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 handle more. But when life changed, everything shifted. My capacity looked different. My priorities changed. And the structure I’d built no longer supported my real days.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why pushing harder isn’t always the answer

• How motherhood reshaped my definition of success

• What it really means to build a supportive business

• Why ambition doesn’t disappear—it gets clearer

• How to restructure your work to fit your current season

If you’re feeling stretched thinner than expected, juggling work and life, or wondering why what used to work doesn’t anymore—nothing has gone wrong. You’re simply being invited to build differently.

This episode is a reminder that success isn’t about how much you can juggle—it’s about how supported you feel while doing the work.

Episode Links

• Showit Template Shop: https://themonarchdesign.co/shop
• Website: https://themonarchdesign.co

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonarchdesignco

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 brand photography is about so much more than “pretty pictures” — and how intentional photos can support your website, content, visibility, and growth.

In this episode, we cover: • Why confidence is built through action, not waiting • Common mistakes business owners make with brand photos • How to prep for a brand shoot without the stress • The power of community over competition • Why hiding behind your logo is costing you connection

If you’ve been nervous to show your face, book a shoot, or put yourself out there — this conversation will meet you right where you are.

✨ Resources & Links Susy on Instagram: @susyrobsonphoto Brand Photography Guide Linked here!

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 life I’m living now.

As we step into 2026, I’m no longer chasing more. I’m choosing better.

In this solo episode, I talk about:

• What 2025 taught me about resilience, capacity, and sustainability

• Why being booked doesn’t always mean being profitable

• How support at home and in business changed everything

• The shift toward a micro agency model and stepping into a creative director role

• What’s staying, what’s changing, and how I’m building differently in 2026

If you’re in a transition season—where what used to work doesn’t fit anymore—this episode is for you.

Listen in, reflect alongside me, and take what you need as you head into your next chapter.

Episode Links

• Website: https://themonarchdesign.co

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonarchdesignco