Author Shannon Alder once said that every woman that finally figured out her worth has picked up her suitcases of pride and boarded a flight to freedom which landed in the valley of change. But how many women really know their worth? The reason many do not is that they have not been able to identify their talents, which makes them feel like they have nothing to offer.
The case of Ashley Hughes-Jefferson is different. Today, she is a proud woman entrepreneur who is making waves in the IT industry.
Who is Ashley Hughes- Jefferson?
Ashley is the CEO of Ashley Hughes-Jefferson Consulting LLC, also known as the Software Savvy Queen, and focuses on career, finance, and health and wellness, areas in which she has extensive experience. She holds a degree in information technology and has more than a decade of experience as an associate software engineer, and in sectors like customer service and operations.
She’s the author of “Software Savvy Queen’s Guide to Starting a Career in Information Technology,” a book for women who want to start a career in the IT industry, and has helped other authors publish their books as well, including “Leadership Guide for New and Existing Leaders” by Zedrick Jefferson and “How to be Competitive in Sports: The Student Athlete” by Zedrick Jefferson Jr.
Apart from being an IT professional and coach, she has the certifications and skills to help all types of business and career-focused professionals and works with clients who want to get into a new career, or who are looking for ways to share their expertise through writing and looking for someone who’ll keep them accountable.
How to learn and grow from challenges
Some of us feel discouraged when we are faced with challenges, even though we should not. Challenges usually give us ample opportunities to learn and grow in our career or in life generally. Challenges can make us stronger, inspire us to work harder, help us deal with emotions more effectively, or even equip us with the right leadership skills.
Why coaching is a win-win
We usually think about executive coaching in a negative way. Coaching, in general, has something of a stigma, probably due to feelings of inadequacy connected with our perceived inability to make it in life all on our own. However, it shouldn’t, because coaching is much more than that. An executive coach can identify your strengths and weaknesses, help you meet your goals, keep you accountable, and ultimately build a solid foundation of leadership skills for your future career, irrespective of where you may find yourself.
Leaders, managers, or even team members can benefit from coaching, and their organizations can expect a significant return on their investment.
How to develop yourself and continue to grow
Nobody loves stagnation. If you want to move from where you are to where you want to be, then you must improve yourself. There are many ways to do this: overcome your fears, level up your skills, pick up a new hobby, take a course, read books, or learn a new language.
“I am constantly learning and adding on different services that I can offer. There is a wealth of knowledge out there from courses and certifications to webinars,” Ashley said.
Why continuous learning is important
Knowledge is power goes the adage. Continuous learning will help you acquire the knowledge and competencies you need to expand your skillset and create future opportunities for yourself. “Continuous Learning is important because you stay up to date on new information and it may be something that can move you forward if you are stuck. You feel much more confident in your skills, and that makes you capable of doing a job well done,” Ashley said.
It can also open your mind and change your attitude by building on what you already know, and help you adapt to changes and avoid stagnation so you can reach your full potential.
What’s next for Ashley?
Ashley is just looking forward to networking and collaborating with like-minded individuals like you who want to tap into her vast experience in software technology, credit and finances, health and wellness, and career-building to better their lives.
How can Ashley help women?
Ashley offers the service of career coaching sessions for women out there who want to be empowered and make informed decisions about their career paths and career decisions. She wants to help them achieve positive results and be accountable.
In her financial coaching session, she guides her clients to their financial freedom. Health and wellness coaching sessions will assess a client’s current physical and emotional state to help them set their goals.
She can also teach book writing, formatting, and publishing per Amazon standards, and can help her clients become clear about their leadership goals and life intentions. IT career and business coaching sessions are also available for those interested.
Ashley’s tips for women entrepreneurs
Ashley has five tips for other women who have the burning desire to succeed:
1. Find your niche: Niche is a specialized segment of the market you intend to serve. You need to be sure about your target market at the beginning if you really want to make any headway in your business.
2. Find a mentor: Finding a mentor is crucial, especially if you are starting your first business. This will help you get clear on certain things so you can navigate avoidable pitfalls.
3. Network: Be ready to step outside of your comfort zone and build new relationships. There are networks and groups out there, join them, meet new people, and get involved in conversations. You never know where it’ll take you.
4. Do not aim for perfection: If you want to start a business, then the time to start it is now. Do not wait for the perfect time to do it, because it will never come. You just must be good at what you want to do but you do not need to be perfect.
5. Believe in yourself: Believe in yourself, believe that you can make it, and see yourself making it happen. If you do, you will surely achieve success, no matter how long it takes.
Becoming a woman entrepreneur is not easy, especially in a men-dominated industry. But with the right mindset and a daring attitude to survive, you can make it and become the superwoman you are meant to be.
Becoming a woman entrepreneur is not easy, especially in a men-dominated industry. But with the right mindset and a daring attitude to survive, you can make it and become the superwoman you are meant to be.
You can reach Ashley on her website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or just call at 877-474-2826 to connect.
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