We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Blalock recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ashley, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
Self care if very important to me and honestly, is a priority in my daily life. I am a strong believer that we have to take care of ourselves first so that we can show up as the best possible version our ourself to others. I carve time into every morning to get my mind in the right space before I take on the day. My “miracle morning” as I call it, consists of reading my daily excerpt from The Daily Stoic, I complete my lesson for the day in A Course in Miracles, spend a few minutes journaling on what I am grateful for and writing out my affirmations, and then sit down for a 5-10 minute meditation. These daily habits are non negotiables for me. Some days I may be pressed for time and have to get my meditation in while walking through the city, sitting on the subway, or in the back of an Uber, but nonetheless I ensure I show up for myself. I have battled with depression and anxiety my entire life, and for me, these are the things that I know work for me and will forever be apart of my daily life.
As strongly as I feel about focusing on mental health I feel that physical health is a key component in maintaining a healthy mind. I workout almost daily, and truthfully, it’s more so for the mental clarity that it brings me that then physical attributes. I know that I am a better human after a good workout and meditation.
I believe gratitude is the key to life. Even when life is falling apart, as it inevitably will at some point or another, there is always something to be thankful for. I call my Grandfather every morning and this is a part of our conversation. I tell him what I wrote in my gratitude journal that morning, and he tells me the things he is grateful for. We try to make a point not to repeat things, and always come up with new things everyday that we have profound gratitude for. That phone call each morning is my favorite part of the day.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am the CEO & Founder of the Ashley Avery Agency. Ashley Avery is a New York City based talent & event staffing agency that specializes in the procurement and placement of models and talent at events world wide.
I am a small town girl that always had big dreams. I grew up on a tobacco farm in North Carolina and always knew I wanted to live in New York. New York has been my dream since I was 4 years old. I wasn’t always sure on what would bring me here, but I knew I would get here.
I started the Ashley Avery Agency while I was in college in Atlanta. I worked as a spokesmodel through college, and felt there was a need for an agency that wasn’t just dedicated to a client, or dedicated only to the model, but an agency that was there to advocate for both sides, to ensure clients are happy and targets are achieved, but also an agency that works to ensure the talents need are met as well.
Ashley Avery has now been in business since 2012, and this year will be our 10th anniversary of being New York based.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Great question! Although it’s hard to narrow it down to just three, but I would have to say resilience, communication, and negotiation are the three skills that I have used every day of my professional career.
Being a business owner has challenges, the answer isn’t always clear in front of you, you will make mistakes, but being able to roll with the punches, and honing in on that ability to get back up and keep on fighting is one that you will have to learn quickly in order to keep going.
Communication is the key to everything- personal or business, and communication starts with listening. Listening to your clients, listening to your partner, to your friends, honestly to anyone that you have a relationship with in any capacity. I feel strongly that most problems occur because of poor communication, and that all starts when you close your mouth, and open your ears.
Negotiation is another skill that I feel is useful not just in business but in your private life as well. My negotiation class from college is the one course that I vividly remember lectures from, and use it daily, Knowing how to properly negotiate a deal is instrumental no matter what industry you are in.
I always suggest for my employees to take courses in both negotiation and communication. Coursera and LinkedIn both offer an abundance of online courses, for little to no fee, that help sharpen these skills. I am a strong believer that one should always be learning, and continuing their education. While communication and negotiation are skills that courses and books can easily assist, resilience is one that will take some time and personal dedication, but time is a great teacher, as long as you keep an open mind, and learn from your own mistakes.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I personally feel that every person is different and we all have things that we are gifted in, and that’s what we should focus on. In building a business and a team I feel that everyone should have their area that they excel in, and that’s where their drive should be.
When I am onboarding team members I look for people opposite of myself, or others we already have on our team. There is no need in having carbon copy individuals working for you, you want people to be able to have ownership of their area, be good at it, and run with it. If everyone is good at the exact same thing then you just have more of the same, you have abundance in one area. For example, on a football team, everyone has a position they play, that’s what they are good at, and that is how the team overall wins, as everyone’s collective efforts in their position.
With all that being said, I do feel that it’s beneficial to learn from team members, or others around you that are skilled in one outlet, but I feel that we go further in life and in business when we work together as a team to get there.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ashleyaveryagency.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleyaveryagency
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblalock/
