The Self Made Life Podcast

What if AI doesn't replace you, but forces you to become more you? That's the question at the center of this conversation with Kelsey Kerslake, CEO of The Align Business and creator of Sol, an AI coaching tool. Kelsey scaled a coaching business past seven figures, then had to step back from most of it after a rare immunodeficiency diagnosis. We talk about the grief of losing an identity built arou...

You're good at what you do. You've been doing it long enough to prove it. But your calendar is full of the wrong people, and you keep saying yes because the alternative is scary. In this episode, I want to talk about something I see constantly with established service providers: the placeholder brand. The brand that got you here, that said "I'm a real business" just enough that people didn't think...

You're not behind. You're just creating content without a clear direction and that's the thing that's burning you out. In this episode of the Self Made Life Podcast, I'm talking with content strategist Rebecca Stanisic about what it actually means to show up online with intention rather than just pressure. Rebecca has been in the content space since 2009 and has spent years helping small business...

If you've ever felt like there's just not enough hours in the day—you're not behind. You're just building a business in a season that doesn't look like the highlight reel productivity gurus are selling. In this episode, I'm sharing the habit stacking system that's completely changed how I run Monarch Design Co. as a mom of two under two. No 5 a.m. wake-ups required. We talk about: What habit stack...

Shannon Littlehale built Make Space Organizing from a dream she'd been sitting on since college—and almost walked away from it entirely in 2023. After years of showing up with branding she knew didn't reflect her skill set, she made the decision to go all in. Weeks after her rebrand launched, she sent a $25,000 proposal to a client she'd never met — and got the deposit before she finished weeding...

Ashley's back with a brand new season and a lot has changed. In this season premiere of the Self Made Life Podcast, she's getting real about the past couple of years: her second baby, a complete business rebrand, financial challenges, and the shift that changed how she sees her work entirely. She opens up about how Monarch Design Co. went from taking on almost anything to becoming a strategic bran...

What happens when the version of your business that got you here is no longer the one meant to take you forward? In this final episode of the 7 Lessons in 7 Years series, Ashley Wyatt shares a powerful reflection on growth, identity, and giving yourself permission to let go of what no longer fits. This conversation is for the entrepreneur who feels pulled toward change but is wrestling with guilt,...

What does ambition really look like when life gets full? This week, I'm sitting down with Puja Malhotra—founder and creative director of Roop Creative Agency, for one of the most honest conversations I've had on the show. Puja is a brand strategist and website designer (yes, she does exactly what I do), and instead of keeping our cards close, we put everything on the table. We're talking about red...

Have you ever shown up everywhere online and still felt invisible? In this episode of The Self-Made Life Podcast, I’m sharing Lesson 6 in my 7 Lessons in 7 Years of Business series — and this one changed everything for me. For years, I thought more visibility was the answer. More posts. More platforms. More consistency. More noise. But what I discovered the hard way is this: Visibility without ali...

In this episode of The Self-Made Life Podcast, Ashley Wyatt (Monarch Design Co.) sits down with Laura Sinclair—strategic business mentor, podcast host, and founder of This Mother Means Business—to talk about what it actually looks like to build a profitable business alongside motherhood. Laura shares her story of owning a brick-and-mortar gym, how the pandemic forced a major pivot, and why “succes...

Freedom in business doesn’t come from working less — it comes from deciding once. In Lesson 5 of my 7 Lessons in 7 Years series, I’m breaking down how systems completely changed the way I run my business — not because I was scaling, but because I was exhausted. For a long time, every client was custom, every email was written from scratch, and every process lived in my head. The result? Constant d...

Bookkeeping for small business owners doesn’t have to feel overwhelming, embarrassing, or confusing. In this episode of The Self Made Life Podcast, Ashley sits down with Anora Weste, financial consultant, mom of two, and founder of WMS Bookkeeping, to talk about how entrepreneurs can understand their business numbers, build real financial clarity, and stop avoiding their books. Anora shares what s...

What happens when the business you built no longer fits the life you’re living? In Lesson 4 of my 7 Lessons in 7 Years series, I’m sharing the moment I realized my business was competing with my life and why motherhood forced me to rethink what success actually looks like. For a long time, my business looked successful on paper. I said yes to opportunities, filled my calendar, and proved I could h...

Showing up confidently online doesn’t start with perfect photos — it starts with clarity, connection, and permission to be seen. In this episode of The Self-Made Life Podcast, Ashley sits down with Susy Robson, a brand photographer and marketing strategist who helps entrepreneurs feel confident in front of the camera and connected to their audience. With over 15 years in marketing, Susy shares why...

This episode is a candid 2025 business reflection—the kind that happens after a year that stretched you in ways you didn’t see coming. I’m sharing what last year really looked like behind the scenes: navigating motherhood with two under two, rebuilding my business during postpartum, being the sole income provider for my family, and realizing that the structure that once worked no longer fit the li...

Ever feel like you’re running a business, raising kids, and still somehow expected to keep up with social media? In this episode of The Self-Made Life Podcast, Ashley sits down with Kat Tepylo Murphy, founder of Social Kat Media, to talk about what content creation actually looks like in real life — not the curated version we were sold years ago. Kat is a mom of two and a social media strategist w...

Are you stuck between the girl boss hustle and the soft life era, wondering how you’re supposed to show up online while also raising tiny humans and running a real business? In this episode, Ashley sits down with social media strategist and host of The Consistency Corner, Ruthie Sterrett, for part two of their conversation on content, consistency, and marketing in the messy middle of motherhood an...

Struggling with your pricing? Feeling stretched thin but still worried about raising your rates? This episode is going to hit home. In part three of my 7 Lessons in Seven Years series, I’m opening up about the money patterns that held me back in business—and the ones that helped me finally build something sustainable. I’m talking pricing fears, undercharging, shifting into profit-focused offers, t...

If you’ve been feeling the pull to shift your business—or you’re already mid-pivot and questioning everything—you’re not alone. In this episode, Ashley opens up about the twists, turns, and reinventions that shaped her seven-year journey from calligraphy and wedding stationery to brand design, web design, VIP Days, and now mentoring other creatives. She shares the real behind-the-scenes of closing...

What really happens when you build a business from scratch while juggling life, moves, motherhood, burnout, and the kind of growth you only understand in hindsight? In this episode of The Self Made Life Podcast, Ashley shares the first lesson in her “7 Lessons in 7 Years” series: start before you’re ready. She walks through the early days of Monarch Design Co.—from learning calligraphy at her dini...

Pinterest has changed, but it’s far from dead. In this episode, Ashley chats with Pinterest strategist Elaine Timms about what’s working in 2025—keywords, pin styles, timelines, and smart systems that keep your evergreen content working while you live your life. You’ll hear: Why keywords beat volume every time Static vs. video vs. carousel pins (and what to ignore) Tailwind in 2025: what to use, w...

What does it really look like to build and scale a business while raising babies? In this honest episode of The Self-Made Life Podcast, Ashley Wyatt — Creative Director of Monarch Design Co. — pulls back the curtain on the reality of growing a design studio through two maternity leaves in two years. Ashley shares the lessons, surprises, and emotional challenges of scaling during motherhood — from...

In this powerful episode of The Self Made Life Podcast, host Ashley Wyatt sits down with financial advisor and money mindset coach Paula Wilimek to unpack the emotional and practical sides of money for creative entrepreneurs. Paula shares her 20+ years of experience helping women break through limiting beliefs, set empowering financial goals, and finally feel confident in their cash flow. We dive...

Want your website to work harder than you do? In this episode of The Self Made Life Podcast, Ashley Wyatt shares 5 proven tips to turn your website into your best salesperson. Learn how to boost site speed, write clear and strategic copy, design a mobile-friendly experience, use intentional visuals, and build a strong SEO foundation so your dream clients can actually find you. Perfect for service...

In this episode of The Self Made Life Podcast, Ashley sits down with serial entrepreneur Britt Holmes, founder of Merit Media and The Operations Collective, to talk about what it really takes to run a thriving business without burning out. Britt shares her journey from corporate VP to building multiple businesses while raising two kids, and how she transformed chaos into clarity through streamline...