Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Angela Gentile. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Angela, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Oh man. This is such a big question.

The biggest risk I ever took was choosing to live an authentic and aligned life that brought me joy. Now, this wasn’t a one and done situation, but rather a constant series of choices, assessments and action steps to keep shedding what isn’t mind and what isn’t working so I can stay connected to a life I love.

It was not always this way though. I was living a very unhappy life where everything I did felt like an obligation and what I should be doing for other people. My inner dialogue went something like this: I have to, I should, I don’t want to be a bad person, this is what a good friend does, this is how a professional person acts, this is how I need to be because I am adult, I am a woman so I should do this, and all these other limiting norms that I adopted as my own.

When my dad died suddenly, I knew i just could. not keep living in this should that was making me so unhappy. I learned through grief that I was brave as hell. So, I decided to choose myself and it was the bravest thing I could ever do. And by choosing myself, I also make hard decisions every day that reflect how much I love, honor and respect myself.

So, my advice is to take risks every day! Seriously. The world gives you choices and opportunities every day to challenge yourself and I think that is what risk taking is all about: choosing growth and learning. So, anytime you are faced with a decision, take the one that can level you up in your business, your mindset, your self awareness and whatever else. It truly is a practice of these daily risk taking opportunities that make taking a MAJOR risk less scary.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a certified teaching Professional since 2005 from coaching to public school to fitness, and certifications in Neurolinguistic Programming I specialize in helping people get unstuck and confidently stand in their powerful purpose. Because I get it. I was STUCK. I was living a life that was not mine—I was living according to a series of choices I thought I had to make and what I thought I “should” be doing.

The day my dad died suddenly in 2015, everything changed. It was in my deepest moments of sorrow that I realized we only have one life and we better live the hell outta it. I took this gift of breaking open with grief to evaluate how I was living and identify how misaligned I was each day: angry, toxic, repeating unhealthy patterns, lots of self-hate…

So, I permitted myself to heal—to meet myself—and I’m able to define what I value and to align who I am to a life that is MINE.

The past decade experiencing loss, death, crisis, toxic relationships and work environments, global pandemics, financial hardships, building businesses, and ultimately healing generational trauma, I’ve turned this knowledge into my purpose—to share my discoveries and help others live the most EPIC life: to be who they want to be and break free from the limiting status quo. I have pivoted jobs, launched a business, built a virtual fitness community and now I have a global podcast uniting trailblazing millennials from around the world. I am so privileged to be on stage and speak as well.

As a childfree, elder millennial simply further ahead on this path, I am honored to coach folks through my life’s crossroads and share my stories on The Empowered Millennials Podcast so folks can have all the tools, resources, and support they need to bust out of the “should” and live a life they love.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Of course. Social media is like the wild west, ya know? It’s crazy, it’s all over the place and there are kinda no rules when it comes to how you treat people. So it can be a pretty toxic place when you are scrolling unintentionally or doom scrolling seeking validation. So please know this: this is a highlight reel of someone’s life and they are selling the end result, the dream. What can often be missing and left out from social media is the gritty, sticky, messy and wildly uncomfortable in-between of where I am now to the end result and goal.

With that said, I was getting so frustrated, and still do, having my confidence tested and feeling like: none of this is real! What am I doing wrong? Why isn’t that my life? And everything in that negative self talk. I just chose to say heck no to all of that and wanted to show the reality of what I was experiencing, what my day to day life was like and the struggles and hardships that were showing up building a business, navigating a pandemic, working through trauma and healing myself. So, I built a following on social media and with the podcast by being as raw and real as possible with the behind the scenes of life. I decided to take what most people don’t see and put it all on display to normalize that THIS is what happens when you are part of the human experience.

That level of vulnerability has really created deep connections and a strong community where people feel seen, heard and supported in whatever phase of life they are in.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

This is a great question and to be honest, I am always figuring out the best way to do this.

Real talk: it can be draining to always be on social media and showing up for people. It is so crucial to always fill up my cup first and be honest about what capacity I have, what I am willing to give, how I am willing to give it and what reciprocity I will need to do it, if any.

From a business standpoint, being able to automate everything you can on the back end from trigger emails to automated responses and sales funnels is super helpful. It provides immediate contact and streamlines people to take action in a specific way so you maintain your energy and offers at one time.

I find that really helpful.

Plus, I think having levels of access points has helped me to pullback more in my business and brand while still being able to provide value at a level that people feel comfortable with. I mean, not everyone is ready to work one on one and I know that. And, I think having people stay connected at whatever place they feel comfortable is helping them, too. I dont ever want anyone to feel like they don’t have a place or resources to take control of their life.

For example, I put a TON of free content out across all my platforms. So, if you are at an early stage of your personal development journey, and maybe not ready to dive into coaching or may not have the financial means to invest at this current point, there is still value in on my social media, my podcast and in my free courses. People can hang out there as long as they need to.

And since I have set up funnels and automations for folks to take steps when they are ready, the constant leg work is gone and what I can do is stay focused on the meaningful face time for the folks who are ready to access one on one coaching.

Most importantly, what creates brand loyalty is consistency, honesty and low pressure. No one wants to feel forced or pressured to be or do anything. I actually promote getting away from that as fast as possible. I believe people are capable of making choices they need when they need them and I am here for when they are ready. If you are consistent with your messaging, honest about your why and offer space for people to choose, you will get a lot father than the cheesy and aggressive sales tactics.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theangelagentile.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theempoweredmillennials/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweatRemix
• Other: podcast: https://www.theangelagentile.com/podcast

Image Credits
HIllary Lynn Photography