We had the good fortune of connecting with Angie Ngo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Leaving the nonprofit career field that I spent 9 years building, the only career field I knew, has to be the biggest risk that I’ve taken so far. The risk is high right now because my finances aren’t stable yet, because what I’m doing is not an easy and fast return. What I do is ultimately building community through art and understanding people. I don’t have much to my name other than my character and my community but I think that’s worth investing in.

Not only is genuine community-building a marketing strategy that nobody else is doing, but it has such a great return in the end. Sustainability comes with growing a dedicated community at your place of business. I think the concept itself seems like a risk to take, but I don’t think that it’s much of a risk if the person that you’re working with has successfully been key players in growing multiple grassroots nonprofits.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a graphic designer/marketing specialist, but I’m not here to build business hype. I’m here to build sustainability for local businesses by using the community-first type of strategies that nonprofits use to build community as well as create print, merch, logos, etc. that are quality but also fit the budget.

My pitch is “I’ll meet you where you’re at, all I ask is when you grow, you bring me up with you,” which is a very risky business model but I believe that this trust is how you build community. I trust in myself and I trust that because I believe in their business, this will be sustainable. In a world where capitalism is taking away from community, I’m using it to empower it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since most of the local businesses I work with are restaurants, I think it’d be best for me to do a food tour. First of all I’m getting myself a honey vanilla latte from Recreational Coffee, which I love because everyone is nice (and also they’re one of the first businesses that took a chance with working with me. For fresh, affordable bread and pastries, I’m going to Babette’s Bakery especially for their rosemary San Francisco sourdough bread for only $4.50. For my favorite place for take-out lunch, AJ Seafood shack for garlic pineapple shrimp, substitute the white rice with their fried rice and if you’re lucky, they’ll have their fried squid on a stick. Best hole in the wall burger place for dinner in Long Beach is Sideburns, which has the best fries, and then I’d head over to Beachwood Blendery for the best sour beers ($5 beers on Trivia Tuesdays), Dollar end a late night eating a birria mini quesadilla combo at El Sauz for only $8.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Audra DiPadova, CEO of MaxLove Project. MaxLove Project has taught me everything I know about navigating a nonprofit. She’s known me as a volunteer in high school, saw the potential in me, mentor me in a very real “this is how the world is” type of way while being so encouraging.. Looking back, I am amazed that she was able to see the potential in me with how young and angsty I was at 18. I was given so much genuine grace and appreciation.

Website: https://intuitiveeye.site

Instagram: @yesangiengo

Image Credits
Sage Magee

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSoCal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.