What happens when you give people a chance?
Our guests this week are the remarkable mother–daughter team Gabi and Mary Angelini, founders of Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities, a nonprofit redefining employment, dignity, and purpose for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Gabi, who has Down syndrome, spent years applying for jobs — dressing up, practicing interview answers, and doing everything she was told to do — yet employer after employer told her “no.” One smoothie shop even gave her a full tour… only to later reject her without ever letting her try the job.
After that heartbreaking moment, Mary made a decision that would change hundreds of lives:
If the world wouldn’t hire Gabi, they would build their own company.
From that fire came Gabi’s Grounds, a coffee brand now sold in multiple grocery chains across North Carolina. When the pandemic shut down coffee events, they pivoted again and launched Gabi’s PALS — a thriving packaging, assembly, labeling, and shipping enterprise now employing over 50 adults with special abilities.
Their model proves what the world often overlooks:
🎯 Ability is not defined by disability.
🎯 People just need a chance.
🎯 When included, they excel — with precision, joy, and pride.
Gabi now speaks on national stages, including TEDx and The Kelly Clarkson Show, inspiring others to embrace their superpower.
This conversation is a testament to resilience, purpose, and the extraordinary things that happen when someone refuses to let society limit their child — or anyone else’s.
🌟 This Episode is the Final Installment of our November series on The Power of Giving
Episode Takeaways:
✨ The real story behind hundreds of rejections — and the “last straw” that changed everything
✨ How Gabi turned a lifetime of “no” into a thriving nonprofit employing over 50 adults
✨ Why adults with special needs lose support after high school — and what needs to change
✨ The hidden gift: how neurodivergent employees deliver impeccable quality and consistency
✨ How inclusive workplaces unlock confidence, independence, and community
✨ Zion’s story: from warehouse worker to cybersecurity graduate — all from being given a chance
✨ Gabi’s fearless TEDx journey and her superpower of kindness
✨ What success looks like now: dreams of “Gabi’s Village,” expansion, and nationwide opportunity
✨ How YOU can help create meaningful employment for adults with special abilities
About Our Guests — Mary & Gabi Angelini
Gabi Angelini is a TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, coffee founder, disability advocate, and champion of kindness. Born with Down syndrome, she transformed a world that kept telling her “no” by building something bigger than herself.
Mary Angelini, her mother and co-founder, is the powerhouse who turned heartbreak into a movement. As the visionary behind Gabi’s Powered by Special Abilities, she has created dignified, meaningful jobs for over 50 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Mary is a national advocate, speaker, and inclusive employment leader.
Together, they run Gabi’s Grounds (coffee) and Gabi’s PALS (packaging, assembly, labeling, shipping) — proving that ability is everywhere when doors are opened.
Connect with Gabi & Mary
🌐 Website: https://poweredbygabis.org/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabisraleigh
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabi-angelini-359bb5239
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-angelini/
📹 Watch Gabi’s TEDx Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m78DQLocD5A
About the Host - Dr. Amna Shabbir
Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician and TEDx Speaker with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the Well-being of High Achievers.
Connect with Dr. Shabbir
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/
🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/speaking
🌐 No-Cost Application to Join The Unmasking Perfectionism Community: https://unmaskingperfectionism.com/
📹 Watch Dr. Shabbir’s TEDx Talk:
Perfectionism Has a Solution – It’s Not What You Think
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNIzzM4Vg3s
SPECIAL END OF YEAR OFFER: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/mattering
Mattering Too Much: How High-Achieving Women Can Reclaim Joy This Holiday Season
Dec 1st - 6 pm ET - Virtual - FREE Registration - Replays Available
A rare opportunity to engage directly with Jennifer B. Wallace
New York Times bestselling author · Award-winning journalist · Former CBS 60 Minutes producer · Co-Founder, The Mattering Movement
❌ Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.
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