Angella Goran | NYC SS May

Angella, tell us what you did, what sport you were involved in, and how long you’ve been in it. Give us a little bit of a sports world background. So yeah, background: I’m a three-time national level athlete for Canada. I participated in the Olympics 20 years ago. But for those that have met me and know my story, I was injured six weeks going into the games. I separated a whole bunch of ribs, catching a crab — for those that know a little bit about rowing and crew. And that got me onto the journey of my biggest sport, which was cycling. So I participated in races, and if you’re a huge cyclist and you’re watching, Gerard de Rosa, I’ve actually raced that course! I spent 12 years as a professional cyclist on the UCI circuit. Recently, about a year and a half ago, I broke the Canadian elite women’s record for the one-hour indoor ride as a master cyclist, but still considered elite. - Nice! Yeah! So that’s my background.

How do you stay super disciplined and ultra-healthy consistently in your life to make the biggest impact? Gosh, that’s a big question! I feel like that’s a question for my mom. Where is she? Can I dial her up? Just kidding. Honestly, I think it comes down to how you’re raised and the community that surrounds you. Like, you look around here, and you see that environment. For me, it was my personality, but that’s really shaped by the environment I was given, the opportunities I had, and the coaches and teachers I had growing up. That’s definitely a big part of where I am today.

What are you investing in now, and what business holdings are you focusing your energy on? I’ve got two. I’m a tech founder — very proud to be a tech founder of the first open bank in North America. We announced it at Money 2020 and FinTech Meetup just in the last few months. That’s been a huge part of where I’ve been investing. On a personal side, in terms of branding, I’ve recently launched a donor-advised fund. I’ve been doing a lot of work to donate to kids. That one-hour world record I did actually raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to give back to kids and youth sports programs across North America. Now, I’m going to continue that with a “power hour,” which is going to be a Guinness record-breaking event — moving the world and people, thanks to great partners like TechnoGym, in Vegas next year before the International Health and Recreation event. That’s all going to focus on youth and community sports initiatives, and donating to community projects. - That’s awesome, thank you.

What visualization, affirmation, or goal-setting rituals and strategies have you used to be a top 1% performer? There are a few things. You know what? For me, it’s been about listening and learning. I think listening has been the biggest thing for me from a young age to where I’m at now. But the other key thing is silencing the noise. That’s the number one thing I tell people: Find out what your "why" is as early as possible and start defining who you are and where you can take that message. For me, I define my purpose and passion and take it into the core. I also do a lot of affirmations and I’m a visual learner, so I always apply what I’m learning. Sports came naturally to me because it’s a place where failure is more common than success, and you learn to push through. You don’t get to the podium without hard work. The same is true in business. So I have sticky notes everywhere. Affirmations, confirmations — I use them to drive myself forward and to share that motivation with others, especially my family and friends.

What’s the $1 million lesson you learned from being a pro athlete that you plan to pass on to others? As I just said, know your “why” and silence the noise. If you can find purpose, every day becomes easier. I always ask people on panels: Did you wake up this morning with the intent of who you are, believing in yourself, and knowing why you’re here? If you understand your purpose, that’s the most valuable lesson I could pass on. If I could teach myself this earlier, I think the road would’ve been much smoother.

Last question: If someone wants to be in the 0.1% of their field and outcompete everybody else, what advice would you give? I think it would be cycle circles in my world, but honestly, know who you are, know your “why,” and don’t let anyone knock you down or take you off your path. There’s so much greatness out there, but the key is staying focused on who you are, believing in yourself, and trusting that the right people will surround you. The wrong ones won’t stick around, and that’s exactly how it should be.

We have 17 more seconds. What’s one thing you don’t have that you need to get to the next level? Oh gosh, in 17 seconds? I’d say more community — a community that believes in driving purpose. And I think you mentioned it earlier — more love. This world definitely needs it, so that’s what we’re here to do.

Awesome, thank you. Let’s give Angella a round of applause, everyone! I’d love to throw one more thing out there. If you know any pro athletes who would love to speak, who would be great on a panel and add more value, let us know. This will be part of the Athlete Office Club video series that we’ll be putting on the website. We want to build this so we can impact more people’s lives and offer more advice on how to become the best in business and in personal life. If you have time, meet these amazing people! And if you know anyone who would be a great fit — whether in New York, Florida, or any of the other states where we’re active — we’d love referrals. Thanks so much, guys! Have an amazing day. We appreciate you all!