“If you would’ve told me four years ago that I’d be doing this, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. My dream was to become a nurse practitioner and work in emergency medicine. It was actually after I had my son, I went through a health scare with a rare form of breast cancer. It was at that time that my life was flipped upside down. I envisioned my son’s life without me being there, and as much as I enjoyed my life in medicine, I knew I wanted more time with my family. I am now able to do all of my favorite things, it’s a blend of both worlds, being able to help people with their health while balancing my family life.”
Coach Ashley
I had the opportunity to sit down with Certified Running Coach and the CEO of Palm Running, Ashley Nicole. Her greatest motivation is to live and lead a fulfilling life where she can use her gifts and talents to serve others. She loves encouraging her clients and friends to also live their fullest lives.
Watch the interview here and click on the next page to see key question highlights.
Is there anything about your childhood that stands out and relates to your life today?
“Thinking back to growing up, my parents showed up in my life in a big way, specifically through their actions. My parents got us really involved in sports at a young age and often, you think, growing up, that it’s all about winning the game or the championship but looking back, there were so many life lessons I learned about teamwork, showing up on-time, and knowing how to handle defeat. The biggest part of my childhood revolved around sports, but it was really the values I learned in competing that have translated into my career and my business today.”
What made you land in creating your own lucrative running business?
“I have a strong background as a runner. I ran college track and cross-country. It’s always been in my blood and my passion. It really lights me up. You know, no one taught me the importance of nutrition and strength training with running. Before, it was all about running and competing. Now it’s about how good I feel and showing others that they can run too while enjoying the experience.”
What are the obstacles you’ve had to overcome in launching your business and how have you overcome that?
“The time commitment and the investment in it. Balancing working full-time, being a mom, and growing a business has been an obstacle.
My biggest hurdle was balancing it all and knowing I wanted to take it slow because I didn’t want to so hard and heavy that I burned out. I’ve learned that it’s okay to now grow leaps and bounds during certain seasons because I’m going to be focused on my business for the long haul.“
What practical tip(s) would you give to someone struggling with managing their time?
“It’s important to switch from a to-do list and crossing things off to a focus on the result you want for the day – ask yourself, what’s the result I want in my business and family, then take the actions to get yourself closest to that result. The other thing that has helped me is scheduling my time. I have to schedule my time with work and with family and resting. I’m one who usually allows work to creep into other areas of my life. I post in my stories to have my Instagram community “hold me accountable,” to the time constraints I claim I’m committing to.
I know you previously suffered from disordered eating. What would you say to people who have suffered from disordered eating – who are thinking about a nutrition program?
“First, if you’ve never seen a professional for it, I definitely recommend it because they’re going to help you identify your triggers. It’s important to understand what triggers might take you back to disordered eating. If you find yourself getting obsessive about your food, it’s important to back away.”
Are there any big projects you’re working on?
“One of my clients was six months pregnant and got very sick with Covid. She had to have her baby prematurely, through an emergency C-section. The baby is doing well and she is doing well but originally, Kayla had to be transferred five hours away on life-support. Her husband was dealing with the new baby and her three older kids. Jumping to highlight, Kayla did amazing and she is a miracle in the eyes of all her doctors. She was recently discharged this week and is now with her baby and family. It’s truly the power of prayer and the power of mental strength.
Myself and her community decided to run a 5K for her this upcoming 4th of July to give her encouragement. We would love the continued support of everyone in donating to her fundraiser, all proceeds will support her family with their medical costs, incurred through her illness. We are running this 5K to celebrate her family!“
Click here to support Kayla and her family.
Do you have a favorite quote or mantra that you live by?
“Every day you dare to dream, you fight back against the darkness of the world and add a little bit more light.“ – Holley Gerth (“You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream”)