Ashley Little is a strong leader who is passionate about transforming lives through education. She has worked in the for-profit education field for over 13 years and occupied many different leadership positions, and loves being able to help students who might not have the opportunity to attend a four-year college. She is CEO/Founder of Ashley Little Enterprises, LLC, which encompasses her media, consulting work, writing, and empowerment speaking. Besides, she is a Serial Entrepreneur, Investor and Best-Selling Author and enjoys empowering women in many different walks of life to build confidence emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and a member of Alpha Phi Omega. She is very involved in her community, organizations and non-profits. Currently, she is the Co-Founder of Sweetheart Scholars Non-profit Organization 501 (C-3) along with three other powerful women. This scholarship is given out annually to African American Females from her hometown of Wadesboro, North Carolina who are attending college to help with their expenses. She believes young ladies need vision, direction, and strong mentorship. She also believes it takes a village to raise a child and that one should never forget where one comes from, hence she is giving back to her community.
Ashley is the Co-Founder and Owner of T.A.L.K Radio & TV Network, LLP, which airs in over 167 countries, and is streamed LIVE on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Periscope. She is also the Owner and Creator of Creative Broadcasting Radio Station the station of “unlimited possibilities” and a Podcast, Radio/TV Host. She is a Best-Selling Author of “Dear Fear, Volume 2: 18 Powerful Lessons of Living Your Best Life Outside of Fear”, “The Gyrlfriend Code Volume 1”, “I Survived” and “Hello Queen.” She is a mover and shaker and continually strives to be better. And she gives God all the credit for everything that has happened in her life. In this interview, Ashley shares with us her success journey, the struggles along the way and why she keeps reaching back to pull others forward. As you read her story, be inspired to attain your goals and reach back to help others.
Ashley, you are currently Co-Founder of Sweetheart Scholars Non-profit Organization, which gives scholarships annually to African American females from your hometown. Please share with us what motivated you to start this organisation and project and how it has changed lives?
Awesome. Well, basically I am one of the co-founders of the Sweetheart Scholars Non-profit along with three other amazing women, and we’re all members of the Delta Sigma Theta, and our goal and vision was to go back and start Sweetheart Scholars because we saw that there was a gap in North Carolina in the high schools there with the African American females and we noticed that they were being overlooked for scholarships. So, we wanted to go back and close the gap and that’s how we founded Sweetheart Scholars on February 5th, 2018 and we gave out our first four last year. Our goal was to give out two, but we ended up sending four amazing girls to college and helping them with their finances. And this year, this past May, I went back home again, and we gave out three. So, our goal was to close the gap that we saw in North Carolina, where we grew up, the place that gave us our foundation and be able to give back. And our goal is as we continue to grow our non-profit; we want to expand out to different places as well, so our goal is to make it bigger. But we wanted to start in North Carolina first. So, I’m so thankful for the growth that we have, acquired this last year or two. As we continue to grow, we’re excited about continuing to give back and mentor our young African American women and give to be able to continue to help them financially. Because you just never know whose life you are going to change, and our goal was to come back and be the change that we want to see.
Well done, Ashley. As a charity, how do you raise funds, and what are some of the challenges that you face in this line of work?
Well, what we’re doing right now for our non-profit, we’re actually providing the scholarship out of our own pocket because we are big believers in, you know, you should be able to support your own vision right before you ask anyone else. So, for the first two years, we went in our own pockets and made sure the scholarship happened. I’m so thankful that we are all visionaries and we are going to make sure that our girls continue to get the support that they need regardless. And now we’re going to start partnering with other organisations, partnering with other non-profits to continue to grow and continue to raise more money to be able to provide more assistance, more scholarships and more mentorship. So, we wanted to start out, being able to provide the finances through our own organisation first, before we ask anyone else.
Amazing! What do you find most fulfilling about being able to help young girls in your community go to college? What is most rewarding for you?
To know that we’re changing lives. To know that I’m able to come back and give back and help someone else along the way. And to me, a successful person is someone that reaches back and pulls forward. So, I’m thankful for that opportunity to continue to give back and continue to expand. As we continue to expand our non-profit, I’m so excited to be able to come back and to be able to be of support and financial assistance to help our young African American women become successful. And along the way, anything that we can do for them, we are determined to be able to do that, not only do we send them to college, but we help them throughout their whole four years.
Ashley, you are Co-Founder and Owner of TALK Radio & TV Network, LLP, which airs in over 167 countries. Would you please tell us how and why these media platforms started and what the vision of each one is?
I love it, so TALK Radio and TV Network LLP was founded by myself and my partner, Kimberly Macklemore, and our vision was to be able to create a media network and platform to be able to give authors, entrepreneurs and speakers a chance, whether they’re seasoned in the business or whether they’re new, a platform to continue to build their brands, and be able to create more opportunities. So that’s what it’s about, pretty much reaching back and pulling forward. Because that’s what we’re all about – giving back and I know, something that’s very passionate in my heart is being able to give back. And so that’s why myself and my partner created the platform, and I’m so thankful for all the things that God has done with it, the stations that we have under the network, the other networks that we have on our network and our shows that we have and they’re doing amazing. So, I just wanted to give God the credit for all the things that He has done with everything in my life, and with our media network. So that’s why we created TALK Radio and TV Network and it has been a blessing. And so, we are continuing to grow, and we look forward to continuing to provide and create more opportunities for business owners, entrepreneurs, authors and speakers.
You created and own Creative Broadcasting Radio Station the station of “unlimited possibilities.” How is this platform different or similar to TALK Radio?
Well, Creative Broadcasting is one of my stations that is under my network, and Creative Broadcasting is an amazing station. Like I said, it’s under my network, TALK Radio and TV Network and I created that station for the creative person, for that visionary that wants to be creative with their brand, and with their voice. And I’m just so thankful for the things that Creative Broadcasting has been doing. I have interviewed some amazing people on the actual media network and the Creative Broadcasting platform. So that’s how that was created and it has been amazing and it is the station of unlimited possibilities because it has created a lot of opportunities for different people, it has opened a lot of doors and the hosts at the stations that are under my station are some very creative people and I’m thankful for where it’s going to continue to go.
With your platforms, Creating your Seat at the Table and Authors on the Rise, what did you have in mind? What is the vision? Please tell us a bit more about these platforms and the impact that they have had on you, on your guests and your audience.
Well, I’ll start with Creating your Seat at the Table. That’s my baby, I love Creating your Seat at the Table, and I created that show to put the focus on real-life strategies. I interview authors, entrepreneurs, speakers and celebrities and I bring them on the show to give my audience real-life strategies on how to continue to create their seat at the table, how to continue to own their table. And I’ve just been so blessed to have some amazing guests on the show; they’re experts because I only interview experts. They’re experts in their field that can give real-life strategies on how to continue to be successful in your brand and build it and create that seat at the table and give listeners the knowledge and the steps to take and to be able to talk about their failures and their successes. So I’ve just been so blessed with that, with Creating your Seat at the Table and when I say the guests I’ve had have really been powerful and they have given some awesome, amazing strategies and stories of how they are, and where they are today. So that show, I plan to do a lot more with it, but as I stated it’s my baby, and I love Creating your Seat at the Table because I believe that for us to get to the next level, if you want to do something, you don’t need to wait on anyone to create your seat, create your own seat and create your own opportunity and build your own table and make sure that you know who you are at the table with because you can’t sit at every table. But make sure you know that you create your own seat. So that’s what that show is about. And Authors on the Rise, love that show as well. It focuses on new and seasoned authors, giving authors the chance to get the exposure that they’re needing to continue to build their brand, as well. Because when you’re coming out as a first-time author, if you don’t have any other brand or any other type of exposure, sometimes it can be very hard to get that exposure. So, I wanted to be able to give seasoned and new authors a platform to, you know, get their voice heard, to get their book out there and continue to build their business and their brand.
Let’s talk about your books. You are a bestselling author of three books, one titled, “Dear Fear, Volume 2: 18 Powerful Lessons of Living Your Best Life Outside of Fear.” What is this book about and what made you write it?
With Dear Fear, Volume 2: 18 Powerful Lessons of Living Your Best Life Outside of Fear, I was a contributing author. The visionary author is the amazing Tiana Patrice, and so my chapter was, “Dear Fear, You Can’t Have My Power,” I spoke about different things that I had to endure, different seasons that I had to go through to continue to get to the next level. But basically, what I talked about in that book was, you know, how people sometimes look at the accomplishments, but they don’t understand that everybody has a process. So, some of the things I talk about in that book is, me going through discrimination, as a black woman in executive-level positions, and the different steps that I took and how I overcame and continue to be successful. Even though the process was very hard, even though the process was very challenging, even though sometimes I felt like giving up. So, I wrote about those different seasons that I went through in corporate America. And I am still in corporate America now as an executive, corporate by day, entrepreneur by night. But I’m talking about those different seasons of discrimination that I went through, as well as, my father battling cancer. I also spoke about toxic relationships and understanding that everybody can’t go with you to the next level and that some people are seasonal, right? So I talk about those different things in that book and when I say that was really when I first came into being an author, you know, with that piece that I wrote, “Dear Fear, You Can’t Have My Power.” I wrote about, basically don’t let anybody, take your voice. You have a voice and so you stand for what’s right, and there is a way to do it and understand that everything that happens in your life happens for a reason and yes, the process is necessary because a lot of us don’t want to go through the process, we want the end result. But the process is the most important part and we have to learn to endure and embrace that to get to the next level because if I had quit in the middle of those processes, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Everything was meant for a reason.
Fear is a big issue for many people. In what way does fear rob people of their dream? What fearful experiences have you had in the pursuit of your dreams, and how has writing a chapter or a section of this book impacted you and the readers?
Well, I’m going to say that it was an amazing experience. It was scary at first because, I’m one of those people, who is very private, and being able to write this book, you know, it was scary. But I’m a risk-taker, I believe in taking risks, and it was definitely a place of being very vulnerable. I remember my first book signing when we first launched, Dear Fear, and I remember getting very emotional, but it was so amazing. It felt so good to be able to get it out and release those things because we all have a story, and you never know whose life you’re going to change by sharing your story. And I’m so thankful that since I released my story since I released that book and I continue to write more books that people have read my story, especially specifically that one and, either, could relate to it or it saved some people’s lives. And people have really, given me great reviews, men and women, and I’m just so thankful for that. I’m thankful that I took that step and was able to share my story, and fear is something that, if you don’t get out of it, it paralyzes you, right? Because really, it’s not even real. It’s false evidence appearing real, so we have to be able to take those jumps, take those risks, and we have got to be able to do it afraid. Every day I take risks, most of the time I’m scared, but I know that I’m not going to be able to get to the next level if I don’t jump. And we have to be okay with rejection. It’s a lesson, right? It’s a lesson for you. So, you dust yourself off and continue to keep going. And it’s all about how hungry you are, and if you want to chase the impact. That’s the key to it. Chase the impact, take those risks and don’t be afraid to fail because it’s not a failure. As I stated, it is a lesson. It’s part of the process. I don’t know one successful person that has not failed, so I tell anybody, take the risk, take the jump, do it scared, do it anyway.
You wrote “The Gyrlfriend Code Volume 1”, and I understand that you now have volume two, please tell us about both books. What are women saying about these books? And please share with us some testimonials.
Okay. Well “The Gyrlfriend Code Volume 1”, I was a co-author in that book, and I wrote about seasonal relationships as far as my girlfriend relationships, and it was an amazing book, and I touched on, the fact that everybody can’t go, I touched on toxic relationships and how to identify seasonal relationships and personal and business relationships, right? So those are the things I touched on in volume one and I’m so thankful for the opportunities that I have had to speak on regarding that because of a lot of us, we get mad when people walk away or we get upset. But we have to learn to embrace that because it’s part of the process and to continue to move forward. I understand that God will place the right people in your life to help you get to that next level. Now my next book, which is “The Gyrlfriend Code Sorority Edition,” it’s not Volume 2, it’s the Sorority Edition and I am the visionary author and that is my book and I have 14 other amazing co-authors and we just hit bestseller about two weeks ago. And I’m so excited because my vision for that book, as the visionary author, was to be able to share stories from members of the sorority to show and tell about our girlfriend relationship as far as a sorority, right? And so we talk about sorority life and how our girlfriend relationships have made a very positive impact on our lives and to not limit ourselves to our sororities and be able to learn to collaborate and be able to build those connections and be able to understand that our destiny is tied to our connection. So, I’m so thankful for that book and we’re getting ready to go on our book tour. We’re going to go to Atlanta, Florida, Charlotte and Ohio, and I’m so excited for my book, “The Gyrlfriend Code Sorority Edition.” We have been receiving great reviews back from it, so thankful for that as well.
The last book we’re going to discuss is, “I survived.” This is another book collaboration. Please share with us, what did you survive, and how has the knowledge that you survived what perhaps destroyed others transformed your life?
Well, for the book, “I survived,” I am a contributing author and that book is amazing, give a special shout out to the amazing Jessica Mosley, who’s the visionary author. In that book, my story is called, Grace, because I talk about how I was in a very tragic accident in 2016 that almost took my life. So, I talked about how it was God’s grace that kept me to be able to tell the story and the different things that I was in during those times. I was very unhappy. I was going through depression; I wasn’t happy in my career. I was going through a lot of different seasons, and my dad was sick with cancer and battling cancer at the time. So, I talk about how it was just nothing but God’s grace that He was able to bring me through 2016 because that was a very traumatic year for me and I didn’t think that I was going to make it out of that year. And I talk about the different seasons and the different storms that I had to endure and how no matter what you’re going through in life, do not give up. Do not give up because there’s always a light on the other side; there’s always a lesson for us in everything that we’re doing, right? So, we have to embrace it and be able to go through it. Go through it, embrace it and understand that there is a light at the end of every tunnel. So, I’m just thankful for all the seasons that I went through. But I’m thankful that I didn’t give up and I’m thankful that God spared my life. So that’s what I talk about and that’s why I call it Grace because it is by His grace that I’m still here today.
As a woman who believes that young ladies need vision, direction, and strong mentorship, what inspiring and or empowering words do you have for the women out there?
I would tell every woman to jump. To jump and do not be afraid to take risks. And understand that our destinies are tied to our connections and to always treat everybody with respect and kindness because you don’t know who the person is going to be that could take you to that next level. So, we have to always be thankful and always be respectful and kind to everybody that we meet. Because one thing I would tell anybody, do not ever despise small beginnings.
Ashley, how can people contact you, and where do they go to buy your books?
So, people can follow me on Facebook at Ashley Little; they also can follow me on Instagram at underscore Ashley A. Little. And you all can purchase my books on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.
