THE PODCAST

Susan Angermann on finding your Workstyle, plus the joy of Pouilly-Fumé and a warm Bud Heavy

abundance work styles Dec 07, 2023
Penny for your Shots
Susan Angermann on finding your Workstyle, plus the joy of Pouilly-Fumé and a warm Bud Heavy
53:44

In this episode of Penny for Your Shots, I had the privilege of speaking with Susan Angermann—a woman whose life journey spans ballet, costume design, entrepreneurship, and consulting. Her story is a fascinating blend of creativity, adaptability, and passion for helping others. Whether she’s working on stage costumes inspired by rocks and minerals or guiding teams to work more effectively, Susan brings artistry and insight to everything she does.

If you’re feeling stuck in your career, unsure how to connect with your team, or simply curious about the power of understanding how we work, Susan’s story will inspire and inform you.


The Early Years: A Love for Ballet and Creativity

Susan’s story began in South Carolina, where she discovered ballet as a young girl. She trained with a ballet company in Charleston, dancing through high school and a couple of years beyond. When the ballet company folded, Susan moved to New York City—not to pursue dance, but to soak in the culture and energy of the city.

"I moved there to experience New York—the theater, the dance, the opera—everything it had to offer."

While living in New York, Susan explored her love of the arts in new ways. She studied clothing construction and pattern making, which led her to costume design. This became her creative outlet and eventually her career.


A Career in Costume Design: Creativity on Stage

Susan’s career in costume design took her from small theater productions to exciting projects like the 30-year anniversary costumes for The Fantasticks and wardrobe assistant work on ABC afterschool specials. She later moved to Florida, where she continued designing costumes for Florida Studio Theatre and The Players Theatre in Sarasota.

One of Susan’s favorite projects was designing costumes for a production performed entirely by candlelight. With no stage lighting to work with, she drew inspiration from rocks and minerals—using their reflective properties, colors, and textures to create costumes that shimmered beautifully under flickering candlelight.

"I picked a different rock or mineral for each character—geodes, crystals, colors—and brought that to life in the fabrics and designs."

Her innovative designs even earned a positive mention in New York Magazine!


Discovering Kolbe Consulting: Helping People Work Better Together

While Susan loved the creativity of costume design, she began to realize her deeper passion: working with people. Her next chapter led her to Kolbe Consulting, a powerful system that helps individuals and teams understand how they instinctively take action to solve problems, complete tasks, and work together.

Susan took the Kolbe A Index herself, and the results were eye-opening:

"It was validating—like, ‘Yes, that’s me. That’s exactly what I do and what I don’t do.’ It helped me understand myself better and inspired me to help others do the same."


What is Kolbe Consulting?

The Kolbe system focuses on the third part of the mind (distinct from personality and learned skills): how you instinctively take action. Susan works with individuals, teams, and even couples to help them:

  • Understand their unique work styles.

  • Improve communication.

  • Reduce frustration and conflict.

  • Work more effectively together.


The Power of Understanding Work Styles

Through her work as a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant and Owner of Workstyle Consulting, Susan has helped a wide range of people, from entrepreneurs to couples navigating new ventures together. She shared one story about a retired military couple starting a home renovation business:

"One of them had all the ideas and wanted to move quickly, while the other wanted to research and analyze every detail. They were butting heads constantly. The Kolbe assessment helped them see how they approached work differently and gave them tools to communicate better. It completely transformed how they worked together."

By identifying each person’s strengths, Susan helps teams and families become more efficient, effective, and collaborative—without the stress and frustration of mismatched work styles.


Creativity Lives Everywhere

One of Susan’s core beliefs is that everyone is creative in their own way—whether they’re artists, accountants, or construction workers.

"We tend to think of creativity as something for the arts, but no. Lawyers are creative. Engineers are creative. Everyone has to use creativity to solve problems in their own way."

This perspective helps her clients lean into their strengths and feel validated in the way they work.


Applying Kolbe to Teams and Families

Kolbe assessments aren’t just for the workplace—they’re also transformative for couples, families, and even boards or volunteer groups.

For example:

  • Teamwork: Managers can use Kolbe to build balanced teams, assigning tasks to people whose strengths match the job.

  • Couples: Kolbe helps partners understand each other’s work styles, improving communication and reducing conflict.

  • Families: Parents and children gain insights into how they process tasks, creating harmony at home.

"When you understand that someone isn’t doing things just to annoy you—that it’s how they work best—it completely changes the dynamic."


Susan’s Favorite Wine and a Fun Beer Story

Of course, no episode of Penny for Your Shots would be complete without talking about wine! Susan’s favorite is Pouilly-Fumé, a rare and elegant white wine she first tasted years ago. While she enjoys other wines and has recently come to love Prosecco, Pouilly-Fumé remains her favorite.

And then there’s the story of how Susan learned to love beer. After a long, hot night of loading out costumes in Florida, the only drink available was a warm Budweiser. She was so thirsty, she drank the whole thing—and a lifelong love of beer was born!

"I realized I always liked beer but didn’t know it until that moment."


Final Thoughts: From Passion to Purpose

Susan’s journey is a beautiful example of how life’s twists and turns can lead us to our true purpose. From ballet to costume design to Kolbe Consulting, Susan has found a way to blend creativity, connection, and problem-solving into work she loves.

Her message is clear: when we understand ourselves and each other, we can work better, communicate more effectively, and bring our best selves to any project—whether it’s on stage, in the office, or at home.

To learn more about Susan and her work with Kolbe Consulting, visit her company, WorkStyle Consulting, or schedule a conversation to see how she can help you and your team thrive.

http://workstyleconsulting.com/

susan@workstyleconsulting.com 
941-238-8986 Cell


 

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