We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley Loveless Cunningham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

How I Actually Started Wealth Building Academy — From Idea to Execution

Let me keep it real — Wealth Building Academy didn’t start with a fancy plan or investors. It started with a notebook, a vision, and a deep frustration with seeing people stuck in the same financial cycle. I’ve been in the credit and business world for almost two decades, helping families clean up their credit, buy homes, and build businesses. But what I kept seeing was the same problem: people were fixing their credit but still didn’t understand how to build wealth.

That was my turning point. I didn’t want to just fix problems — I wanted to teach people how to create solutions. So the idea for Wealth Building Academy came to me one night after back-to-back consultations. I remember thinking, “What if there was one space where I could teach everything I know — credit, business funding, e-commerce, dropshipping, building business credit — and show people how to use this knowledge to actually build generational wealth?”

The next day, I got to work. No delay. I spent hours researching platforms, comparing systems, building out the curriculum, recording modules, writing guides, and setting up automations. I didn’t have a big team — it was just me, Google, caffeine, and a determination to get it done.

The first month was a learning curve. I had to figure out what content needed to come first, how to structure the modules so people didn’t feel overwhelmed, and how to brand the academy so it reflected both education and empowerment. I stayed up late designing slides, recording content, editing videos, and creating workbooks that made the process feel simple, even for beginners.

Within a few months, the Wealth Building Academy went from an idea in my notes to a full digital campus — with step-by-step courses, fillable workbooks, community challenges, and real-life plays that actually produce results. Watching members start LLCs, build business credit, get funding, and even launch their own brands made every sleepless night worth it.

The truth is, I didn’t wait for permission. I didn’t wait for perfect. I built while I learned and learned while I built. I focused on impact over perfection. That’s how Wealth Building Academy was born — through faith, execution, and a mission to help others break generational cycles and build financial freedom from the inside out.

Ashley , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Meet Ashley Loveless Cunningham — Founder of Wealth Building Academy

Let me introduce myself properly — I’m Ashley Loveless Cunningham, better known as Ash Kash, the unapologetic voice behind Wealth Building Academy, and a 19-year veteran in the credit and financial literacy space. My entire mission is to help individuals shift their mindset, repair their credit, build their businesses, and create financial freedom that outlives them.

My journey started long before the Academy ever existed. I started helping people with credit repair almost two decades ago — not because I planned to, but because I lived through it. I experienced firsthand what it felt like to have doors closed because of a credit score, and I made a decision that I would never let that number define me — or anyone else around me. Over the years, I learned the laws, mastered consumer credit, and started using those same laws to help people delete negative items, rebuild their profiles, and get approved for homes, cars, and funding.

But after years of doing one-on-one credit repair, I realized something was missing. People were getting results — but they weren’t learning how to keep them. That’s when Wealth Building Academy was born. I wanted to create a digital home for everyday people who wanted to understand money, not fear it. The Academy teaches everything from credit mastery and business credit building, to dropshipping, e-commerce, and financial scaling strategies. I built it for the person who’s tired of just surviving and ready to start thriving.

What makes my brand different is that I don’t teach from theory — I teach from experience. I’ve built multiple brands — from Acruim LLC (formerly New Credit Inc) to Yelsha Tea Café and several e-commerce ventures — and I’ve made every mistake in the book. I’ve had to start from scratch more than once, and I know what it’s like to build something with limited resources but unlimited drive. I don’t sugarcoat the process. I teach my clients and students the real steps, the real laws, and the real mindset needed to win long-term.

At Wealth Building Academy, our goal isn’t just to fix credit — it’s to build wealth through knowledge. My students walk away knowing how to read a credit report, file disputes using the law, set up their business properly, apply for EIN-based credit, get approved for funding, and create multiple streams of income. It’s not just education — it’s transformation.

What I’m most proud of is the impact. I’ve helped thousands of people become homeowners, business owners, and financially confident individuals who no longer depend on luck or “a good month” to survive. I’m also proud of the community we’ve built — a tribe of go-getters who are changing their families’ financial narratives one lesson at a time.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about me and my brand, it’s this: I’m living proof that you can rebuild your life from the ground up — and that financial freedom isn’t just for the wealthy. It’s for the willing. Wealth Building Academy exists to show you that everything you need to change your life is already in your hands — you just need the right guidance to activate it.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A Lesson I Had to Unlearn

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn was thinking I had to do everything by myself to prove I was capable.

When I first started building my businesses — especially Wealth Building Academy — I wore every hat: CEO, web designer, content creator, customer service, accountant, you name it. I told myself that asking for help was a sign of weakness or that no one could execute my vision the way I could. Truth is, that mindset kept me stuck longer than it should have.

The backstory? I came from a place where survival mode was normal. You learn to depend on yourself because depending on others often led to disappointment. So when it came to entrepreneurship, I carried that same “I got it” energy — until it nearly broke me. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and doing ten people’s jobs while trying to maintain a smile.

One day I had to ask myself a hard question: “Do you want to grow or do you just want to control everything?” That was my wake-up call. I started learning how to delegate, outsource, and trust my team. I realized that leadership isn’t about doing everything — it’s about building people who can carry the mission with you.

Unlearning that mindset allowed me to scale. It freed me mentally, emotionally, and financially. It taught me that asking for help doesn’t make you weak — it makes you wise. Now, I build systems, teams, and partnerships because I understand that wealth and impact grow when you stop trying to be the hero and start being the leader.

How did you build your audience on social media?

How I Built My Audience on Social Media

Honestly, my audience was built one post, one story, and one real conversation at a time. I didn’t wake up to thousands of followers or viral content. I started by simply showing up. I talked about what I knew — credit, business, and mindset — but I told it from a place of truth, not perfection. I shared the good, the bad, the setbacks, and the comebacks. People don’t connect to perfection — they connect to real.

In the beginning, I didn’t even care about “algorithms.” I cared about impact. I focused on helping people understand what the credit bureaus don’t want them to know, how to use consumer law to take back control, and how to build businesses that fund freedom. I’d post screenshots of client wins, motivational posts when things got hard, and educational tips that actually worked. Over time, the consistency spoke louder than any paid ad ever could.

What built my audience wasn’t aesthetics — it was authenticity. I showed people that I’m not just a coach or CEO, I’m a woman who’s been through it and figured out how to turn pain into purpose and knowledge into income.

Advice for Those Just Starting to Build Their Presence

Show up before you blow up. Don’t wait until you have the perfect logo, camera, or team. The moment you start sharing value, your people will find you.

Be consistent and patient. Growth is slow at first — that’s normal. Post like the world is watching even when it isn’t.

Serve before you sell. Build trust by giving value. When people feel educated, seen, and understood, they’ll naturally want to buy from you.

Tell stories. People remember stories way longer than facts. Talk about your process, your clients’ journeys, and your lessons learned.

Don’t fake it. Authenticity will always outlast the algorithm. Be honest, be relatable, and don’t be afraid to show your personality — that’s what builds connection.

At the end of the day, social media isn’t about going viral — it’s about building community. If you keep showing up, stay true to your message, and focus on serving instead of impressing, your audience will grow — and more importantly, it’ll stick.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://newcreditinc.org/
• Instagram: @ashley_lovelessceo
• Facebook: Meryl Streep
• Youtube: Deletewiththelaw