We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashlee Sang. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashlee below.

Alright, Ashlee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Like so many people, I’m an accidental-turned-intentional entrepreneur. I started freelancing on the side when I was living and working in Senegal and when my husband and I were going through the green card process in preparation for a move to the States.

It was exciting to get money outside of a “standard” job, to chat with new clients, to take on new projects. And it was reassuring to know that I had something in the background, even with our move date totally outside of our control.

So even after we finally moved to the US and I got a communications job at a local nonprofit, I kept freelancing. I liked the variety, the challenge, and the extra cash. And after a small promotion led me to a glass ceiling, I quit my day job and decided to “take this freelance thing full-time.”

That was the very beginning of 2019 and my business has had so many iterations since. From done-for-you copy and content and social media management and event management and website creation and literally anything someone asked for that I could figure out how to do. To now consulting conscious and caring business owners on their values-aligned brand messaging and marketing.

I’ve also transitioned from freelancer to business owner, and have had all the mindset and logistical and relational elements that go with it. One of my favorite—and unexpected—parts about owning an online business is the network of smart, ambitious women I’ve met, each with their unique takes on how to create and grow and make an impact. Most recently, I started a podcast because I wanted to outlet to highlight all these women who have anecdotes and advice to share about their path toward purpose and progress through entrepreneurship.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I do values-aligned brand messaging strategy with conscious and caring business owners so they can not only grow their revenue, but also their impact. For me, brand values is the foundation of a business that feels and does good.

I got here via international development and nonprofit communications. I first learned about comms via a human rights education organization that taught me so much about executive leadership, grant funding, press visits, social media management, digital storytelling, blogging, internal communications, branding standards. All the things. Those 4 years working and living abroad were hugely influential.

Then I expanded on those skills while working with a local Habitat for Humanity and by freelancing on the side. I found my way onto strategy projects with clients and that’s where things really started to connect for me. I love operating at this strategy level now because I found that all my done-for-you work wasn’t rooted in a strategy. That meant it wasn’t impactful for my clients and I wasn’t having the vicarious impact I was after. I’ve since learned and harp on the concept of a strategy only being as good as it is implemented.

My approach to marketing and messaging comes down to living out your brand values. When you stand for something, you’re able to stand out in all the best ways. And you’re able to connect on a human level through your business.

My clients are super ambitious and experienced, but often have a hard time talking about themselves and their vision. They feel like their paths seem disjointed, when really it’s about finding the common thread. That’s my role. Something my clients always say is that they’ve “never thought of it that way before.” It being the thing they do all day every day. The thing they’ve been building for years. The thing they’re absolutely experts on, including their own personal brand. I offer the outside perspective and validation they want and ask the tough questions they need. I take everything in their head and heart and distill it into something that “makes sense” to everyone else.

I’m most proud when I can see all their passion take shape in the “real world”, outside themselves. When I see my clients take confident, meaningful action, I know they’re going to do big things and I’m having vicarious impact because of it.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivots are a huge part of both life and business. And they’re something I appreciate, even if I sometimes get stuck in my head and take the slow-build route. (Exploration is one of my core values, so creating space to experiment and staying open to different perspectives is really important to how I run my business.)

Making the change from freelancing on the side to full-time business ownership was a much bigger and more rewarding change than I expected. Despite all my planning and hemming and hawing for months before quitting my day job, so much of running a business has been a surprise. I didn’t realize all the operational know-how and personal growth that would come in the process.

Another big pivot that I built toward slowly was shifting away from done-for-you work into strategic consulting. This came from wanting more purpose behind my work, but also for the scalability and sustainability factors. I took the extent of my pregnancy in 2021 to hone my intensive strategic consulting offers and phase out my retainer client work. I now do 1-hour, half-day, and full-day intensives (plus a little variety in my offer suite every now and then when I want to explore what’s possible). And I love it. The change to intensives has allowed me to make a big impact in a short amount of time (which I’m perpetually short on as a caregiver to a tiny child) and it attracts action-takers and go-getters.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I’ve been consistent, but not in the traditional marketing guru sense of posting daily to social media and waiting for the masses to follow.

I’ve consistently built relationships with like-minded online business owners. I’ve consistently talked about my values—and woven them into my actions as well. I’ve consistently shared resources I find and my own personal reflections, with the hopes of giving validation or permission or a leg-up to other entrepreneurs. And I’ve consistently gotten visible, speaking on podcasts and at summits and via joint venture workshops.

For me, the essential element for every single business owner and brand is establishing, uniquely defining, and then actively living out your values. If you can do that, you’ll attract the right clients and partners, hone a reputation sustainably (while still leaving space for evolution), and create a business that feels good to keep building.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.ashleesang.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/ashleesangconsulting
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleesang
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshleeSang

Image Credits
The professional headshots are by Erin Barnard, Photography by Erin B