Meet Ashley Cook | Copywriter, Copy Coach, & Retail Storyteller

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

Hi Ashley, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Likely without knowing it, both of my parents raised me to be a risk-taker. After my parents divorced when I was four-years-old, my brother and I lived with my mom in a worn-out 1950s home in a rundown part of town. She raised us with the belief of “you always have options.”
When I was 10, my dad moved overseas to Thailand, and by the time I was 12, I made my first trip abroad. Before long, my brother, grandmother, and I were hopping the ocean every summer. We rode elephants, crawled on ancient temples, and sailed down floating markets. The juxtaposition was like a fairy tale.

It was because of them that I had the courage to leave my small hometown and go get my undergrad degree in business at UT Austin. Stepping into other cultures empowered me to accept an internship in China when I couldn’t speak a lick of Mandarin. Knowing I had love and support fueled me to leave my corporate job during The Great Recession to pursue my Masters in Intercultural Studies.

So, when it came time to launch a copywriting business during a pandemic, I had to remind myself I was in good hands. I had a lot of practice I could lean on.

I never labeled myself as a risk-taker. But looking back, I guess you could say that the worst time for others was often the perfect time for me.

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?
Starting a business is definitely not easy! Building a steady client base during a pandemic was tough, and I hit some snags along the way. I was committed to growing a business based on relationships, so those first few months involved laying a lot of groundwork.
In the midst of all that, I was also trying to plan my wedding, which as we all know, was one hot mess after another. I can now joke that I planned three weddings for my first marriage, but in the moment, it was super stressful. I don’t recommend being a pandemic bride.

On top of all this, I decided to launch an additional piece to my business – copy coaching. (As if one business wasn’t enough!) So, yeah, 2020 had a LOT going on.

When it comes to copywriting, I specialize in writing for women coaches and practitioners mostly within the functional wellness space. I get pretty nerdy when it comes to researching. I LOVE combining the latest studies and analytics with storytelling. It was my sweet spot during my corporate career, and I’m proud to be able to serve my copywriting clients with this same quality approach.

I also get SO excited about helping other entrepreneurs write more powerfully for their business. Starting a business is hard work, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I’m inspired by how my coaching clients show up and are committed to upping their writing game. It’s an honor to be part of their journey.

I do still write within the consumer goods industry. One of my greatest experiences from my 13 years in corporate America was retail storytelling. It’s been wonderful to continue working with mission-minded companies to advance their reach and grow their sales.

I’m told that what sets me apart from others is my thoughtfulness, nonjudgmental nature, intuitive style, and commitment to going above and beyond.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh, great question. I’m going to answer this as if we were in the “before times.” I’m one of those annoying people who pretend to be a travel planner when their friends come to visit. I usually ask in advance just how much Texas they can handle.

Let’s say it’s a LOT.

So, we’re clearly heading to Fort Worth. We immediately zip over to the Stockyards. They need a rodeo, a juicy slab of ribs at Riscky’s, and no less than two ten gallon hats.

We hit up the Fort Worth Zoo and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. We grab burgers at Rodeo Goat and cocktails at Sundance Square.

And if it’s springtime, we’re sitting ourselves in a field of bluebonnets off I-35 and snapping selfies. No questions asked.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I might have crumbled a long time ago if it weren’t for the support of my family, close friends, and now-husband. Making the call to leave a stable job when everything around me was filled with chaos was paralyzing. I struggled with crippling fear, feeling like an imposter, and doubting the timing.

They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. When I felt like giving up and going back to corporate, they gave me the nudge to hang on just a little longer.

And when momentum picked up and I soon found myself overwhelmed with incredible new clients, they were there to slip me meals and refill my coffee cup.

I’m also deeply grateful for my writing mentor, Sarah Turner. She was instrumental in helping me transition my skills from corporate to copywriting. She helped me chart out the path that would later allow me to leave my corporate job.

I also have a wonderfully talented network of other copywriters and editors, such Kathy Kiger, Carley DenBoer, and Allie Linn. They spur me on when those tough entrepreneur days kick in and always push me to be a better writer for my clients.

My first client, Nikki Porteus of Renew & Restore Wellness, is a beautiful soul who’s passionate about helping families live healthier lives naturally. She trusted me with writing for her chiropractic clinic in a way that reflects her voice and her vision. Her trust gave me the confidence to launch my business, and I’m so grateful for her.

Website: www.ashleycook.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asapcopy.co/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ashleycookwrites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asapcopy.co

Image Credits
Photography Design By HDS