We’re looking forward to introducing you to Angela Ross. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Angela, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Gratitude and movement! I spend a few moments with prayers and affirmations, thinking of the many things I’m thankful for in my life. Then I get moving. A 2-to-3 mile walk most days. followed by some breakfast and a strong cup of coffee! I feel like this routine sets me up well for whatever the day may bring.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m creator and host of SoCal Voices, an award-winning podcast sharing authentic stories and local wisdom to help Southern Californians navigate SoCal’s challenges and thrive in the place we call home.
I started the podcast as a personal outlet during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national reckoning after the killing of George Floyd. I felt grief, confusion, and frustration, and turned to conversations — real, grounded, human conversations with fellow Southern Californians — as a way to heal, understand, and reconnect.
After years of speaking with Southern Californians from all walks of life, I kept hearing a common theme: most SoCal residents truly love living here but they sometimes feel worn down. They struggle with the cost of living, the cost of housing, soul-crushing traffic, pressure to keep up, and finding a sense of belonging in our vast, busy region.
Over time, SoCal Voices has become a space to hold all of that. SoCal’s beauty and burden; the struggle and the joy.
Today, SoCal Voices is a virtual gathering place for insight, inspiration, and real talk about life in Southern California. My work has been recognized by industry groups, including the 2024 Women in Podcasting Awards (Best Regional Podcast) and the 2025 Women Who Podcast Awards (Repping the West).
That acknowledgement is validating and valuable.
Through honest conversations, local wisdom, and storytelling rooted in lived experience, my goal is to remind Southern Californians that they’re seen, they’re not alone. And while my guests and I may not have all the answers to the challenges of living in this magical, maddening and beautiful region, together, we can thrive in our beloved SoCal, with purpose and pride.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that has served its purpose is the part who carried the weight of being responsible — the list-maker, the rule-follower, the one who put others’ needs and expectations above my own. I lived by fairness, time management, and doing what was “right,” believing others would share those same values. That part of myself taught me discipline and gave me structure, but I have released the need to define myself by anyone else’s standards. I don’t tolerate abuse or shrink myself to fit others’ sometimes limited expectations of who I am or who I can be. I know I am enough, I am worthy, and I can be fully true to myself. And in that release, I’ve actually found more grace for others.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Go for it! You’re going to be okay!
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, the public version of me is the real me. I think it would be far too exhausting and inauthentic to be someone completely different in public than I am in private. What you see is what you get.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am at the beach. It doesn’t really matter which beach. There is something amazingly soothing about the waves. the breeze, and the power of the ocean. There is no other feeling like it. I love how calm and relaxed I feel in that environment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://socalvoices.com
- Instagram: @socalvoices
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socalvoicesangelaross
Image Credits
Angela Ross
