We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Angela West-Brown . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Angela below.

Angela , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

After attending a Spring Transition Resource Fair as a vendor. I received a call and email from Georgia State University’s IDEAL inclusion program fall of that year. I was asked if I could provide a Parent Orientation and Training for parents of new, incoming freshmen of the IDEAL program. I was so happy to be presented with an amazing opportunity, I assumed I would be providing this service for free (What new business owners call exposure). To my surprise, I was asked how much my services would be and how soon I would be available. At this moment, all I had done was plant seeds. Planting seeds as in “free services” and supports to build my brand. I had made a few hundred dollars here and there from my book, but nothing of this magnitude. I finally felt seen, heard, and respected as a small business owner. I was being paid for my passion and it was unbelievable. An absolute blessing from the lord. This was a surreal moment for me for the following reasons; I wanted to work with IDEAL – An inclusion program through the Center for Leadership in Disability years prior, I wrote about this program as a resource in my book, and I am a graduate of Georgia State University as well. I asked, and it was answered, but not in the way I expected. I am thankful for the beginning of a beautiful journey.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

My name is Angela West-Brown (Coach Mz. “Angie B”) I am an Individualized Education Program Transition Coach, Consultant, Author, Special needs sibling wife, Daughter of Christ, mother of four, and an Educational Empowerment Speaker. My passion for America’s intellectually disabled youth is driven by first-hand experience covered in my book, “Lost and Found” of what happens when effective adult transition planning before high school graduation is not set in place. I wrote “Lost and Found” to help provide resources, tools and support to help families advocate for their loved ones with special needs, while supporting the entire family in the process. I am driven to provide strategic solutions to parents seeking clarity, less stress and successful completion of IEP Transition goals. I have worked in University Financial Aid, College Admissions Services, Department of Family and Children’s Services and (ABD ) Aged, Blind, Disabled Unit and Center for Independent Living collectively over 7+ years. I have a Bachelor’s in Sociology, a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies/English, a Graduate Certification in Adult Learning, a Career Pathways Leadership Certification. I have completed a Master IEP Coach mentorship program and WRIGHTSLAW SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW & ADVOCACY training. I work by day as a Developmental and behavioral health Network Provider Area/ Region Manager, while birthing the dream God gave hme to support the special needs community and spread awareness of the importance of a strong transition plan for special needs teens through my IEP Transition Planning Coaching practice.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has been through the partnerships I have developed throughout the country along the way. Many of these organizations have decided to invest in me and stand behind my brand/mission such as Special Needs Siblings, Parent 2 Parent GA, National Sibling Leadership Network, Sibling Transformation Project, Wrightslaw Special Education Law, and ABILITIES Workshop Inc. We truly support each other with one mission in mind, to support and strengthen special needs families.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My life is full of a series of pivots within my business, career, and life. It’s hard to focus on just one LOL. However, for the sake of this question, I would like to share with you a very unique time in my life when I had to pivot in my business. I was marketing, targeting who I “thought” was my ideal client, researching the psychology of colors, and the psychology of buyers, posting 3x a day, and hiring a new photographer for more content and videos. I felt like I was all over the place. I wanted the parents to engage more, but the teachers did. Some parents reached out, yes. However, The teachers were reaching out from all over the world and paying me to teach them how to help their students with transition planning. I wanted the parents to be more engaged. I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong. Shortly after, school districts, charter schools, and private schools started reaching out to me for my services. I decided that I would have to change my focus from the parents to the teachers and agencies. I had to remember, ultimately, my goal is to help the student prepare for life after high school. Whether it’s through the Teacher, Parent, or Local Agency, they’re all connected to the students I seek to serve.

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Image Credits
Recaptured Threads -April Taylor Belle Rouge Photography – RaQuita W