There is a wealth of academic research that suggests that differences in risk appetite are at the heart of differences in career and business trajectories. We wanted to go beyond the theory and ask real people from the community about their perspectives and experiences with risk and risk taking.

Gaya Verneuil | Actress

I cannot separate life from the notion of risk, at least not a life worth living.That deep calling, to which you say: F*ck it (pardon my French), I am doing this! It is totally primal and personal, fueled by faith and woven in uncertainty. For you may have control over the decisions you make, but you cannot predict their outcome.Whether physically or emotionally, the higher the stakes, the more painful the cost, the more gratifying the reward. As far as I’m concerned, from the first breath I inhaled, to the people I choose to love, to the things I want to be passionate about, it is because of all the risks I took and the ones I haven’t yet, both in my personal and professional life, that I am the person I am today and want to become the person I’ll be tomorrow. Read more>>

Daniel Durston | Creator of 1996: A Blink-182 Musical

The idea of not taking risks at all implies no way of knowing what’s on the other side. One of my biggest fears in life is not knowing, asking the daunting question of “what if?” for the rest of my life is terrifying. So I’ve taken risks as far back as I can remember and no matter how challenging each have been, the reward has always been worth it. Whether it’s success or simply another lesson to learn along the way. Read more>>

Daniel Bernardi | Professor, Filmmaker, Sailor

In the world of documentary filmmaking, risk is not just an element—it’s the very essence that propels our narrativesi nto compelling tales. Every decision, from topic selection to source interviews to the use of animation to reveal a past trauma, is a dance with uncertainty, making the journey both thrilling and daunting yet, ideally and necessarily truthful. While my career has been punctuated by moments of vulnerability, especially when, as a veteran of the Iraq War, unveiling stories from the shadows of the military industrial complex, it’s these bold leaps into the unknown that have crafted the most resonant documentations. Read more>>