Rising Stars: Meet Ashley Gilmer and Ikram Omar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Gilmer and Ikram Omar with Divine Eye Media.

Hi Ashley and Ikram, thanks for sharing your story with us. What should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Ashley J. Gilmer, M.A., founder and creative director of Divine Eye Media launched the content branding agency in late 2020. She has worked in a variety of creative communication positions and niches including news, content marketing, higher education, and hospitality. She’s an accomplished (award-winning) videographer, photographer, and graphic designer. She’s very excited about the newest addition to the Divine Eye Media team, creative strategist Ikram Omar. Ashley and Ikram together are the total package for marketing and communication projects and campaigns.

Ikram Omar is an adaptable communicator who has a passion for storytelling and strategic planning. Throughout her career as a communications professional, she has developed a diverse set of skills which include: writing, project management, event planning, social media content curation, and brand management. She strives to use her skills to help others bring their vision to life and share their stories.

Wow, that’s so cool! Can you go a little deeper and tell our readers some of your backstory.
IO: At a young age, I developed a knack for storytelling, understanding others and strategically achieving goals. It was during my sophomore year of high school that I realized I could delve further into these passions through communication and marketing. Now years later, I’ve continued to grow and develop my skills as a creative strategist for Divine Eye Media.

AG: Launching Divine Eye Media has been a long time in the making. Thinking back to my entrepreneurial family roots, my unique education, my acquired skills, and then the onset of COVID-19, it’s like everything happened for a reason. It was time to step out on faith and dedicate my time to working with like-minded people, companies, and agencies that are doing what they are called to do through purpose-driven pursuits.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
AG: Life naturally has ebbs and flows and that’s what makes the experience challenging. The journey to entrepreneurship hasn’t necessarily been smooth, but I wouldn’t describe it as a struggle either. Again, I’m very selective with my words. Divine Eye Media has been blessed with amazing clients and opportunities thus far, and I have faith it will continue to be blessed. The main growing pain I can say I’ve experienced is needing to expand the team. The vision and plan for DEM is to grow into a full-blown agency with various departments and functions. Hiring Ikram as our creative strategist was our first big step in that direction. This next season will be all about continuing to add top-tier creatives and business professionals to the team to create something truly divine and bigger than any one of us.

IO: Life has not always been easy, but I feel like I’ve been blessed with great opportunities and amazing individuals in my life. Looking back, I realize a huge struggle for me similar to many others was COVID-19. Within the first few months of COVID-19, I was laid off from my job, and that was a big obstacle for me to overcome. I naturally felt like I failed myself. Over time, I was able to appreciate the time I had off to pursue other passions and focus on my overall health and wellness. I have emerged from this challenge stronger and more determined to reach my career goals.

What were you like growing up?
IO: Throughout my childhood and young adulthood, I was always very curious, a planner at heart, and loved to read and write. I enjoyed hearing others’ stories and passions. As I continued to grow, I soon realized I had a knack for storytelling and understanding others.

AG: As a child, I was a bit shy and introverted but also intuitively smart. I’ve always been selective with my words, but I would come out of my shell for academic or fun activities when I wanted to. I liked to read, draw, and observe. From a young age, I was into arts, nature, animals, beauty, aesthetics, things like that. As the baby of the family, I spent a lot of time playing alone and using my imagination. I spent a lot of time in my own head, creating my own stories, and in retrospect, I’m still very much that younger Ashley.

Image Credits

Photo of Ashley and Ikram by Montyangelo Productions. All other images and graphics by Divine Eye Media.