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

Hi Ashley, is there something you believe many others might not?
It has been said that successful entrepreneurship requires sleepless nights, overworking, and exhaustion. I would dare to say that alignment, rhythm, and timing are more important. Being in the right place at the right time is more important than being first in line at the wrong location. A brain on overdrive will easily burnout, and innovation is seldom bred in exhaustion. Pace yourself. Move as fast, or as slow, as you need to according to the season of life that you are in. Make genuine connections, rest your mind and body consistently, and work at a healthy, sustainable pace. It is important to take risks and grow, but strategy and intention are also important aspects of success. As an entrepreneur, the view on what it means to be productive can be limited, but I believe that it should include a plethora of different characteristics that all contribute to entrepreneurial success.

What should our readers know about your business?
Growing up, I always thought I hated reading. I internalized that reading wasn’t my “thing,” and believed this lie until I became a young adult.

As I completed my master’s degree in social work and became a teacher, I realized the true power of representation and how connection sets the foundation for engagement and learning. This is when I was reminded of the lie that I had been telling myself for so long. It wasn’t that I hated reading. The truth was, I was not engaged with the reading material that I had been provided with as a kid.

After my first son was born, I decided that I did not want this part of my childhood experience to be the same for him. I was determined to provide him with books that he could see himself in. This is when I noticed a gap in the publishing market. Finding children’s books with black protagonists that taught social-emotional concepts were few and far between.

This is what lead me to children’s publishing. I want both of my sons, and all children, to have the opportunity to develop a love for reading. I want them to open up books and see themselves, and people they know, on the pages. I want them to learn lessons as children that I didn’t learn until I became an adult. I want them to have the opportunity to curl up with a good book that they feel represents them and their people.

In 2021 I founded my publishing company, JJ Carson Press, LLC. By the end of that year, we released two publications: Jade’s Secret Ingredients: A Recipe for Managing Feelings and No Limits: A Story Celebrating the Unconditional Love of a Father. Both of our books can be found at bookstores and online retailers around the globe.

Throughout my personal and profession journey, I have learned the importance of alignment: being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. I have also had many opportunities to practice pacing and self-care techniques. I practice what I preach when it comes to mental health, and share the lessons that I have learned throughout my life in my children’s books, so that the next generation will have a head start on their own mental wellness.

You can learn more about me and my books at www.jjcarsonpress.com .

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.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, First Watch (Brunch), Grapevine Mills Mall, Razzoo’s, Dallas Aquarium

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to the amazing Schools of Social Work at my alma maters Barry University and The University of Texas at Arlington for schooling me on what mental wellness looks like, and how to support others in their mental health journeys.

Website: www.jjcarsonpress.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleyfinleywrites

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-s-finley-msw-36042811b

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleyfinleywrites

Other: info@jjcarsonpress.com

Image Credits
Kaniography

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