We recently connected with Ang Richard and have shared our conversation below.

Ang, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

At a work event a few years ago, I was wearing a sleeveless shirt with a pair of blue slacks and boots that made me a bit taller. Feeling confident, I was networking with colleagues, introducing myself to peers I hadn’t met before, and working with students to enhance their career development journeys.

During that event, a colleague commented on my tattoos that wrap around my upper arms.

In a conversation with a founder who wanted me to support her social media content, I was told I looked like I was 14.

In a post I made on LinkedIn about my Ph.D. journey so far, a manager from Florida said that I was too young to be giving advice.

Interactions like these fueled the name for my career coaching and consulting business, Professionally Unprofessional.

The ethos of my brand and work is all about showing up as your full, authentic self. If we’re not showing up as our full selves, we can’t give everything we have. If we’re curating workplaces that don’t elicit belonging and authenticity, we prevent greatness in all of our employees.

There is no right way to carry out professionalism. Rooted in cultural bias and traditional norms, archaic demands and parameters of professionalism limit our ability to be ourselves and do our work. Fortunately, being ourselves and doing our work do not need to happen exclusively. I’m all about building a workforce that promotes belonging, inclusion, and care.

Ang, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got my introduction to career services in college. Working with my peers in education and human services as they navigated their career paths inspired my journey into higher education administration and career development.

In my work at universities and in my own business, I focus on supporting Generation Z as they navigate their careers. As a young professional myself navigating the world of work, nothing brings me more joy than supporting fellow early career professionals in landing their first role, asking for a raise or a new opportunity, and preparing for their next career move.

Since early 2023, I’ve been posting consistently on LinkedIn. Earlier this past year, I received recognition as a LinkedIn Top Voice. Posting advice for early career professionals, sharing my own career development challenges and achievements, and sharing insight as a first-generation student led to many conversations with founders, coaches, mentors, recruiters, senior management… the list goes on.

I approach every meeting with a student or client knowing that it’s an opportunity to learn from them. Every conversation starts with understanding their values and goals, and every conversation ends with an action item, an opportunity to reflect, and a way to stay in touch.

In my doctoral research, I’m focusing on the school-to-work transition among underrepresented student groups. I’m interested in understanding if there’s a relationship between sense of belonging interventions in higher education settings and early career attitudinal outcomes. As Gen Z begins to make up a large portion of the workforce (just over 30% by 2030), their outcomes become increasingly important in the world of work writ large.

I look forward to continuing my work in career services, with a focus on the future of work.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Your network is truly your net worth. Many people in my network have told their own networks about my services. I receive messages from university students I’ve worked with who want to have a conversation. Friends and colleagues have told their own friends and colleagues about my work, leading to genuine connections and business opportunities.

I source my clients from my network and warm outbound. I focus on building real connections with people, not cold pitching them in their inboxes. Business in the coaching world doesn’t work if you’re inauthentic or robotic.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

‘You need to show up in a professional, sophisticated manner if you’re ever going to be taken seriously.’

The hidden agendas of the professional world pervade many of my conversations with clients. But, as I’ve spoken with more and more people and discovered their career goals, these archaic structures don’t support the authenticity that people crave in the workplace. People don’t want to be forced to dress a certain way, to be judged based on how they style their hair or appearance on a given day. People want to be taken seriously based on their merit, their skills, and their passion.

I want to be taken seriously like that, too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.angrichard.com/
• Instagram: @angelaarichardd
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-richard/
• Other: TikTok: @professional_ang

Image Credits

Jenn Symula (for the last photo uploaded)