We were lucky to catch up with Ashley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission is to help others navigate their own cycles of transformation—empowering them to move through fear, align with their authentic selves, and build something lasting and meaningful. Whether it’s through my coaching, yoga classes, retreats, or Human Design & Self-Love course and group, I guide people to embrace their journey, trust the process, and rise to their potential.

This work is deeply personal to me. For so long, I looked outside myself for permission to go all in on me. Leaving a stable teaching career to believe, truly believe, in my ability to help women heal and love themselves wasn’t easy. But it was necessary.

It started in my second year of teaching, when I ran a self-esteem book club for girls. The vulnerability and healing that unfolded in that classroom in 2008 showed me something I never forgot: when women gather and share their stories, they realize they’re not alone and that connection becomes the spark for something so much bigger. These women are now in their 30’s living big, full lives and I still hear from them almost 20 years later!

I rediscovered my truth throughout my 30s. Through heartbreak, rejection, and moments when my life felt like it was falling apart, yoga became my anchor. On the mat, I found strength. In the sweat and stillness, I began to love my body and accept myself- imperfections and all. I found presence, peace, and the courage to rebuild.

Leaving my career and starting over as a business owner at 40 was terrifying—but I was no longer willing to wait for “one day.” I wanted to show my daughter what it looks like to believe in yourself fully.

At the heart of everything I teach is this: Real transformation starts when you learn to love and honor who you are, right now.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started to teach yoga in 2017 while also writing a travel and lifestyle blog called The Daily Croissant, inspired by my zest for life and obsession with France. On that blog I started to notice my messaging became a lot about self-acceptance and this idea that you create a life you love not by escaping it, but by fully embracing every day which was aligned with my yoga practice. About 3 years into that I became a mom and started running women’s groups virtually during the pandemic that became a lifeline for like-minded women to connect with one another at a time that felt so isolating, especially in the early stages of motherhood. I continued to teach, but I started to hear this calling even louder: I started creating more events and circles for women to connect beyond yoga and there grew my self-love practice and teaching beyond the mat. I did this with my students and then started to do it in public spaces, offering workshops and more robust events for women to embrace their authenticity.
Through my courses, coaching and meditations, I help women really find what they’re passionate about and what kind of life they want to live. They filter everything through their pillars to start taking aligned action on their goals and make real changes in their life through small daily commitments to themselves.
I currently have a 5 day challenge that blends all of my teachings (intention setting, meditation, yoga, Human Design and journaling) into a 15-minute a day practice to help you come back to yourself.
What I’m most proud of is taking the leap on me and I want to show others that when you truly commit to your growth and when you get tired, you rest, you don’t quit. When we commit to our mission and invest in our own healing we buy years back in our life. Will it be hard? Yes. But will it be worth it? 1000% yes.
I want the followers to know:

WHO I AM:
I’m a guide, space holder, and teacher for women ready to come home to themselves. I’ve walked through the fire and instead of letting it burn me down, I let it ignite me. My healing journey is ongoing, honest, and imperfect and that’s what makes it real.

WHAT I DO:
I help women reconnect with their inner spark through self-love, mindfulness, movement, and Human Design. My work blends coaching, yoga, meditation, and deep inner work to help you create a life that feels aligned from the inside out.

WHAT I BELIEVE:
Healing is not linear.
You are the love of your life.
You can turn your pain into purpose.
You don’t need to have it all figured out to take the next right step.
There is power in your softness, and strength in your truth.
The life you want isn’t found; it’s created, one aligned decision at a time.

WHAT I OFFER:
1. IGNITED Coaching Program – 1:1 or group guidance to help you get clear, reclaim your energy, and show up as your most authentic self so you can create a life you love.
2. Reignite Your Spark Challenge – A free 5-day experience to help you reconnect with your body, mind, and purpose.
3. Retreats & Events – Immersive experiences that blend inner healing with real-life connection.
4. Customized and Curated Guided Meditations for beginners and seasoned meditators!
MY BRAND IS ABOUT:
Raw, unfiltered truth
Sacred space for healing and self-expression
A softer, deeper, and more intuitive way to grow
Creating a life that feels good, not just looks good

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to stop giving my power away and seeking validation and advice from people who weren’t going in the same direction as me. In my 20’s and even into my early 30’s, I felt like I was waiting for someone to come and save me and grant me permission to do the things I wanted. I worked so much just for a paycheck instead of for how it felt. I chose the “safe” path of teaching and although i had a beautiful teaching career, I knew there was something more that I wanted to do and that’s how I started to do soul coaching. But it was my meditation and yoga practice that cleared the mental space for me to really understand who I was and what would make me happy.
I had an amazing childhood, but I lost my dad to cancer when I was only 17 and I was in survival mode for a lot of years after that. My mom was so strong, but I saw her struggle financially due to losing my dad and his business so I always knew I wanted to be able to provide myself with a bigger life and not struggle. My Dad was also a business owner and was the epitome of hard work and great work ethic and I know he would be so proud of what I’m building today.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I am always checking in on current and past clients. Whether you’ve attended one of my retreats, taken one of my courses or been part of an event of group, you get a weekly newsletter and special invites to my limited groups like my self-love club for entrepreneurs which is an invitation-only community of women who want more emotional and spiritual support on their journey. We host members-only events, yoga classes, zoom groups and in-person soul-nourishing gatherings. I also offer a free Monday Morning Meditation to my community to help you start your week with more intention. I really am a people person at heart so keeping in touch with my community is one of the main things that keep me going and committed to my mission. I feel like I definitely offer something different in the yoga space. I don’t focus on yoga as a workout, but rather a work-in- a spiritual practice of coming home to yourself, especially on the hard days. I think my clients appreciate my unique approach in an industry that has become more about how it looks than about how it feels, but I do think the pendulum is swinging back! And one other unique offering about my coaching that keeps clients coming back is the community we create- such as in my Human Design Course. We connect with other people who share similar human design elements and it helps build your life and business even stronger.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.livinglotusyoga.com
• Instagram: @ashleynapoliyoga
• Facebook: Living Lotus Yoga
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-napoli-/
• Youtube: @The_Living_Lotus

Image Credits

@stelmahphoto
@alliejordecreative
@bricodella