You Don't Have to Leave Yourself at the Door

Guest: Ashley Randall | The Beauty In The Mess Podcast

Content note: Ashley briefly mentions experiencing abuse as a child and as an adult. She does not go into detail.

Have you ever been told to leave your personal stuff at the door when you walk into work? What if bringing your whole self is actually what makes you good at your job?

In this episode, Michele Simms welcomes Ashley Randall, founder of Aspiring Redirection, a leadership and organizational culture consulting practice. Ashley has more than 20 years of experience in human services, she is a neurodiverse mom of six, and she is writing a memoir series called The Echo Effect.

Ashley grew up moving from place to place, often feeling like she didn't have a voice. Today, she brings her lived, educational, and professional experience to the table to help organizations have honest conversations, look at the root cause of culture problems, and lead in a more human-first way.

Ashley shares practical tools for setting boundaries at work, choosing your battles, and making time for yourself without the guilt. She also talks about finding her voice as a young woman in male-dominated rooms, and realizing that no degree or milestone defines her credibility. She does.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS:

- Turning hard life experiences into empathy and purpose

- Why getting uncomfortable is where change happens

- Treating employees as whole people, not cookie cutters

- Meeting different needs in a neurodiverse household

- Setting boundaries at work without walking on eggshells

- Choosing your battles and the 15-minute brain dump

- Self-care, guilt, and giving yourself grace

- Big visions, small steps, and "What's your moon landing?"

- Finding your voice and defining your own credibility

- Why people get stuck, and why doors can reopen

A POWERFUL REMINDER

You don't have to reach a certain milestone to have a voice. The messy middle is where your strength is built, and you get to decide your own value.

EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction to Ashley Randall

02:45 - Meet Ashley

03:45 - The Echo Effect and finding her voice

04:45 - How lived experience shaped her work

07:15 - Aspiring Redirection and changing workplace culture

09:15 - Getting uncomfortable is where change happens

12:15 - What being a mom of six teaches about leadership

16:15 - Why "leave it at the door" doesn't work

18:15 - What neurodiversity means to Ashley

20:45 - Setting boundaries at work

23:45 - Choosing your battles and the brain dump

26:45 - Managing stress and taking care of yourself

29:45 - Making 15 minutes a day for you

32:45 - Letting go of the guilt

34:45 - Big vision, small steps, and the moon landing

38:45 - Systems that weren't built for people like us

40:45 - Fighting to be taken seriously as a young woman

45:45 - Your voice is forged in the messy middle

49:45 - Doors can reopen

51:15 - Why people get stuck

52:45 - Ashley's businesses and her memoir series

CONNECT WITH ASHLEY RANDALL

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aspiring-redirection/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aspiringredirection/

Book series: The Echo Effect (Book 1: The Silence Before the Sound, coming soon)

CONNECT WITH MICHELE SIMMS

Website: thebeautyinthemess.com

Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess

LinkedIn: Michele Simms

Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

RATE AND REVIEW

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#TheBeautyInTheMess #MicheleSimms #AshleyRandall #AspiringRedirection #HumanFirstLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #Boundaries #Burnout #Neurodiversity #FindYourVoice

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