Hi, I'm Angel...

My story starts out fairly normal. Mom, Dad, and younger sibling all living a comfortable middle-class life in the South. My parents were creatives and entrepreneurs who believed in living life to the fullest, and they built several successful businesses while also being present for every moment. So my childhood was built on adventure and experiences.

I often ran around our car dealership and played in mechanics bays, waitressed (badly) in our family restaurant after school, or spent summers on tour with my dad who once owned a stage production company that produced Tyler Perry-style gospel plays before Tyler Perry was a thing.

It was family dinners and road trips. It was church on Sundays and bible study on Wednesdays (which partly explains why I’m no longer religious). It was cheerleading, and orchestra, and little league baseball. It was a good childhood. Not perfect mind you, but good. 

And then my dad passed away with my mom and I holding his hand. Sadly, it was the beginning of the end for anything resembling “normal”. Shortly after, my mom who had lost her partner and best friend of 24 years and then her father immediately after, fell into an intense drug addiction. We quickly lost everything…home, cars, most of our belongings.

So at 19 I quit college, moved out, took custody of my younger sibling who was just starting high school, and busted my ass to keep our heads above water. I can tell you that being thrust into the role of single parent at 19 is not for the faint of heart. I was often placed in rooms where I felt out of place. I also quickly learned that I had to be creative in my approach to a problem because nobody was coming to save me. I had to learn to save myself.

All the while, my mom, who was always my best friend and one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met, struggled desperately. She was always the fearless one. The one not afraid to take chances, to love recklessly, to experience everything life had to offer. But addiction is a helluva thing. So after several years of struggle, she finally got herself clean and started putting her life back together. Things were starting to look up. My sibling and I both started college, me for the second time, and mom was back with us again.

And then one day, she walked out the door and never returned. Her body was later found in the backseat of our car a few blocks from our home. She was the victim of a homicide whose case remains frustratingly unsolved to this day thanks to a police force who couldn’t have cared less if they tried.

Needless to say, life became dark all over again. Fighting to not give up, to keep the bills paid and food on the table, and to keep my younger sibling from being overwhelmed with grief and depression, I just kept moving forward. I can tell you that I often felt in way over my head.

But I had one thing going for me. I had the lessons that my parents left with me:

  • that I was stronger than I can imagine
  • that every problem has a solution if you’re brave enough to think outside the box
  • that life moves forward whether we want it to or not so we might as well take the wheel
  • and that the universe (or God) works for you when you work for yourself

Those lessons have carried me through and one day I decided that enough was enough. I was going to live life as my parents taught me: to the fullest. So I began collecting experiences: I have skydived with the US Army’s best, crossed the Mexican border on foot to shop local markets, sat in the audience of Broadway plays and concerts, and solo traveled all around the country. I have helped start and run the first ever trans male bodybuilding competition in the world and found my place within the LGBTQ+ community after years of coming to terms with my own queer identity. I have worked as a photographer, graphic artist, event planner, business owner, and now coach.

Along the way, I have gathered every creative, out-of-the-box tool I could find to help create the life I wish to live. And let me tell you, while I still have miles to go, my life today looks vastly different and wondrously more abundant than it did just a few short years ago. Now I want to pass those tools on to you. 

You see, life is hard. Full stop. Sometimes it comes at you so fast that it feels like all you can do is hang on and pray the ride smooths out soon. But what I’ve learned through all of the trauma and hardships is that life is also what you make of it. We can’t stop bad things from happening, but we can rise to the occasion. We can be our own heroes. We can wear our own capes, and we can make this life adventure the very best that it can be. We just need to be a little bit creative. 

These days, I realize that I so badly want to show you that you are indeed enough. That you deserve to be at your best. You deserve to feel strong. You deserve to live the life of your dreams.

So come with me on this journey and let me show you how.

5 Things I Know To Be True...

They guide not only how I build my business but also how I live my life.

  • Move or be moved – Time stops for no one, and life will move you along whether you wish it to or not. Take the initiative and move of your own power or you may find yourself somewhere you did not intend to be.

  • Tell your story – Everyone has at least one good story to tell if we would but sit and listen. Don’t be afraid to tell yours and care enough to listen to others.

  • Give others grace – I believe that generally speaking, people are simply doing the best that they can, with what they have, at that moment. Always give others the grace to be human.

  • Be brave – You will often hear me recite the quote “be brave and mighty forces will come to your aid”. I believe we make our own luck, and that the universe (or God if you prefer) works for you when you work for yourself.

  • Enjoy the process – The journey is often more important and more rewarding than the destination. Don’t forget to enjoy your “now” while you’re working towards your “future”.

A Few of My Favorite Things…

Musicals – I’m obsessed with musicals! I love an old MGM musical and Broadway soundtracks are my happy place.

Favorite MGM Musicals 

  • The Band Wagon – Who wouldn’t love the amazing Fred Astaire and the incredibly beautiful and talented Cyd Charisse?!
  • An American in Paris – The incomparable Gene Kelly…oh and Cyd Charisse 
  • It’s Always Fair Weather – Again, the incomparable Gene Kelly…and also Cyd Charisse (there may be a theme…)
  • Gigi – I’m not ONLY obsessed with Cyd Charisse.

Favorite Broadway Soundtracks 

  • Rent – I’m fairly certain Rent saved my life.
  • Wicked – Spent my 35th birthday in New York City just to see this on Broadway!
  • Anastasia – My current obsession. Fantastic touring cast.
  • Hamilton – Who doesn’t love Hamilton?
  • The Color Purple – So, so good.

Favorite Movie (other than MGM Musicals)

  • Twister – Rabbit is good, Rabbit is wise.

Favorite Band

  • The 1975 – Best concert I’ve ever been to!

Favorite Singer/Songwriter

  • Sara Bareilles – Because duh

Favorite Hobbies

  • Reading – I jokingly (not so jokingly) call this my only true vice. When you average 150-200 books a year, you may have a problem.
  • Pencil sketching – I should really do this more often…