From Laid Off To Living Her Dream with Angela Gast

"I was literally waking up at 3:30, four o'clock in the morning to get client work done before my actual day job and previous to being laid off, I was like, why am I doing this? Is this worth it?" - Angela Gast

We're talking to Angela Gast today and her story really sums up a quote that we have on our website now by Mark Twain. "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do then by the ones you did. So throw out the bow lines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover."

From Angela:
"I was laid off from a job and that's really how this all started. I was actually doing the side hustle for awhile, working full time, but had this dream of being an entrepreneur really since I was a kid. I knew I wanted to do it. I just never really found the path of actually doing it. I would always get sidetracked by a full time job or another opportunity and it was just always so hard to say no to that and venture off into the unknown world of entrepreneurship. I like the safety of a full time job, but once I realized that after being laid off for the second time in my life, a full time job is really not that safe. I could actually be laid off at any moment. So it took two times to get laid off to realize that there's really no safe journey. So I might as well just do what I want to do."

Listen to more episodes and connect with the hosts Dave & Jessica at
http://www.squareoneshow.com/  See you there!

If you'd like to connect with Angela - find her here:

Marketing services - http://mightycreative.co/

Food blog - https://www.mightymrs.com/

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

I was literally waking up at 3:30, four o'clock in the morning to get client work done before my actual day job and previous to being laid off, I was like, why am I doing this? Like is this worth it?

Speaker 2: 0:16

This is the square one show.

Speaker 3: 0:27

Hey everyone, welcome back to the square one show. This is Dave and I'm here with Jessica and we're really excited to bring to you a another guest and a great episode. We're talking to Angela Gast today and her story really sums up a quote that we have on our website now by Mark Twain. Uh, read it to you real quick. It's"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do then by the ones you did. So throughout the bow lines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover. Uh, Angela story really sums this up and we really feel like the stories that we're trying to bring to you on the square one show also encapsulate this idea. So I unfortunately didn't get a chance to be in the conversation today, but Jessica does a great job talking to Angela about this, so we really hope that you'll get a chance to sit back and just connect with Angela story.

Speaker 2: 1:18

Well, we're so excited to have Angela Gast as our guest this morning. She has a website called mighty Mrs.com. Get inspired to try new every day and special occasion recipes. Sounds so yummy and you should see her website. I'm excited for you too, to introduce you to Angela and see her website and all the things that she's creating. So I'm just gonna read a little bit from her site to introduce you to Angela and then we're going to jump into the interview. Angela is a busy mom who formerly stressed out about dinner every night, so you learned to cook healthier homemade meals, one recipe at a time, and now actually looks forward to cooking dinner, bringing a side dish or making a treat to celebrate a special occasion on her website. You'll find her favorite recipes along with some tools that will not only get you organized and help you save money, but it will also allow you to unleash your creativity, be able to relax and have more fun as a mom. So that's a little snapshot of where Angela is today. But Angela has such a great story of how she got to where she is today. So please welcome Angela. Great to have you on the show today.

Speaker 4: 2:21

Thank you for having me, Jessica. And the way you said that sounded so nice and professional.

Speaker 2: 2:27

Well it's on your website and that it perfectly describes what you do now, but you know, we've known each other for I don't years at this point. Yeah. And I love being able to just touch base with you every now and then and[inaudible] see how you're doing. Oh, I'm starting this new creative adventure. I'm trying this or I'm doing this. And so, yeah, I just love the heartbeat behind it. And I know that it hasn't always been this perfected, you know, and I'm sure you wouldn't say that this is perfect by any means. Um, but that's just part of the journey. But I'd love to a little bit about how you got started on this whole journey to where you are now.

Speaker 4: 3:04

Sure. Yeah. It's funny because you, a hearing you read those words was really nice because I've agonized over my, uh, intro on my website and how I'm going to say exactly what I'm doing half the time. I don't even know. Um, so just to hear you say that was really was really pretty cool that I have come this far. Um, because I did start out, um, probably about two and a half years ago now. Okay. Um, I was laid off from a job and that's really how this all started. Um, I was actually doing the side hustle for awhile, working full time, but had this dream of being an entrepreneur really since I was a kid. I knew I wanted to do it. I just[inaudible] um, never really found the path of actually doing it. I would always get, um, sidetracked by full time job or another opportunity and, um, it was just always so hard to say no to that and venture off into the unknown world of entrepreneurship. Um, I like to the safety of the full time job and so yeah, once I realized that after being laid off for the second time in my life, um, that a full time job is really not that safe actually lead off at any moment. So, um, well it's up two times to get laid off to kind of realize that there's really no safe journey. Um, so I might as well just do what I want to do.

Speaker 2: 4:32

I love that. I might as well just do what I want to do.

Speaker 4: 4:34

Okay, well why am I doing the safe route when that's not what I want to do? Um, so yeah, that really kicked off. I guess my mindset needed to shift. And, um, looking back I realized that that's what it was. I just needed to shift my mindset and be all in, um, as an entrepreneur. And Luckily being laid off gave me a little bit of time. Um, it worked out really well because I had already been side hustling, so to speak. Um, so I had some clients already in the works and um, the way like the, all the, um, legal stuff went down was that I got a little bit of a severance. Um, I wouldn't be able to collect unemployment but still also freelance for a little while because I had already started freelancing before I got laid off. I was able to do that and still collect unemployment. So, um, so that actually worked out to my favorite, I couldn't have the way I understand it couldn't have started freelancing as in still collected unemployment that since I was already doing it, I was able to kind of do both. Um, so to me that said, you know, yeah. Pat On the back. Angela, good job for doing that hustle because I was literally waking up at three 30, four o'clock in the morning to get client work done before my actual day job and oh, cvs to being laid off. I was like, why am I doing this? Like, is this worth it?

Speaker 2: 6:03

Right. And you have two little two little kids as well. So if that was just a couple of years ago, they were not in school quite yet or just starting kindergarten?

Speaker 4: 6:11

They were in preschool. Yeah. One was in school and another one was still in daycare. So I think the daycare expense was really what was motivating me, um, to make that extra money and get up early. Um, and I had this vision that things were eventually, you know, that was what I was going to do full time and this is all I could do to make that happen. It's just get up in those early hours in, have a piece of my dream be reality. Um, but it paid off since I was able to kind of work that into my next step. Um, so after I got laid off, yeah, really just reached out to my contacts and said, hey look, I just got laid off and I don't think I really want another job. I really want to give this business a shot.

Speaker 2: 6:58

Sorry. Let's pause there for a moment cause I don't think we ever talked about what you do as a job. So you're working a full full time job as,

Speaker 4: 7:06

so I was a graphic designer for hospital. Um, and that's my, that's really my background is in marketing but specifically graphic design and that's what I've been had been doing. Um, or Gosh, probably 12 years at that point, working for various agencies, advertising agencies, worked in the corporate world and I had ended up at a hospital. Really, they had a pretty nice schedule. They have good vacation time. So I had moved to hospital from an agency environment because agency environment or just crazy work, work, work all the time and I was getting burned out. So I chose the hospital as a better choice but then that ended up not working out. So that's how I ended up. Yeah. So I was freelancing, doing graphic design mostly, um, marketing consulting as well. And yeah, I really just was able to, um, network with the people that I already knew. I just had to get out there and meet with people, um, for lunch or coffee. And just explain, you know, this is what I wanna do. If you can help me in any way the word. Um, then I'm looking for clients, you know, I would love to take on that work. And really it just grew from there.

Speaker 2: 8:22

And how was that for you? Do you consider yourself more introverted or extroverted?

Speaker 4: 8:28

Oh, like 99% introvert. Yes. So that was really hard for me.

Speaker 2: 8:35

Reaching out to clients and having coffee with people every day.[inaudible] be challenging because that kind of drains your, your energy, right. Meeting with people at the time as an intern.

Speaker 4: 8:45

Yeah. I love people. So it's not like I don't love them, but exactly how you explained it. It's really draining for me. So if I have the most I can have is two meetings with people a day and then I have to come home and take a nap. I don't know why built like that. I can't, like it just takes all of my energy. Yeah. I mean it wasn't hard. Um, because these are people that I already knew and already had relationships with and are already enjoyed their company. So that's so comfortable and didn't really feel like I was no pitching to people. There were a few so passed, I went down that I was like, oh gosh, you know, my family is depending on my income, I need to figure something out. Maybe I should just get a full time job. So I did actually go on two different job interviews and then at the end of them I tried to pitch them the idea that they should just hire me as a freelancer and they didn't really like that idea that didn't go over well at all, go so confused. We want you here. What are you doing? So that was a bad strategy.

Speaker 2: 9:50

But I think it also pointed out that at the end of the day, you're really trying to figure out how can I do this from home? How can I provide for my family and do this from home? Now why was that? So why was that so important to you? I know you hated the nine to five kind of thing, or just that busy, busy, busy. But what is that underlying fire that keeps you motivated to be working from home and being with family?

Speaker 4: 10:13

Right. And that's, yeah, that's an excellent question because really what was driving all this was my kids. Um, I have two kids and I just felt like they got the worst of me. But end of the day I was exhausted. I still had to come home. They were hungry and they needed help with homework. We still had to do fast and squeezing, um, some reading time and I was just exhausted and grumpy and they were grumpy too because they had been shuffled around all day and I just didn't want to do it. And I just spent some money days googling, you know, what, what kind of work can I do from home? I don't even care what it is. They just want to be home so that I can you with them. Um, but also be working and contributing financially to my family. So really it's all about just my kids and, and being there for them. And my kids are now 10 and seven. I know when I was a teenager and I was at home, um, I was getting into trouble. I don't know about you, but I was bored and I was getting into trouble. And so I knew I had, you know, a couple of years to figure this out. But by the time they're teenagers, I was born to be working from home because they wanted to be able to keep an eye on them and make sure they're spending their time constructively guide, guide them in the right direction. Yes, exactly. So that was really my goal. I was, I knew I wanted to work from home. I just felt like having that flexibility to be able to finish up work at night if I needed to and be done by three class to be able to get them off the bus was a big thing for me. I don't know why that specifically was a hangups for me, but I just, I want them to feel like they have a at home mom, but also be able to have a career.

Speaker 2: 11:56

No. And I just, well, I love that.

Speaker 4: 11:58

Yeah. Um, I think you can do both.

Speaker 2: 12:02

Yeah, I think you're such a creative person too, that I think some of us are built for staying at home and being able to just be home all day and enjoy that. But I think there's other people, a lot like us who we do enjoy being home. We want to be there for our kids, but there's this creativity inside of us that if it doesn't get out, we will seriously implode. Right, right, right. Yeah, I feel that too. Right?

Speaker 4: 12:26

Yeah. I really do. I, I definitely need to be building something. Just, I guess I liked that sense of progress and it is a little bit selfish. Um, but I think it also sets a good example for your kids. Your world can't be all about them. I think they need to understand that they need to be working towards their own goals and if they see you working towards your goals, that inspires on in a different kind of way than rather, rather than just spoiling them with, you know, homemade cookies and a perfectly clean house. Um, it's just inspiring them. Two I think put in some more work on, on their part to me. Yeah, I'd, I'd like that balance of homemade cookies but also, you know, you guys need to have your own goals, whether it's with sports, your school and you need to be working on those. And I'll be working on mine and work together and we'll pause and help each other. But yeah, just being able to work next to them is really cool

Speaker 2: 13:24

for me. Yeah. That's awesome. Can we dive in just a little bit to what your day looks like? Sure. How do you, how do you accomplish the things that you accomplish? How do you set those goals and then how do you meet those goals specifically? Do you have like morning routines or do you do you a certain day that where you market and reach out to people and then how do you actually accomplish the work that does come in? What does that look like?

Speaker 4: 13:46

Yeah, I was thinking about this, um, this morning cause I was thinking about how your youngest is now in school and how now minor goes in school. And that really was a game changer.

Speaker 2: 13:58

Yes.

Speaker 4: 13:59

Um, well, you know, and then you just can't get a lot done or have a normal schedule when kids are here all day. So I would say during the school year it's really, um, pretty boring. It's just I put the kids on the bus and then, you know, make myself a cup of coffee and they hop right on my computer and I started, I'm just[inaudible] working on my projects and I answer a lot of emails and really it's Day by day it changes depending on what,

Speaker 2: 14:27

right.

Speaker 4: 14:28

But it's a lot of computer work. Um, sometimes they'll have a photography assignment. Um, so if that's the case, you know, gather my ingredients and do my photo shoot that day. So it really, it's just production heavy from, as soon as the kids get on the bus too, as soon as they step off the rest, which would be am to 3:40 PM, I'm just really cranking out as much work as I possibly can. Soon as they step off the bus, it's crazy town and they're bouncing in and they're wanting, and I'm still checking my computer and really just doing email and little stuff like that. Invoicing, um, things that I can do in chunks of time of like 10 minutes that doesn't require a lot of concentration. Um, but I'm still no being productive. And then, yeah, we really quit. We tried to quit around five or sooner. Let's get dinner started and it's sister much easier. RV Home, oh we have to do is get up and walk through the kitchen. It's not like I have to get in my car and go drive and pick people up and bring them home and it's just Joe, so nice. So a lot of times we're able to eat dinner together and then, you know, a lot of times they have sports so we'll drive them, um, drive to whatever sport we have that evening. I'm home, do baths and gets started all over again.

Speaker 2: 15:49

I love it. I love that you've been able to design this, you know, this is kind of what you envisioned right? A few years ago and now you're able to see that paying off.

Speaker 4: 15:59

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 16:00

Right. Like that's gotta be so rewarding.

Speaker 4: 16:03

It really is. Yeah. Sometimes I'm like, Aye. I mean every day what's up? And I'm like, I'm so lucky this is what I wanted and I'm getting to do it. And if I want to wear sweat pants that day, great. I can do that. The CCO for me because it is[inaudible] parents. Yeah. All that wearing heels and I like to get dressed up and look nice. Um, but every day that's just a lot to have to exhausting. It's exhausting. Yeah. And it's like, for what? Like why do we have to do that and getting my weekend, I'm going to wear sweat pants. Um, you know, like it just seems like wasted time to me before when I had to do all that.

Speaker 2: 16:45

Exactly. That's how I feel too. And I'm all about like time management, right? Time is money, right? So if I'm doing my hair for an hour or even 40, 40 minutes, that's 40 minutes. I could be working with a client or, but it's a balance too, right. Being able to dress up and you can meet a client and enjoy that, but also be able to just be home and really just dive into the work and dive into the creativity. And I think that's the next thing I wanted to ask you about is let's talk about creativity. How do you continue to create each day? Because creative creativity takes up so much energy. It's like you're giving part of your soul to each project that you're working on. And so how do you keep that creativity going? You know, do you ever have dry spells and how do you get through that?

Speaker 4: 17:32

[inaudible] um, well I guess there's two definitely ways. I looked at it. One and I have a creative services business that people actually hire me to be creative. Um, and then over the year they've developed a certain standard. Um, cause I just realized if my heart isn't in when I'm doing it, people like it. They won't know why they don't like it, but they just know that it's not good and they'll have me revise it a million times and it just ends up taking forever. So it's not profitable and it's just the whole experience is not good. So to put your heart into something, it takes time. You have to give it thought it, you have to come up with, you know, in my case a draft of something. And a lot of times the draft, the first time around is no good. So you're playing around and trying different types of races and icons and colors, photos, um, and tell something works and you love it and then you pass it on. And ultimately, usually your client lives that you, you love it yourself is, yes. Have you ever put that love into every single project? Every day just really comes down to it takes time. And I, I've learned of a hospital be really selective with the people that I work with who are willing to pay for that time. I can't work with somebody who doesn't have, I'm a decent sized budget, but once, you know, beautiful, amazing, creative because I, it, I just can't make that happen every day. Um, so I think it comes down to really just being selective about who I work with. Um, and being able to say no. Like I would love to make a beautiful logo ever shown for you, but I just can't do it for$100 is just not, you know,

Speaker 2: 19:08

know. Right, exactly.

Speaker 4: 19:09

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 19:10

Um, and there, there are things, there are more things like canva.com that's perfect for someone like that. You're able to say, look, if you want to do it yourself, it's not going to be perfectly aligned to your brand, but it's a great place to jump. Right. And then when you are ready, when you do have the budget to really dive in, I'm here for you.

Speaker 4: 19:30

Yes, yes, exactly. And I think, um, in the beginning of maybe my opinion, I would feel guilty not being able to help everybody, but now I've learned to you can still help people and point them in the direction of those resources. Like you said, I do recommend Canva, Allana. Um, and I think that gives them an opportunity to say like, Oh yeah, okay, let me try this. I can save some money and then they also understand, you know, how hard and how much time it takes font and find photos.

Speaker 2: 19:59

Yes.

Speaker 4: 20:01

I think they appreciate you a little bit more about, um, when they are ready to outsource it, you know? Okay. Yeah. I remember I tried to make that brochure and it took me 20 hours.

Speaker 2: 20:11

Yeah. And it still looks like crap. Right.

Speaker 4: 20:16

And all these problems, you know. So I think once they get to that point too, they're like, oh yeah, I'm totally willing to just throw money your way, tape, make this work and I don't have to deal with it just mentioned really quick. Um, so I mighty misses is a less stow blog and I really do cater towards moms are in my same boat who are either still working full time and are really busy or who are just, you know, busy with projects or whatever. But being that I last summer was the first full time that I have him home and was trying to run a business. So I came up with a schedule. Yes. An hour by hour schedule almost like school has. Yeah. And just to keep them on track and it seemed a little particular like I think my friends are like, oh yeah, good luck with that. Um, but it really did work. When they got crazy and off track or we're bored, I'd be like, go look at your schedule. It's reading time, you know, time to read a book or it's snack time, go get a snack. So I decided to make that a principal and I do offer that for free on my website or if you happen to be a mom who was doing the summer thing and working from home, check that out. Really helped us in our planning on using it again this year.

Speaker 2: 21:30

That is fantastic. I when I was on your website I saw that and I was like, I need to download that. Just an hour to hour trying to figure out, okay, what are we going to do next? Because there's been days my kids are like in the cabinets. I'm like, what are you doing? And like averaging for a food. It's like, oh, right, we didn't have lunch, but I'm really trying to finish this project for a client. If you just wait five more minutes, I can resend it and then we can get lunch. And then there's animal crackers all over the floor and then, yeah,

Speaker 4: 21:55

yeah, exactly. I mean, we don't step through it every day. Sometimes we will go to the libraries and the libraries.

Speaker 2: 22:00

Oh, right.

Speaker 4: 22:01

Get, you know, snack time and tore time or whatever. But it just helps me mentally stay on track. Like, okay, you've had your snack for the day or you've done reading, or you can have a little bit of tablet time. Um, or now it's time to go. Play outside. Kind of just helps me really. And I think it helps them too.

Speaker 2: 22:19

Absolutely. Well, let's dive in. Before we go, I want to hear a little bit more about the mighty messes. And you also mentioned that you're starting new creative services for people, so I'd love to hear what are the kinds of things that you offer people and how can we get in contact with you?

Speaker 4: 22:33

Yeah. Um, yes, I actually, um, ran a creative services business mainly for larger size corporations who have a marketing budget. So that's really my main job. But mighty misses is a recipe website. It's kind of like the other side of the coin, um, to the working mom or mompreneur piece is that, okay, I'm off work now. I have more time to make my kid. Yeah. A special treat for a special occasion. Um, so make a homemade dinner with them or not running through the drive through again. Right. So really it's, it's very recipe focused right now I'm trying to expand that to some more resources like the principal's schedules and just really hone in more on what moms in my position need to survive this mom journey because it is different than the nine to five. It is, it has its own unique set of challenges even thinkable. Um, in some ways it has different challenges. Like how do you focus and how do you make sure your kids are supervised while you're working? That's huge. Yes. That, yeah. Right. How do you actually be a good mom and work at the same time? You know, maybe you do need to outsource. So really, um, I'm starting to explore that a little bit more and get more into that, really kind of dive into what moms need and be able to provide some tools for them to make that happen.

Speaker 2: 24:02

That's awesome. So then the other side of the coin is that you're, you're doing creative services for mid to large size companies. So I'd love to hear what kinds of things you're offering them.

Speaker 4: 24:13

Sure. Yeah. So mainly I do a lot of graphic design, so if there's a campaign, um, like right now I'm working on an awareness campaign for a nonprofit. So we're doing, um, you know, billboards, brochures, um, Google ads. So Oh, really helped them. I usually work with a marketing consultant, um, who sort of manages the project and then they say, hey, look, we need a newspaper ad created. We need a billboard, we need a brochure. It all needs to have the same look. And he was message that we're trying to get across and I actually build out those components of the campaign. I do a lot of that type of work. I also worked directly with smaller businesses, get their business on Google. They're like plumbers and veterinarians and dentists. Well please Google ads with me. So I actually worked directly with Google to get them advertisements on, um, the Google search page and then photography too. So really all the different types of meeting seems very different, but they all kind of work together. And photography, I really do. I'm more commercial photography. So if you want to, um, if you just have a new website built but you really wanted to show the inside of your, um, so, so were the, for example, maybe you have a really cool piece of equipment. I can go in there and take a picture of, you're a piece of equipment in a really beautiful way and it looks nice on your site. Um, or maybe you want to showcase your building or something like that. Really don't do people that much. I don't do weddings or portraits or anything like that. It's really

Speaker 2: 25:47

more business business-related. I love that Google fits into that too because you see a lot of Google businesses that, that don't have really nice engaging pictures. And that's the first place I go Google the local business and it brings it up and it, some of them are, is this your business?

Speaker 4: 26:01

I'm just busy. Right? Like the side of their building you're like, oh, that doesn't really look that good. So yeah, building photos are huge. They're really nice, beautiful building photo, um, can go a long way. And like you said with your Google listing, so

Speaker 2: 26:17

I love that. Well thank you so much Angela. I loved hearing your story and hearing your journey of going from a corporate business job into being laid off and then really that kickstarted the whole idea of being at home and being an entrepreneur and your grit and your willingness to keep that one step forward to your dream. And like, and here you are living that out and everything's perfect. Right?

Speaker 4: 26:44

Right. No, it is still very much in progress. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 26:50

And I think it'll always be, but it's so nice to connect with other creatives who are doing very similar things and home life that kind of looks the same. And just giving that encouragement to someone who is thinking about making that transition. And yes, it's scary, but it's scary on both sides, right?

Speaker 4: 27:07

It is. It really is. I mean, I hate to, yeah, but there's no safe way, so you might as well just stand for me and you know, go with what you're passionate about and your heart is leaning to do, um, and make it happen because once you're all in, um, I think other people around me recognize that you're all in them. They want to help you the feed and when you're working full time, you don't appear all into them. So they're like, oh, she's got a job. She's fine. But when you're like, oh, the people are like, oh, here's some work. So there's a little bit of that that goes on too. So we just kind of have to jump in and hot states that it's going to work out and yeah, the grit and being willing to get up early and put in the work and, and make it happen. Um, it's really all it takes. It really is.

Speaker 2: 27:54

That's fantastic. Thank you so much, Angela, for all the insight and your story. We appreciate it. How can people get ahold of you if they have any questions on your journey or maybe they want to figure out how they can use their photography skills to help local businesses get better Google ads or yeah, reach out and need a graphic designer or just connect with you. How do they find you?

Speaker 4: 28:15

Yeah. Um,

Speaker 1: 28:17

well they can go to my website for my creative services, like massive mighty creative backhoe, um, is if you're a business, when you need help with that foot of marketing here,

Speaker 4: 28:30

um, I could help you there. Or if the thing[inaudible] don't your own business and you wanted to chat about that, um, or maybe Panchen makes the dinner, then I'm find the n[inaudible] dot com under mighty nothing too little. You can be at me and asking questions or hello there. Probably the Bach to get ahold of them indirectly. Sounds awesome.

Speaker 2: 28:58

So again, thank you Angela so much.

Speaker 4: 29:00

Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure.

Speaker 5: 29:04

Explore, dream, discover. That's what we're all about here on the square one show. Sharing People's stories and engaging with each other in each of our own stories. We hope you found this conversation with Angela. Very helpful and encouraging. Well, we'd love to keep in touch. They just created a Facebook group. There's really, honestly only a few of us there just created it this past week. It's a place where we can go and connect with you on a more personal level. It's called the square one lounge and you can find it by going to our website. Squareone showed up, come and at the very top, just click on the lounge. That'll give you a link and take you right there. We'd love to have you join in on the conversation. Well, until the next story and episode, This is David and Jessica Lewis. We'll see you next time.