Tell us about you?

I'm Ashlee, the founder and director of multi award-winning luxury day spa, Eden Spa. With a degree in business majoring in Marketing, I am now lucky enough to inspire others. I'm a business coach to women in service-based businesses, helping them to grow and flourish.

Tell us about your small business?

I opened Eden Spa in 2011 with no prior beauty experience. Now I’m lucky enough to coach other women how to do the same.

Are there any areas you’re particularly seeking progress in for your business right now?

Business growth and networking, PR and brand building.

How could you or your business help others?

• Providing strategies to double/triple their business within 12 weeks
• Assist with smart marketing strategies to grow their brand
• Assist with analysing the business as a whole and help come up with ideas on how to improve the client experience

What has been one of your best business decisions to-date?

• Hiring a business coach who helped me step out of my own day spa and start my coaching business. My weakness is structure. She assisted in helping create structure in my business and person life.

What are your three favourite business tools and why?

• I love Canva – coming from a background in design, the app perfect for creating marketing material
• Facebook – Live videos. It allows me to grow my brand very quickly and connect with a large audience
• Asana – it is an app designed to help you manage your 'to do' list. You can add your team to it and help them manage their tasks as well

Could you share a time when you succeeded and what you learned?

I helped my coaching client triple her business in 12 weeks. It was such a rewarding time as a business coach. Through this experience, I have learnt that it's important to set realistic expectations with my other clients because some of them haven’t achieved this. It comes down to what the business owner is willing to do outside our coaching sessions.

Could you share a time when you failed and what you learned?

I opened a second salon two years after opening my first. MAJOR FAIL. I got too excited. What I didn’t realise at the time was that my first location, while making good money, wasn’t at full capacity. I now know I should have continued to build that business and, when it was bursting at the seams, then look at opening a second location.

What would you like to see more of when it comes to helping women in small businesses succeed?

More face-to-face support, networking groups and online workshop with other businesses, all collaborating to help one another.

What’s your approach to dealing with the pressures of running your business?

I regularly work on myself. I’m an empath so I feel other people’s energies and it can bring me down. I go to yoga, meditation and have regular Bowen therapy sessions. When I don’t focus on my own health and wellbeing, I notice that I struggle to juggle and manage all my hats - mum, wife, business coach, salon owner.

Any productivity hacks you swear by?

A 'To Do' list and ticking it off. I love the satisfaction you get when you tick off the items, even if I just send an important email.

Has there been a significant mentor in your career/life?

Yes, Sommer Louise. She is a mindset coach. She helped me regain my confidence.

People you admire / quotes or mantras that you live by?

Mantra: Communication is key

What’s the last read book / visited bookmark / podcast that you’d recommend to a friend?

'Start with Why' by Simon Sinek. Such a great book if you want to build your brand and business.

Finish this sentence: “Business mums …

... ARE BLOODY AWESOME!"

Connect with Ashlee

Via her website, on Facebook, Instagram or on LinkedIn.

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