We recently connected with Angela Petta and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Angela, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

Both of parents taught me the importance of listening. You do not realize how important this skill is until you go to school, attain your first job, your first love, etc.

An example highlighting this important skill is with my first job with a corporation. During my interview, I was asked a series of questions. I thought about what was being asked before I gave my answers. When I did share my answer, I first repeated the question that was asked by the interviewer. She nodded in agreement. I proceeded with the answer. At the end of the interview, the interviewer asked me to solve an issue (later on I discovered that it was a real challenge she was dealing with. I gave her the solution that she used to solve her challenge). She then asked me the same question from earlier in the interview. I gave her the same answer. Long story short; not only did I get the job, but I impressed her with my listening and problem solving skills.

Angela, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a Beauty Micro-Influencer, my goal is to empower, educate, encourage & enlighten women 40+ to be their most authentic selves through makeup, skincare, self care routines and style.

My love for makeup started at a very early age of 4. My maternal aunt had a train case full of delightful products. I would watch her intensely applying various products to her eyes, cheeks, lips, etc. I would ask her what each product was called and how to use it. Fast forward to the age of 13 where I developed cystic acne. This is one of the most painful experiences of my adolescence. It may sound silly, but having a less than perfect complexion affected my self esteem, confidence and self worth. My mother took me to the dermatologist and we tried everything. Then she took me to Merle Norman Cosmetics. I had a skincare analysis and had my very first skincare routine. I was religious about applying each product AM/PM. It took about 9 months for my skin to start healing. With my skincare routine, I was being mindful about caring for my skin and myself. I was over the moon that a simple skincare routine could completely change the way my skin looked and how I felt about myself. That is when I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to help others look and feel good about themselves.

When I was 17 1/2, I started my career with the same Merle Norman Cosmetics boutique that helped me. I worked for the company for about 15 years at various locations.

I went to college, had two major corporate jobs and realized at the age of 45 that my passion was working in the beauty industry. I always had an affinity for working with mature ladies. I would admire my clients and listen to their amazing stories. At the end of our appointment, I loved how they looked in the mirror and admired their own reflection. Each client allowed me the pleasure of assistaning him/her with his/her cosmetic desires.

I realized I needed to create my own blog and platform for giving makeup and skincare advice to help women 40+(anyone can use the information I offer, but my niche is targeted for women 40+).

Social media became my platform to create a safe and enjoyable space to discuss all things beauty related. I post weekly with techniques, product recommendations and product reviews. I am currently working on turning this passion into a career.

I cannot convey how much I enjoy making another person feel good about themselves. If I can help someone through cosmetics achieve his/her goals; I am open and ready to listen to help them achieve their desires.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

As much as I enjoyed working in the beauty industry, I needed a job that would create a comfortable retirement. I (I majored in Business Management with a technology emphasis) went to work as an Information Systems Specialist in the home health agency. I worked grueling hours and for 6 months, I was a 1 woman show in a male dominanted industry. I traveled 10 months out of the year and I was starting to burn out. I left that company and joined another home health agency as an operations manager. Once again, I worked hard and long hours.

One day, I was driving to work and saw a Merle Norman Cosmetics boutique. I started crying. I missed working with people that I could inspire and that inspired me.

I decided to leave the IT world and go back to my roots. I went back to Merle Norman Cosmetics. Although, I made less money; I was happy. I enjoyed going to work everyday. I enjoyed my clients, my employees I managed, I was where I was supposed to be.

Fortunately, things worked out and I continued working for Merle Norman Cosmetics till the boutique closed.

Fast forward 15 years later, I started my blog & social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. Each day brings its challenges, but I get to choose what I want to do and be happy at the same time.

Do not get me wrong, there are days that my statistics are not what I want them to be, I get stale with generating new content, etc. But, in the end, I am following my heart & passionate about helping others.

As a result of this passion for the beauty industry, I was chosen as 1 of 11 people to be a model for The Inkey List 2020 campaign. It was such an honor to represent women 40+ at the age of 48.

If you would have told me at the age of 13 I would be a model for a London based skincare company and displayed in Sephora stores in the US; I would have thought you were lying to me. But, it did happen. How grateful I am.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn being a people pleaser.

To me, helping others means teaching them tools to help themselves. If I do the thing in question; I then rob them of a lesson they need to learn.

As a multicultural woman, you have to learn how to navigate the world in order to achieve your goals. Sometimes, things are very unfair; but you still must push forward.

I used to think I had to always be nice and say yes no matter what. What I learned is that this notion could not be further from the truth. When you people please you are acting from a place of fear.

Saying no when it is appropriate actually shows respect for yourself and the other person.

When I say no with respect, I am teaching others how I wish to be treated and respected.

I realize now why I got burnt out, felt less than, etc. I was always afraid of upsetting someone or not being respected by saying no. The fear was keeping me from doing what I really wanted to do.

Unlearning being a people pleaser actually helped me to be able to follow my heart back to the beauty industry.

Although painful, I am grateful for the lesson learned.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://msha.ke/beautyforumbyangela
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautyforumbyangela/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautyforumbyangela/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/angelapetta
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Beauty_ForumAng

Image Credits
Image number 1 is from The Inkey List 2020 campaign The final image is my client.