Aligning Values with Your Career: A Conversation with Angela Burgess
Sep 26, 2024
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How can you align your values with your professional life? Angela Burgess, founder, CEO, and author, stands out as an example for those seeking purpose-driven careers. Angela's journey from wealth management to founding her own business, Broad Oaks Consulting, shows the power of aligning passion with purpose.
Her Career Start in Finance
Angela's path began in an unexpected place. With double majors in Spanish and Communication Studies, Angela initially pursued a career in wealth management—a field that, on the surface, seemed disconnected from her academic background. Despite the unconventional start, her love for public speaking and languages found a unique outlet. Angela's persistence led her to a role at Principal Financial Group, where she spoke to clients in both English and Spanish about financial planning.
However, as she climbed the corporate ladder, a growing discontentment gnawed at her. While she excelled in helping advisors grow their businesses, Angela found that her work was increasingly at odds with her personal values. The pursuit of wealth for its own sake left her desiring more meaningful contributions. This internal conflict set the stage for a significant life shift.
The Leap to Nonprofit
Angela's desire for a values-aligned career eventually led her to Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, a nonprofit organization in Chicago. Here, she made a bold decision: taking a 66% pay cut to work as the Director of Planned Giving. The role allowed her to help donors connect their financial resources with meaningful missions, a task she found profoundly fulfilling. This transition marked a pivotal moment in Angela's life, where she finally bridged the gap between her work and her core values.
The Beginning of Broad Oaks
After seven years in the nonprofit sector, Angela felt a new calling: to expand her impact by founding her own business. In 2018, she launched Broad Oaks, a consulting firm dedicated to helping small and mid-sized nonprofits grow and thrive. Angela's unique expertise in advanced gift planning and fundraising became invaluable to nonprofits struggling to sustain their missions.
One of her successes was with Soliana Stables, an equine-assisted therapeutic riding facility for people with special needs. Under Angela's guidance, Soliana Stables doubled its revenue twice in two years and achieved consistent year-over-year growth. Angela helped the organization clarify its message, engage the community, and lay a strong foundation for future growth.
Aligning Passion with Purpose
Angela's journey highlights the importance of aligning one's career with personal values and passions. Her transition from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector, and eventually to entrepreneurship, was driven by a deep desire to make the world a better place. This shift wasn't just about finding a more fulfilling job; it was about living a life of congruence, where her work reflected her beliefs.
One of the most powerful moments in Angela's story is her realization that her personal beliefs and professional life were disconnected. She wanted her work to reflect who she was and what she valued, which ultimately led her to create a business that could help nonprofits achieve their missions.
Writing the Next Chapter
In 2023, Angela took her message to a broader audience with the release of her book, Are You on the Right Bus? Navigating Change on the Road to Success. The book, inspired by a speaking engagement with high school students, explores the idea of aligning one's career with their passions and values. Angela encourages readers to question whether they are on the right path and to make the necessary changes to live a life of purpose.
Angela's ability to turn her expertise and passion into a thriving business demonstrates that when we align our values with our work, we can truly dominate our day and make a difference in the world.
About Angela Burgess
Angela Burgess is President and CEO of Broad Oaks Consulting, a boutique firm dedicated to helping nonprofits of all sizes break through fundraising barriers.
Episode Minutes:
- Minute 4:00 — Aligning Career with Core Values
- Minute 11:00 — Founding Broad Oaks Consulting
- Minute 20:00 — Writing and Publishing a Book
Episode Links:
- Visit broadoaksconsulting.com
- Get your copy of Are You on the Right Bus? Navigating Change on the Road to Success
- Connect with Angela on LinkedIn
- Get your copy of The Strengths Journal
- Visit danawilliamsco.com
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