Angie Cox | Finding Your Why
Today, we’re excited to introduce you to an absolutely fantastic Flower Mound resident— as you know, Around Flower Mound is all about bringing light to community leaders, business owners, parents, and charities within our fantastic community.
Our guest today is Angie Cox— 2007 Flower Mound citizen of the year. Angie is the owner of Cox Cleaning and represents Allegiance Title Company. Not only is Angie quite the businesswoman, but she is also passionate about giving back to her community as a third-term LISD trustee and mentor with Communities in Schools of North Texas, she supports Journey To Dream, Women Of Flower Mound PD Place, Denton County Children’s Advocacy, and more!
We’ll learn more about what Angie does, who she wants to be a hero to, and why she wanted to start her business, as well as chat with Angie about…
Understanding your community
Giving back
Knowing your “why”
Growing from your challenges
Mentioned in this episode:
Transcript
Nicole Smith Woodard: Today I'm so excited to introduce you to an absolutely fantastic Flower Mound resident. As you know Around Flower Mound is all about bringing light to community leaders, business owners, parents and charities within our fantastic community. And if you know anything about Flower Mound, you likely already know today's guest, someone who literally checks every box. Welcome 2007 Flower Mound, citizen of the year and still very much involved, my friend Angie Cox.
Angie Cox: Hi, Nicole. How are you today?
Nicole: I am great. I'm so excited that you're here.
Angie: I'm really excited about seeing this podcast come to life. So I'm going to be interested to see all your future guests and hearing all their stories.
Nicole: Well, I am too. And I'm hopeful that that's just going to really just be a benefit and a value to our entire community. So I'm going to talk a little bit about you and then we're going to get right into some great questions that I think our listeners will be interested in your perspective. So Angie and her husband Stewart moved to Flower Mound in 1995. And they have four children who have attended Flower Mound schools. So you guys are overachievers even in that department. I love it. They own a business, Cox Cleaning. Angie also represents Allegiance Title Company, which is one of my favorites.
And when she says she enjoys giving back and serving the community, that is an understatement. Here are just a few of her givebacks. She's a third term LISD trustee, a mentor with Communities in Schools of North Texas. She supports Journey To Dream, Women of Flower Mound, PD Place, Denton County Children's Advocacy Center. Probably even more. And I see her at chamber events and greater Lewisville Association of Realtors events. I'm so honored that you were sharing some of your really, really busy schedule with us today. So thank you. Thank you for being here.
Angie: Thanks, Nicole.
Nicole: You betcha. So let's start off with what is your favorite thing about Flower Mound?
That Flower Mound Atmosphere
Angie: I think probably, you know, what brought us to the community, of course not having any kids at the time, was just the suburban life but you get the country atmosphere. So you kind of get both. And then you are able to get to the airport, very accessible to the DFW complex but yet in a nice suburbia community. Great schools, great place to raise your family. So that's really the main reason why, you know, we chose Flower Mound.
Nicole: Love it. Well, tell us about Cox Cleaning Service. Y'all have been in business for over 20 years. Tell us what you do and who do you want to be a hero to?
Angie: So yes, the cleaning business we started 20 years ago. And kind of fun fact for you, I really wanted to own my own business. It's always been kind of a dream for me. And so I cleaned my first house nine months pregnant. And, you know, started working from there. But, you know, with determination definitely as a small business owner, it has its ups and downs.
And we've definitely, you know, had our fair share of struggles and triumphs and great things, but I'm so pleased with the staff that we have and the hard workers that we have, you know, with the company. And, you know, so I say probably as you asked, Who would I want to be a hero too. It's my kids. I just want to set a good example for them to show them that, you know, hard work, perseverance, you can achieve your dreams and, you know, working hard is, you know, the American dream.
Nicole: Absolutely. Well, you are absolutely an expert in being of service and being in business at the same time. And why do you think it's so important for people to understand that combination?
Angie: For being in business for themselves or
Nicole: For being of service and being in business. That combination that you are.
Angie: Yeah, I, well, I think it's important that you understand your community and, you know, be resourceful for people. I think that's really important that, you know, people always have needs and, you know, need things in your community and I think it's important to the community you live in, you know what's available to you or who can you reach out to and the time of need or what services you might need. And just get to know the people in your community. I think that's really important.
Nicole: Absolutely. Well, you've obviously had some real successes in lots of different areas of your life. And what do you believe that makes some successful while others struggle? Or as it relates to you, what are some of the things that makes you successful?
Making Connections Can Drive Success
Angie: I think, probably, you know, working to grow my business has been my connection. You know, the connections I have made to people to help me, I'm always learning from people. And I love to meet with any kind of people, whether it's for coffee or just a one on one or just someone out randomly in the community. I'm definitely an outgoing personality type. But I think that attributes a lot to my success just to ask questions. And then, you know, I'm a humble person. I'm not in it to be a multimillionaire. So I want to serve people and be fair and, you know, treat others as you want to be treated. I think that's the golden rule your mom always tells you, right?
Nicole: Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Absolutely. What are some of the things that you're most proud of?
Angie: In my business? Or Well, of course, my kids. I think I'm just most proud of just learning. I've, you know, I've made some mistakes in my life. I've, you know, we all have as we grow up, and I've learned from each of those, and I wouldn't trade anything, you know, in the world. I've just, it's made me become who I am today from challenges I've had or things I've had to overcome. And I'm really grateful for those opportunities and times that have helped me through the struggles that I've had.
Nicole: Well, it's always, I never wish anything negative on anybody, by all means, but you know, from the outside looking in, one would not know that you had struggles. And it's interesting that you say that it's from those struggles that you've learned the greatest lessons.
Angie: Yes. I mean, like You know, just for example, you know, like I was raised by a single mom. You know, she worked three jobs. I think that was what was posted in the paper. And, you know, just she taught me so much as just, you know, working hard and, you know, not thinking that you couldn't achieve something.
I was able to move here and go to college, pay for college myself. And, you know, this isn't a pat Angie on the back session, but that's one thing I can preach to kids is just that you can do it. You know, so many people think I can't afford it, or I can't do it. And like, you really can. It may not be the path that you wanted to right away and it may take you 10 years instead of, you know, six years, but you can do it. You really can.
Nicole: Well, you are definitely an inspiration to so many, speaking for myself and others. Okay, so you and I were in a book club together for a while and so I know you like to read. I don't know when you make a lot of time to read, but are you reading anything currently that you would recommend to others?
Angie: One of my favorite books is The Why, you know, finding your why. And I always just think that's really important for people to know, why are you doing what you're doing? You know, if you can't answer that question, I think that makes it really hard, you know, in what you're doing, you know, especially if you're not enjoying what you're doing, if you don't enjoy coming to work, probably should find a different job.
Nicole: Isn't that the truth? Well, and do you think, is it, and you don't have to share with this, your personal why but do you have one overarching why? Or do you have a why for why you parent or why for why you work or why for why you serve in the different organizations that you serve? How would you describe your why?
Angie’s Why
Angie: Yeah, my why is that, you know, I want to make a difference. And I'll never forget, I think when I joined the school board, you're able to attend this meeting for first-year school board members. And I went and one of the things that really resonated with me, you know, several years ago was, you know, what's gonna be your legacy? Even though the board makes up seven board members, and, you know, one person can't make a change, but one person can make a difference.
And so that really resonated with me going, Okay, what do I want my legacy to be? And you would hope that you leave the place a better place than you came to it. So I just think that's why like, I like to be involved and different organizations. I want to make a difference. I don't know what it is but somehow I want to contribute to that difference that's gonna make for someone.
Nicole: Well, you definitely do. And speaking as a trustee and as a parent who's had four children in the schools here with Lewisville ISD but here in Flower Mound specifically, we know a lot of people move to Flower Mound because of the quality schools. So what would you tell a parent who is looking for just information or assurance of why their children will receive a quality education here in our community?
Early Education in Flower Mound
Angie: Yes, thank you. That's a great question. And we do. We, I'm not unbiased, of course, being with LISD on the school board. But LISD is a fantastic school district. And I think as people are moving here and wanting to check out the school district is to go to our website and even check out each of the schools have their own page. And it's a snapshot of what's happening at that school. We even have a realtor section on the website that realtors can go to and look at the different, even feeder patterns, zones, different things that the school is offering.
I mean, some of the great, so I'll just mention a few, but of course, is our career center, new one that's going to be opening next fall that we're offering there, you know, in Flower Mound. Then we'll also, we also have sim academies for several of our students. The Discovery Academy for children that are age four. There's just, we're providing different opportunities for the needs of different students. You know, let's face it, school's not the same way when you and I went to school. Very, very different. How we learned is very different. So I think LISD recognizes that and tries to provide different avenues for students.
Nicole: Excellent. Well, I for one, just appreciate the service that you bring because we all know the future of our community is dependent upon our community receiving quality education. So thank you for your service and for your leadership there. Well, I so appreciate Angie, that you were able to join us today on the Around Flower Mound Podcast. How can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
Angie: They can reach me on my cell. That's probably the best way I may not call them right back right then but I will get back to them. And that number is 972-743-5735. And I always like to go out and have coffee and trout or our newest little restaurants in town too. So
Nicole: Excellent. Well, I love that so much and I just appreciate you. Angie, thank you so much and to your continued success.
Angie: Oh, you too Nicole, and thanks for all you do. You're a rock star yourself.
Nicole: Awesome. Thank you.
