Taking Risk is essential, but how much, when and why? Taking risks effectively is as much of an art as it is a science and we’ve asked some of the brightest folks in the community to tell us about how they think about risk taking.

Rachael Stonecipher | Photographer & Creative Artist

I have generally been a very safe player. I always had my business on the side, with a full time job and even other side gigs to feel secure. This year, though, I took the biggest risk and quit my full time teaching job to pursue my photography business full time. Inevitably I still hustle with a side jewelry business and teaching online college classes, but I am technically fully employed for myself for the first time EVER. Read more>>

Aja Freeman | Licensed esthetician & Business Owner

I stand by the quote “no risk, no reward” I honestly think that if you stick to playing it safe, you’ll always get the safe reward. Everything about my business has been a risk from the start I had no prior business, sales, or management skills. I quit my job at office depot to pursue a dream that I truthfully didn’t even know I had. Everything that I did for the sake of my business was a risk and I didn’t know how any of it would turn out but I ultimately had faith in myself and I calculated each risk that I took. Read more>>

Jasmine & Vlad | Fashion Stylist and Portrait Photographer

Just as anyone else, we believe taking risks can be frightening and difficult. However, we also strongly believe that taking risks is the biggest enabler for growth and opportunities in your life. We’ve never had a business before, so we were absolute newbies when it came to starting one, and to be honest, we still are! When we finally decided on a place for The Lightroom Studio, the starting cost for it was almost all our money, which was a big decision for us. Was our idea going to work out? Read more>>

Hosni OZ | Tattoo Artist

I believe that success never comes from a place of comfort. If you don’t take risks in life you won’t excel & be better & do better! Making the decision to quit my full time job & become a full time tattoo artist was a huge risk for me personally! Having a career in Art is never easy & there are no guarantees! Read more>>

DJ Kelly J | DJ, Entrepreneur & Influencer

I’m definitely a no risk, no reward kind of person; I don’t think I’d be anywhere near where I am so far if I played it safe everytime, even when it came to following the rules lol. I walked through most doors I saw open, if it led to a goal of mine, even if I wasn’t exactly ready. I always felt like I wouldn’t get the opportunity again if I didn’t, and it worked out in my benefit most times making myself “ready” for whenever a door was open. Read more>>

Amiel Cocco | Art Dealer

If you are an employee, you are at risk no matter your position, what you do or how safe you feel today. Risk is also necessary for any entrepreneurial endeavor. So, you might as well take a leap of faith and go for it, whatever your dream is. Now, excessive risk will take a toll on your mental, social and physical health, so you can take provisions to minimize risk or have a risk mitigation strategy. A couple of examples from my own life: Read more>>

LeeAnn Barnes | Artistic Charcuterie Caterer

I believe that every goal in life comes with some level of risk. You can look for opportunities or you can look for obstacles. You will find exactly what you choose to look for. I’ve always seen the opportunity everywhere I look. I’m a dreamer, I want to be a part of what makes the world beautiful. Food is an essential part of life and by making edible works of art, what I create brings added joy to the special moments in people’s lives. It’s like spreading edible happiness and I just think that’s a beautiful dream. Read more>>

Kadija Balde | Real Estate Professional

I learned that there’s no such thing as a reward without risk. The higher the reward, the higher the risk, and the lower the risk, the lower the reward. I also learned that risk could take many forms, but it all boils down to embracing the unknown. One of the ways to help cope with risk-taking is through the concept of calculated risk. Being an entrepreneur is a journey of risk-taking. There are no guarantees, only probabilities, but ultimately, I have come to settle that to have what you have never gotten, you have to be willing to do what you have never done. Going beyond one’s comfort zone is a matter of risk-taking, and that’s where growth and success reside. Read more>>

Deborah Burke | Artist- Western Jewelry Silversmith

For the past 15 years I had been working in a small, rural K-12 school as a school counselor. As I was counseling students about their future plans, I started reflecting on my own life and why I was in this career to begin with. After Covid, thing started to really change in the school system and the joy that I once felt doing this career, started to diminish. Although I enjoyed working with students, the stress level of working in mental health became overwhelming. Read more>>

Alex & Kacy Rodgers | Real Estate agents, Business owners

We believe everything in business and life involves some sort of risk. This doesn’t mean we act without a plan and hope for the best . We simply account for the risk imbedded in any step and plan accordingly. We try to mitigate the level of risk by thinking strategically and to not allow a situation with risk to become “risky”. Read more>>

G.Stylez | Artist/Entertainer

I feel like taking risks are a big part of anyone’s life and most importantly when it is something you are passionate about. I have taken risks all of my life with putting myself out there, whether its life changing or a career change. The biggest risk I have taken so far is investing in my music and my craft to better me as an artist/entertainer and I would say its definitely paying off. It’s a great feeling when people start to recognize who you really are and what you are capable of being and that’s why I take risks whenever the opportunity presents itself. Read more>>

Dekendria Urquhart | Esthetician

I think risk play a major role in my life. Taking risk allows me to create new opportunities for myself. Although some of the risk I take don’t go as planned, it actually exceeds my expectations. Every risk that I have taken helped me realize how I’m capable of doing anything I put my mind to Read more>>

Jose Reyes | Real Estate Investor

I believe risk taking is important for those who want to achieve their goals, without proper due diligence of course. It is important to have multiple exit strategies when you’re deciding about taking a risk, this is to avoid a lot of stress on yourself. Without taking any risk, oneself will always be stuck in the “comfort zone” and for entrepreneurs it is important to always take steps forward in order to grow. In my case taking a risk had a huge impact on my life, it took a lot of research and believing in myself and those around me. Read more>>

Chelsi Rosonke | Owner, Full River Fabrication (Custom Metal Art and Signage)

I am a big believer in “No Risk, No Reward”. If we don’t put ourselves out there, we will never know what we are capable of. When we purchased our first big piece of equipment, it was a huge investment, and failure wasn’t an option. We knew we had original ideas and wanted the opportunity to put them out there. It was scary and stressful at first, and there are still moments like that. After all, to be successful and grow in any situation (not just a business) depends on how far you are willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Read more>>

Ashley Eichten | Gymnastics Coach & Marketing Director

I think those who are successful, take risks often. One of the biggest risks or decision I made was to move away from home and my family and go to Texas, a state that I have only been once. My goal was to get an internship for marketing, but I kept getting turned down. I decided to look for a coaching job for the meantime, until I could get an internship. When I was interviewing for the coaching position, they asked if I would be interested in helping with social media and marketing. Read more>>

Jaide Island | Licensed Cosmetologist

Taking risk is exactly how I got to where I am now. I have always been a dream chaser and the type to “get it by any means necessary”. Every decision I have made for my business was a risk to take, for example investing thousands of dollars into inventory, creating services and pricing them, posting ads on social media, creating a one stop shop for hair extension services. Taking all of these risks, I never knew if they would actually help me thrive or help me get farther in my career. But even when I “failed”, when these risks didn’t go as planned .. I still learned a lesson and applied it to my business strategy. Read more>>

Artesia Swindle | DFW REALTOR®

Risk taking has not always been easy for me. As a Type A Personality with a penchant for overthinking, I’ve been known to play it safe. But as an entrepreneur, you’re forced to think outside the box and taking risks is a major part of that. From the initial decision to start your own business to how you operate it daily, all risks. Instead of thinking about it in terms of potential failure, I’ve learned that while the outcomes may not always pan out the way we’d like, risks are absolutely necessary for growth. By taking risks in my business, it’s been easier for me to take them in my personal life as well. Choosing to live outside my comfort zone has allowed me to flourish in ways I never expected. Read more>>

Jen Conley | Mindset Coach

It’s funny. Risk taking has been coming up for me a lot recently. I keep seeing it. Embrace the fear of risk. Our fear of something new, and the whole imposter syndrome that we struggle with, is our own psyche trying to protect us. As long as we embrace that, accept it for what it is, we can move forward. No risk = no reward, right? I am learning to embrace that fear as my own mind trying to protect me. Read more>>

Baylan Mozon | CEO & Founder

Risks are absolutely needed in propelling your life forward. While they may seem (and most times) are scary, a risk usually has a lot of upside to it– especially if you’re educated on the risk you’re taking. In 2o21, I took a risk of moving out on my own. This ended up being the best decision I’ve made in a while. My relationship with family and friends improved. So did my business. Fear is normal. But you have to take risks, in spite of. Your future self will thank you. Read more>>

Jasmine Blackbear | Indigenous hair stylist from Oak Cliff

Growing up no one ever discussed vocational schooling or things like “GAP years” or even just simply joining the work force as an option after graduating high school. I know choosing my career field would definitely be a risk taker ! Even my family had always discussed me going to college for something like Business or engineering, you know ? Those kind of jobs. I almost had no support from them when I had mentioned that I would be signing up for cosmetology school, people always view going to beauty school as a short cut kind of career choice. Read more>> 

Traci Moore | Culinary Artist and Chocolatier

I believe wholeheartedly that taking risks are essential to personal growth as well as growth in your career path or owning and running your own business. A quote that holds so true is a quote by Gary Vaynerchuck , “Life shrinks and expands on the proportion of your willingness to take risks and try new things.” Read more>>

Chastity Hylton | Police Officer by Day, Realtor by night, Makeup Artist on weekends

Risks are… risky. I’m an overthinker and I analyze things from all angles before I make a decision or take a risk. When it’s time to act, I’m comfortable and committed to my risk or decision because I’ve done my “homework”. I like to think of risks as calculated, sometimes impulsive moves. At the end of the day, taking risks is how I’ve managed to balance a full-time career and two thriving businesses. Read more>>

Latriece M. Spires (AKA Coach Spark ✨) | Christian Life & Business Coach

Great risks begets great rewards! I’d much rather strive to produce something great instead of playing it safe on the sidelines of life. As long as I’m breathing, I’m still learning. Failing is ok, but staying there is not! Your pause doesn’t have to be permanent! I’ve learned that I don’t need to know all of the details to move towards my purpose. I just have to keep moving! If I was afraid to take risks, I would not have birthed Spread Your Sparkle Coaching & Consulting. I’m grateful that I took the risk and now have the opportunity to inspire dreamers to shift their mindsets from stuck to a path of purpose! Read more>>