Meet Ashley Freeman

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

Ashley, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
For me, the question of what my purpose was, especially as acted out in my career, was a question that took about 10 years for me to answer. I began by noticing what I was drawn to or away from, and followed those “leads” to see where they went. It was a messy information gathering and sorting process, with several themes I didn’t seem to be able to connect at first. Eventually, through living and trusting the process, I realized my greatest passions centered around teaching/helping others around leadership and interpersonal topics. Later, this also evolved into how to unblock the barriers in their path so that they could truly shine as their best, most authentic selves and live their own purposes. I am so passionate about helping people find their calling (especially in a much shorter time than me!) that I wrote out the process in a book, which I am blessed to say hit #1 international bestseller status on Amazon the day we launched.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a coach – and it’s the best job in the world! I love helping people be their fullest, most authentic selves in their life and their work. My coaching comes in many forms: I work with many companies on executive coaching for leaders of all stages, primarily mid-level leaders. I also coach many new leaders making the first-time transition to people manager. On the topic of my book, I coach individuals through discovering and going after their career purpose. I also coach new entrepreneurs through starting their business and growing it to six figures, and in my free time, I coach veterans transitioning to civilian careers. In 2022, I obtained my credentialing as Master Practitioner of Myers-Briggs, so I provide lots of those services as well. What I’m most excited about is my latest service, breakthrough sessions, which I do either ad-hoc or bundled with other coaching to guarantee results. As a Master Practitioner of 4 different methodologies that go into these sessions, I help people sever the root causes of common roadblocks such as: imposter syndrome, self-limiting beliefs (such as “I’m not good enough”), perfectionism, or any other way that we get in our own way. I’ve watched so many lives change through those sessions, which only take about 1-2 weeks to complete, and I can’t wait to continue to pay that gift forward.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The most important and hardest skill I had to learn was selling. We ALL have to sell, whether it’s an idea or a service or a product. I realized earlier in my journey that I had some limiting beliefs about sales (who wants to be the used car salesman?) and money, which was holding my business back significantly. Whether we’re new to the workforce or the expert in retirement, we all sell every day and I wish I had learned that art and science earlier. Secondly, the biggest quality I attribute to my success was a stubborn, optimistic determination. I just refused to quit even on the hardest days because I believed so strongly that someone needed what I did. (That, by the way, was the only thing that got me through publishing my book!) And lastly, I think it’s critical to understand the right balance of service mindset AND valuing yourself. I believe we should show up to each interaction in service to the other person — this is essentially the foundation of my view of leadership — but at the same time, we have to have as healthy and strong of a belief in ourselves as we do of others. I had to learn the hard way that if I didn’t value myself, I *couldn’t* help other people, because I not only limited myself, but also risked projecting that limitation on them. If you truly want to serve others, the best place to start is with you!

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client is ready and determined to take action to improve their situation. It’s normal for life to present us with struggles — what matters is whether we want to be in charge of the outcome or “let” life happen to us (or expect someone else like me to fix it for you). My ideal clients are on the former end of the equation, and I’ll tell you what: They get massive results not because I have a magic wand but because they do the work it takes to get to that better place. So whether you’re ready to find your purpose, or become a better leader, or get out of your own way, I’m ready to be your guide!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Stacie Renea Photography

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