Meet Taylor Ridge | Brand Strategist & Coach

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

Hi Taylor, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My work balance has changed SO very much over the years. During the transition between being employed to self-employment, I found it especially hard to balance because all I’ve ever known is “work work work.” Not having set hours, only having myself to rely on, working from home along with deadlines and client expectations made it extremely challenging to achieve that “balance” everyone spoke of.

I’ve spent nearly a decade of my career living within the hustle and bustle of start-up culture and have boasted my fair share of fancy titles. I’ve served as the Director of Marketing at female-run brands and Marketing Communications Specialist at companies you’d find inside the pages of Vogue and Glamour magazines. I’m proud of the companies I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of and am fortunate to say that I’ve learned from some of the best, but deep down I’ve always known something was amiss.

Our country has glamorized the idea of constantly being on the go and breeds a toxic, false sense of reality. We wear our stress and burnout like a badge of honor, glorify working long hours, and are comfortably uncomfortable in the guilt we feel when we step away from our work for “too long.”

After years of the long hours and “hustle mentality,” I just knew I was on the fast track to burn out. You’d think a previous medical diagnosis of 16 stomach ulcers may have been an indicator of the stress I was under, but I simply batted my eyes and said, “this will just make me better.”

Fast forward 8 years later… I’d finally gotten tired of it.

I was burnt out. I was disheartened every time my hard work and long hours went unnoticed… all for a stagnant salary that barely covered my bills. I sacrificed time with my family & friends, trips, growing my business and quite frankly, a massive part of myself that I was so desperate to get back.

Once I realized that the formula to success was actually really simple (it can still be hard work sometimes, don’t get me wrong), I gained control of my mindset, and the game was changed. I quit my corporate job amidst a global pandemic (side note: 2020 was my most transformative year yet), and I began to THRIVE as a new entrepreneur.

When I started Brand Angels, I decided that shutting down the “hustle mentality” was my promise to the world. I no longer plan my life around my work… I plan my work around my life. It’s changed the game.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My name is Taylor Ridge and I started Brand Angels about two years ago.

At my desk, I’m a Brand Strategist + Coach who has led female-founded businesses into the 7 figure realm, Fortune 5000 companies to the pages of Vogue, and turned salary workers into CEOs.

I came from the start-up land and remember sitting at my desk feeling totally uninspired by my work the majority of the time. I always dreamed of freedom, and for some reason, it always felt so far away. With that being said, I began my business by freelancing for individuals when I wasn’t at work – the list of clients began to grow and so did the demands of the jobs. Last year, it became apparent to me that I needed to focus my energy on building my own business instead of someone else’s – and that’s what brought me here today.

I now work with forward-thinking, feminine business minds to elevate their brands to the next level (without reaching the point of burnout). My purpose has always been (and always will be) helping people find their voice and discovering their vision.

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?
As Hemingway said, “Wine and friends are a great blend.” In the event of a visiting friend, I’d take them wine tasting! I only recently went for the first time a few months ago, but it would make for such an eventful weekend for someone who was visiting.

After spending a few days in wine country, we’d move on to the beach! One of my favorite things to do is roller skate in Newport Beach along the boardwalk. We’d grab an acai bowl from Juju Bar in Costa Mesa (the Tiger Bowl is the best!) and head over to the beach. My favorite spot to skate or bike is at Newport Elementary School on the peninsula. You can’t go wrong being this close to the ocean!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It’s true what they say – it takes a village! I’ve been fortunate to have such supportive friends & family, and a few important individuals that really stand out.

I’ve worked for some wonderful employers in the past, all who have taught me different things that I’ve been able to apply in my career.

One in particular stands out the most – his name is Ara Aslanian of Inverselogic, an IT Service Company in Glendale, CA. One of my favorite things about working for Ara was what an incredible leader he was – as shown by how well-respected he was not only by his employees, but the entire community, as well.

I was hired on as a part-time office assistant until moving into a full-time role as Marketing Communications Manager, which was an honor as it meant he had put his trust in me to do well by our clients. As a 19 year old who was still in college, I was over-the-moon to have been given a chance to take the next step towards my career and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him – so thank you, Ara, for trusting me back then and pushing me to grow to my fullest potential.

Website: https://www.brandangels.co/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/taylorridge