Last week, Angela and I got together to answer some of your most asked questions for Day in the Life of a Founder Pt 1. 

We kicked off the New Year by getting together with the Savor Beauty crew for a juicy “Weekend Edition”, where the team had the opportunity to ask Angela anything, no holds barred! 

Revealing everything from her skincare secrets to her tips on dating and relationships, read on to learn exclusive insights from our beauty business founder.

Team: How do you do it all? I noticed you condensed a long and complicated Korean skincare routine into 5 steps. Is this always how your mind works in order to get it all done?

Angela: “Yes, exactly! That’s pretty much how my brain is wired—I love taking something complex and breaking it down into something simple. I think it comes from my years as a pianist. When I was learning a challenging piece, I’d look for patterns and figure out solutions. That’s how I approach almost everything in life.

Growing up, my mom and aunts had these gorgeous, elaborate skincare rituals. I was fascinated by them, but let’s be honest—they took forever. I wanted to keep the beauty of those traditions but make them work for today’s busy lifestyle. So, the 5-step routine was born—efficient, effective, and still luxurious.”

Team: How do you manage to balance your role as a mom and your role as a business owner?

Team: Your schedule is very hectic. How do you avoid burnout even when you work so many hours in a day?

Angela: "When you’re running a business, especially in the early days, you end up working during ‘off hours’ to get everything done. 

The secret? When you’re passionate about what you’re doing, it doesn’t feel like work.

I genuinely fall in love with parts of my job—whether it’s dreaming up a new product, writing, or creating content. 

Those things energize me. I’ll happily wake up at 5 a.m. to create something exciting. But waking up at 5 a.m. for accounting? No, thank you—that would absolutely feel like work!"

Another thing that keeps me grounded is the people I work with. It’s so important to build a team of people you genuinely enjoy being around. 

Working with someone who doesn’t vibe with your culture can drain the energy of the whole team. At Savor Beauty, everyone brings their own spark and unique ‘zone of genius,’ and that makes all the difference. When people love what they do, it shines through in their work, and that’s where the magic begins."

Team: What is one thing that you want to manifest in 2025?

Angela: "It’s funny—Ali asked me what my theme for 2025 is, and the first thing that came to mind was #PeacefulSequinMoments [she laughs]. I know, he was very perplexed by it, too, so let me explain.

On New Year’s Eve, Ali’s son was adamant that I return this lime green sequin skirt I had planned to wear. His reaction was so strong that I started second-guessing myself. 

But deep down, I know my style, and I knew that, styled the right way, it would have that wow-factor. So, I decided to lean into it...

Sure enough, the sequin skirt was a hit on New Year’s Eve, but more importantly, I had the best time dancing the night away in it.

For me, that skirt is symbolic. My 2025 theme is all about trusting my instincts, celebrating who I am, and turning doubts—whether mine or someone else’s—into peaceful, joyful moments. 

More gut-trusting, more glittery moments, and definitely more reasons to dance."

The idea is to keep things lighthearted and not put all your energy into one person right away. When you create an open, playful energy where you’re meeting and connecting with a variety of people, that energy is magnetic. You attract what you put out there!”

Team: Going from concert pianist to skincare founder, how did you stay consistent in launching Savor Beauty without giving up even when it felt too hard?

Angela: "I learned as a concert pianist that how you do the small things is how you do the big things. In music, I would practice certain passages over and over until it was just right. There was no hiding from the quality work (or lack of quality) I’d put in—it would show up on stage when it mattered.

That mindset became my MO when I launched Savor Beauty. I focused on the quality of every little detail, knowing they’d build the foundation for success.

We’re not an investor-funded company, and back then, I was a concert pianist just trying to make ends meet. I dabbled in a few ventures before I dedicated myself to Savor Beauty circa 2017, and then there was no turning back.

The early days were tough—really tough. It took years before running a business became fun. But the consistency and determination I learned through music kept me going.”

Team: Do you have any advice for someone who wants to launch their own business?

Angela: "Oh goodness, where do I start? If I could go back, one thing I’d do differently is work for someone in the beauty industry before starting my own business.

I had to learn everything the hard way. Those first few years? Let’s call it my very expensive “Harvard business degree” from the School of Hard Knocks. 

Even with the discipline and perseverance I built as a pianist, I had to figure out communication, marketing, management, sales—basically, everything about running a business—on my own.

So, here’s my advice: get a job in the field you want to break into. Ideally, work for a small business and it’s okay to learn on someone else’s dime. Corporate and small business are nothing alike. They shouldn’t even be called the same name—it’s Mars and Venus. 

A small business is incredibly empowering, and it also comes with its challenges. You and your team will wear many hats and each voice has big impact."

Someone once said, ‘Starting a business is like eating glass and swallowing it.’ I don’t disagree. The early days, especially, are challenging. 

It took years of consistently showing up, figuring things out, and pivoting before I got to a place where I genuinely love what I do. Now, running Savor Beauty feels like a joy, but trust me—it didn’t happen overnight. Like skincare, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

And here’s the thing: if you try it and realize entrepreneurship isn’t for you, that’s okay! The experience you gain will be worth its weight in gold. Whether you start your own venture or bring those skills to someone’s else business, stay open to the lessons you learn and always apply it to your next."