Nurse Entrepreneur Spotlight: Angie Gray
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram
Angie Gray, RN, is a professional leadership coach and the visionary behind High Performance Nursing and the Nurse Leadership Mastery Program™, dedicated to bringing humanity back to healthcare by elevating the leadership capacities within the nursing community.
With a robust nursing background and over 30 years in the wellness industry, Angie specializes in enhancing the crucial skills of communication and relationship-building. Her coaching, keynote speaking and training focus on empowering leaders to navigate both the emotional and physical demands of their roles, fostering environments of trust and care. Her methods not only aim to improve individual well-being and joy but also to drive superior outcomes for organizations and their clientele.
As a seasoned leadership, relationships, and communication expert, Angie has graced stages nationwide, including co-hosting two segments with Dr. Oz on the Dr. Oz show, focused on the Future of Nursing. Her work as a prevention educator further underscores her commitment to nurturing well-rounded, resilient healthcare leaders.
Can you tell us about your journey as an entrepreneur in the healthcare industry?
I was a young wife and mother of 7 kids who was struggling to find a balance between a demanding career as a nurse and a desire to be fully present in my husband & kids' lives. (Not to mention find even just a tiny bit of time for myself.) I was very hard on myself and carried a lot of stress. This usually led to breakdowns in communication and strained relationships at work and home. I was tired. I was dragging. I was unfulfilled. I knew there had to be a better way.
I found myself a mentor, and together we created a plan that aligned with who I am and how I wanted to show up in life. I was looking for a way to continue to serve others while building a loving relationship with myself, great connection with others, and work I loved showing up for. It was during this time that I began to discover how communication was the 'make or break' factor in having great relationships and good outcomes at work. And then in one of those lightbulb moments where things all just seem to click together, I realized that if someone were to come to a place of true peace and love with themselves AND add great communication skills to that? They'd be unstoppable.
So I went back to the books and gained multiple certifications in mindfulness and communication and began to put everything that I was learning into play in my life. My journey started as a wellness coach, speaker, and prevention educator in 2014. In 2018, I founded High Performance Nursing and made a shift back to my roots of nursing as a leadership coach.
What inspired you to start your own venture in this field?
Through an incredible opportunity to cohost with Dr. Oz twice in 2018 as the nurse expert for The Future of Nursing series, I saw firsthand the need to better prepare new nurses and equip current nurses and nurse leaders with the skills that matter most—communication and relationship-building. These skills are the foundation for creating strong, supportive cultures that empower nurses to excel and provide the highest level of care.
What specific problem or challenge in healthcare are you addressing with your business?
I’m addressing one of the biggest challenges in healthcare—nurse retention and leadership development.
Too many nurses are leaving the profession due to burnout, feeling undervalued, and lacking the support and leadership training they need to thrive. While organizations invest in recruitment, they often neglect the root issue: the need for strong leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills that create a culture of trust and retention.
Through High Performance Nursing Coaching and The Nurse Leadership Mastery Program™, I help healthcare organizations develop their best nurses into great leaders — improving retention, engagement, and overall workplace culture. By focusing on trust, communication, relationships, and leadership development, we’re empowering nurses to lead and transform healthcare from within.
How does your company’s service innovate or improve upon existing solutions in the healthcare sector?
Most leadership programs in healthcare focus on policies, processes, and management skills—but they miss the core issue: developing nurses into confident, effective leaders who can build trust, communicate clearly, and create strong relationships.
High Performance Nursing Coaching and The Nurse Leadership Mastery Program™ go beyond traditional training by focusing on the human side of leadership—the skills that actually drive retention, engagement, and performance.
Here’s how we’re different:
✔ Trust-Centered Leadership – We teach nurses and nurse leaders how to create cultures of trust that improve team collaboration, morale, and retention.
✔ Communication Mastery – Instead of just teaching policies, we develop real-world communication skills that help nurses navigate difficult conversations, advocate for themselves, and lead with confidence. These are life skills that apply at home and on the job (because it’s all connected).
✔ Personalized Coaching & Development – Unlike one-time workshops, we offer ongoing coaching and support, ensuring that leadership growth is sustainable and impactful.
✔ ROI-Driven Approach – We prove the value of nurse leadership development by tracking engagement, retention, and organizational impact, showing clear financial and cultural benefits to stakeholders.
Without nurse-driven leadership, the system will continue to struggle. Our approach puts nurses at the center of change, ensuring they are equipped to lead, influence, and transform healthcare from the inside out.
What have been the biggest obstacles you've faced in launching and growing your healthcare business, and how have you overcome them?
One of the biggest obstacles I’ve faced in launching and growing my business is getting organizations to see leadership development as a must-have, not a nice-to-have.
Healthcare has poured resources into policies, procedures, and technology while overlooking the human side of leadership—trust, communication, and relationships. The challenge? Organizations know they have a retention and leadership problem, but many hesitate to invest in developing their nurses as leaders because they don’t see the immediate ROI.
How I’ve tackled it:
✔ Talking in their language – I break it down in terms of retention, engagement, and patient outcomes—things that directly impact their bottom line. When they see how nurse leadership saves money, strengthens teams, and improves care, the investment makes sense.
✔ Proving it works – High Performance Nursing tracks it. We measure engagement, retention, and leadership impact so organizations see real, tangible results.
✔ Advocating relentlessly – I do all I can, advocating for nurses to have a seat at the leadership table and to make sure decision-makers understand that strong nurse leaders create strong organizations.
✔ Building relationships – Trust is everything. My business has grown because I focus on meaningful connection, impact, and results.
Entrepreneurship is not easy, but I know one thing for sure—when nurses are supported and empowered, healthcare changes for the better. And I’ll keep showing up to make that happen.
Can you share success stories of milestones that your company has achieved in improving healthcare outcomes or patient experiences?
There have been so many moments that remind me why this work matters. But if I had to highlight a few that truly moved the needle in healthcare leadership, patient outcomes, and the personal lives of the nurses I serve, here’s what comes to mind:
✔ Providing hope, relief, and a safe space during the height of COVID. When nearly 100 frontline caregivers and leaders in a senior living organization were overwhelmed and exhausted, our group coaching and training became a kind of lifeline. In a time of fear and uncertainty, this space allowed them to process their trauma, feel seen and supported, and know they weren’t alone.
Through our work together, they learned communication and self-awareness skills. They experienced real relief, resilience, and renewed purpose. The feedback we were honored to receive reflected deep gratitude for the support, validation, and trust built within our sessions. And the impact was undeniable—the retention within this group was remarkable, proving that when people feel valued, supported, and connected, they stay.
✔ Coaching that transforms more than just leadership skills. One of the most rewarding parts of my work is seeing how personal growth fuels professional success. When nurses and nurse leaders develop self-awareness and step into self-actualization, everything shifts. They lead with confidence, build stronger relationships, communicate more effectively, and bring more joy into every area of their lives. And that joy, that clarity of purpose is contagious. It ripples through their teams, their families, and ultimately, their patients.
✔ Speaking on stages across the country. I’ve had the privilege of training and coaching hundreds of nurses and nurse leaders, helping them develop the confidence, communication skills, and the leadership mindset needed to transform their teams and organizations. It’s an incredible honor helping them realize their own value, step into their purpose, and create impact beyond what they thought was possible.
✔ Sponsoring and advocating for nurse leadership at Think Tank. Partnering with James Lee and Nicole Will, I helped sponsor a nurse leader’s seat at Think Tank, ensuring that nurses have a voice at one of the most influential, transformation-focused groups in senior living. Nurses belong in these conversations, and I’m proud to be part of making that happen.
✔ Being invited as the nurse expert on Dr. Oz twice. This was a pivotal moment, not just for me, but for the visibility of nurses as thought leaders. It reinforced the reality that nurses deserve a seat at every table where the future of healthcare is being shaped.
Every one of these milestones represents something bigger — helping nurses and nurse leaders step into who they truly are, recognize their worth, and lead with confidence. When they do, everything changes. Their teams thrive. Patients receive better care. Outcomes improve. And most importantly? They experience more joy and fulfillment in all that they do.
This is what drives me every single day.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to enter the healthcare industry with their own startups?
Well, first of all, DO IT! We need YOU! And, the truth is—it’s super not easy. Healthcare isn’t set up for change-makers to have a smooth path. You’ll run into resistance, slow-moving decision-makers, and a system that in general values policies and procedures over people. The biggest challenge is sticking with it long enough to make an impact. In my experience here's what I’ve learned:
✔ Get crystal clear on the problem you’re solving. There are a lot of challenges in healthcare, but not all of them are yours to fix. Find the one you’re called to solve and stay focused.
✔ Understand the people you’re serving. Listen first. The best solutions come from truly understanding what people need—not just what you think they need.
✔ Build relationships. Anything successful runs on trust. The right relationships will open more doors than any pitch deck ever will.
✔ Be ready to play the long game. Change takes time. You’ll need patience, persistence, and like-minded people who will support and believe in you and your work.
✔ Know your numbers. If you can’t show the ROI—whether it’s better outcomes, cost savings, or improved retention—it’ll be tough to get buy-in.
The most important “advice” I have: Know your own worth. All the strategy, persistence, and business acumen in the world won’t mean anything if you don’t have a solid foundation within yourself. Your voice matters. Your work is needed. The truth of who you are—your confidence, your self-awareness, your belief in yourself—is the secret sauce to making it through the hardest days.
This is exactly why I do what I do through High Performance Nursing. Coaching, speaking, and training is all about instilling the unshakable confidence that allows nurses and nurse leaders to trust themselves, stand in their value, and lead from a place of strength. When you believe in yourself at that level, you won’t give up. You keep going, you keep showing up—for yourself and for those you love, lead, and serve.
How do you stay informed about the latest trends, developments, and challenges in the healthcare sector — and how does this inform your business strategy?
Staying informed in healthcare is a priority to stay deeply connected to the industry in multiple ways. I stay informed the following ways:
✔ I follow key industry sources like McKnight’s Senior Living, Senior Housing News, and Senior Living Foresight to keep up with policy shifts, workforce challenges, and new innovations that impact nurse leaders and healthcare organizations.
✔ I actively engage with thought leaders and nurse innovators on LinkedIn. I actively engage with thought leaders and nurse innovators on LinkedIn. Some of the most crazy-amazing ideas in healthcare are coming from nurses who are challenging the status quo and rethinking what’s possible (like Courtney Hogenson)! I intentionally build relationships exchanging ideas, supporting their work, and learning from their experiences. These connections are everything because real change happens through collaboration, not in isolation
✔ I follow great podcasters and researchers in my field. I’m always looking to expand my perspective, challenge my thinking, and refine my skills. There’s so much wisdom out there, and staying plugged in helps me bring the best insights to the nurses and leaders I serve.
✔ I stay connected to the people doing the work. It’s one thing to read about industry challenges—it’s another to listen directly to nurses, leaders, and frontline staff about what they’re experiencing. Through my coaching, training, and real-time conversations, I gain invaluable insight into the actual struggles and opportunities in healthcare today.
✔ I use this knowledge to help nurses recognize their worth and value—because lasting change comes from within. Transformation in healthcare will come from empowering nurses and leaders to step fully into their confidence, trust themselves, and own their impact. When they do that, they not only lead more effectively, they create stronger teams, improve patient outcomes, and inspire meaningful, lasting change. When we invest in nurses, we invest in the future of healthcare.
What are your long-term goals and visions for your healthcare business, and how do you plan to achieve them?
My vision is to ensure that every nurse and nurse leader recognizes their worth, understands their influence, and has the skills to create cultures of trust that transform healthcare from the inside out. For too long, healthcare has focused on policies, technology, and short-term fixes while neglecting the human side of leadership—communication, trust, and relationships. I’m here to change that. Here’s how I’m making it happen:
✔ Expanding High Performance Nursing’s Coaching & Training Programs – Scaling this work to reach more organizations, training thousands of nurses and nurse leaders in the skills that directly impact retention, engagement, and patient outcomes.
✔ Shaping the Leadership Pipeline in Senior Living – Continuing to advocate for nurses to have a seat at decision-making tables, ensuring they are included in shaping policies, workplace cultures, and leadership strategies in senior living and beyond.
✔ Speaking & Thought Leadership – Leveraging keynotes, training, and media opportunities to push this message further, helping organizations recognize that investing in nurses isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smartest strategy for long-term success.
✔ Building Stronger Industry Partnerships – Collaborating with senior living leaders, innovators, and advocates (like my work with Think Tank, James Lee, and Nicole Will and so many others!) to elevate nurse leadership in healthcare decision-making.
✔ Developing a Network of High-Performing Nurse Leaders – Creating a powerful, connected community of nurses who are leading change in their organizations, sharing knowledge, and supporting one another in their leadership growth.
✔ Using the Sister Friends Podcast to Elevate the Role of Relationships in Leadership & Well-Being – Through real, unfiltered conversations, my podcast highlights how relationships impact every aspect of well-being—physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. With a focus on nurses, nurse leaders, and women in leadership, Sister Friends is a space to explore how self-awareness, connection, and communication shape not just our careers, but our lives.