Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Kreig.
Hi Angela, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in Northern California, I took my first dance class when I was three years old and continued dancing the next 15 years. Dancing led to acting and acting led to singing. I competed in dance competitions and pageants, performed in musicals and plays, and when I look back, those days on stage were some of the happiest times of my life. I attended an all-girl Catholic high school and went on to graduate from college with a Journalism degree, I changed majors twice before sticking with Journalism. I began as a Theatre major and even spent a summer in New York City at an acting school. I then switched to Radio/Television/Film where I secured an internship at MTV Networks in Santa Monica. My internship led to a summer job which led to meeting my ex-husband which led to the decision to move to Texas. It also led to Kiss’s Gene Simmons giving me his phone number without his makeup on and I had no idea who he was!
I landed in North Texas in 2002. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I got a talent agent and went on some auditions. I booked a national Nike commercial, auditioned for a pilot that turned out to be Grey’s Anatomy (clearly, I didn’t get the part!), and went on several more auditions in my first year here. We were saving for our first home and that was a priority for me. Having a family has always been a priority for me. In the end, the dream of being a wife and mother won over the dream of being an actress. I had started my career in the Title Insurance business not having a clue what Title Insurance even was! One thing I did know was that the role of a Business Developer was something that was attractive to me. I am the type of person who gets energy from being around other people. It seemed like a natural fit and what ultimately resulted in a successful 15 years career in the Title Business.
In 2018, I started my company Nosey Dog Media. This was my side hustle. But more than that, it was what brought me happiness. I’ve always had a passion for food and hospitality. I grew my business from one restaurant to four restaurants. I enjoyed creating content and the interactions with guests through social media that were also excited about what I was sharing.
In 2020, I was ready to move on from Title Insurance. I didn’t go far though, I accepted a position as Regional Director of Business Development for Dagley Insurance, a national insurance company.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
There have been times throughout my career that I have struggled to find meaning in what I was doing. I overcame that by seeking out community service opportunities within my community. I joined a local Rotary Club and volunteered to do everything! At one of the meetings, our guest speaker was the CEO of a new hospital that was set to open in my community. I was drawn to everything he said and decided I was going to work at the hospital. I felt like it would be my dream job and I would easily find meaning working in health care. The next day I sent a video email to the CEO and said it was nice to meet him at our Rotary meeting and that I would be interested in working in a Community Relations/Marketing role for the new hospital. I got his attention and was called in for an interview. There were hundreds of applicants for the Marketing Director role. I had never worked in health care. I went through two rounds of interviews and made it to the final three candidates. I was hopeful. I received a call the next day letting me know that none of the three final candidates received the position.
In the eleventh hour, there was a candidate that came directly from a Marketing position in health care. I was disappointed but then they gave me some good news! They wanted to hire me for a position that they were going to create just for me! That was the biggest compliment I could have received. It was time to say goodbye to Title Insurance and hello to health care…my dream job! I was there for one year as Director of Patient Support Services. It encompassed a lot of responsibilities and I really loved it. After a year, there were some changes made from management down and I was not happy with the culture. I resigned, took a few months off, and back to Title Insurance I went. I ultimately started Nosey Dog Media to satisfy that craving I had to do something I was passionate about. It has opened many doors for me and I am grateful to all of my clients for their business and more importantly their trust.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of my greatest accomplishments which also ended up being one of my biggest failures. I was on this kick of finding my dream job and somehow managed to get an audition to be the fill-in traffic reporter at WFAA while Alexa Conomos was going to be on maternity leave. All I’ll say is, don’t audition to be a traffic reporter for a place you barely have lived in. I bombed the camera test so bad. I had never been more embarrassed in my life. There was a silver lining…I wouldn’t have to wake up at 4 in the morning!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Everyday I create content to promote what I believe in. This has always come very natural for me and I am really happy to be in a place where I can have a career that allows me to be creative. In 2020 I started a show called DRIVEN. I have since done over 40 interviews with successful business owners and community leaders where we are in their car driving. While my guest drives, I ask them a variety of questions about their lives. The last question I ask every guest is “What DRIVES you to be the best you can be, for yourself, your family, and your business/community?” I am also launching a podcast in the fall called Girlz in the Neighborhood. My co-host, Timi Grogan, and myself interview local celebrities and difference makers in our communities. It is going to be great!
I love connecting with people. My role at Dagley Insurance provides me with a large network of Real Estate and Mortgage Professionals across the country. Educating them on our services and teaching them ways to provide more value to their clients is at the top of my priority list daily.
I’m proud of taking risks. I’m proud for staying true to myself and believing that there is always more I can do to be the best version of myself for my daughters, my family, friends, and associates. I’ll never be that employee that gets to the office before everyone else, but I will be that employee that puts her whole heart into everything she does, it’s so important to take ownership in your company, even when you are not the “owner.”
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
When your sole responsibility is to develop business, you better attend every networking event you can! Never underestimate an event based on how many people are there. Some of my best relationships have come from events where it was a smaller crowd and I could sincerely connect with people. Utilizing social media has been a huge asset. I cannot stress that enough. Try to make the connection as personal as you can. I think that being genuinely a thoughtful person has definitely had a positive impact on my business. My mentors have been my family. My parents and my grandparents have played a major role in my childhood and who I am today. I can trust them and find comfort in their unconditional love and support. I hope I can do the same for my daughters.
Contact Info:
- Email: angela@noseydogmedia.com
- Instagram: @trythisdfw
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelakreig
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCovDTUHwvugRmYFhLMedELg
- Other: https://calendly.com/angelawithdagleyinsurance
Image Credits
Ashton White
