Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Kennedy . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Ashley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new firm – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?
I’ve been in business since March 2020. I did not get my first client until a year later. I had just revamped my website and added my business to Google. Once I could of googled my business, which was a huge deal, I reached out to my previous clients asking them to write an review. My first client had googled resume writers in the Grand Rapids area and reached out to schedule a consultation. He mentioned how impressed he was with my reviews and truly needed new professional documents (resume/cover letter). With this being my first client that was not a friend/family/friend-of-a-friend, I was extremely nervous during the consultation. I was so nervous that I did not introduce myself, so we were on the phone for 10 mins and my client had no idea who he was speaking with. I also did not explain pricing, which is the point of the consultation, so he stopped to asked for those details and I was so embarrassed that I hadn’t explained anything. I spent most of the time explaining my background and my passion for business. After getting through the consultation, my client was excited to work with me as he can sense how much I loved doing what I do. I ask for his current documents to update his resume and cover letter and he had no idea how to send his documents via email. So I scheduled a in person meeting to grab his documents and to collect a deposit. This client paid in cash and I was so excited! Just getting my first actual client and getting paid with actual money was really exciting.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Growing up in the inner city of Detroit, MI, I never quite established what I wanted to be when I grew up. Just like every other person, my dream profession changed multiple times from a ballerina to an astronaut. I did not have a chance to learn more or meet anyone in my dream professions. After receiving my high school diploma, I attended Grand Valley State University again not having the slightest idea what I wanted to study. Once I chose a field of study and graduated, it was difficult to find a stable position in my field. I filled various positions for stability as I did not have direct experience. After working countless roles, I finally found a position as Career Counselor that I truly enjoyed. Being employed as a Career Counselor/Coach for years at a number of educational institutions, I learned the gaps in career preparation for recent grads as well as the working class who are looking to advance. Yearning to fill those gaps, I started my business Connections Career Planning & Services (CCPS) that helps individuals find their careers through professional development services. CCPS is a professional firm that connects individuals to their ideal careers through professional development services such as resume writing, one-on-one mentoring/career coaching, job search strategies, professional workshops, and much more. My clients range from college students to senior-level professionals. As a Certified Resume Writer and Career Coach, I provide an expertise that other career developers may not have. I also provide services that are tailored to my clients to assist them in establishing and growing in their careers. I’m most proud of my diligence and follow-through with my clients. Knowing that my services has helped them reach their professional goals is always proud moment of mine. I also provide all my services at affordable prices. I’m also working to provide payment plans for those who need extensive professional development and may need other payment options.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
One lesson that I had to unlearn was “by any means necessary”. This is a lesson I have always had imbedded in my work ethic for years. I would not give myself the allotted time to complete task. I would overwhelm myself with work. It is ok as an entrepreneur to take time for yourself. Once you have implement self-care, you can be more productive for your clients. I also learned that I cannot help everyone and I needed to have a target audience to grow my business. These lessons were hard for me to unlearn as I have a passion for what I do and I always want to help everyone by any means necessary
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
During the pandemic, it was hard to grow my business. As we all know, with this shutdown their were no jobs open but essential workers. I had plan to meet clients in an office space I was renting as well as facilitate professional development classes. Due to the shutdown, I was unable to connect with my clients in person. One thing that I proud myself on is how I build rapport and I’ve only built rapport in a in-person setting and never in virtual spaces. Once I transitioned my business to an online professional firm, it was a struggle. I was able learn how to connect with my clients virtually as well as facilitate my classes via Zoom. I would create social content and invite potential clients to a free virtual class. At this point, I was finding anyway I can build clientele and connect with more potential clients to grow. After a while, that paid off as I had more individuals join my virtual classes in which I started to charge a small fee that led to me updating my website and gaining my first real client.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://connectionscareerps.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063642273481