Episode 6
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[00:00:00]
Angela Vasssallo: Hello, and welcome to the launch your second act podcast. I'm your host, Angela Vasallo, and I'm so glad you are here. I'm a businesswoman, author, entrepreneur, speaker, step mom and mom. I know that's a lot of hats and I know that you wear them too. I help ambitious women just like you dream big spark ideas, create more clarity and kick those big ideas into action.
Angela Vasssallo: This podcast was designed for ambitious women who are at the unique. I call it the second act. Women who are conquering life's transitions and are becoming the main character in their second act. It's time to rediscover what you want and how to get it. Upgrade and master your inner game and raise your standards.
Angela Vasssallo: Hear from amazing women who have overcome, transformed and are reclaiming their desires. Embrace this time in our lives. [00:01:00] This is not a time to slow down. It's a call to action to discover what you really want. I hope this podcast inspires you to amplify your belief that you are capable of achieving the Epic life that you dare to envision.
Angela Vasssallo: Let's get started.
Angela Vasssallo: Hello and welcome to launch your second act podcast. Today we have a fabulous guest who I know you're all going to love. Her name is Andrea Ryff and she's the owner of Achieve Pole Studio. She has Got this most incredible business and I'm so excited to hear from her today, but let me tell you a little bit about her background and what she's done.
Angela Vasssallo: Well, she started pole at the age of 36 and she's been a passionate advocate for pole dancing for the last 14 years. She won the Australian pole championships in 2014 at the [00:02:00] age of 40. And when she was up against some of these competitors, half her age, she was able to really shine and show everybody what she had.
Angela Vasssallo: Not only that, Andrea is a world champion. She has won the world pole championships, not once, but twice in 2015 and 2018. Her career in pole has taken her all around the world, teaching workshops at pole studios and pole retreats. Now at the age of 50, she's about to get back on the stage. So with some of the younger ones and, and strut her stuff, she started her business and opened her first.
Angela Vasssallo: Studio Achieve Pole Studio in 2012, and this year in August, she will celebrate 12 years in business, which is an amazing achieve achievement in itself. She's an amazing woman who has so much wisdom and knowledge to share about the fitness and business industry. So welcome, Andrea, love you to have you on our show.
Angela Vasssallo: How are you?
Andrea Ryff: Great, thank you. You're, [00:03:00] you are good for my ego. You make me sound amazing, . I love it.
Angela Vasssallo: Fantastic. Well, I don't think you should have any worries about that. I know when we chatted recently, we you know, I know that you've just turned 50, so you're 50 and fabulous. And like I said, you look amazing.
Angela Vasssallo: You're as fit as a fiddle. So we just really want to find out today what you do to keep so fit and looking so fabulous. However, what was. start with, I want to find out how your journey started for you to move into the pole dancing industry world and then eventually start your own business. I know when we spoke, you, you spoke about you started out in your younger years as a gymnast.
Angela Vasssallo: Which makes sense, you know, yours, you know, that's why, you know, you're so flexible and fit. And then you moved into aerobics. I know aerobics was really huge, you know back in the eighties and everybody was doing that type of thing. And then, and then pole dancing, you used to stumble across this incredible, world of pole dancing and you just loved it so much you become an advocate for it. [00:04:00] And then I guess the transition just leaded in, led into you starting your own business and, and starting your own Achieve Pole Studio. So tell me a little bit about that transition and how that came about in your journey there.
Andrea Ryff: Yes, so I was a gymnast from a young age. My mother was a gymnastics coach. So I automatically sort of went into that world. And then I moved into rhythmic gymnastics. So I started as an artistic gymnast with the bar beam and all of that. And then I moved into rhythmic. Loved that. And then I started to, I moved into sport of aerobics at the age of 19.
Andrea Ryff: I was, so you got too old for gymnastics and moved into sport of aerobics. So I've always been someone who's been into fitness and, movement and challenging my body. And, you know, gymnastics is something that is for, you know, for kids, sport of aerobics, it's a impact sport. It's not as popular these days as it was back in the 1990s.
Andrea Ryff: [00:05:00] So yeah, I was looking for something as an adult, so I start always in the gym, but
Angela Vasssallo: got
Andrea Ryff: quite bored with you know, the, the gym program, yes, it kept me fit, but I was just looking for something that. You know, that challenged me and I remember this is in the early 2000s. I used to go to a Gym class.
Andrea Ryff: And there were a couple of women who were older than me. So they were both in their forties at the time. And they used to come to the classes with like bruises on their legs and things. And I'd be like, what's the bruises from found out that they'd been sneaking off to a a place in fish week and learning pole dancing from some strippers, which I was incredibly fascinated.
Andrea Ryff: Right, so I think that that always stuck in my mind that I moved to Sydney and thought you know, I'd love to sort of try. I did a Google search and then one day walked past my girlfriend's desk at work and she, lo and behold, had the same website up on her [00:06:00] screen. So I tapped her on the shoulder and went, I've been looking at this website, shall we go?
Andrea Ryff: So her, myself, and three other of our work colleagues, off we went to this pole fitness class. And I was terrible at it. Like I really walked in thinking, Oh, I'm going to be amazing. I've got a background as a gymnast. I know what I'm doing. Yeah. Sure. I couldn't do anything. The only thing I could do was a headstand.
Andrea Ryff: And there's my girlfriend, two of my girlfriends up the top, literally climbed to the top of the pole on day one. So it was a bit of a ego crush, I guess.
Angela Vasssallo: Yeah. Okay.
Andrea Ryff: And I love a challenge and I hate being beaten. So the stare at stubborn woman in me said, well, I'm going to, you know, try and get this out
Angela Vasssallo: and give it a go.
Andrea Ryff: Exactly. Signed up for another term. And then I think it took about eight weeks and then all of a sudden my body was like, okay, I think I understand what's going what's going on. But I had to work really, really hard at getting good, but there's no way I would have thought that I would be a world champion at [00:07:00] that point, because it's just.
Andrea Ryff: It, I, yeah, I didn't, which is
Angela Vasssallo: just phenomenal. Yes, absolutely. Do you, like, I think what we, when you think about pole dancing, I don't think, I think people underestimate how hard it actually is. you know, to pull your entire body weight up on a pole and, and then do all those incredible movements that you do.
Angela Vasssallo: It takes a lot of strength, a lot of core strength, a lot of upper strength and your legs. And, you know, you really, it must be such a, an incredible fitness workout for you. Do you find more women are coming into the world of Your studio now in pole for fitness levels, like they really want to get fit.
Angela Vasssallo: So they just come in and just say, I'm going to give this a go and, you know, check this out because they just know this type of body that you can get from it. And the fitness level that you can achieve.
Andrea Ryff: Yeah, look, that's, that is one of the reasons. Absolutely. Like, you know, people do watch the videos and think, wow, you know, a [00:08:00] lot of the pole dancers that you say on social media or YouTube do they're in great shape.
Andrea Ryff: Yes. Yeah, it's actually a real common misconception. So You know, we're the ones that do put the content out there, but most people come into the studio because they're looking for something different to do, similar to what I wanted. challenge. So they're looking for a community a female dominant space, which I think really hard to find at the moment.
Andrea Ryff: And I think that it's a very empowering space. So we, we support one another. We cheer one another on where Yeah, we empower one another. We don't, we don't bring people down, other women down here. So it's a very inclusive space. Getting fit is definitely on the radar, but it's kind of a by product of, yeah,
Angela Vasssallo: right.
Angela Vasssallo: So you're finding more women are being drawn to this for the, the empowerment of it, you know, that being part of a community and you know, just, You know, taking on a challenge like this, but [00:09:00] it's just a real sense of you know, empowerment for a lot of women.
Andrea Ryff: Absolutely. Like I liken it to our business coaching group.
Andrea Ryff: Like I think that you've been surrounded by these people who really want to see you achieve. Sure. See what I did there. Yeah.
Andrea Ryff: That's actually the truth of the matter. Like that's, you know, you are, we're here. We want you to people, the students, and this is how you can walk in and not know anyone and everybody wants to see you achieve that skill lords you. So and I think that that's what a lot of women, you know, that's what we look for and that's what we like.
Andrea Ryff: We're also quite social. There's a lot of laughs. You don't get a lot of that at the gym or your local class. So We, and then at the same time, yes, what you've said, yes, you do require upper body strength, but at the start you actually don't, you just don't have a great attitude because there's not a lot of lifting or weight bearing exercises.
Andrea Ryff: It's more, [00:10:00] you know, walking around the pole and doing moves that don't require you to pull up. But then because you're moving around the pole, you are actually working a lot of those stabilizer muscles and that's where that strength then develops more so than you would get at the gym. So I used to go to the gym and lift some pretty heavy weights.
Angela Vasssallo: Yes.
Andrea Ryff: And as probably about a year in from doing pole, my body just changed dramatically. My waist became thinner you know, points, my shoulders became more defined. My legs became more defined. I looked taller and leaner. So
Angela Vasssallo: yes,
Andrea Ryff: it's because it's functional. So I think that, yeah, a lot of women, unfortunately, don't start pole because they think, well, I don't have the upper body strength.
Andrea Ryff: But it's actually, that's what you're going to gain by doing what you'll
Angela Vasssallo: gain from it.
Andrea Ryff: Absolutely. Yes.
Angela Vasssallo: Correct.
Andrea Ryff: And look, you've got such a, you need the upper body strength, but as a beginner,
Angela Vasssallo: what I've noticed about [00:11:00] your studio is that you've got some they all love going there. Like I've seen a lot of your photos and everything and your Instagram page, which is huge.
Angela Vasssallo: It's amazing some of the things you're able to do, but I know that you've got these, this incredible group of women that you that all follow you. And they're just so inspired by what you're teaching them. You've got this you know, this great following. So are you finding now that there's more and more women that are looking to come and do your classes and be part of your studio?
Angela Vasssallo: Are you finding a certain age group that is more women in their forties and fifties that might be stepping up into your. Studios now and looking for something a bit different for them.
Andrea Ryff: We've got quite a diverse age. So the, it's probably predominantly 24 to sort of 34 is the majority of them, but we, we've got women in their fifties and late fifties coming classes.
Andrea Ryff: And some of them are actually my strongest students. So in my dance class, which I think is really [00:12:00] cool. We've got Three over 50 and one that's approaching 50 and that's actually makes up half of the class. And I think that's quite, I think that's very inspiring because you sort of would think that the younger ones dominate, but I think that women over 50, over 40.
Andrea Ryff: And 50 come in with a very different mindset. It's they're a lot more committed to the process. They're willing to work harder. I find there's a lot less whinging and complaining when things hurt a little bit because pole does hurt. And it's, yeah, there's some, I think. And I'm going to, yeah, I think women get stronger as they get older.
Angela Vasssallo: Yes.
Andrea Ryff: It's apparent. I see it in the poll community all the time.
Angela Vasssallo: Oh, that's awesome. And I think it's something that not everybody thinks about doing first. They probably think, Hey, I'm going to go and try the gym or maybe a Pilates class or an aerobics class, or. Or yoga. And then now, you know, this option that you have [00:13:00] here, this studio is is so awesome and just another, another like.
Angela Vasssallo: Opportunity for women to be able to really find themselves and you know, step into their power and really get to know themselves. And I think it would be extremely empowering as well, to be able to, you know, get up the pole and be able to give yourself a, You know, and I just feel like it'd be very empowering for women.
Angela Vasssallo: I mean, I see you and I know you're, you're a world champion, like you've done phenomenally well. And, you know, and I think that that's something that's, it's just so, you know, inspirational and you've got these incredible women that follow you, but are you finding that, tell me what would the misconceptions are?
Angela Vasssallo: When it comes to pole dancing or, or achieve pole studio, do you find there's misconceptions about what you actually do and your business and everything?
Andrea Ryff: Yeah, absolutely. So the first misconception is you need to be strong, upper body, or you need to be. We need to be able to [00:14:00] touch your toes. That's probably the most common thing or an exactly what you just mentioned.
Andrea Ryff: You know, I'm going to go and do the gym or I'm going to go to a pilates class. I'm going to go yoga so I can get fit for pole is usually what we hear. And it's like, right now it's, it's whole will get you fit. And pole is actually a combination of all those things. It's a combination of your weight training because it's body weight yoga with your mobility and Pilates with that core strengthening.
Andrea Ryff: So it's a. All in one kind of you know, sports offering or fitness offering. Yeah, absolutely. So that's the, that's the biggest misconception. And I think that's the one main one that really holds a lot of women back. Body confidence is another one. You don't actually need to be thin or strong or lean or anything that, you know, the pole actually likes and we always say, you know, it likes the meat.
Andrea Ryff: Sorry. You know, the same thick thighs save lies. Well, that is definitely true for pole. [00:15:00] And you know, we don't discriminate pole does not discriminate with body shape.
Angela Vasssallo: And
Andrea Ryff: yeah, we still very much have that stuck in that stigma around, you know, all pole dancers are strippers pole studios are teaching women to be strippers and that couldn't be further from from the truth at all.
Andrea Ryff: So it's, You know, P. O. L. E. does you know, come from the roots of the strip clubs and very grateful for the, the women that brought it into the studios so that
Angela Vasssallo: we
Andrea Ryff: can do it in a space that is a lot more accessible for women these days, but you know, women don't come here so that they can become performers, they, although we do obviously, you know, get people, women who do come in here and want to compete and perform and that's great but the majority are just, you know, they come here to feel good about themselves and yeah, and exactly what you said, there's something what's empowering about pole is that you see something and your head instantly goes, I can't do that or I'll never be able to do that.
Andrea Ryff: I won't be able [00:16:00] to go upside down. So you, you think that and then when you achieve it. It's just such a rush, you know, when you think, well, hang on a minute, I remember when a pole sit used to be quite painful for me and I couldn't do it. And now I sit, you know, I do a pole sit as a rest. I sit here and I take a bit of a break because I'm doing other crazy stuff.
Andrea Ryff: So
Angela Vasssallo: you're seeing a change in the women when they come in from beginning to end and, you know, yes. And they get through, they they're inspiring themselves because they're being able to achieve something that they didn't think that they could achieve and overcoming the limiting belief that they couldn't possibly hang themselves up upside down or do this incredible.
Angela Vasssallo: You know, strengthening performance that you guys do. So it must be very empowering for a lot of women, but also to overcome those limiting beliefs that they have.
Andrea Ryff: So I call them fist pump moments. You know, those moments where you just, you really, you know, you go upside down for the first time. You've worked so hard to get there and then you get it and you just can't help, but give yourself a bit of a pat on the [00:17:00] back.
Andrea Ryff: And that fist pump moment where you go, yes, Yes. You know, and there's such a rush that comes with that. And then I think that filters further on into your life where you think, well, hang on a minute. I just proved myself wrong. Right. I thought I wouldn't be able to do that. How many other things in my life am I also wrong?
Andrea Ryff: Where else in my life am I holding myself back?
Angela Vasssallo: Yes.
Andrea Ryff: That leads into friendships, relationships, how you. You project your business, you know, your position within a company, for example, you know, asking that promotion or standing your ground with something that you believe in. Like I think,
Angela Vasssallo: you
Andrea Ryff: know, it really gets you to part
Angela Vasssallo: of it.
Angela Vasssallo: Yep.
Andrea Ryff: Absolutely. So it really does project outside the studio as you know.
Angela Vasssallo: Totally. No, that's so important as well. I can, I can totally see that because it is about whatever it's holding you back in life and what you believe you can achieve. And when you get in there and you be able to do things more than you ever thought you [00:18:00] could physically is, is an amazing you know, it's amazing triumph for a lot of women.
Angela Vasssallo: So I'm sure it'd be, you know, for you to see them change and be able to do that would be, yeah, an incredible experience. And you're a great teacher. You know, I've seen the women that all love you and follow you. And, you know, I think that What would be one thing that you would say to a woman that is considering coming along to a class and trying it for the first time, trying pole for the first time, what would be something that you would say to encourage her and give her the confidence that, you know, this is something that she could step into and it would be, you know, a really good thing for her.
Andrea Ryff: Anybody can do it. Like there's, there are no limitations. So
Angela Vasssallo: I think,
Andrea Ryff: Just come and try it. Just, just do it. Yeah. Yeah, give it a go, but you've got to come in with, I think you really do need to come in with the expectation, the acceptance that it's going to potentially suck. It's going to be different to anything you've done before.
Andrea Ryff: It's [00:19:00] going to feel uncomfortable a little bit awkward. You're not going to look like all of those videos that you see on social media. And that's the fun part of it, you know, and that's, you know, you just give it a go. You come in with a good attitude and stick to it. Like it takes at least sort of four to five classes before you start to understand what's going on.
Andrea Ryff: Right. Grab a friend. But even if you're looking for a community, you know, you've maybe you've moved to a new live city or something like that. You know, your pulse studio is actually a really great way to make some really, really firm, fast friendships.
Angela Vasssallo: Yeah, I could imagine. That's awesome. Well, that's really great for our listeners to think of, because I think that, you know, we all, we're always look, I dunno, personally, for me, I'm always thinking about what else can I do for my wellness?
Angela Vasssallo: What else can I do for my fitness? What else can I do for something different? And you know, I, I'm. I'm in my fifties now too. So I'm just looking for something, you know, that I enjoy that is not like so hard on my body, you know, I can't run like I [00:20:00] used to with so many things that I can't do. And I'm just not somebody that wants to go to the gym all the time and be around all the guys and lift all the weights.
Angela Vasssallo: I just not interested in doing that, but something like this in a, in a, in a female environment and just, you know, really being able to experience that. You know, that whole community that you have and then achieve something that you think, wow, look how far I'm coming, you know, but you're right. You have to start with the, with the end in mind and understand that when you do start, you're probably going to be pretty goofy and pretty hopeless in the beginning.
Angela Vasssallo: However, that's like anything in life, isn't it? And then you become so much better at it as you keep going.
Andrea Ryff: Yeah, exactly. And I think that you know, the thing, the thing is that what we see is that pole is it's non impact, right? That's a big, big, big thing. It's non impact. It's functional, which is also huge.
Andrea Ryff: You're not lifting a weight on the end. So you're not picking up a dumbbell and putting that excess pressure on your, on your joints. Work within [00:21:00] your range. And it's also, it's the, it's the one form of fitness that I think you can do for the rest of your life. One of my biggest inspirations, her name is Greta Pontarelli and she has won, you know, I guess I've won two world championship titles.
Andrea Ryff: Greta has won, I don't know how many, I think she was up to like 13 or something at last count might even be more than that, but Greta is in her seventies.
Angela Vasssallo: Wow. It
Andrea Ryff: still does the human flag, so it hangs itself sideways, which is something that, you know, when a male comes into the studio, that's the first thing they want to try and can't.
Andrea Ryff: And then you've got Greta, who's in her seventies, who's in her
Angela Vasssallo: seventies. That's incredible. Isn't it?
Andrea Ryff: But you see this a lot like there, you know, I know so many within the poll community that have been part of the poll community for like. 20 plus years going strong. So yeah, it's definitely, I think the, a sport for life.
Andrea Ryff: And I personally [00:22:00] genuinely believe it's the number one Sport fitness for, for women.
Angela Vasssallo: That's awesome. So probably really women in their second act, which is, you know, all the community we're talking about women in their forties and fifties and, you know, something they can be a part of and, you know, bring, bring a friend along and, you know, have it, have a go and, you know, come along to a class.
Angela Vasssallo: So
Andrea Ryff: I like about it too, actually, on that note is that I do remember having a conversation with a woman who had. You know, she started a poll because she had a couple of kids and he felt it was intimidating, not intimidating, but it was just too much of a trigger for her to go back to the things that she used to be able to do, but she couldn't do any more at that.
Andrea Ryff: Cause obviously you, you know, as you become a mother or, you know, you get older, your body does change and there are certain things. That we, we just isn't for us anymore. So she said, she goes, I just wanted to go and do something that was so completely out of my comfort zone. So different to anything that I'd ever done that I had no choice, but to [00:23:00] drop all my expectations and just be like, okay, let's go for a ride and see how, what happens, and she just loved it.
Andrea Ryff: And I think that that's another benefit from, from pole. And also when we're, you know, a bit older, we we're not really caught up in the ego of all I need to. You know, look my
Angela Vasssallo: best and I don't want to fall flat on my face to kind of, yeah, you've been over that, you know,
Andrea Ryff: when you get, when you get over 50, you sort of get to a point where you're like, yeah,
Angela Vasssallo: I'm doing this for me now, I'm going to try to figure this out for myself.
Angela Vasssallo: Yes. I probably will fall many times on my butt, but I am, you know, I'm going to get there.
Andrea Ryff: That's right. Yeah. I, that's what I think. So I think definitely for your second act, I think pole should be on the list. I
Angela Vasssallo: think so too. I'm definitely going to come in to your studio and try one of your classes.
Angela Vasssallo: And yeah, yeah, absolutely. So tell me, Andrea, who, how can people find you? So for instance, if people want to come and try one of your classes or bring a group of friends and you know, give it a [00:24:00] go, how would they? Find you because everything we're going to do now, we're actually going to put into the show notes as well.
Angela Vasssallo: So we can, you know, let everybody know how they can find you and put the link in there too. But let us know where your studio is and when you're open and a little bit about your classes.
Andrea Ryff: Yeah. So I'm on Instagram and I've got a very basic name. It's an Instagram handle. It's just my name, Andrea Ryff.
Andrea Ryff: That's my Instagram handle achieve pulse studio is the studio that is also, that's the handle for the studio. And yeah, I mean, I'm very much moving into a space where I would love to start really working with women over 50 you know,
Angela Vasssallo: in the
Andrea Ryff: future. And working with groups of women who, you know, are saying, right, I want to, I want to step into my power.
Andrea Ryff: I'll feel more confident. I want to, you know stand more confidently in those, you know, every time the camera comes out. And yeah, so I am definitely looking for women over 50 who would love to You know, make a change and try something [00:25:00] different. Yeah. Yeah. Anyone who's interested, I would love the contact and I will make it based Andrea, where are you based?
Andrea Ryff: I'm in Rosebury in Sydney, in the inner west.
Angela Vasssallo: Right. Great. Rosemary. Excellent. Yeah. Very easy to get to. Yes. Yeah. And I know that I think it's what you're talking about is a great idea with, with women in their forties and fifties to even try this, because one of the things I talk about is women in their second act, it's not a time to slow down.
Angela Vasssallo: It's a call to action and meaning that you've got the time now to really do what you want to do. Like you've been running the kids around doing all their sports for all these years, and a lot of them are growing up and doing their own things now and have their own cars. And now's the time for you to say, Hey, what do I want to do for myself?
Angela Vasssallo: Maybe I've got time to take my own myself to a class, you know, rather than, you know, Taking everybody else around as an Uber, training everybody for all that time. You can really focus on yourself now. So this would be something [00:26:00] amazing for women to step into and not only just, you know, enjoy a fitness class and get fit while they're doing it, but also overcome so much mentally, physically, emotionally, I think would, would be, you know, an incredible experience for a lot of women too.
Angela Vasssallo: I think there's a lot more to pole than what. People think I think it's very much a it's a, it's not only it's a head and body thing and heart thing, I think as well. So I think it's a whole combination of things that you would find that you would get out of it once you sort of started.
Andrea Ryff: 100 percent body, mind and soul.
Andrea Ryff: And it is a form of care. And I think, you know I think a lot of women there are points in their lives where women can lose themselves a little bit. So for example, like, as you've just said, like women really sacrifice everything for their kids. And also, you know, there is. Something very intimidating.
Andrea Ryff: I found anyway about turning 50. I just felt like I [00:27:00] lost, I had this voice in my head that was like, well, your life is over. You're past your due date. You know, you're no longer desirable or all these sorts of horrible things that I would tell myself. And none of that is actually true. And I think pole gives you that back.
Andrea Ryff: It's time for you to focus on you. And and you know, there's, For me feeling good about myself too, you know, like we, as we were talking earlier about the pole heels, you know, I love stepping into those pole heels and, and it makes me stand differently. My body looks different. My outfit looks different.
Andrea Ryff: There's just something so powerful about stepping into that power suit and that power body. Yeah, owning
Angela Vasssallo: who you are.
Andrea Ryff: That's right. Owning who you are. And I think that as women, often we, we it's, we struggle to give ourselves permission to be sexy or to be powerful or to be vocal, you know,
Angela Vasssallo: where
Andrea Ryff: there's a list of things that women are, you know.
Andrea Ryff: You know, we, we give ourselves a [00:28:00] hard time. And I
Angela Vasssallo: absolutely, and that, you know, it is, you're absolutely right, Andrea, I think that there's so much to what you just said. It's you're never too old. It's never too late. It's like you haven't missed the boat. It's the perfect time now. And I think it's really important to have the perfect time for women in their forties and fifties, when you've got that time to yourself now, where you can say, what do I want to do for me, you know, and then give yourself the permission, give yourself the permission to try something different, to have a go, to do it for you.
Angela Vasssallo: And it's something you don't even have to tell people what you're doing and just. Don't tell your husband and your kids all that and they were laughing at you or what it just, I'm going to go do something for myself and, and I'll let you know about it down the track. It's really something like that, that I think women could do
Andrea Ryff: for themselves, your closest girlfriends and go do it for you.
Andrea Ryff: You don't speak to anyone else because unfortunately, then everyone gives their opinion and then you're like, Oh, maybe I shouldn't do it. Maybe it's not for me. I mean, that again is. [00:29:00] Starting a business, right? Yeah. Oh, you shouldn't do it because you might fail. You might silly. You might do this. It's like, well, yeah, just
Angela Vasssallo: do it.
Angela Vasssallo: Well, it's also about, in this time of your life is. Trusting yourself. So when you make a decision for yourself, give yourself the permission and trust yourself that the decision you're making for yourself is the right decision. You know, you're a grown ass woman. You can do what you want to do and you can have a, you know, a great life.
Angela Vasssallo: So I think that that's been a really great interview. And I think that's going to be really very, very important for women to listen to today because I know that there's so many things that hold women back and I think one of the key things is, is this, this limiting belief and not giving yourself permission and stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something new for the first time.
Angela Vasssallo: And I think sometimes people lose, women lose their confidence in this time of life and it's about regaining back. That confidence and, you know, figuring out who you are again and what you want out of your life. But I think this is, this is [00:30:00] something, I think there's something here, Andrea. I think that's something for women, especially these times, you know, this age group to really, you know, connect with you and come along to one of your classes and, you know, re imagine their lives and rediscover who they really are.
Angela Vasssallo: So. Yeah, I just really encourage people to go along to one of Andrea's classes and give it a go. Why not? And yeah.
Andrea Ryff: I work online with women as well. So that's definitely an option. You know, coming down the track as well. So even if you're not in my local area, definitely, if you have any questions, reach out.
Andrea Ryff: I'm always happy to have discussions. Fabulous. With women and you know, develop that side of things. So awesome. You know, I'm stepping into my, I'm stepping into my, my second act as well.
Angela Vasssallo: Oh, I know, I know. What are you doing now? So what's the, what's the thing that you're, you're about to do now? Cause I know you were saying that you're just about to step back on the stage again and do something phenomenal.
Angela Vasssallo: What are you doing now?
Andrea Ryff: I am. So I'd hung up my pole dancing heels and I was like, that's it. And then I got a, I invitation [00:31:00] to it's called Poll Icon, which is this invitation only massive Australian competition that sees the best of the best. So I got an invitation to that. My initial reaction was, Oh my God, no, I can't.
Andrea Ryff: I've, it's been, I've been out of the game for too long. So it's been six, almost six years since I've been on stage.
Angela Vasssallo: Right.
Andrea Ryff: You know what? I, there's a reason that they've come to me. I've just turned 50. This is a great opportunity and I'm going to say yes. So I said yes to it. And very, very excited. I will be doing a theme that is very close to what we've discussed today.
Angela Vasssallo: Okay, great.
Andrea Ryff: And yeah, I'm very much looking forward to getting up on stage. Yeah, but I had to deal with the same mindset. It's just, I can't do what I used to do six years ago. And I've really had to sit down and dig deep and think, well, what can I do to remain my authentic self up on stage? And I think that I'm just like, listen, I, I, you know, my mind, my body moves [00:32:00] differently.
Andrea Ryff: I feel differently. I'm in a different place than where I was six years ago. So what does that look like for me? And I've just. I've just changed things around a little bit. And I think that I'll put on stage is something that I'm going to be very proud of. So I'm really excited to sort of get back into.
Angela Vasssallo: That's awesome. I'm excited
Andrea Ryff: for
Angela Vasssallo: you. I'm so excited for you. I think that's fabulous. And I just love seeing women just, you know, just own the stage like that and just go for it, you know, and yes, of course you're going to feel nervous. Of course there's changes, you know, in your body and who you are, but You're going for it and I love that, you know, you're just gonna, you're gonna, you're gonna rock it.
Angela Vasssallo: I know you're going to be amazing, Andrea, and you're an inspiration and I just want to thank you for coming on the Launch Your Second Act podcast today, our show. It's been awesome interviewing you. I know that it's going to inspire a lot of women and I know you'll probably end up having a lot of women, you know, getting contact with you as well.
Angela Vasssallo: So thank you. I want to thank you again and all the best with [00:33:00] your, you know, your new one that you've got coming up. And I can't wait to see you shine on the stage.
Andrea Ryff: Thank you. And thank you for always being such an inspiration as well. Angela, you're an incredible woman and I look up to you. And I think a lot of where I am, where I am right now is because of you.
Andrea Ryff: So thank you.
Angela Vasssallo: Thank you. That's lovely. I really appreciate that. Well, all the best, Andrea. And we'll definitely put all your details in the show notes. So for anyone who wants to connect with you and come and try one of your classes, I highly recommend it.
Andrea Ryff: Thank you very, very much.
Angela Vasssallo: All right. See you soon.
Angela Vasssallo: Thank you. Thank you for tuning in today. I really appreciate it. Like I've always said, there are so many podcasts out there that you can listen to. And the fact that you're here listening to this one, I'm so grateful. So Thank you so much. This podcast is all about taking center stage of your life in your second act.
Angela Vasssallo: And your second act isn't a time to slow down. It's a call to action. It's your [00:34:00] life and it's your rules. Thank you again. I really, really appreciate you. And if you think that anybody would benefit from this, please share and even tag me in at Angela Vasallo and subscribe. I look forward to seeing you in the next episode.
Angela Vasssallo: Bye for now.
