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When was the last time you really stopped and listened to what your body was telling you?

We're talking about more than eating healthy, exercising, or squeezing a little self-care into an already busy schedule!

On this episode of the Entrepreneur Like ME Podcast, Courtney sits down with Ashley Jones, founder of Ask Ashley Advisement, for a thought-provoking conversation about holistic wellness, entrepreneurship, finding your purpose, and what it truly means to BE WELL.

From graduating as valedictorian and earning a degree in physics with a pre-med focus to navigating motherhood and discovering her passion for holistic wellness, Ashley's journey is anything but traditional.

We dive into the connection between physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, explore the importance of slowing down and becoming more aware of ourselves, and discuss how everyday habits, stress, and lifestyle choices can influence how we feel.

But this conversation goes beyond wellness!

Ashley opens up about building a business rooted in helping others, overcoming the fear of putting yourself out there, finding your voice as an entrepreneur, and how participating in CMURC's Lift ME program is helping her strengthen the foundation of Ask Ashley Advisement.

And you already know Courtney has some questions! From meditation and overthinking to finding balance in the middle of life's chaos, this conversation will have you thinking about your own wellness journey.

Because sometimes the first step toward change isn't doing MORE. It's becoming more aware of what you need.

🎙️ Join the movement. Be the inspiration. Be an Entrepreneur Like ME!

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

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Your hairstylist sees the version of you that shows up before the win, before the confidence, and sometimes before you even believe in yourself. Courtney Garrett sits down with Kentoyia Harris, her longtime hairstylist and the owner of Growing Hands Salon And Academy, for a real conversation about natural hair care, entrepreneurship, and the work people never see behind a finished style.

Kentoyia shares what it took to become a licensed cosmetologist with limited support, including the grind of long commutes and the “okay, now what?” moment after getting licensed. We talk about why cosmetology is a business, not just a service, and how retail management taught her leadership, customer service, and standards she now brings into the salon. She also opens up about humbling early mistakes, learning who she wants to serve, and why education is at the center of her brand.

If you care about healthy natural hair, you’ll love the myth-busting and mindset shift: clean hair helps hair grow, trims matter, and negative talk about hair keeps people stuck in “cover it” culture. We also get into salon ownership realities like ambiance, self-care, and how social media has changed client expectations, plus Kentoyia’s vision for a training center that teaches people to maintain their hair and carry old school value forward.

Listen all the way through for her advice to aspiring salon owners: do it scared, and learn the business side as seriously as the art. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more entrepreneurs can find it.

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!

Send us Fan Mail

She Started With a Pen… Then Built a Business

What happens when an unexpected life change pushes you to rediscover your creativity—and that creativity turns into a business?

In this episode of Entrepreneur Like ME, I sit down with Sandra Crosby Robinson, founder of Just Pen It and creator of Journey by Journaling, to talk about what happened when retirement came earlier than she expected and she had to figure out what was next.

What started with Sandra creating one-of-a-kind jeweled pens grew into journals, workshops, and an experience designed to help people slow down, reflect, create, and tell their own stories. Along the way, Sandra learned an important lesson: just because one chapter ends doesn't mean your gifts stop with it.

We get into the real side of building a business—knowing when your hobby has become something more, listening to your customers, pivoting when the opportunity changes, managing your time and finances, and staying connected to the thing that made you start in the first place. Sandra even shares her big vision for a mobile Journey by Journaling experience that could take her workshops on the road.

And if you've ever bought a journal with every intention of using it...and it's still sitting there blank 👀—this conversation is definitely for you.

Sometimes you don't need to have the whole next chapter figured out. You just need to put something on the page and start. 🎙️✨

Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of the ELM Podcast!

If you enjoyed this episode be sure to subscribe for more inspiring conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Connect with us:

• Follow us on Instagram: @cmuresearchcorp
• Visit our website: www.cmurc.com/elm

Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!