Sarah Ripoli - Founder, Angel Energy
Starting at a young age, Sarah adored fashion. She spent hours playing dress up and obsessing over the iconic wardrobes of the leading ladies in her life. Despite her fondness for all things couture, she never thought a long-term career in fashion would be feasible, so she pursued a more ‘reasonable’ route instead. After feeling unfulfilled in her career choice, Sarah ditched the gig and pivoted to her original love. In 2019, she combined her two passions and co-founded Angel Energy as both a clothing line and a movement for women to stand together in the fight to end domestic violence. Through Angel Energy, Sarah reminds us that our past does not dictate our story—we have the ability to write our own.
The Basics:
Hometown: Mount Laurel, NJ
Current city: Hoboken, NJ
Alma mater: Monmouth University
Degree: B.A., Public Relations & Journalism
Very first job: Modeling for Hollister in high school
Hustle: Owner, Angel Energy
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
Blake Lively! She has always been my favorite actress for many reasons—one being because I admire the confidence she displays both on and off-screen. In my opinion, confidence is the ultimate superpower because it gives you the capability to show up as your best self. The more confident I am, the more risks I’m willing to take in my life and career. I also love that Blake gives back and uses her status to raise awareness about important issues going on around the world, especially those pertaining to children.
Favorite way to unplug?
Bubble bath and Netflix with my phone on the charger in the other room! Since starting my own business, I’ve had a hard time knowing when to stop working, as I always feel like there’s more that can be done. Physically distancing myself from my phone for the night prevents social media sensory overload and truly helps me to unwind.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
Since leaving Corporate America and starting Angel Energy, my days vary depending on what’s scheduled (ex: event & campaign planning, virtual meetings, creating new designs, photoshoots, branding, etc.). I’ve found that sticking to a morning routine breeds productivity for the rest of the day. I typically write down all of the tasks that I need accomplished each day in my planner the night prior, so I can get straight to work in the morning. I usually dedicate the first part of my day writing social media captions for both Angel Energy and my personal IG. This is the time where I am the most focused and my mind is the most creative. The rest of the day is usually filled with content creation, working on brand collaborations, and marketing plans for Angel Energy. I also try to educate myself daily by listening to relevant podcasts and reading books that can help improve my business and mindset.
Have you always been passionate about fashion? What led you to pursue work in the industry?
I’ve had a passion for fashion ever since I was a little girl. Growing up, I always admired the outfits of the women on my mom’s side of the family—especially my grandma, who was the original fashion maven. I would spend hours playing dress up with all of her trendy shoes, designer bags, and beautiful statement jewelry pieces that she collected from all over the world. My grandma, aunt and cousins are all natural creatives with impeccable taste, so I looked up to their unique wardrobes throughout the years as I started to develop my own. I like to think that each of them impacted a part of my overall style today. I never thought a long-term career in fashion would be feasible, so I went to college for PR and settled on styling outfits for fun—up until the summer of 2018. Not being able to express myself creatively through my career as an accounting & finance recruiter left me feeling extremely unfulfilled. Since I had to get dressed for work everyday and took pride in styling each outfit, I would take a picture of my full look each morning before I left the house. In July 2018 I decided to turn my hobby into a fashion blog to fill the creative void, and ‘The Scoop by Sarahrip’ was born.
What inspired Angel Energy? What has the evolution of the business been like, and what was the most important piece of your vision for it?
The inspiration behind Angel Energy stems from a personal tragedy that altered the trajectory of my life. When I was six years old, my father murdered my mother while I was in the house. My grandparents raised me, and despite the circumstances, the rest of my adolescence turned out really great. I decided to never let what happened to me be an excuse for my actions, and created a positive narrative for my life instead. After starting my fashion blog, I began talking about almost every aspect of my life with my following—except for the biggest part of what makes me. Losing my mom to domestic violence was a secret I kept buried deep inside of me for almost 20 years. I feared that once people knew the truth, it would define the way they looked at me. In January 2019 I decided to open up to the world. I suddenly felt like there was no purpose in having a social media influence if I wasn’t using my voice to make a difference. After an overflow of responses from women who could relate, I realized this was my calling all along. Nothing will ever bring my mom back, but if I was able to save even just one person’s life by spreading domestic violence awareness, it would be the closest form of healing. I decided to leave my recruiting job at the end of February 2019 with plans of starting my own business, even though I wasn’t sure what it would look like. In August 2019, I combined my two passions into one, and Angel Energy was founded—as both a clothing line, and a movement for women to stand together in the fight to end intimate partner abuse. Every month, we donate 25% of our proceeds to a different domestic violence organization.
What are some ways that we can support those in your job/industry right now?
I always think that social media promotion is a great way to help support small businesses. Sharing something about a company and tagging the account on your Instagram story is a great free way to help advertise and support brands you love.
How have your job and roles differed from what they looked like before the pandemic?
During quarantine, victims were isolated with their abusers, preventing them from accessing support systems outside of the house. This caused a surge in domestic violence around the world, with some incidents even ending in murder. Even post-quarantine, the pandemic has caused a potential for an increase in abuse due to factors like financial burdens and job loss. Angel Energy switched gears immediately during COVID-19, and focused solely on warning our community of this new increased danger. Through Instagram posts, IG lives and virtual fundraisers, we were able to provide additional resources for victims in need all while social distancing.
How would you say being a woman has affected your professional experience? What can we do to create more equal, uplifting (and well-paying!) spaces for women in your industry?
During my 4+ years working in Corporate America as an accounting and finance recruiter, I wasn’t taken as seriously as some of my male counterparts. Feeling disposable and undervalued compared to the men I worked with definitely played a part in my leaving the field altogether. Starting Angel Energy was my way of changing my professional career to something I had more control over. Through Angel Energy, we have joined forces with other women empowerment-based businesses to help create a network that’s more female-focused.
Career and/or life advice for other babes (both inside and outside of your industry?)
Be aware of your own internal power! I believe that everyone is capable of controlling their own fate, as our stories are being written by us in live time with every choice we make. It’s our responsibility to rise above hardship and create a life we love.
Connect with Sarah:
Personal Instagram / Angel Energy Instagram / Website
This interview has been condensed and edited.
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