Angela Gennari is the host of the Pretty Powerful Podcast. As the founder and CEO of Titan Global Enterprises and single mom, she understands the unique struggle that women have in building their careers while supporting a family. Here is what she had to say about her "why".....

I have been an Entrepreneur for most of my adult life, and TITAN is the 3rd company I have founded over the past 20 years. Throughout my career I have had to fight through so many obstacles and overcome challenges with being a female in business, with very few women to guide me along my path. Owning a security company in a very male-dominated industry (large venues and sports nonetheless) presents even more opportunities for discrimination, skepticism, sexual harassment and disrespect. I fought hard to earn the respect of my colleagues, and grew my small business through tenacity and constant reinvestment while not taking a real salary as a single mom for 3 years until we were finally profitable enough to justify it (I could not get banks or investors to take us seriously). I found inspiration in books and business publications and tried to learn everything I could about how to scale my growing business. I thankfully had a few men who served as mentors for me, but clearly recognized that my journey was very different from theirs, and my challenges typically much greater. I genuinely hoped I would find a female mentor who could guide and encourage me, but never did.

In 2020 my business completely shut down for 5 months during the pandemic, as all of our venues were temporarily closed. The blessing of time allowed me to take on an opportunity that I could not do previously... I started coaching other entrepreneurs to help them build a solid foundation and grow their businesses. I recognized both a passion and a tremendous need in doing this, and wanted to find more ways to help. In my coaching groups, the women were by far the most engaged and thirsty for knowledge, as they craved guidance from a woman they perceived to be more successful. Eventually my business opened back up to full capacity and I had to step back from coaching, but the feeling that more women need to connect and find inspiration from other female leaders continues to haunt me and I cannot ignore it. There are women that are out there doing incredible things, and can serve as a role model for women trying to rise through their own journeys, while also showing men the value and necessity of having women involved in all aspects of growth and innovation within an organization.

This is a step outside of my comfort zone, and I am learning an entirely new industry while also running my business. I ask for grace as I stumble through interviews (public speaking terrifies me) and try to juggle multiple responsibilities (aren't we all??). I'm not always going to get it right.... but like all of us, the important thing is that we try. I have always considered myself a perfectionist, and quite honestly, it has probably held me back from doing a lot of things that I refused to attempt if it wasn't "perfect"... perfect timing, sufficient funds, expert knowledge.... the list is endless, and impossible. Waiting to do something meaningful leads to much more regret than attempting it does, even if you fail. I have failed many times, but not once did I fail needlessly. I have always learned from the experience and it has made me better.

I ultimately want this to be a source of inspiration for not just women, but for everyone who wants to encourage and empower women to strive for greatness. Let's step into our power together.