We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Cisneros Mejia recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

As the host of “Talk Freelance to Me” and a dedicated business coach for women freelancers, my mission resonates deeply with my own experiences and the shared challenges faced by many women in today’s workforce. I firmly believe that Corporate America has consistently fallen short in providing equitable opportunities and fair treatment for women. This is particularly evident in the persistent issues of the wage gap, underrepresentation in leadership roles, and the ingrained glass ceiling. Moreover, societal expectations often place an unequal share of caregiving responsibilities on women, adding to the challenge.

My journey has been shaped by the realization that conventional corporate structures are fundamentally limiting, especially for women who seek to balance professional aspirations with personal responsibilities. I’ve witnessed first-hand how freelance work offers an empowering alternative. Freelancing places women in control of their careers, from financial earnings to personal growth and time management. It’s a world where their talents and hard work directly translate into success and fulfillment, without the constraints imposed by traditional job roles.

Through “Talk Freelance to Me,” I am committed to equipping women with the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive in the freelance sector. My approach combines practical training in freelance and entrepreneurship with personal insights and stories from successful professionals in the field. This holistic method not only imparts skills but also builds a supportive community that uplifts and inspires.

My goal is to challenge and change the narrative around work and caregiving. By embracing freelancing and entrepreneurship, women can gain the flexibility, freedom, and control that is often lacking in corporate environments. My podcast and coaching are not just about professional development; they are about reshaping lives to achieve a harmonious balance between work and personal commitments.

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

My name is Ashley Cisneros Mejia and I’m a freelance journalist, writer, and entrepreneur with a diverse career path. My journey in the world of freelance journalism and writing began as a direct response to the challenges posed by the Great Recession. With a bachelor’s in journalism and a master’s in entrepreneurship, I initially started my career as a newspaper reporter and later as a magazine editor. The economic downturn profoundly affected the journalism industry and I needed to pivot quickly. I transitioned into technical writing, marketing, and public relations while maintaining freelance writing projects. This period marked a significant transition, as I found myself relying more heavily on freelance work after losing my job in 2008.

Years later, as I stepped into motherhood and welcomed my three children, freelancing offered the flexibility and control I needed to balance professional ambitions with family life. It allowed me to work around my children’s schedules and prioritize being present during their early and school-age years.

Over the years, I have provided a wide array of writing services, encompassing journalism articles, content marketing pieces, white papers, case studies, ghostwritten books and speeches, blog posts, website copy, media kits, press releases, personal branding materials, and much more. My approach has always been to seize opportunities and continually learn new skills.

What differentiates me in this industry is my willingness to embrace risks and try new avenues in writing. Losing my journalism job in 2008 was a turning point, but it also opened doors to explore various facets of writing, marketing, and communications. My adaptability, driven by a business-oriented mindset, allowed me to thrive in roles that use writing as a foundational skill.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Reflecting on my journey, I’m reminded of a defining moment back in 2009. I had achieved what seemed like the pinnacle of success – a master’s degree, a job at my dream magazine, and even purchased my first condo in late 2007. Despite these accomplishments, life took an unexpected turn when I was laid off from the magazine, a casualty of the Great Recession and its impact on advertising revenue.

Feeling defeated yet determined, I faced an underwater mortgage and $17,000 in student loans from my master’s program. After months of job searching, I secured a role as a tech writer for a government defense contractor, which required moving back to my small hometown. It was during a long drive to this new chapter, that I received a phone call. Initially apprehensive, I answered, thinking it might be a creditor. To my surprise, it was a manager from a custom publishing company in New York City. He had found my profile online and offered me freelance work writing attorney profiles and advertorials at a great rate. This opportunity was a lifeline.

Balancing my tech writing job with freelance work was challenging but rewarding. I would go from drafting technical documents during the day to interviewing attorneys in the evenings. This experience was not just about professional growth; it was a steep learning curve in adapting to new domains and styles of writing.
The most significant realization came when I discovered that my freelance income could replace my full-time salary. This revelation led me to make one of the boldest decisions of my life – quitting my tech writing job to pursue freelancing full-time. This decision aligned perfectly with my personal life, as it allowed me to move back to my original city and be with my boyfriend, now my husband.

Freelancing not only salvaged my financial situation during the recession but also paved the way for major life events. It allowed me to be with my husband and eventually enabled me to stay home with our three children. This path wasn’t easy, but it taught me the value of resilience, adaptability, and the power of taking control of my professional and personal life. Today, as I reflect on those early struggles and victories, I see how freelancing didn’t just save me financially; it reshaped my entire life, allowing me to thrive both as a professional and as a mother.

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

Throughout my journey, one of the most significant lessons I’ve had to unlearn is the idea that everything of value must be attained through immense struggle and toil. Growing up in a humble family, where most members worked in laborious jobs without the benefit of higher education, instilled in me the belief that success is synonymous with backbreaking effort. This perception was further cemented by observing the socioeconomic barriers that my family and many others faced, barriers that seemed insurmountable without significant struggle.

However, my experiences, especially after stepping into the world of entrepreneurship and freelancing, have taught me that this isn’t always the case. Meeting successful people from various backgrounds, I realized that while some indeed rose from adversity, others didn’t necessarily share this narrative of struggle. This revelation prompted me to challenge my ingrained belief that to achieve something, it must be accompanied by hardship.
Another aspect of this lesson involved my relationship with fear and success. Coming from a background where hardships were common, I developed a sense of apprehension around success. Whenever things were going well, I found myself waiting for the other shoe to drop, expecting that any moment of happiness or success would be swiftly countered by a setback. It was almost as if I was uncomfortable with things going my way, fearing that this would somehow invite unforeseen challenges.

I had to unlearn this fear-based approach and learn to celebrate my victories, no matter their size. It was essential for me to recognize that being successful, enjoying my accomplishments, and expecting good things to happen were not only acceptable but deserved. I had worked tirelessly, acted with integrity, and given my best in every opportunity that came my way. It was time for me to embrace the fruits of my labor.
An equally important lesson was shifting from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance. Growing up with limited resources, I saw firsthand the impact of financial challenges and came to view resources as scarce and something to be guarded zealously. But as I matured and expanded my horizons, I learned to see abundance in opportunities and resources. This shift in perspective was important in allowing me to view money and resources as tools for growth and investment, rather than finite elements that needed fierce protection.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.talkfreelancetome.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkfreelancetome
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talkfreelancetome
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyannecisneros/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/talk_freelance
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/talkfreelancetome