Legend holds that Cornelius Vanderbilt had built a massive fortune in the steamboat shipping industry, but then realized the railroads were the way of the future and invested almost his entire net worth into railroads. The gamble paid off and made Vanderbilt one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs ever. But risks are inherently…risky. How do you think about risk and how has it affected your life and career? Some of our community favorites share their perspective below.

Shayla Tabor | Owner & Lead Photographer of Stabor Studios

Jump, and the net will appear. (At least, I really hope it does…) That phrase played over and over again at the end of 2023 when I decided to quit my full-time job and go all in on my own business. At the time, the risk of failure, people’s opinions, and everything that could go wrong if I failed flooded my mind. Ultimately, that risk was one of the best things I have ever done for myself and my business. It opened the doors for me to take better care of my clients, pursue my dreams, and achieve a work-life balance I sorely needed. Read more>>

Jen Carmiel | Figure Painter & Artist

They always say that the only way to get the life that you want, the one you haven’t had before, you have to do something you’ve never done before. Yet, so many of us are so intoxicated by our comfort zone that we never explore the possibility of making our daydream a reality. We may say we don’t “feel ready.” We’ll take that risk once we’re “ready.” And until then, we stay in our comfort zone. But “comfort zone” is a misnomer, isn’t it? You’re not really all that comfortable in the comfort zone, are you? When you’re someone who has a dream or a vision, being in your comfort zone is actually very uncomfortable. Read more>>

Forrest Ryan | South Carolina Realtor

One of my all time favorite quotes is George Adair’s “Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the opposite side of fear.” This quote resonates with me hard because the percentage of realtors that usually get out of the game sits around 87% over the course of 5 years. When you first go into a business like real estate and that’s the percentage odds you’re working with, it can be a very scary thing. Real estate is not for the weak willed and I think growth of any form is not only vital for your business but your personal development through life. have met many business owners that have went belly up but refused to lay down and take it. Read more>>

Maggie Iribarren

“Risk is the price you pay for opportunity….” is a line I often get told by my Dad who is a lifelong entrepreneur. He too built a business from the ground up. Hearing the tone of my voice, he must have known I wasn’t feeling like I was on top of the world, I value that insight. I’m a very positive person and in business, there are times of uncertainty. Those times are the ones you have to decide on taking a chance and betting on yourself. Without risk, life feels comfortable. No one changed the world sitting around feeling fine, being comfortable. Eight years ago my husband Dorian and I decided to leave South Florida to design our life together and have a new adventure. Read more>>