Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashlee Marie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ashlee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

This is one of the questions I am asked most frequently by those who have watched me navigate the entrepreneurial world since 2019.

I still remember the day I submitted my notice to my former employer, and more specifically, the words of encouragement from my corporate boss. As I slid my letter of resignation across her desk, she lovingly gave me her best warning about what to expect. She encouraged me to weigh all of my options and asked whether a different role, a higher salary, or even a part-time position would better suit my needs.

At that point in my life, my girls were getting older and needed more of me than any job could ever demand from my time, attention, or skill set.

I chose entrepreneurship out of necessity rather than the glitz and glamour often associated with business ownership. A traditional 9-to-5 career could never have provided the flexibility or fulfillment I have experienced over the years. Because of this journey, I’ve had the opportunity to travel, enjoy incredible experiences, and connect with some of the most beautiful people life has to offer.

For me, entrepreneurship created possibilities that extended far beyond income. It allowed me to build a life aligned with my values and priorities. Looking back, I realize that I wasn’t running away from corporate life—I was running toward the life I wanted most.

I’m definitely happier as a business owner, I daydream about what life would be like working a job that does not require 100% of my entire being to run a business fulltime while raising a family.

People often assume entrepreneurs are happier because we have freedom, flexibility, and the ability to build something of our own. In many ways, I am happier. But happiness as a business owner isn’t always loud. Sometimes it looks like faith. Sometimes it looks like uncertainty.

I remember one particular season when I found myself wondering what life would be like if I simply had a regular job again.

It wasn’t because I had stopped believing in my dream. It was because I was mentally exhausted, life was lifting in every category.

I had been wearing every hat imaginable—CEO, content creator, customer service representative, coach, administrator, marketer, and problem solver + Motherhood.

While everyone else saw the highlight reels on social media, I was looking at the realities behind the scenes: expenses that still had to be paid, ideas that hadn’t produced results yet, and the emotional weight that comes from carrying vision.

One evening, after another long day, I sat quietly and thought about the simplicity of receiving a paycheck every two weeks. I thought about leaving work at work. I imagined closing a laptop at five o’clock and not thinking about algorithms, launches, or whether enough people would buy.

For a moment, the predictability sounded beautiful.

But as I sat with those thoughts, I realized something important.

I wasn’t craving a job.

I was craving rest.

There was a difference.

The problem wasn’t entrepreneurship itself. The problem was believing I had to carry everything alone and prove something through constant productivity.

What I truly needed wasn’t to abandon my assignment. I needed healthier rhythms, better boundaries, and permission to breathe and say, “No!”

That experience taught me that entrepreneurship isn’t automatically easier than traditional employment. Every path has sacrifices. A job can provide stability, while business ownership offers possibility. Neither is superior; they’re simply different.

Today, I can honestly say I am happier as a business owner—not because every day is exciting or easy, but because the work aligns with who I am and what I believe I was created to do.

And when those thoughts return—and occasionally they still do—I no longer see them as signs that I’ve chosen the wrong path.

I see them as reminders that even people with big dreams are still human.

Sometimes we don’t need a different calling.

Sometimes, we simply need rest.

Before walking away from the dream you’ve built, ask yourself an honest question: Is the job you’re considering truly offering rest, or is it simply providing a temporary escape from the pressures you’re carrying today?

Every path comes with a cost. Entrepreneurship demands resilience, while traditional employment often requires different sacrifices. Neither is right or wrong—they’re simply different.

For me, the answer became clear. I wasn’t looking for a different life; I was looking for healthier rhythms within the life I had already chosen.

So when those thoughts surface now, I don’t see them as signs to quit. I see them as invitations to pause, recalibrate, and remember why I started in the first place.

Sometimes the breakthrough isn’t found in abandoning the dream.

Sometimes it’s found in becoming the person capable of carrying it well.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Coach A’Marie, and I am a faith-based coach, speaker, author, and founder of A’Marie Talks™, a platform dedicated to helping women heal, reconnect with God, and start again.

Like many of the women I serve, my journey has included seasons of rebuilding, uncertainty, and learning how to trust God while navigating life’s transitions. Over the years, I discovered that many women know God, love God, and desire more for their lives, but often feel stuck, overwhelmed, spiritually exhausted, or unsure of how to move forward. I realized there was a need for spaces where women could be honest about their struggles without fear of judgment and receive both encouragement and practical guidance.

That realization led to the creation of A’Marie Talks™.

Through prayer, restoration, and practical faith, I help women break unhealthy cycles, rebuild confidence, and become the women God originally created them to be. My work centers around helping women understand that God restores who He created us to be while transforming us into someone we’ve never been before.

Through coaching, speaking, digital resources, live prayer experiences, and community, I create opportunities for women to heal emotionally, grow spiritually, and take faithful steps toward the life they desire. My current work includes prayer trainings, restoration-focused programs, and the 7-Day Reset experience, which helps women pause, reconnect with God, and begin rebuilding their lives one day at a time.

What sets my work apart is that I don’t believe transformation begins with pressure or perfection. I believe it begins with grace, honesty, and small acts of obedience. My goal is not simply to motivate women but to provide safe spaces where they can heal, rebuild, and learn how to move forward again.

The women I serve are often carrying responsibilities for everyone else while silently struggling themselves. Many feel behind in life, have experienced disappointment, or wonder if they have missed their opportunity. I want them to know that they are not too far gone, they are not disqualified, and it is never too late to begin again.

What I am most proud of is not any title or accomplishment, but the opportunity to remind women that hope is still available and that God is still writing their story.

Above all, I want people to know that A’Marie Talks™ is more than a brand. It is a movement rooted in healing, restoration, prayer, and new beginnings.

My message is simple:

Rise. Pray. Start Again.™

Because no season is too broken for God to restore.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building my audience on social media has been one of the most unexpected blessings of my journey. I didn’t begin with a large following, a perfect strategy, or all the answers. I simply made a decision to show up consistently and serve the people God placed in front of me.

Over the last two years, I have hosted multiple 31-Day Prayer Experiences across TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. During those seasons, I committed to showing up live every day, regardless of what I was personally experiencing. Whether I was celebrating victories or walking through difficult moments, I showed up because I believed someone on the other side of the screen needed hope.

What I discovered is that consistency builds trust, and trust builds community.

Along the way, I found my tribe. These women are more than followers—they have become lifelong connections. They have watched me grow, heal, and experience freedom in my own life. Many have witnessed my journey in real time, and together we’ve celebrated breakthroughs, answered prayers, and stories of restoration.

Today, one of the greatest joys of my work is sharing my story and hearing how God is moving in the lives of others. I believe healing happens in community, and there is something powerful about women coming together to pray, encourage one another, and remind each other that no season is too broken for God to restore.

For anyone just beginning their social media journey, my advice is simple: don’t chase numbers—serve people wholeheartedly. Show up consistently. Be authentic. Allow yourself to grow publicly. Your audience doesn’t need perfection; they need honesty and consistency, hope, and someone willing to walk with them.

I often tell people that I didn’t build an audience—I built relationships. And those relationships have become one of the greatest gifts of this journey.

My mission remains the same: to help women heal, reconnect with God, and start again. Because I know firsthand that the same God who sets us free can also use our stories to help set others free.

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

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was believing that everyone who starts the journey with you is meant to go where God is taking you.

For a long time, I thought loyalty meant bringing everyone along, carrying everyone, and making sure no one felt left behind. I genuinely wanted to see everyone win. But as I continued to grow, heal, and pursue the next season God had for my life, I realized that not everyone is equipped for every level.

That was a difficult lesson because I love people deeply. However, I learned that growth requires discernment. Sometimes people desire access to your next season, but they may not yet possess the mindset, discipline, or capacity necessary to sustain what comes with that elevation.

I had to understand that releasing people doesn’t always mean rejecting them. Sometimes it simply means recognizing that God has different assignments, different seasons, and different paths for different people.

Looking back, I now understand that protecting your peace, honoring your growth, and obeying God’s direction are not selfish—they are necessary.

Today, I tell women that growth often requires grieving who and what cannot go with you. Not everyone is called to every level, and that’s okay. Some people are assigned to a chapter, while others are assigned to the entire book.

One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is permission to trust God with the people we love while continuing to say yes to the future He has prepared for us.

“Learn to categorize the people in your life. Some are there for a season, some bring setbacks, and some help set you free. Wisdom is knowing the difference.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/amarietalks
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amarietalks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMarieTalks/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@amarietalks

Image Credits

All images owned by A’ Marie Talks