Shoot your shot? Take a chance? Society bombards us with messages, phrases, examples and stories of how taking risk is the key to success, but is anything ever that simple? We asked some of the brightest folks we know to tell us about how they think about risk. We’ve shared their responses below.

LaCoya Lovett | Social Media Manager, Content Creator & Plus Model

Take the chance or lose the opportunity. I’ve been risk taking my whole life. My move to Texas was a risk, leaving my 9-5 was a risk. I don’t regret any of it. If I didn’t take the risk I wouldn’t be where I am today. Read more>>

Ayanna Crayton | Braider

Risk taking has played a big role in my career. From the very beginning of starting my business, i took a big risk quitting my job to start. Working was draining me at that point and i knew that i didn’t want my now career, to just be my “side hustle”. So in May 2019 after a lot of research and learning i turned my hustle into my career. I’m still taking risks today, but every risk I’ve taken has brought me to a higher level and gotten me to where i am right now in my career. Read more>>

Tatiana Rubio | CEO & Founder of Narco Lashes

In my opinion risk taking is a very important part of life. Many people are afraid to take risks and they end up never progressing in life. I have always been a risk taker and I feel that has helped me a lot with the success of my business. From the the beginning I took a risk with the name and theme of my business. I knew that I would receive a lot of backlash because the word “Narco” has a very infamous meaning. However, I knew what I wanted to create and that the theme and all of my products would be authentic and have a meaning to me. Today the risks I have made have helped me get to where I am now with over 160,000 followers on Facebook and a stream of income I never imagined I would have working for myself. Read more>>

Angelia Long | Photographer | Stylist | Teacher

To look in the mirror everyday and choose to be an artist takes risk. Starting off in this field is never an easy task. You have to take risks in order to make it. You have to try things you may not necessarily otherwise try to get to where you need to be. As an artist often times your income is not set and stable and freelancing doesn’t always work out, but if you use your passion to drive you through, eventually that work and that risk you took will pay off. If you want to make it in this field you have to step out of your comfort zone, take the risk and be confident in who you are the work you create. Read more>>

Amanda Bradford | Executive Chef and Owner of Bradford Bakery

I firmly believe that you have to take risks to reach some level of success in life and career. I would consider myself a calculated risk taker but if I hadn’t made some of the risks that I did, it would not have led me to where I am today. Some of the risks I have taken in life have led me to my biggest blessings such as meeting my husband and having my daughter. Read more>>

Crystal Parker -Polk | Influencer of Fashion / Women’s Empowerment

I think of risk as fear , Taking risk has shown me that whatever is on the other side of my decision to take the risk was motivated by faith & hope that taking this risk changes my situation for the better . Taking the risk has always resulted in a lesson that I needed, a blessing to change my situation or to strengthen my faith as well as learn more patience & revisit my position to receive what I am asking . I am a believer that if you are not in the correct position to receive you can not appreciate the ask . Read more>>

Henry Masters, Jr. | Entrepreneur

Risk is part of the everyday life of entrepreneur life. We take risk on new ideas, new product, new way or marketing those products and new ways to finance those venture. Starting out, the risk were big and most didn’t pan out the way we envisioned them to. But thats not a bad thing. The more we fail, the more we learn and the better we become. I wouldn’t change it for anything! Read more>>

Steven Romero | Business owner

“Life’s a risk carnal” is one of the slogans on our shirts, quoted from “Blood In Blood Out”. We can relate a lot to taking risks, the only certainty in life that we have is that we will be leaving everything we have and own here on earth, so I see risk as opportunity. Rather than wish things were better, you just have to do it. I’d rather take a risk regardless if it works or not than living with regrets of what could have been. I feel it is our duty here on earth to live a life fully lived, with the petal to the metal. No wishing, just doing. “Life’s a risk carnal! (my friend)” Read more>>

Tomekia Westry | Founder of Pop Art Balloon Co

“No risk, no reward!” I didn’t understand what that phrase truly meant when I was younger. I heard people say it over and over again, but it never really hit me. I was so used to going by the rules. Go to school, check. Get a job, check. I thought I was doing everything right in hopes that I would automatically get everything that I wanted. I was playing it safe. When I decided to be an entrepreneur, I knew that playing it safe was not going to get me far, so I decided to take that leap. I took a risk on myself, my creativity, my talent, and my purpose. Now, I am the owner of a growing small business. I have the pleasure of sharing my gifts with the world and I am loving every minute of it! Read more>>

Daniel Sunshine | Innovation Advisor, Mindfulness and Mindset Coach and Co-Owner of the Dallas Yoga Center

Taking The Risk To Bloom By Daniel Sunshine We can all relate to the risk of choosing our truth in the face of fear. Stepping into the highest vision for our lives often requires us to make decisions that are scary but aligned with showing up in the world as an authentic person. Taking the risk to live and breathe our truest dream is the vulnerable, powerful path of the fully expressed human. Nature and ancient archetypes reflect this process in a range of metaphors, such as a caterpillar emerging from the cocoon and the phoenix rising from the ashes. Read more>>

Rachel (Ray-D) Dowl | Social Media Influencer, Freelance Model & Financial Advisor With Many Entrepreneurial Talents!

Risk Is The Bloodline Of My Career as well as My Life, In General. Each move that I’ve Made In Being An Entrepreneur / Freelance Model has been Prayer, Following A Lead, Taking A Chance & Following Through Till The End. I’ve Been So Blessed. The Best Is Yet To Come. #Amen Read more>>

Ashlie Hoffman | Mortgage Loan Originator

I have always played it safe and stayed in places far longer than I should have because I was comfortable. When the pandemic hit, I was out of work like most people for a while and during that time, I stayed home with my daughter Madeline. The time spent with her was so precious to me that I told myself that I was going to find something that allowed me to do more of that. A friend of mine came over and told me that she was in the mortgage business and it allowed her to stay home. That conversation sparked something in me and I got to work. My family and I decided to move to Texas and also discovered we had baby number 2 on the way. That only fueled my fire. Read more>>

Karina Vergara | Director of Finance and Administration

Risk is made up of three parts: The probability of something going wrong, the negative consequences if it does, or everything turning out just right! Risk can be hard to spot, however, when an opportunity presents itself, I find myself going towards the things that have facts, data, and documentation that could reassure that the risk is worth it, but above all, that the outcome will be positive. Most of the time if you’re hit by a consequence that most of us hadn’t planned for, costs, time, and reputations could be on the line. Similarly, overestimating or overreacting to risks can create panic, and do more harm than good. Read more>>