We love Market Collective! Since 2008, co-founders Angel Guerra and Angela Dione have been bringing memorable experiences and opportunities to Calgarians in the form of this uber-popular independent market. The concept promotes local arts and culture while also engaging and empowering their local community towards positive growth.
We caught up with them to find out what inspires them and what advice they would share with other young professionals…
– Julian Brass, founder, Notable
1. Describe what you do in less than 140 characters. Go.
Angel Guerra (AG): I am the co-founder of Market Collective, and I am also a substitute teacher. Through my education and experience, I have come to combine my love for people, education, live music, art, accessible public space and entrepreneurship to contribute to the Market Collective and to the Calgary Board of Education.
2. What was the inspiration for your career route?
AG: I love entrepreneurship and creativity, and so to be able to put them together to create Market Collective has been a dream. From the inception of MC, I had no idea what to expect and honestly couldn’t have predicted that it would come so far. But I love the journey, and I’m so grateful that I have been able to explore this career route.
3. What is the most memorable milestone in your career so far?
AG: The most memorable milestone for me in regards to Market Collective has been building a lasting relationship with my business partner, Angela Dione. It is a well-known fact that business partnerships can be difficult, and I am very proud of the fact that we have been able to celebrate our shared passions while tackling our differences.
4. Where do you see yourself in five years, 10 years, 20 years?
AG: In five years, I hope to be pursuing what I love, adventuring, surrounding myself with kind people, and giving back to the community as much as possible.
5. Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Angela Dione (AD): Be kind to yourself, and feed your confidence, not your ego. I feel like young professionals are so hard on themselves, and measure their success in constant achievements and recognition. There is a constant feeling of ‘never enough’ that permeates our work culture. It is a dangerous and incredibly tiring path to remain on.
6. What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
AD: I feel like challenges are more to understand than overcome. Once you truly understand a challenge and get to the real root of it, it often solves itself or doesn’t carry so much power. One thing that always garners my attention is the balance of work, life, and self. Once I began to understand these more, as well as the root cause of the pressure, I was able to see it in a whole new light. It feels much like shining a light into a dark corner.
7. What does the word notable mean to you?
AD: Notable is a story or message you share with people that you respect. It’s the information you want to pass on to those around you and keep in your back pocket for future use.
Photo: Mike Tan
PLAY
1. What gives you the greatest FOMO?
AD: After having a baby, one thing that I had to adjust to was how much my social life changed, even though my friends and colleague’s lifestyles remained the same. The amount of art openings, late night bike rides, and selfish explorations changed drastically, but the sweet moments, those simple moments of love have made it all worth it.
2. What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
AD: No guilt, all pleasure: spoon after spoon of Grade 3 maple syrup.
3. What’s something you wish you didn’t spend so much money on? What’s something you wish you spent more on?
AD: I live in a cute character home in the middle of inner-city Calgary, and have for over eight years. It’s a beautiful home that has seen so much transformation in my time spent here. The other day, I calculated how much rent I have spent on it so far, and it came to over $100,000. The number was staggeringly high. I’m currently home searching to switch up that investment into something that will contribute to my sense of ownership and financial growth. It will also be nice to justify all the renovations I enjoy doing in my space.
4. And finally, what does success look like to you? Work, play, or otherwise…
AD: Success for me changes as I grow older, transform, and discover my true self. Currently, success for me is an ability to listen to my intuition and heart, and the confidence to follow the path that feels right. Sometimes the decisions that feel right are the most difficult to make, but I try to trust in myself and listen to that deeper calling.
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