Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Gary.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Since I was a kid, I loved wildlife. Not just cats and dogs, but WILDLIFE. I would wait patiently for new episodes of PBS Nature and if I was lucky there would be a National Geographic special or Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. It wasn’t until I was in the 6th grade that it ever crossed my mind that just maybe I could work with wildlife in some way. I remember seeing a scuba diver on a reef in my reading book. I was completely enchanted. Nothing seemed more magical to me than being under the water staring at so many strange and wonderful creatures. Naturally, I read the related story and found out that they were an oceanographer. I dug a little deeper and realized oceanographers don’t study living creatures, but rather the physical properties of the ocean. That’s when I discovered marine biology and my heart was dead set on that career. Then, freshman year of college happened.
I was stuck in a haze of confusion for so many years and even abandoned my dreams. Instead of the biology degree I always envisioned, I graduated with a degree in Art History. I thought I’d be happy because I enjoy the arts, but the sciences kept calling to me. So, I sucked it up and took life science courses in the evenings after work because I was determined to get into graduate school. Boom. After 4 courses and a research trip to Costa Rica, I was accepted into an environmental science and policy program. All was well until I neared the finish line. I admit this has been my biggest fumble in life. After finishing my courses, writing half of my master’s project and evening walking across the stage, I got caught up with my data analysis. It has never been my strong point. My degree fell to the back-burner and it felt like my dreams had gone up in flames.
When I was 29, I had been working for several years in administration for various science-related organizations. While I had always found myself aligned with the mission of these places, it just didn’t fulfill me the way I wanted. I was pretty upset because I honestly felt lost in life. I wasn’t sure what I needed to do, but I knew something had to change. So, I took an environmental film-making course at American University. It made me realize that I needed to be working with wildlife in some way and that my childhood dream of hosting nature shows could be my reality if I wanted it badly enough. This form of science communication has been near and dear to me since I was a kid staring at the tv. So, I decided to launch my Instagram page @thewildlifehost. I wasn’t sure what I’d post, but it was better to just start something than do nothing. Eventually, I began to feature different animals every day, what I called #dailywildlifepick, and used photos from Instagram users with their permission. While this was so much fun, I recently have started transitioning to new content forms and am so excited to explore new ways to get people interested about wildlife and nature. I have also found a community on Twitter. I have so much fun talking with people, sharing news and opportunities and sharing my journey. Being part of these platforms has allowed me the opportunity to appear on a number of podcasts and even film interviews. I’m still in the beginning stages of my career, but my vision has been getting clearer. I have a monthly newsletter that I send to subscribers, I just launched my first product, a Northern Cardinal enamel pin and provided my first service, writing an article for a business, this year through my business The Wildlife. I have a lot of plans to build my brand further, as well as finishing what I started and getting my master’s degree because it’s never too late to reach your goals. The Atlanta area will be seeing my name because I’ll be hosting a family science event this May.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has been very bumpy, but I didn’t always make the best decisions for myself. It was hard for me to admit at first, but fear gripped me for the majority of my 20s. I never wanted to do anything alone, but sometimes that is the only way. When you vision first forms, you might not have anyone else who can see it and you have to be confident enough in yourself to accept that and still press on. Just know that you are able to create the dreams you have in real life. It takes consistency and persistence throughout anything that might come your way. If you can take the small steps to get to your dream they will add up over time. Be resilient and you can do whatever it is that you desire.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I would say that I am most well known for my #dailywildlifepick on Instagram, where I feature different animals as well as play quizzes with my followers to introduce them to different forms of wildlife. On Twitter, I am known as a science communicator with a focus on the environment and wildlife. I just love to talk to people about these subjects. It always puts a smile on my face. I feel a responsibility to help the public feel connected with the world that they live in. Right now, I’m reaching people digitally, but will be bringing my outreach to Atlanta in the coming months. I think that knowledge and lived experiences are both essential to inspire people to become caretakers of this planet and its wild inhabitants.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
I’ve just always had this burning passion for wildlife since I was a child. I think just knowing that this interest as been around for as long as I can remember keeps me motivated to pursue this field. A lot of people don’t know what their passion is and I feel grateful that I know what I love in life.
Pricing:
- Science Event Hosting – $100/hr
- Science Articles – $150+
- 1 on 1 Science Communication Consulting – $50/hr
- 1 on 1 Social Media Consulting – $40/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: thewildlifehost.com
- Email: ashley@thewildlifehost.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thewildlifehost
- Facebook: facebook.com/thewildlifehost
- Twitter: twitter.com/thewildlifehost
- Other: thewildlifehost.com/shop
Image Credit:
Ashley Gary
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