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

Ashawna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

In my experience as a business owner, I can say that it’s been quite the journey. I’m happy with the decision I made but it can be a very daunting task at times.

I often think about what it would be like to go back to work. I’ve been able to enjoy the best of both worlds as a employee and an entrepreneur so I’m familiar with the pros and cons on both sides.

I’ve never been the entrepreneur to downplay having a job. When times are tough and life isn’t going as planned, a job is necessary to stay afloat. I have no shame in applying for a job if it means saving myself from the sudden mishaps of life. I’ve come to the conclusion that having a job to provide for yourself and your family is absolutely necessary especially since entrepreneurship is not for everyone.

Sometimes even entrepreneurs fail or get burnt out from the overwhelming stress of running their own business. In order to focus and maintain the mindset needed to be a successful entrepreneur, sometimes taking a step back can help you move forward.

Ashawna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into the consulting field when I started my own business. I began taking the steps one by one and documenting my process on social media. While building my brand, people began to notice and ask for advice on how they could do the same. From there, I started helping others learn the things that I’d learned along the way and apply them to their own businesses.

As a consultant I assist people with information based on experience. Some things can’t be taught, they have to be learned by trial and error. I help resolve the issues people generally face when starting their business. The questions, the what if’s, the how to’s- that’s my job.

What sets me apart from others is that I’m not teaching people how to do what I did, I’m teaching people how to avoid the problems that can often arise when going into business for yourself. Things like filling out the correct paperwork, talking to the right people and following the right path to avoid as many mistakes as possible. And while we can’t avoid all mistakes, we can certainly cut down on the time, effort and energy wasted from making the wrong mistakes.

I’m most proud of my accomplishments thus far as well as my tenacity to stay strong even through the darkest times. Entrepreneurship is not always fun or easy. Sometimes it’s frustrating, challenging and mentally draining, but with a strong mind and a desire to succeed above all else, it can also be very rewarding. There are definitely pros and cons that come along with being an entrepreneur and if you can’t get through the cons, you’ll never make it to the pros.

I want my clients and potential customers to know that I teach based on personal experience. I share what I know has worked for me and allowed me to grow in my business. I’m not sharing hypothetical situations or regurgitated information you can find online. I’m sharing what I went through, what I experienced and what I learned. I provide first hand knowledge of the process into Entrepreneurship.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building an audience on social media didn’t come easy or overnight. It took a lot of time and patience. I just stayed persistent and continued to make engaging content that I knew would reach the people who really needed it. It’s a slow process but when done correctly, can be very effective.

My advice to those starting up or afraid to promote their brands online- there are several ways to grow your business online even without ever showing your face. For introverts social media can be especially difficult when it comes to opening up and sharing yourself. Learn how to work with influencers and affiliate marketers in order to grow your brand and spread across all platforms. It may seem difficult in the beginning but once you learn how to reach the people your business aims to help, it’ll become easier and more precise for you.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson that I had to unlearn is that success is only for certain people. The truth is: success can be for anyone who believes in themselves enough to achieve it. The key word here is believe. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.

Success is what you make it. It doesn’t have to be the glitz and glam, money, cars and fame- success can simply be mastering who you want to become in life. Once you’re happy with where you are in life, with your accomplishments, with your efforts and lifestyle- you’ll be successful. Success is a mindset, not a physical thing. You can be successful at your job as an employee or in your business as an entrepreneur. It’s all in your mind!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AshawnaLane.com
• Instagram: @AshawnaLane
• Facebook: Facebook.com/AshawnaLane

Image Credits
@triple_s_shots