Courage & Confidence with Ashley Belanger

In this episode of Talking Shizzle, host Taylor Shanklin chats with Ashley Belanger about her love of ice cream and her amazing spoon earrings. Ashley is a big fan of ice cream and says that she always has a spoon handy in case someone offers her some. The spoon earrings are 100% functional and Ashley says they're a great way to be prepared for any situation. 

But for real; today's shizzle is about Ashley Belanger, and we discusses her work as a small business owner and consultant in the communications and fundraising field. We talk about her experience as an "accidental" executive director - how she became one, as well as her mission to help others in similar situations. Ashley leads all aspects of organizational development, including corporate governance, strategic planning, fundraising, program evaluation, program expansion, and succession. She partners with clients on various capacity-building efforts, including fundraising, governance training, and strategic planning.

Some of our conversation is about Ashley's career, how she got to where she is now, and some of the conversation shifts into values. You have to have certain values as a small business owner and philanthropist and one of the best values to pass along is the ability to show up in everything they do in coaching, consulting, and communications. The importance of authenticity in leadership and how it is often lacking in business development and other aspects of professional life. This, plus so much more is discussed like:

- The Power of Intentional Living
- Leadership Development: The Importance of Original
- The Benefits of Best Practices in the Workplace
- Research in Philanthropy
- Communicating and How to Do That Genuinely

If you would like to connect with Ashley to find out more reach out to her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-belanger-48021a27/