Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Sullivan.
Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Whenever I had a break between classes, I would spend that time reading fashion blogs and creating inspiration boards on Pinterest. The more I read, the more inspired I was. After a while, I told myself that “I could do this.” and that’s when my first fashion blog was created. It started as “blessedinlilly” because I was obsessed with all things Lilly Pulitzer, but as my personal style grew and I started attending more local events, I rebranded as “simply.ash.nicole” and that’s been my brand name ever since! Rebranding allowed me to focus on more parts of my life; not just fashion. I absolutely love being able to share my adventures, weekend vlogs, outfits, thrift finds, home life, etc. and connect with other people. If it wasn’t for social media, I never would’ve connected with so many wonderful business owners and content creators. I moved to the Metro Detroit area in June 2019 and didn’t know anyone, so my blog became a place for me to connect and learn more about the area. As much as I love trying new things and meeting new people, I’ve also been able to inspire so many people around me through my content. We’re all human and we all struggle at times, so I always try to be real, authentic, and share real life experiences through my words (i.e. captions and stories). I’m someone who always wears a bible verse on my wrist every day, so I love being able to share words of inspiration/kindness through my social channels as well.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As much as I love content creation, it definitely hasn’t been an easy road. Early on in my journey, I struggled with developing an identity within my platform. If I stuck with one niche (like fashion), then I felt like I couldn’t post other things (meals, travel, home, etc.). That was the main reason why I rebranded. Also, it can be very easy to get caught up in the “glam” of social media and lose your authenticity because you’re trying to chase numbers. We all go through it at some point, so during that time I had to step back, take a small break, and reevaluate. I also work full-time in the mortgage industry, so sometimes it can be challenging to fit in time to create content. I definitely struggled with figuring out a good schedule in the beginning, but over time I learned to batch content, prioritize, and minimize the number of partnerships I said “yes” to. It’s very easy early on to say “yes” to everything because it’s new and exciting, but eventually you become overwhelmed with taking on too much all at once. That happened to me a few times, so now I’m more selective of the collaborations I agree to so I can still balance work, my personal life, and social media.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I run a lifestyle blog called Simply Ash Nicole. My primary platform is Instagram, but I also share on TikTok and recently started posting on YouTube again. I love to share my outfits, home projects, thrift/antique finds, local events, farmers markets, and outdoor adventures. I also have a 6lb Maltese named Callie whom I adopted at 3 months old and love very much. Even though I don’t stick to one specific niche, I can say that I’m known for having all types of interests. I’ve been to many different kinds of events and met different people through each one. Over time you get to know other creators, so they know who I am and are familiar with my content. When you ask my friends describe me, they would tell you that I’m “kind, bubbly, and always smiling” as well as being the “influencer.” People can always come to me for advice and/or engage with me through my social channels.
When I look back over the years, one of the moments I’m most proud of is being on a local podcast. It was called Chimecast and even though the podcast no longer exists, this was such a “pinch me” moment. I always dreamed about sharing my story with others through podcast, tv, magazine, etc., but never imagine it ever coming true. I will forever be grateful for that opportunity and this one as well. Aside from that, I am also very proud of myself for taking the leap into content creation many years ago. I was just a small-town girl trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, so being an “influencer” was a huge step for me. I’m so glad I did it, just like I’m incredibly proud of myself for moving to a new area 7 years ago and never giving up. If I hadn’t stepped outside of my comfort zone and taken that leap faith, I never would’ve become the person I am today.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My biggest supporters are definitely my family and friends. They have always believed in me and never let me give up, even when I felt like I was at the bottom of the barrel. I can always come to them for advice and they’ve been incredibly supportive of my content journey ever since the beginning. Even when life gets tough in other areas of my life – work, dating, health, etc. – they’ve been nothing short of supportive. I’m forever grateful for all the amazing people in my life and I can’t thank them enough!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply.ash.nicole/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simply.ash.nicole
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@simply.ash.nicole
