We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashlee Nicole and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashlee, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I started my business in college so imagine me–15 years younger, full of fight, full of energy, and jaded but hopeful. In the beginning, there was no balance. I was a textbook workaholic and hyperindependent. I was comfortable and most secure in my ability to juggle a million things at once, never sleep, maintain a small social life, teach myself new skills, and make money on demand. All that work left very little, if at all, time for life, love, God, or my health. Work came first until my body demanded otherwise. I started dealing with chronic migraine, fatigue, and brain fog that attempted to slow me down. I fought to push through it (ignore it) because I didn’t know how to function without having my attention on multiple things at once. When the pain got worse, my ability to juggle it all was compromised but I was in denial for a long time. Even after I was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer in 2018, it really wasn’t until 2020 that I decided to take my physical and mental health more seriously. I still don’t fully believe in ‘balance’ but I do believe in harmony. Over the last 3 years, I’ve made some really hard decisions and some life-changing pivots all in effort to create more harmony in my life. My rules now are to 1. put my mental and physical wellbeing first, 2. make sure I’m being honest with myself and others about my capacity, 3. only taking on things that are in alignment with my values, my skills and my goals.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Essentially, I have two main businesses that often intersect.

Artistry Studios® is a boutique creative agency where I build clean, ux-focused brand identities and digital presences for service-based entrepreneurs ready to position their expertise and launch their signature offer with confidence.

or over a decade, I’ve been conceptualizing, executing, and implementing digital, web, and print assets for entrepreneurs and small businesses. I believe in customer-centered design that marries beauty and function to shift brands’ marketing impact in this highly digital age.

My passion is in helping entrepreneurs eliminate brand shame and maintain visual consistency. I know firsthand what building your business baby from the ground up, solo, feels like. You pour your heart, sweat, and tears into it and you want to be proud to show it off every chance you get. Because – when you look good, you feel good, and you show up better for yourself!

My process is strategically formulated to transform your solid brand values into powerful brand visuals. Because let’s face it –– perception matters in these internet streets.

byashleenicole™️ is more of a personal brand where I focus on content creation and influencing, advocating for mental/physical wellbeing and causes, and run a faith-based community. I’ve recently put a lot more work into this brand and I’m super excited about the future of it and the potential impact.

How’d I get here? Great question because I thought I would be a writer. Starting college as a journalism major with hopes of owning my own magazine some day, I quickly found that I love to write but not what other people were assigning me to write. From there, I started exploring photography as a hobby to keep myself busy. College was hard for me initially. I really struggled with depression and anxiety but creating––photography, drawing, blogging etc. kept me grounded. A Black girl with a fancy camera, living on a small, very white college campus stuck out so it wasn’t long before people started asking how much I charged to shoot things such as parties and graduation pictures. That’s where it started–as Ashlee Nicole Artistry, LLC back in 2010 offering photography services to any and everyone. As I finished up my degree, I found am interest in coding and websites. I also met a friend (the late Tyrell “Rell Finesse”) who was already lightyears ahead of me in the photography game but always took time to teach me when I wanted to learn something new. He was also a graphic design major and that was the first time I realized that I could have a create mixing photos, coding, writing… everything I loved. I learned how to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator just watching him. We were very competitive so he would challenge me. Eventually, we ended up business partners and really started to take on clients and graphic, web, and photo projects we never thought would come our way. The “make a way” and “figure it out” mentality we lived by while learning how to run businesses we’d never seen before is exactly how I got here and how I keep pushing.

I’m most proud of the pivots I’ve made along the way. The business I run today is not the same exact business I started. I’ve learned new skills, started new services/offers, and put others on the back burner as I’ve evolved. I’ve remained flexible and obedient to my calling even though some of these changes we really hard and often required me to grieve. None of it has been easy but I was once told that “my bravery could lead to someone else’s break through” and I couldn’t imagine not using my gifts to positively impact other’s lives.

I wan’t people to know that entrepreneurship and success is relative and not quick nor linear. Be patient and authentic. Once you’re in alignment with your calling (from God), though, the reward outweighs any tough seasons.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a hard question because I still consider myself new to DFW, I moved to Dallas in 2021 from St. Louis and this is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done lol. I feel like I’m still trying to find my footing but I absolutely love it and regret nothing but I still have so much exploring to do!

Church Tour — we’d hit my faves …The Potter’s House, One Community, and Koinonia Christian Church.
The Addison Area — Stirr, Sidecar
Sports — Mavs and Wings games are always a must for me
Legacy West for sure

Can you tell I be in the house? lol

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to give a shoutout to my parents/family. They’ve supported me through every crazy idea and every risky pivot. I’d also give a special shoutout to the late Tyrell “Rell Finesse” Thompson who helped me discover and cultivate my creative skills and confidence in business.

Website: byashleenicole.com

Instagram: instagram.com/byashleenicole

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byashleenicole/

Twitter: twitter.com/byashleenicole

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzx0vfjXx_30Zx-lKVELcdw

Other: theartistrystudios.com tiktok.com/byashleenicole hey@byashleenicole.com

Image Credits
Mena Darre Photography Alex Don Media Artistry Studios byashleenicole

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