Exploring Life & Business with Aisa Magsombol of The Grassdoor & Co.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aisa Magsombol.

Hi Aisa, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Before becoming an author, coach, and consultant, my career began in professional recruiting. I specialized in placing top talent across Construction Management, Engineering, Accounting & Finance, and Healthcare before stepping out on my own in 2018 with my first LLC. In those early years, I worked independently under a recruiting firm while also freelancing and partnering with other recruiters and agencies. Over time, that experience laid the foundation for launching my own boutique firm in 2021, specializing in technical and senior-level placements within the cannabis industry. That work brought me back to Los Angeles, where I was born and raised before moving just prior to elementary school.

When I entered the cannabis space, I wanted my involvement to be intentional — not only as a career move, but as a way to learn, connect, collaborate, and contribute. I joined networking groups, volunteered at the Emerald Cup Awards in 2021, and became a brand ambassador for Club Nirvana, a premier cannabis brand and delivery service. I also sponsored and vended at events like Weed & Wellness at Green Street in downtown LA, which connected me with communities and companies at the intersection of business, wellness, and culture. Those experiences broadened my perspective and ultimately set the stage for my evolution into career, life, and business coaching.

Along the way, I recognized a recurring theme that has guided everything I do: your people are everything. Who you choose to learn from, collaborate with, serve, or employ shapes the trajectory of your life and business. As a recruiter, I became skilled at identifying talent and connecting the right people to the right opportunities. After COVID, I had more candidates and clients seeking purpose and fulfillment, which pushed me to evolve from placing people to guiding them — helping individuals and entrepreneurs design careers and lives aligned with who they truly are.

That same commitment to people and community inspired me to co-found Top Shelf Social. My partner and I first met as vendors at a DTLA night market, and together we began curating the kinds of experiences we wished we’d had: intentional, inclusive events that uplift BIPOC-owned businesses, creatives, and communities we care about — from LGBTQIA+ leaders to plant medicine advocates to entrepreneurs with disabilities. Since then, we’ve hosted networking nights, open mics, music and comedy festivals, and most recently, my own book launch celebration.

Whether through recruiting, coaching, event curation, or writing Awaken: I Suffered. I Learned. I Changed., my mission has stayed the same: to build ecosystems where people — regardless of background, identity, or ability — can awaken, grow, and thrive together.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all. A lot of it comes down to not knowing what you don’t know. I had many transferable skills from recruiting, financial services, and the retail world, but entrepreneurship quickly taught me some hard truths. Like I mentioned before, your people are everything — and learning whom to hire, whom to partner with, and especially whom to get business or financial advice from has been both the greatest challenge and the greatest lesson.

When I interviewed and placed candidates, I knew people could sometimes fail you — they might not follow through, stretch the truth, or not be fully honest about their skills, experience, or the other opportunities they were considering. Often, they’ll tell you what they think you want to hear just to get the job. I understood that in recruiting, but for some reason I didn’t carry that same level of awareness into entrepreneurship. I was willing to pay experts — tax professionals, business consultants, coaches, a marketing person, even a website designer — trusting them to do their part in helping me bring my vision to life. What I didn’t realize was how much due diligence and discernment was still required on my end. Unlike recruiting, where I had control over vetting and placement, in business deals I had to rely on others’ integrity — and not everyone operates with the same work ethic, ambition, or ethics that I do.

Nonetheless, every setback became an opportunity to learn, grow, and strengthen my discernment. For that, I’m thankful, because those experiences shaped me into the leader and mentor I am today.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Grassdoor & Co. is a boutique coaching and consulting firm that specializes in career, life, and business. At its core, it’s about opening doors — to optimism, options, and opportunities. I work with entrepreneurs, professionals, and creatives in seasons of transition, helping them discover their identity, develop their skills, and dominate their gifts so they can thrive with passion, purpose, and fulfillment. That might look like launching an LLC, navigating a career shift, or receiving mentorship and support as they write their first book. My role is to bring the clarity, strategy, and encouragement they need to move forward with confidence.

What sets me apart is not just the work I do, but the life I live. I’ve been the corporate professional, the recruiter, the consultant, and now the author — but I also navigate life with invisible illnesses, which has taught me resilience and the importance of choosing opportunities over adversity. Every day I make that decision. I choose self-care and a holistic approach to success, and I carry that perspective into the way I serve others. My clients don’t just get business strategy; they get someone who has walked through struggle, who understands what it’s like to feel stuck, and who has learned how to turn pain into purpose.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud of my publishing imprint, Aisa Marie Writes, under The Grassdoor & Co. Through it, I embrace the power of storytelling — with my memoir, Awaken: I Suffered. I Learned. I Changed., and by empowering others to join the awakening movement, I hope to encourage others to begin their own journey of self-discovery, holistic healing, and transformation.

The Grassdoor & Co. isn’t just about business — it’s about helping people awaken their potential and step into lives that feel authentic, aligned, and deeply meaningful.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are a lot of ways people can work with me, depending on where they are in their journey. Through The Grassdoor & Co., I offer one-on-one coaching, business compliance services, my Flourish Mentorship program, and Awaken for Authors, a 12-week container designed to help aspiring writers move from idea to working manuscript, with a clear path to publication. For those who want to stay connected without pressure, I also host a free community called Awakening Unfiltered, which creates space for authentic conversations, encouragement, and growth.

Collaboration is another big part of my work. I love partnering on workshops, co-hosting events, and curating meaningful experiences through my other company, Top Shelf Social, where we highlight and support local entrepreneurs, creatives, and small businesses.

And of course, people can support me in simple but powerful ways — like purchasing my memoir, Awaken: I Suffered. I Learned. I Changed., or an Awakening Experience bundle. Another way is by joining the Awaken Affiliate Program, where you can plant the seed and get paid — sharing my work with others while earning through referrals.

Whether it’s through coaching, consulting, collaboration, or community support, I want people to know there’s always a door they can walk through, and I’d love to meet them on the other side.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thegrassdoornco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegrassdoornco_
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aisamarie
• Other: https://bit.ly/GrassdoorLinktree

Image Credits
Bar Asolin, Charlotte J. Williams