Inspiring Conversations with Ashleigh “Carpentier” Garrod of Top Tier Performance, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashleigh “Carpentier” Garrod.

Hi Ashleigh, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been an athlete my entire life, and sports have shaped the core of who I am. I had the privilege of playing Division 1 soccer at Western Michigan University, where I also earned my undergraduate degree in engineering. After graduation, I began my career in that field—but something felt off. Despite achieving professional success, I missed the competitive environment, the team dynamic, and most of all, the personal growth that came from pushing myself in sport.

That pull led me back to coaching, where everything started to click again. During that time, I reconnected with one of the most influential mentors I’ve ever had—BJ Snow. He was someone who had impacted me deeply as a player, and when we spoke about my coaching path, he said something that changed everything: “I think you’d love Sport Psychology.” At the time, I honestly had no idea what that even meant. But the moment I started researching it, I felt like I had finally found what I was meant to do.

Looking back, I realized I had experienced the need for sport psychology firsthand—especially during my college years. The pressure to perform at the highest level, stay mentally sharp, manage expectations, and lead a team took a massive toll. I didn’t have the tools back then that I needed. I knew if I could help other athletes navigate that same experience with better support, I could truly make a difference.

So, I went back to school to earn my master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. After finishing, I returned to my hometown of Portage, Michigan, and founded Top Tier Performance—a company dedicated to helping athletes build the mental skills necessary to thrive not just in sport, but in life. What started as a personal pursuit of passion has grown into a mission: to give athletes of all levels access to elite mental performance training rooted in science, empathy, and real-life experience.

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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Starting a business from scratch is no joke—especially coming from a background in engineering and coaching, where I didn’t have much experience with the business side of things. I had to learn fast. There was a steep learning curve when it came to everything outside of the actual work I loved—building systems, marketing, handling admin, figuring out how to structure services, and really just getting my name out there and earning people’s trust.

There were moments when it felt like things were finally taking off, and then other times when it felt like I was hitting wall after wall. I had to hustle hard to build a reputation from the ground up and prove that this work mattered. The coaching and consulting side always felt natural to me—working with athletes, helping them grow—but the behind-the-scenes grind was where a lot of the challenge came in.

I wouldn’t have made it without the people around me. My mom has always been in my corner, believing in me, supporting me, and reminding me of what I bring to the table even when I couldn’t see it myself. She’s been a huge part of why I kept pushing forward. God has blessed me with a remarkable tribe—my incredible husband Brad, my family, and friends —who’ve had my back through it all and helped me stay grounded in my purpose. I could not have done it without them.

This road’s been hard, but I wouldn’t trade it. It’s stretched me and taught me more than I ever expected. And at the end of the day, I always say: “If you want to do great things, you’ve got to do hard things.” That’s what this has been—hard, but worth it. Because it’s led me to the most meaningful work I’ve ever done: helping athletes become their best—mentally, emotionally, and in performance. That’s what makes every struggle worth it.

We’ve been impressed with Top Tier Performance, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I work with athletes of all ages—from youth to D1 college players—to help them build the mindset, confidence, and mental skills needed to show up consistently at their best, especially under pressure. I also work with teams to elevate their collective mental game, build cohesion, and lead with purpose. And I support injured athletes through one of the hardest parts of sport: the mental recovery and return-to-play process.

My specialty is teaching practical mental skills—tools that actually transfer to game day. That includes handling pressure, building real confidence, sharpening focus, bouncing back from mistakes, developing a strong athletic identity, and leading with clarity and composure. Whether it’s one-on-one coaching, team sessions, or tools inside the TTP App we’re launching this summer, everything I create is designed to be usable, backed by science, and built for the demands of real competition.

What makes my work different is that I’ve lived every side of it. I was a Division 1 soccer player, a captain, and a high achiever in a high-pressure environment. I also studied engineering, so I naturally think in systems. Later, I went back and earned my master’s in Sport and Exercise Psychology because I saw firsthand what athletes needed but weren’t getting. I know what it feels like to carry big goals, overthink under pressure, lead a team, and fight your way back from injury. That’s why the work I do with athletes is never one-size-fits-all. It’s personal, and it’s real.

Top Tier Performance is known for combining elite-level mental training with down-to-earth connection. I’ve built pre-game mental warmups that athletes use to lock in. I’ve created full psychological recovery systems for athletes coming back from injuries. I’ve led leadership sessions for captains learning how to lead without burning out. And one of my favorite things I offer is the Next Tier Clinics, where we combine physical training and mental skills coaching into one powerful experience, because mindset should be trained just like speed, strength, and technical skill.

What I’m most proud of is the trust I’ve built. Athletes and families don’t just show up for a session. They leave feeling seen, and with tools they can use not just in sport, but in school, in relationships, and in life. I’ve had the honor of helping athletes earn scholarships, rebuild confidence, come back stronger after injury, and rediscover their love for the game.

Here’s what I want people to understand:
Mental training isn’t just for athletes who are struggling.
It’s for any athlete who wants to be great—and stay great—without losing themselves in the process.

Top Tier Performance exists to help good athletes become great and help great athletes stay grounded in who they are, on and off the field. That’s the work I do. And that’s what I love most.

How do you think about luck?
I don’t believe in luck, not in the way most people talk about it. What I do believe in is God’s hand on every step of my journey, through both the high points and the hard seasons.

There have been moments where things fell into place in ways I couldn’t have planned or forced on my own. One of those was when I crossed paths with BJ Snow again, right when I was questioning what direction to take in my career. That conversation is what led me to discover sport psychology—something I didn’t even know existed at the time, but would go on to shape my entire life and calling. That wasn’t a coincidence. That was God placing the right person, at the right time, with the right words.

But it hasn’t all been easy or smooth. There have been struggles—deep ones. Starting a business from the ground up, learning as I went, hitting obstacles I didn’t see coming… those seasons were tough. But even in the hardest moments, I can look back now and see how God was using it all to grow my faith, to sharpen my purpose, and to remind me that the work I do isn’t just mine. It’s part of something bigger.

So no, I wouldn’t say luck played the biggest role. I would say grace did. I’m here because God has continued to open the doors I needed, place the right people in my path, and give me the strength to keep going, especially when things were unclear. I’ve just tried to stay faithful, stay obedient, and show up for the purpose I know He placed in me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.toptier-perform.com
• Instagram: toptierperform
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toptierperf/