Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Stone. 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. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Moving across the country during a pandemic was no easy decision. Despite everyone’s best efforts to stay safe, it can feel stifling to be uncertain of anything and what could happen next. Taking a risk and going beyond comfortable limitations can often come with many rewards that you can’t find in your comfort zone. That’s why I decided to move from Connecticut to Texas after spending almost 2 decades in the same area building my businesses.

The pandemic had already started affecting my business significantly which gave me less to lose if my choice didn’t pay off.
Navigating through a new market with new challenges can be daunting but ultimately rewarding. Though our instincts tell us to stay in our comfort zones, we must recognize that the bigger reward might arise if we are courageous enough and put ourselves out there despite failure being inevitable at times. Taking calculated risks even during these challenging periods can bring unbelievable returns – ones which you may never have thought would come when you set off on your journey.

The greatest risk is not taking action at all during times of crisis. It isn’t always pleasant or even possible, but sometimes being brave enough to take risks offers incredible opportunities that couldn’t be found otherwise.

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?

My journey as a serial entrepreneur in the beauty industry has been as glamorous, chaotic and inspiring as one can imagine. In the two decades that I ran my businesses, I built brick and mortar salons, one of the leading freelance hair and makeup agencies. and innovative booking and management software for the mobile beauty. And just when you thought things couldn’t be any more revolutionary, I developed luxury salons out of box trucks amidst a pandemic!

Along my journey, I also helped nurture other women entrepreneurs developing their skills and access to the necessary elements to help them rise financially, while crafting business models and messages tailored to assume success. After all these years of experience, I recently put forth Beauty Behind Chaos, my podcast that speaks about my story and the stories of other women that faced challenges and overcame them in their careers and businesses. It goes without saying that it is brimming with detailing of experiences others can draw great wisdom from!

How did you build your audience on social media?

Authenticity should be at the core of every interaction you have with your audience, and social media is an ideal platform to help nurture this relationship. But rather than simply being ‘yourself’, it’s important to get very clear on who that self is and what they are here to achieve. It could be to promote a business or even just share personal musings – either way, becoming aware of your mission and core values can help provide direction and make sure the right crowd follows.

Don’t shy away from expressing who you are – after all, trends come and go but standing out will make you an innovator, not a follower. Following trends may seem fun or like a short cut, but authenticity will always remain evergreen. Dare to differentiate and don’t be afraid to stand-out – after-all, an engaged person with their own unique insights will always rise above in the long run. A niche audience connected to you and believes in you is better than a broad one that may or may not hit the like button and never do business with you.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Having a good reputation and being someone who you can trust is an essential part of life. It’s like building the foundation for a successful journey. Although it takes time to cultivate trust between two individuals or parties, there are many ways to speed up the process. Apart from creating your digital persona, take opportunities to make yourself known face-to-face and engage with people as much as possible. And above all else, never break a promise; this helps build strong relationships and prove that you can be relied upon. Understand who you are fully and strive to stay true to it in everything you do – this creates an expectation that others will follow suit and gain admiration for you over time. Building a reputation is no easy task but with hard work, consistency, and dedication your efforts will eventually pay off.

Contact Info:

• Website: ashleynicolestone.com
• Instagram: @ashley.nicole.stone
• Facebook: facebook.com/ashleystonehustle
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleystone/

Image Credits
The Branding Photo Co Sassy Mouth Photo