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

Alright, Ashley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

What a great question! Yes, I am very happy to be a business owner, and quite proud; however, like most things in life there are always two sides to the story.

Owning my own business, especially as a female that came from quite humble beginnings, has been empowering and liberating, to say the least. On the other hand there were years of doubt, uncertainty, and at times all out panic. While you gain so much independence and freedom working for yourself, you do lose some of those comforts of having a “normal job”. You don’t always know when the next in flux of cash will be, which can be hard, especially in those beginning years and when you have a team that relies on you for a paycheck.

The hours sometimes can be quite long and daunting. I remember those early years where I wore essentially ever hat there was, you want to talk to Marketing, thats me, you want Accounting, thats me, you want IT, thats me. You have to be adaptable and willing to take on any task.

There is so much stress that comes with owning a business, which you relinquish a bit when you are employed by someone else. Essentially, as a business owner you are what keeps the machine running, which can be exhausting and requires so much self discipline, and when things fall apart, which they will inevitably will at some point or another, you are the one that has to own your mistakes, and you are the one that has to have the fortitude to move forward.

With all that being said, being a business owner is one of the most rewarding jobs you can have in this life. You have the opportunity to take something you are passionate about and create something amazing. I’ve had my business for well over a decade and when I am onsite at an event and everything pulls together, I find myself fighting back tears from how proud I am of not only my team, but of myself. It requires a lot of grit to make it in todays world but continuing to show up for yourself, your team, and the dream that you had from day one, are what keep pushing you forward . I couldn’t be more proud to be a woman owning my own business in today’s world, I sometimes wonder to myself how it is I got here, but whatever the path, the journey was worth it, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have this experience in this life.

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?

I am the CEO and Founder of the Ashley Avery Agency, a creative and talent staffing agency located in New York City. We specialize in the recruitment, procurement, and cultivation of top-tier talent for placement at events worldwide.

Proudly, we have over 10,000 models in our database from across the globe and get to work at some of the most coveted events. We staff large scale build outs including events during Super Bowl and the ESPYS. We provide Octagon Girls for the premier MMA team in the Middle East. We work with clients such at Maxim, Playboy, Lamborghini, Wheels Up, W Hotels, and Tao Group Hospitality to name a few.

While yes we get to be onsite at some of the best parties and events every year, the best part of Ashley Avery, in my opinion, is the team we have built over the last 10 years. Prior to starting A3 I was a spokesmodel myself, so I know what its like to be in those gals shoes (or heels)! Something that I have always prided myself on was always taking care of my people. In the modeling and event world it can be a bit cut throat at time, and sometimes we may encounter not the nicest of humans. I have tried to always cultivate kind hearts within my team. Kindness towards each other, towards clients, even to competitors. Some of the girls that work for us may just be doing a few promotional gigs to get through college, or some may be making a career out of modeling and are with us a bit longer. Regardless, I hope to instill kindness and positivity to everyone, and help everyone along their path, wherever it may take them.

I love motivating people to be the best version of themselves. When I have girls that start their own side hustle business, I am 100% there to support them in their venture. Whatever they are selling, shampoo, silk robes, you name it, I am buying it. It’s amazing seeing our models change in their lives over the years, passing the bar and becoming an attorney, starting a family, building a business. I love being apart of their lives and their journey. Those individuals are what make me most proud and what keep me going.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Technically yes, back many moons ago, booking talent was my side hustle. I was in school at Georgia State University and was pre-law. I had been interning at a law office for several years, trapped behind a desk in a quiet, very beige office, that was pretentious, and drab.

I worked as a spokesmodel for a few brands as well as a few agencies while I was in college. It was how I paid the bills, and put myself through school, and honestly, I was good at it. I have always been outgoing, bubbly, and could talk to anyone, so it was essentially the perfect job for me.

One day as I sat in my small cubicle at the law office, one of the older female attorney’s walked past me towards her office. She had this miserable look on her face, in fact she pretty much always had that look on her face, and in that moment, in a blink of an eye, my entire life passed before me, and I knew that wasn’t going to be me. I typed up my resignation during my lunch break and turned it in at the end of day.

I honestly had no idea what I was going to do next career wise. I had been studying for the LSAT and all of sudden had all this free time since my life altering decision. I had been booking other models I knew for events that I couldn’t work, so I just decided to take that and run with it. I had a friend that was a graphic & web designer. He helped me put together my first website, and I just took off running from there. Young full of ambition and energy, I wonder if I could do it all over again now, 10+ years later, it was a grind for sure.

My dream was always to move to New York, so after a few years of hustling to get Ashley Avery off the ground in Atlanta, it was time to spread my wings and head to the big apple. September 2023 marked my 9th year here, and New York, while it was certainly not easy at first, has opened many doors for me and my business. For anyone looking to build a business in New York, networking should be your #1 priority, and be kind to everyone, it’s New York, everyone is someone.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I am the queen of let me find a book to read, or a course to take to gain all the knowledge I can. One of the greatest things about today’s world and all the technological advances we have is the ease of information at our finger tips. I have always vowed to myself to never stop learning and I think this is even more so important for a business owner than it is for anyone else.

My favorite business books include The Lean Startup, The E-Myth, Play Bigger, From Zero to One, and The Starfish and the Spider, and for all my female entrepreneurs, Girl Boss will give you that extra push forward on days you feel like giving up.

Honestly I take online courses all the time, there are so many resources available out there, Coursera is a great platform the houses courses from schools all over the world. Even currently I am taking a course on Aligning Business, Brand, and Behavior from the University of London. Next for me on courses will be diving into ChatGP and AI. I think as entrepreneur the best thing you can do is jump on board with technology early, try to pivot and bend with the trends.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ashleyaveryagency.com
• Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblalock/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleyaveryagency/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblalock/