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.

Gargi Duggal | Entrepreneur, IT Professional, and Published Model and Dancer

Diving in deep waters and learning how to swim to the coast is much harder than being saved by someone else. However, it develops strength, purpose, and experience. That is why it is crucial to take risks and expand your horizon. For me, risk taking has led to exceptional heights of success, new opportunities, and most importantly, I can freely explore my passion. I am proud to say that Gargi Productions, my media house, is the product of a major risk in my life! Read more>>

Mara Marek | Personal Trainer and Comedian

My relationship with risk has been fluid within the rollercoaster of my life. I used to be a jump before you look person, but after the recent loss of my husband, who had taken some pretty major financial risks, thinking there would always be another tomorrow, I have made some much needed revisions. I do assess the financial risk in a much more calculated way, making only minimal investments monetarily, (but I still go for Gold on taking chances on things). Read more>>

Carlin Jaster | Master Stylist/Co-Owner : Blonde AF State of Mind

Risk is such a small word but it is a powerful word. When my husband and I decided that we wanted to make our salon a reality, we decided to take the risk and go all in blonde…. Moved from Seattle to Nocona, Texas was a risk all by itself. The thing about-risks is they have huge losses, and the gains are blind. I moved and would either lose my success and career in Washington for a sub par life in Texas. It would he the Best decision & With GREAT Returns ; 1. My Husband 2. My Partner 3. Read more>>

Jasmine Duncan | Founder Of Minnie & Mary Accessories

Risk is the possibility of loss, its about stepping out of your comfort zone. I believe that risk is necessary in life if you want to get to a place in life you’ve never been. About a year ago I decided to step out of my comfort zone and start a business! I never considered myself an entrepreneur; I was content with working a standard 9-5 job, making someone else’s dreams come true. Then I started thinking about how short life is and started asking myself, “If I were to leave this earth tomorrow, what kind of legacy would I be leaving behind?”  Read more>>

Amanda Pastusek | Owner, The Art of Grazing, LLC

Risk is an essential part of growth, not just in business, but in life. Learning, growing, becoming something more than we were–these things do not happen in our comfort zones. They only come by taking risks. Welcoming failure. Celebrating it, even. Celebrate failure? Yes, exactly. Think of the hardest moment of your life, the biggest failure you’ve ever experienced. In that moment, you had two options before you. You could wallow in grief and misery forever and never try again, or you could dust yourself off, learn something valuable, and let that experience make you better than you were before. Read more>>

Ariana Crain | Esthetician

Risk taking was actually the only way to start my career. You have to take risks in order to succeed. Personally, I had to quit my job to be able to attend my esthetician school full time. This was scary, being unstable is a scary thing. But thankfully I had the support of my family to get me through the 5 months of full time school. Point being, taking risks is sometimes necessary. You have to have faith in yourself and whatever you’re trying to accomplish in order to succeed. Be your own number one supporter and the rest will fall into place. Read more>>

Osiris | Fitness Instructor and Coach

Fortune favors the brave or the bold…an old latin proverb holds true to my experience so I continue to do what has proven to work for personally. Read more>>

Mona Mostadim | Owner of The Wig Fairy

I’m a big risk taker & believe in trial and error. I got myself into a industry that I knew nothing about. Taking this risk in my life was one of the biggest moves I’ve ever made, I simple based my future on the faith of helping others & because I love what do it has thankfully paid off. Read more>>

Dijon Washington | Entrepreneur/Marketing Manager

I have recently begun to understand the importance of taking risks and it has changed my thought process for the better. I have now started my journey of self-improvement and also started to improve in business overall. I now have a better understanding of taking risks, and by associating risk with my fear of failure, I can now start to improve in all areas I lack personally and in business. For me, I struggled with the fear of failure and that has been one of the largest components hindering my growth both personally and professionally by missing out on vital life lessons. Read more>>

Shay Braye | Travel Advisor & Connoisseur

Risk taking for me means EVERYTHING! I don’t believe I would be the person I am today without betting on myself, facing fears and taking chances. In my life thus far, I’ve had the opportunity to visit 53 countries, 16 of which I went completely solo and even live in Beijing, China for 2 years. Despite everybody trying to stop me or convince me otherwise, I took the risk to move halfway across the world. I did this completely solo without knowing a soul beforehand and spent the whole one way plane ride hoping the leap I was taking was worth it. My journey while daunting and at times faced with frustrations, molded me into a person that got to see life through a new lens. Read more>>