In our experience, most folks, including ourselves don’t have enough of an understanding of risk and the role it plays in our lives and careers and so we have made a concerted effort as a team to have conversations about risk with our interviewees. We’ve shared some highlights below.

Malak Osli | Rnb Artist

Risk is something you take to propel yourself forward with the recurring thought of failure looming in your subconscious it drives you to go harder, shoot for the moon and even if you fall you still got high enough to reach that point amongst the stars. I would say I the biggest risk I took was moving to a new state straight out of high school with no car and no family at 19 for the pursuit of knowledge and at fresh start on my music career and life. I moved from Mississippi to Tennessee and I haven’t looked back since, the ride has been amazing and fruitful. Read more>>

Mark Mason | Musicianary/Co-Founder & President of Life on the Verge

Most people want to make progress in life. I think the older we get the more we want to see our unique skills and experiences converge to make the greatest impact. That begins with a vision or a dream of what “could be,” If we nurture a “could be” it might just turn into a “should be.” If we keep doing all we can where we are with what we have in the direction of a “should be” , it just might morph into a “must be.” That’s when you know you’re willing to take the big risk(s) necessary to see it come to pass. Crafting vision (a detailed mental picture of a preferred future) and working by faith in the direction of that vision is the hard work many aren’t willing to do. It also helps that my wife and I have been married for 42 years and we’ve always come to agreement about a big risk before taking the leap. We visit the possibility of failure in our imagination. If the potential payoff of the risk outweighs the potential pain of utter failure, we jump. Read more>>

Megan Bruneau | Therapist, Executive Coach, & Podcast Host

Can you imagine life without risk? It would be like watching a movie having already read the script! As humans, we desire a delicate balance between predictability and novelty. We experience stimulation and growth by stepping out of our comfort zones (taking risks), yet our fear of the unknown convinces us we’re better off playing small. If we’re not conscious of this programming, we’re likely to fall victim to fear and perfectionism–avoiding taking any steps that might result in embarrassment, rejection, or failure. Read more>>

Pishoy Zaki | Real Estate Developer

When I started EastGrove Development, risk was an essential part of the foundation of the company. From the very beginning, it was clear that creating something from the ground up would involve taking chances and stepping into the unknown. The first major risk was forming the company itself. I had to make decisions with limited resources and a clear vision but without certainty about the future. I knew that in order to succeed, I had to trust my instincts and take that leap despite the uncertainty. Read more>>