Nice to meet you
I'm Angela.
Executive coach. Former retail executive. Recovering fixer of all the things.
And someone who knows a thing or two about what happens when your career takes off and suddenly your to-do list has a life of its own.
I spent more than 30 years leading people, developing talent, making big decisions, and occasionally wondering how one person could possibly be expected to be in three places at once.
These days, I help smart, stretched-thin women navigate the part of a promotion nobody really prepares them for.
The bigger expectations. The changing relationships. The decisions that suddenly carry more weight. And that nagging feeling that you should have it all figured out by now.
My favorite part of this work? Watching a woman put down the work that was never hers... and finally get her evenings back.
And yes, I still have a soft spot for a good retail floor set.
Let's Have CoffeeWhat I believe
A few things I believe. Pretty strongly, actually.
01
Your promotion wasn't an invitation to work yourself into the ground.
Somewhere along the way, we started confusing being indispensable with being effective. I've been around long enough to know those are two very different things.
02
You can be confident and still have absolutely no idea what to do next.
Even the most seasoned executives have moments when they're making it up as they go. The difference is learning to trust your judgment instead of treating every decision like a final exam.
03
Having every answer isn't the job anymore.
If everyone still needs you to answer every question, you've built a team that waits for you. We have some work to do. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
04
You don't have to become someone else to succeed at the next level.
But you probably do have to let go of a few habits that got you there.
05
We can talk about serious things without taking ourselves so seriously.
A little humor, a little perspective, and the occasional “Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me” can go a long way.
How it started
Three decades in retail will teach you a thing or two about people.
I rose from the sales floor to regional executive roles with some pretty recognizable names, including Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret, The Limited, Pier 1 Imports, and Ulta Beauty.
Which means I've led a lot of people through a lot of change. And seen absolutely no shortage of surprises.
I loved developing people. Seeing potential in someone before they could see it in themselves. Helping a talented manager tackle something they didn't think they were ready for.
But I also saw what happened after the congratulations.
The woman who was promoted because she could do everything suddenly struggled because she was still trying to do everything.
The brilliant problem solver became the bottleneck.
The dependable one everybody counted on started second-guessing herself in meetings she'd worked years to earn a seat in.
And it wasn't because these women weren't good enough. It was because the job had changed, but nobody had helped them change how they approached it.
I knew that feeling because I'd lived it. Early on, as a district manager, I thought I was crushing it because I was always the one jumping in. Truck needs unloading? I'm there. Register backed up? Move over, I've got it. I went home exhausted... and the work only I could do kept waiting until tomorrow.
I was still doing a job I'd already been promoted out of.
That stayed with me.
The promotion came with a new title, a bigger team and a lot more on your plate. And somehow, everyone expects it to feel like
Business as Usual . . .
But it isn't. And pretending it is? That's usually where the overwhelm starts.
How it's going
Same love for people. Different chair.
Today, I'm an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), founder of Angela Knight Coaching & Consulting, and creator of Own Your Role™.
I work with women who've stepped into bigger roles and discovered that earning the promotion and feeling comfortable in it are two very different experiences.
I call that gap Promotion Shock™.
And while I have plenty of coaching tools, certifications, and decades of experience to draw from, I don't believe you need another complicated framework to memorize.
You need someone who understands the realities of your job. Someone who will listen when you say, “I know this probably sounds ridiculous, but...”
Someone who will help you see what you're missing, challenge you when you're getting in your own way, and work with you to figure out what comes next.
That's the work I love. And I happen to think it's pretty important work, too.
Ask Me About Own Your RoleBeing good at your job and knowing how to do the next one
are two different things.
What you can expect from me
The place to say what you can't say in your Monday morning meeting.
I'm warm, curious, direct, and occasionally a little cheeky.
I'll celebrate your wins. I'll ask the uncomfortable question when it matters. And I'll tell you when I think you're making something harder than it needs to be.
What I won't do is judge you for feeling overwhelmed, hand you a generic checklist, or pretend there's one perfect way to handle every situation.
Our conversations are private, thoughtful, and grounded in what's actually happening in your world.
Sometimes we'll untangle a complicated relationship.
Sometimes we'll work through a decision you've been avoiding.
And sometimes the most valuable thing we do is figure out why you're still carrying something that was never supposed to be yours in the first place.
You bring the real stuff. I'll bring the questions, perspective, experience, and a healthy dose of encouragement.
We'll figure out the next move together.
Oh yes, we're doing this...
Old-school magazine-quiz style
The AK Quiz
Because there's more to life than meetings, metrics and Monday morning emails.
1. Introvert or extrovert?
a. Introvert
b. Extrovert
c. Introverted extrovert
I love people and meaningful conversations. I also love coming home, closing the door, and enjoying the quiet.
2. My office assistant is:
Jack, my Maltese
His qualifications are questionable, but his job security is excellent.
3. Most likely to binge watch:
a. A cooking competition
b. A home renovation show
c. A psychological thriller with a twist I never saw coming
Bonus points if I spend the next three days thinking about it.
4. My design personality:
A little Ralph Lauren, a little Nancy Meyers
Classic, comfortable, polished, and always welcoming.
5. Dressing for success starts with:
a. Whatever's clean
b. Business casual. Heavy on the casual.
c. The shoes. Everything else follows.
Somewhere, Miranda Priestly just gave a tiny, approving nod. That's all.
6. Which fashion choice makes you question humanity just a little?
a. Pajamas at the grocery store. We've officially given up.
b. Crocs on grown adults. We're not animals, people.
c. Socks with sandals. A bold choice. Unfortunately.
d. Wearing workout clothes with absolutely no intention of working out.
e. All of the above
Because I have thoughts. Especially about the Crocs.
Acceptable until age 3. If at all.
7. My idea of a perfect evening:
a. Catching up on email
b. In bed by 8:30
c. Other
Good wine, good company and a story that starts with “You'll never believe what happened...”
8. The biggest thing 30 years in retail taught me:
Nothing happens until the customer says “I'll take it.”
Everything else is just noise.
9. Something I'll never get tired of:
Adorable dogs doing silly things on my social media feed
It's my guilty pleasure.
Enough about me
Let's talk about you.
You've worked hard to get where you are.
Maybe you're loving the opportunity but struggling with the workload. Maybe you're tired of being everyone's go-to person. Or maybe you're just tired of feeling like the job is running you, instead of the other way around.
Whatever brought you here, you don't have to arrive with the perfect explanation.
Bring the challenge that's keeping you up at night. We'll start there.
Book a Private Coffee Chat30 minutes. A real conversation. A chance to talk through what's happening and explore what might help.
