Meet Ashley Johnson of ANJPR Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Johnson.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my PR agency while attending Howard University. I was studying Public Relations minoring in Community Development. While attending, I started freelancing for extracurricular organizations on campus in addition to non-profit organizations and small businesses in D.C. From there, I graduated college then decided to attend graduate school at Georgetown University majoring in Public Relations & Corporate Communications. I wanted to dive deeper into PR and learn in-depth about digital PR trends.

After completing the program in 2017, I decided to rebrand and formally relaunch my agency, ANJPR Consulting, LLC. offering services to entertainment, lifestyle and non-profit brands. We provided public relations, brand strategy/management, and event production. My clients included AARP, Walt Disney World Resort, Essence and BET. I l also worked with national talent to include Tina Knowles, MC Lyte, Vanessa Williams, Kim Coles, Holly Robinson-Peete, Regina Belle, Beverly Johnson, and Vivica A. Fox to name a few. The company has since grown working with multicultural small business, non-profits, and lifestyle brands.

With the harsh realities of a global pandemic that dramatically shifted the United States economy and human well-being this year, I wanted to contribute to the community in a meaningful way; specifically, small businesses who were directly impacted by the economic decline. According to the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America survey of 5,800 small businesses, statistics show that 43% of businesses were temporarily closed as a direct result of COVID-19.

My agency had huge brand campaigns, events and performances/engagements booked for clients, but with the escalation of COVID-19, plans were quickly canceled and our team had to pivot. I no longer wanted to make a business impact, but instead make community impact.

The demand of virtual experiences and utilizing technology to connect across the world, while organizations having to face under the rug issues of diversity inclusion, supplier diversity, and racial inequality was an opportunity for us. We noticed the lack of mental wellness and professional support for black women entrepreneurs whose background’s include working mothers managing households, single professionals balancing relationships and business, in addition to current/recent college students trying to enhance their business. By bridging the opportunity of technology and the gap of resources/tools fostered ANJPR’s newest social impact initiative, The Mentorship Circle (TMC). ANJPR opened applications for women bosses to apply for the free 4-month experience, and 24 women were selected across the United States.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
ANJPR’s brand was envisioned my senior year of high school from experiences growing up loving entertainment and being fascinated by the media. Since then, it has been 10 years filled with studying, interning, freelancing, and working in the field of PR and marketing. It has been quite a journey, and if it wasn’t for mentors and investing in my business, I wouldn’t have gotten this far at 27 years-old. Even with the right circle and guidance, it took making many mistakes to learn and grow professionally. I remember experiencing the beginning challenges of entrepreneurship – ranging from clients who didn’t pay on time to issues attracting the ideal client, and providing top notch services with the proper price to match. Not only did I face business development issues, but also organizational troubles such as managing bookkeeping and a maintaining a trust worthy team. With time, dedication, and investing in the right resources like books, conferences, and professionals I was able to take those learning lessons and never make the same mistake twice.

The current global pandemic has created even more of a bigger challenge than I ever faced in my entrepreneur life. How was I to pivot my services like millions of other small businesses, when I don’t know what the future holds and my current plans are cancelled? With proper healing, meditation and prayer, I was able to take myself out of the CEO hat, and realize the bigger mission at hand. It was to serve others in a more impactful way without the eagerness of money nor fame. I wanted to give back and be a blessing to African-American black women who needed support, guidance, and love with their business venture and personal lives. The struggle of the unknown, removal of the status quo, and healing created The Mentorship Circle (TMC).

So, as you know, we’re impressed with ANJPR Consulting – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
As seen on the Huffington Post and WUSA-9, ANJPR is more than a brand management agency, we function as a full business partner to our clients, offering integrated marketing and PR services that build brand reputation and offer real solutions to business challenges. Through strategic communications we help entertainment, lifestyle, and non-profit brands build brand visibility, and most importantly credibility.

Our agency has a true passion for building, refreshing, and maintaining brands through in-depth market research and strategic innovation. We use strategy to guide our design process and key messaging for traditional marketing (business cards, banners, signage, and flyers) in addition to digital marketing (website, video content, and social media).

ANJPR has a proven track record of building positive reputation through strategic storytelling in the media. We’ve garnered thousands of media impressions on behalf of our clients through local and national media outlets to include print, online, broadcast, podcast and radio stations. Our success comes from strategically crafting compelling press releases, designing eye catching media kits and maintaining professional relations with the media.

With over a decade of experience in event production and experiential marketing, ANJPR has a true understanding of creating an innovative event experience that drives brand awareness and increases sells to your product or service. Most importantly, we understand the value of strategic partnerships with key organizations and influencers to properly elevate your brand through event activations.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
ANJPR is excited to continue providing PR/marketing services, products and coach. Stay tuned, as the company will be rolling out new 2021-2022 items! In addition, the company will continue to drive social impact with The Mentorship Circle in Fall 2021.

Pricing:

• ANJPR New Client Consultation 2021 – $150.00, for Black Friday we are offering it for $75.00

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anjprconsultingllc.com
• Email: ashley@anjprconsultingllc.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/queenashash/

Image Credit:
Chip Dizard

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