We recently connected with Ashley Grady and have shared our conversation below.
Ashley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?
Unfortunately, it took me years to scale my business. I didn’t see the value in myself. I often compared myself to others in my field and felt they were better than me, so I couldn’t charge anywhere near what they charged. What I began to realize, in the events and wedding industry, it’s all about a “look” for people. It’s rare that you find clients that actually care about your skill. I started to research marketing/branding and what that can do for your business. I learned, you are your brand. People need to see that you actually are luxury, in order to attract those luxury clients. Once you get your business affairs in order and you look to part, that’s only half. Next you have to educate the client on the services you offer. The client needs to know that they can TRUST you with their hard earned money. So, the first thing I did to scale my business, I hired a stylist, a beauty team, and a photographer to capture my authentic personality. I used those images to show my target audience peices of myself that I knew they would identify with. I took those same images and shared tips and helpful information to give them more knowledge about my business. That was the first time, I’d become overwhelmed with consultations and phone calls. Investing in your brand is very important.
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 call myself the Olivia Pope of Planning. It’s a play on words from the TV Show Scandal, because she could fix anything. I like to think, that there’s not a problem big or small that I can’t fix. That’s my approach with my business. I’m fun, playful, and energetic. But, I’m also stern, passionate, and straightforward. I am my client’s biggest advocate. One thing that I’m most proud of about my business, I treat everyone the same. I don’t care about your social status, your income, or ethnicity. I treat all my clients the same. As business owner we have to give the respect we require.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I built my social media presence through engagement post. I’ve never been afraid to share bits and peices of my life. I believe that people often support you, the person, sometimes more than the services. I also learned to post good quality work. It’s okay to be strategic on the work you post. My advice to someone working to build their social media presence is simple- BE SOCIAL and be yourself. I also would encourage you to make sure you are supporting people as well and not just looking for support.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Every business owner needs a mentor or a business coach. I have both. Yes, there is plenty of available information on the internet for you, however, having someone in your corner to assist and guide you on your entrepreneurship journey will scale your business faster.
Contact Info:
- Website: Apluseventsandconsulting.info
- Instagram: APlusEventsandConsulting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APlusEventsandConsulting