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.

Nicole Roerick | Dance Artist and Educator and Yoga/Pilates Teacher

For me, taking risks is part of doing the work, The work that is necessary to keep evolving and growing into who we are. As individuals and as a collective in this world. As a teacher of Yoga/Dance/Pilates, I am a huge advocate of movement as a daily practice for healing, self awareness, mindfulness, health/body connectivity and so much more. Movement is medicine. Putting yourself in uncomfortable situations can be vulnerable and feel a bit risky at times Read more>>

Sylis Pacheco | Entreprenuer

I am a firm believer in the quote, “The biggest risk a person can take is to do nothing” by Robert T. Kiyosaki. I have lived the last few years of my life by taking risks that have made me uncomfortable. I discovered when I put myself in a position where my back is up against a wall, and there is no other option but success, I will pull through and make it happen. In the times where I have had a back up plan, I tend to find excuses to justify why I cannot do something and settle for less. Read more>>

Stacy Morgan | Ceramic Artist at S.P. Morgan Studio and Program Manager for the Alabama Visual Arts Network

Taking risks is vital for me as an artist and business person. It is far too easy to stay in a safe comfort zone, get complacent, and then inevitably get stuck. As a business person, I took a huge risk committing to becoming a full time potter and sculptor, a big risk moving my studio to a public space with overhead costs and without putting myself out there, I would not have succeeded. That move opened doors for me that I did not even know existed. I am now also the program manager for the Alabama Visual Arts Network, and I’m able to serve my fellow artists as well as focus on my own artistic career. As an artist and maker, its the same: If I am not willing to take risks and step out of my comfort zone, my work would stagnate. Read more>>

Sharmila Hall | Co-Founder of DflySD

Taking risks is part of life. If you want to be successful, there are always some risky decisions you will need to take. We should always analyze the pros and cons of the risks we take but never fear taking the step. Risk-taking has brought me where I am today, including building my own business. Read more>>

Renee Warren | Renée Warren | Founder & CEO, We Wild Women

They say that growth happens when you step outside of your comfort zone. The moments before jumping off the cliff are the worst, but once you’re in mid-air, there is nowhere to go but down, so if you can build that parachute while falling, then you’ll survive. Read more>>

Jackie Gonzalez | Founder + Creative Strategist, JGL Creative + Cinemauto

I’m a calculated risk-taker, an eclectic user of information. and a strategic thinker with intense curiosity. I am very passionate about discovering new places, people, businesses, and sharing ideas, so when ideating and strategizing, I use culture to push things forward, equitably amplify diverse voices, people, businesses, and celebrate the luminaries, creators, and storytellers pushing their industries forward. There’s always the vision, or why we recommend working with certain unconventional and/or edgy talent, so it’s our job to make sure we have all of the information Read more>>

Rene’ Shaffer | Co-Owner of Laguna Coffee Co

Taking risks has played and plays a huge role in whom my daughter and I are as individuals and as business owners together . We would never be in the place we are today if we had not taken the risks to get get our cafe . There were so many different things going on that came against us while others were working for us. But we believed in the dream we had and risked it all . These risks pulled us forward as human beings and have given us a platform to put into reality what was once only a dream . It’s a forward action that continues to this day in our lives . Having the drive to take risks has developed a confidence that we can do this and that maybe we can do even more than we thought. It takes humbleness, strength , strategy, confidence and planning and being surrounded by a great team of people to make a risks pay off and we’ve been molded by this experience . The thing I believe in is that every person should have what they want but I believe that every person should have to work hard to get it . Risk taking ..I could not be where I am today without that drive. Read more>>