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

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

I think I’m a risk taker by nature! I’ve always been of the mindset that I don’t want to ever wonder “what if”. So when my previous employer gave me the chance to move 800 miles away, I took the leap! I didn’t know a soul, I had to be there in 3 weeks and it was just me and my sweet dog at the time, Bella. A 13 hour car ride later in the chill of January 3 years ago, I made Atlanta home. There was some adjustment but not much. Georgia felt like home in a matter of weeks. It is still one of the best decisions I’ve ever made but had I let the fear of the unknown get the best of me, I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I’m grateful for every moment!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

15 years ago, I started in the hospitality industry. From a really young age, think “The Father of the Bride” era, I knew I wanted to be in the wedding and event industry by any means necessary. I started off working for a boutique planning company in Dallas, Texas in my early 20’s (for free!) and never looked back. Later, I went to work for one of the largest wedding companies in the United States where I was lucky enough to help plan, execute and oversee over 1,000 weddings and events. Being there and working with such talented people gave me so many opportunities. I was able to sell weddings, then execute and eventually run a venue. I worked with resorts, restaurants and hotels to help guide their business, brand their products and create a framework for everything from sales/ marketing, operations and planning.

Helping business owners understand their voice has been the most rewarding part of my entire career.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Everything I’ve learned in my career, I knew I was supposed to give it away. All the do’s and don’ts, the hard lessons, the secret recipes- it’s silly to keep it for yourself. My calling was always to take my knowledge and package it in a way that was easy for business owners to digest and implement. And the only way you can do that successfully is to remember that every client is different- it’s not a one size fits one and taking the time to provide a customized approach is the real secret.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I actually just wrote a blog on a book by Will Guidara called “Unreasonable Hospitality”. I’ve read it three times and each time, there is something new to take away. The way he shares stories about service and the customer experience, it’s just so amazing. You can feel it.

I’m currently reading “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight and it’s so beautifully written as well, I can’t put it down. His perseverance in starting Nike is really admirable. As a business owner, you just have to keep going. Never, never, never, never quit.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wedchex.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wedchex/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wedchex
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wedchex-hospitality/

Image Credits

Taun Henderson Photography