We recently connected with Asha Elliott and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Asha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

The type of legacy I am hoping to leave behind is excellence. Asha Afiya Studios demonstrates excellence in creativity, customer service, heart posture, outreach, and connecting with others. I hope to be remembered for the patience I extend, the growth mindset I impart to others, and the love I share.

People think love is a feeling or a series of connections, but love is patient; it is kind. It doesn’t envy or boast; it’s not arrogant or rude. It doesn’t demand its way; it’s not irritable or resentful; it doesn’t rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love is hard. Yet, I want people to be honest and say that although I was not perfect and I didn’t walk in love all the time, most of the time, I tried my very best to demonstrate the true meaning of love.

This applies to my business, the team I invest in, the clients I service, and the mark I leave on the earth.

Asha, 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?

I am Asha A. Clements-Elliott, a daughter, sister, friend, and business owner. Asha Afiya Studios LLC is named after myself, Asha Afiya, meaning hope for the future and health. A name so powerful you have to live up to its potential.

Asha Afiya Studios started briefly after my final semester of college at the School of Visual Arts. I originally started as an interior design intern but soon spread my wings into other ventures. I had a small graphic design project here and a volunteer photoshoot there, and before you knew it, I became the owner of a full-fledged art and design company.

Our company’s motto is to be not just creators but also connectors. We have established ourselves quite quickly with many networking events, having a heart of service, and being willing to do what others wouldn’t. Asha Afiya Studios has a wide range of services, an asset to our appeal. We offer Graphic Design, Photography, Web Development, Branding, Marketing, Illustration, and Interior Design services. That way, our clients can meet all their needs in one place.

One of the things we are most proud of is our ability to serve. Go into our communities, see a lack, and create a solution. We aim to assist non-profits serving mental health, domestic violence victims, and inner-city youth communities.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the most rewarding parts of being creative is seeing the result of your creation. The process has many ups and downs, twists and turns, and there is no natural way to gauge where anything will go. You must plan, test, adjust, and plan again. Most people don’t understand that being creative is a tedious journey; let me paint something for you so that you can see from a creator’s eyes.

Creating is like being nine years old. Take a moment and remember your nine-year-old self. It’s a Snowy Saturday morning at a winter lodge with you and your family. There is a blanket of snow, fresh, untainted by footsteps. You, at your young age, are amazed by the peaks and valleys covered in pure white color, your eyes as big as saucers. You are determined to put your mark on the untouched land.

So you put on your boots, gloves, leg warmers, jacket, hat, earmuffs, pants, and coat. (In that order, too, we creatives make up stuff as we go) You run outside, and that distant hill becomes a mountain beyond comprehension, but you remember, “I am going to make my mark on the untouched land.” You find the closest thing to a sled, decorate it with anything you can see, and begin your journey.

What our 9-year-old brain didn’t prepare for were; the winds, falling face first into the snow, and barely being able to move because of all the layers mom forced you to put on before you ran out. You didn’t account for the hill being an actual mountain and all the resistance it would take to get to the top. As you grow closer to the peak, your determination is dwindling, and you want to turn back, but it’s too late; you’re almost at the top. So you push and push, your legs burning from the 60-minute walk you imagined as a 60-second dash. Your fingers are numb through the gloves, yet the top of the mountain is near.

Finally, you reach the climax of the snowy mountain and look down, nervous about taking a giant leap down the venture; then, with a blink of an eye, you go from the peak of the mountain to a smooth resolve on your makeshift sled in seconds. The landing is successful, the thrill is unmatched, and it makes the process all worth it. That is what it means to be creative; that makes the process better each time.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The best form of action that Asha Afiya Studios did and does to grow our clientele is to network, network, network. Go to events, speak to people you have never met, and be mindful of conversations among you. You are marketing everywhere: At the grocery store, when you shop, in cafes, libraries, and so much more. Therefore, the best way to grow is to be ready to mention who you are, what you do, and how you can solve a problem at any given moment.

In addition to effective networking, sometimes, especially in the beginning, you may have to do discounted prices on projects. You can gauge what that looks like for you, but the goal is to establish yourself, show the quality of your work, build new business connections, and create good word of mouth with other companies that do not have exposure to who you are. The result of that is, hopefully, you will be the first point of contact when a new project arises.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ashaafiyastudios.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashaafiyastudios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Asha-Afiya-Studios/100091410724395/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asha-afiya-studios
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/asha-afiya-studios-palmyra?osq=asha+afiya+studios

Image Credits
Asha Afiya Studios