A rare, candid arc of modern reinvention: we sit down with Angela to track how a terrifying HELLP diagnosis, an emergency C‑section, and a six‑week NICU stay unraveled one plan and made space for another. The first pivot is survival—reselling from home to stay close to a preemie—and the second is creative: content that starts as sales updates and grows into a slower, long-form voice about craft, home, and the beautiful chaos of raising boys.
From there the story scales. Angela and her husband build in the trades—fencing in a high‑demand Dallas–Fort Worth market, a roofing partnership, and a breakout sport court business fueled by pickleball. The real unlock isn’t a hack; it’s logistics. Scattered storage units fail under bulk deliveries, so they hunt for a warehouse and accidentally find a property with both home and shop. That “Severance” commute from house to office restores boundaries, clarifies roles, and, surprisingly, introduces three miniature donkeys named Pickle, Picket, and Pitch.
We go deep on the body and the mind: secondary infertility, four miscarriages without clear answers, and the calm redemption of a planned C‑section after surrendering a hoped‑for VBAC. We unpack kindergarten cutoffs and readiness, the reality of boys who need to move, and the quiet calculus of family bandwidth that includes aging dogs and travel plans. Angela’s entrepreneurial playbook is refreshingly practical—delegate sooner than feels safe, follow what actually energizes you, and keep going through the bottom of the U when it’s tempting to quit.
Most of all, this conversation re-centers the undersold joy of parenthood: the breath-catching pride in a small solved problem, the Tuesday soup stirred side by side, the tenderness that deserves a seat next to spreadsheets. If this resonates, tap follow, share with a friend who’s mid-pivot, and leave a review with the one insight you’re taking with you.
Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com
Connect with Sam:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms
Connect with Zara:
Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/
