Meet Angela Quisumbing, CEO & Event Strategist
of Angela Grace Events
Connect with Angela Online!
Angela, we are so grateful you decided to share your story with us. Let’s start with who you are both personally and professionally. Give us the 30-second elevator pitch that you would give when asked to introduce yourself.
I’m an event strategist who teaches purpose-driven, service-based mompreneurs how to build their business, grow their community and lead their movement through the power of live, in-person and virtual events. I want every mom to know she’s worthy of sharing her story and worthy of celebrating every stage in her life.
What does “As Strong as the Mother Next to Me” mean to you?
“As Strong as the Mother Next to Me” means cheering on those who are ahead of you, holding hands with those who are beside you, supporting those who are behind you, and giving grace to those who judge you. I can’t help but tear up writing this. As mothers we must be the example for our children. For some, we must be the example that we never had. As mothers, and women in general, we can be so hard on ourselves. We put ourselves last. We go through so many emotions and stages of losing ourselves, then finding ourselves again. It’s a beautiful process when we choose to view it that way. And, when we’re in the thick of it, we need the strong mothers who have gone before us, to be strong for us, sit next to us and share their stories, their pain, their joy and encouragement. As mothers who have been “through it” we must be vulnerable to share our experiences so we can keep the strength alive. It takes a village to raise a child is what this phrase is based on, and it is so true. It also takes a village to raise an entrepreneur. We all need support and the more we can hold each other close and accountable with grace we will always be strong. We have so many things against us, we don’t need mothers judging mothers, we need strong mothers to lead by example. We need strong mothers next to us to pick us up when we are down, because there will be a time when we’ll need that same support. For years, I struggled with thinking I could only be a good mom or a good entrepreneur. I didn’t realize I could be both. I didn’t know how to be both, until I met other moms next to me and ahead of me. As I began to feel more confident, I made a personal decision to celebrate all moms and support as many as I could along the way. This is what strong as the mother next to me means to me.”
Tell us about yourself as a mother and businesswoman. I’m a native San Diegan and I love to dance for no good reason. I believe everyday is a reason to celebrate and I do my best to spread that message wherever I can.
Hiking and working out before the sun rises have become my latest obsession and has proven to me that night owls can become early risers.
I’m blessed to be a mom of two very creative and energetic kiddos. My favorite girl is 11 and my favorite boy is 7. These two quickly became my greatest teachers, and I’ve learned so many life lessons from raising them and loving them fully.
Curiosity, fun, faith, adventure, and lifelong learning are some of my highest values. I do my best to carry them in my personal and professional life as I work and play.
Being a mom has pushed me in all the best ways possible to actively become the best version of myself. Not just for them, not just for my husband, not just for my community and clients, but for ME!
Someone once told me that entrepreneurship is one of the most spiritual journeys you’ll ever be on. They were right. Personal development, self-awareness, therapy sessions, and getting coached by others have all helped me in showing up better for those who need to hear my story, be inspired and possibly heal.
How important is it to you to surround yourself with other moms both professionally and personally? Accountability is the lifeline for growth as a mom and entrepreneur. When you surround yourself with women who have kids and have a business it’s a huge bonus because they “get you!” I believe that mompreneurs have the strongest bond. It’s just as important to talk about marketing funnels, and social media content as it is to talk about poop diapers and meltdowns during distance learning. I love chatting it up with my fellow moms because we can discuss all areas of life. I’ve noticed that when I’m not connected to a community on a consistent basis my energy starts to dwindle. I can start to feel stuck and unmotivated. Taking a break to meet with your peeps, moms in this case, is a breath of fresh air. You get to release and share things other women, or even your spouse might not understand. You get to bounce ideas off each other about that new program you’re launching, or to what to cook for dinner next week.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been attracted to events. I always knew I’d own a business one day, but I never knew in what, that is until I watched The Wedding Planner. Side note, J-Lo has subconsciously been my hero since her days as a Fly Girl! Since that fateful day I’ve made it my personal mission to learn everything I can about events.. Over the last 15+ years, I’ve evolved from being a wedding planner, to a mompreneur hosting unique moms night out experiences, to now guiding women entrepreneurs and coaches to build their business and grow their communities as an event strategist. I currently work with women to leverage the power of events, both in-person and virtual, so they can share their message, step into the spotlight, attract dreamy clients, make a bigger impact, and make a profit. With the events of 2020 I quickly shifted to focus on virtual events. Supporting clients with marketing and event strategy through coaching, online courses, workshops and group programs has allowed me to serve more women and easily empower them to host their own events.
What challenges do you face as a mother and a business person? Being present. It’s always my intention to be present with my family, and at the same time I love what I do.
What piece of advice would you give another mom who is struggling with balancing work/home life? or thinking about starting her own business? Feel the fear and do it anyway. At first, it will be challenging, but keep going, don’t give up, keep persevering. When you fall short in anything, give yourself grace and give yourself permission to start again. Enjoy the ride, celebrate milestones, and cry when you need to. Find a tribe who will love you, support you, and hold you accountable. It’s okay to make money doing what you love, and success is what you want it to be. Finally, remember, you’re never alone and it’s totally okay to ask for help.
What are some of your favorite resources for business that have saved you time?? I used to hate processes, but now I love them. Well, I’m learning to love creating them and using them. They help me slow down and think about what I’m doing next, as opposed to jumping right in and losing myself. Coaching is also something I recommend to anyone who is starting a business or feeling stuck in a particular area or mindset. For someone who uses Zoom and social media a lot, there are a few good Facebook groups that are filled with experts who are ready and willing to answer your questions within 24 hours, sometimes less.
Tell us about a challenging time in your business and how you overcame it? I’ll never forget the year I spent my birthday at Children’s hospital, actually the entire month of February 2015. Both kids were in the hospital for respiratory issues individually one after the other for two weeks at a time. That same month I was hosting a mom’s night out event. I didn’t think I was going to make it work. I was tired, angry, frustrated and worried about my kids. I also didn’t want to disappoint my attendees and the mom community by canceling the event. This story isn’t so much about how I overcame a challenge as much as how much my fellow mompreneurs came through for me. I worked from the hospital when I had down time and my friends, Raquel Cusi and Bri Grajkowski worked with me to make sure the event went off without a hitch. Because of their support many moms experienced a fun night out, and I was even able to attend the event. I’m grateful for their continued love and support. Needless to say I took a year off to reflect and reevaluate my business. I blogged about my journey and spent a year focusing solely on caring for my kids. It was the best gift in the world and a year I’ll never forget.
How did you build your community of moms around you and how have they impacted your life personally and professionally? When I first became a mom I started a couple blogs. One was a lifestyle blog where I shared my personal parenting experiences, the other was a hyper-local blog for Mira Mesa Moms where I live. Through the blogging and local community I met so many moms who were just as passionate about being a mom and owning a business as I was. We shared the same struggles, we were on board for breastfeeding our kids beyond what other people expected and I just fell in love. I started hosting community events and even built a business with my friend, Sam to host mom’s night out events to give moms the night out they deserve. I’ll never forget when one mom came up to me to say, “thank you, that was the first time I went out since I had my son, and he’s 5!” These communities and events built so much camaraderie and provided opportunities for collaboration. I met so many mompreneurs and we just all began to support each other unconditionally. Because so many moms were willing to help me, I’ve been inspired and called to support and hold the hand of any mama who needs a shoulder to cry, be the second pair of eyes to read that email before it goes out, or raise a toast to celebrate them.
Do you have a non-profit or cause that you want us to know more about? And why are you so passionate about this? Most people don’t know this but I started sponsoring a child on my daughter’s 10th birthday through Children’s International. I believe it was a sign from God when they met me outside of Target asking for a donation. Before that I was running around the store looking for another gift for my daughter after we’d just taken her on a weekend trip to Disneyland. I realized that there are other kids who needed support, sponsored a child in honor of my baby girl being blessed with so much and I never turned back. For as little as $20 monthly donation, Children’s International helps to feed and provide education to the child you’re sponsoring.
Would you like to offer anything to our readers? Absolutely. I’d love to have a coffee chat with anyone interested in hosting events or starting a business. You can schedule one here. And, when readers are ready for their first event strategy session, I’ll offer it to them for $197 for a 90 minute session (normally $297). Just mention Strong as a Mother ;).
“As Strong as the Mother Next to Me” was built on the principle and belief that with the right community and sisterhood you can move mountains. Founder Niki Jones is a single mother and entrepreneur who understands that leaning on her circle doesn’t make her weak; it makes her unstoppable.
Research supports that by doing good or paying it forward, in ways big or small, not only feels good, but also does us good.
MOTHERHOOD IS HARD ENOUGH. San Diego Moms wants to provide an experience and community that is inclusive, uplifting and supportive to ALL moms. By empowering and lifting each other up, we become better women, partners, leaders, and friends.
At this time I would like to ask you to MOMinate two moms and tell us why they are the Strong Mother Next to You . . .
Andrea Griffin
“Andrea became a mother the exact same day San Diego went into quarantine. She also took the leap into re-launching her flower business, Everything Beautiful. I’m not surprised that it quickly flourished even during the pandemic. Andrea has always believed that there’s beauty in everything, even in those parts of life that are painful. She’s supportive of her fellow moms, and loves to collaborate with them and lift them up. Andrea deserves to be seen and celebrated. I can’t wait to see her and her business bloom into something bigger than she ever imagined!”
Rebecca Penh
“Rebecca is a mom who lives to see other women and local businesses succeed. She works hard for herself and her family. She’s one tough cookie, she stands firm in her values and knows what she wants. We’ve been friends since our girls started dancing together over 8 years ago. Since then we’ve enjoyed more hikes and boot camp workouts than I can count, our families have traveled together, and our conversations just get deeper and deeper. Rebecca is thoughtful in everything she does, and will advocate for her friends and colleagues. She believes in you, when you find it hard to believe in yourself. She doesn’t look for recognition, and she deserves to be celebrated.”
To nominate a Strong Mother next to you or submit your information to be featured, please click the link below for more information.
Grab your “As Strong as the Mother Next to Me” Shirt today!
