Meet Angel Phoenix | Emotional Expressionist & Social Media Slayer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angel Phoenix and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angel, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Observing key differences between myself and those pedestaling my success, it becomes clear that the ability to enthusiastically embrace risk, marks the difference between them (non risk-takers) and I (risk-taker). Ironically, this risk is the same thing that has me vilified when said risk does not fruit reward. This is to say, that taking risks is a gamble in itself for the brand or business owner. Most people are confronted by those brazen enough to challenge mediocrity or safety. There is generally a lack of support towards those moving against the current. When things go wrong, a loud synchronised ‘we told you so!’ barrels in from the bleachers. When things go right, those same people round an eager applause for the victorious underdog. All of a sudden, the villain becomes the icon – the risk once demonised becomes the risk taking we fetishise.

Risk is the backbone of my strategy, but what this means is that I am continuously bracing myself to be either rejected or celebrated depending on how much reward is reaped from that risk. It’s a perplexing place for the mind to live when in an active state of building an audience or connecting to your people.

What this qualm poses is an entrepreneurial existential crisis of sorts.

How to connect to people that you can wager will be confronted or repulsed by your risk taking?

Over the years, I’ve crafted ways to sustain myself emotionally, spiritually and mentally during each exploration of risk.

I risk it – over and over and over again – knowing in my loins, that risk is the only way forward.

My perception of risk is more romantic than the standard definition.

Personally, it isn’t about the risk associated WITH doing ‘the thing’, it is about the risk associated with NOT doing ‘the thing’.
The risks most people do their best to avoid, are the same risks I reverse engineer my joy from.

In of itself, risk has rewarded me with resilience and the ability to recognise resources in the least obvious places.
Any failure I experience is the necessary act of falling forward, so because of this – I am essentially always winning when I play the risk game.

Can entrepreneurship exist without risk?

Absolutely not.

And to play it safe, means to keep it small.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I affectionately kid that my posthumous biopic will carry the same name for the flavour of my life.

‘Serendipity and synchronicity – how the universe took me from “I have no fucking idea what I am doing” to “Being exactly where I need to be”.

That really is, the most effective means of summarising the epic nature of this roller coaster.

All professional opportunities that have manifested themselves are the byproduct of living my entire experience out loud.

The more pronounced I became in my truth,
the more authentic my emotional exhibitionism tasted,
the more effort I placed into marrying audacity and ambition,
and the more willing I was to follow where being in service took me – the closer I got to wherever the hell it was I was meant to be.

I’ve been playing with social media for 15 years, eventually using this to leverage my personality, passion and expertise for a number of opportunities. I baby sat at 10, baked bread at 14, drafted my first business plan at 16 for a feminist, female fronted brothel (some things never change!). started clothing labels I sold on music festivals, was a hair stylist following in my father’s footsteps, managed retail locations for brands like Aveda and Lush, studied underwater videography, worked in animal welfare, was a concert manager, ran music competitions and was a local talent scout.

That’s just a bee’s dick worth of risks compared to what kind of ride followed the birth of my daughter!

I became a birth Doula and an award winning birth photographer, created a business course for birth professionals, started an international training academy for Doulas and essentially spiralled into the most successful but challenging years of my career navigating unbelievable levels of compassion fatigue, problematic culture, grassroots activism and more.

I grew my business from negative dollars and ramen noodles to 7 figures in 3 years off the back of a divorce as an immigrant with no family to help me as a business owner juggling single motherhood.

I’ve circulated hundreds of thousands of dollars into communities that matter to me, helped to fund the build of a birth clinic in Ethiopia, donated money and supplies to a multitude of charities, ran donation campaigns and helped change anti-birth policies on Instagram and Facebook.

In the last two years, a global pandemic and the shutdown of Australia for nearly 2 years (and going), cost me more than I have ever made. I have had to liquidate my company, lost all my assets, was homeless for over 15 months, and danced with loss, love and life that entire time.

Over the course of then last few months, I used the death of my father overseas whom I could not see or get to, fuel one of my biggest rebirths yet.

My reclamation.

Of confidence, of self-belief, of structure, of stability, of security, of worth, of my relationship with my children, of happiness, of independence, of clarity, of hope.

What makes my business different?

It’s been forged in flames.

I can make light out of darkness, and for this reason – people will always find a reason to follow me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Brisbane at the moment and this place is a small town vibe with the perks of amenities you would find in your classic city scape. My absolute favourite things to dig into are nights filled with spicy margaritas and escape rooms that give my brains the workout they need. Thai street food, balmy nights at Southbank, cruising skate parks or scootering streets while you explore – I like being stimulated and turned on by the heat of a summer day and the flirting with a strangers gaze. But Universal Studios is my favourite place ever!!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutouts are a braiding of timelines, each third holding potent influence over my journey and life.

***

Before I found Anais Nin’s work, I thought I would spend the rest of my life being an alien in human’s clothing. Her writing brought me home to myself and made me feel more seen than I previously ever had. Her collection of works redefined my perception of self and propelled me unto a stage where I could finally take up space.

Later in life, and in recent years, I have come to be profoundly affected by a core group of individuals who have been the catalyst for my most dramatic quantum leaps.

Coraline Dufroux, Dr. Danielle Arabena, Lukis Mac, Helle Weston, Peta Kelly, Gala Darling, Colin Bedell, Aimee McNee, Sigourney Belle – these are all humans who has loved me, lifted me, challenged me and reminded me of what I am here to be. They are magic makers and truth speakers, visionaries and creatives…in so many ways I am indebted to them.

Website: Www.angel-phoenix.com

Instagram: Www.instagram.com/the_angela_gallo

Image Credits
Kristina Wild, Neil Wakefield, Nix Cartel, Stepha Doyle