Ashli here! It's been a while... eight months actually! For a long while, I've felt like I lost something meaningful to say that felt worthy of being in your inbox. Basis got busy, holidays happened, the world got loud, and the internet just has been feeling weird to me. Last night, I watched a video of Dan Levy talk about the process of making creative things and what he said really resonated. You can watch at the link above, but I typed it out below — in its entirety — to share here. (I'm a...
over 1 year ago • 1 min read
Last week was the summer solstice, and with the lengthening of sunlight with each passing month, I have felt a lengthening in my capacity. I mean that in a very literal work-sense: I have more capacity for projects, more time in my calendar. But also feel myself growing in capacity for those less tangible things, too. I have more capacity creatively. My kids are now ten and six... old enough to sleep in a tiny bit, dress themselves, entertain themselves for longer bits of time... and with...
almost 2 years ago • 2 min read
I've been thinking a lot about the Slow Food Snail of Approval. Do you have this in your area? I hadn't heard of it before we moved to Jacksonville, but it's a certification that many restaurants proudly display that shows their commitment to: Sourcing local or sustainably Creating a positive environmental impact Offering cultural diversity in food Being actively involved in the community Providing significant support for staff Holding inclusive business values I was joking with a friend that...
over 2 years ago • 2 min read
Last year around this time, I wrote a vision for what I wanted Basis to be like in 2023. I just revisited it and am now sitting here teary-eyed. I'm proud to say we achieved 90% of the items laid out in the vision, but even moreso that I didn't waver from it: I knew myself and my desires so deeply that nothing was able to steer me down I path that I didn't proactively choose. For a Type A People Pleaser, this is huge. Some of the highlights from that document included: It’s January 9, 2024....
over 2 years ago • 2 min read
The last time I wrote a newsletter was a month ago, and I wrote about how I wished I could take a break and fix everything. While I haven't done that exactly, I have had a pretty spacious month personally and professionally, and I've experienced so many moments of serendipity during these widened spaces of time. For example, I found myself with time to skip my usual Instacart order, and instead went to the store myself and walked up and down the aisles, checking out foods I've never tried,...
over 2 years ago • 2 min read
A year ago on this day, I closed my computer lid and took a break from work for two months. I had an amazing team by my side who could keep things running for our clients, and I was very privileged to have the financial means to keep the lights on, personally and professionally. I took a much needed deep breath. It gave me time to refuel my creative energy, tinker with processes to give clients a better experience, and generally just see what it felt like to have space. It was one of the best...
over 2 years ago • 2 min read
Last week I celebrated my birthday during such a busy week personally and professionally that I barely took time to acknowledge it happened. In the span of a week, I launched three websites, played in five — wait, actually, six — tennis matches, got everyone to after-school activities mostly on time, and remembered to show up for two different kid parties this weekend. This ability to mute my life and just tune into the pressing tasks at hand has always been my biggest blessing and biggest...
over 2 years ago • 2 min read
A text I just received "Ashli, I love you, but the movie you were referencing is Field of Dreams". 😂🙈 Future reference: don't let me quote movies or use sports references. I'm terrible at it and mix up references/actors/plot lines regularly. Here's a coffee gift card you can use right now by way of apology / laughing at our mistakes together. Just show the QR code at Starbucks... it's got $25 on it and when it's gone, it's gone! Ashli Basis is an independent creative studio that believes how...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read
A small business is complicated. It often involves just one or two people mixing together an alchemy of customers, processes, product, branding, funding, manufacturing and more to create this perfect little potion that resonates. That can be really, really challenging. My client Ashley at Trade Street Jam Co. recently talked on her Instagram and on CBS Mornings about the realities of small business, and reading the comments shows just how much founders struggle with this. Having a...
over 2 years ago • 1 min read