. Read more>>

Tracy Bennett | Home Design & DIY Bestie

I wholeheartedly believe taking risks is where you grow. As a graphic designer turned home design/DIY enthusiast, my biggest risk was jumping into a new niche that I have no formal training in. Although graphic design and home design have many crossovers and overlapping parts, they are very different too. I asked myself, will my vision be more rewarding than the risk itself? My idea may soar with success and these little worries will seem like a grain of salt to me someday, or it may fail. There’s a lesson to be learned in all of risk-taking, and failure can provide an opportunity to learn from mistakes. I knew I loved designing rooms and spaces as much or more than graphic design so I decided to take the risk of starting my own blog and Instagram account. Soon I discovered that many people were asking my advice on their homes, which solidified my decision. Read more>>

Ciarra Monroe | Intuitive Spiritual LIfe Coach & Candle Maker

When I think about risk I think about the saying, “The only true failure is not to try.” Things are seen as risks because of the possibility of failure or things not working out as planned. However, I have begun to look at failure as lessons instead. Lessons on what could be done differently, or maybe what should not be done at all. We learn from taking risks. As a single mother, I took a huge risk by leaving my six figure job to run my business full time. Although my job created financial stability for my son and I, I looked at it as just that, a job, not a career. The stress from that job affected my health negatively and in a severe way. It also did not allow for work-life balance. Although I was gaining financial stability, I was trading in my health and happiness for that. Read more>>

Hannah Jones | Lead Physician Assistant and Clinical Operations Manager for Clinic Concierge – Houston

To me, I see risk as an opportunity. Any chance that I’m presented with a risk, I’m excited and nervous at the same time. Experiencing that feeling helps me understand that something new and unchartered is on the horizon. Anything new is always uncomfortable, but I’ve learned that being uncomfortable for a period of time is usually the first sign that I’m on the way to positive growth and change! I truly think that most of the good things in my life, and certainly my career, have come from taking a risk. Marriage, pregnancy, new cities, relationships, friendships. I try to familiarize myself with the sensation of risk, excitement, fear – validate myself for feeling uncomfortable in the face of uncertainty – and then push forward. Read more>>