Life & Work with Ashleigh Coe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashleigh Coe.

Hi Ashleigh, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since I was little, I’ve always had a passion for people, cultures and experiencing new things that were outside of the “normal”. I graduated high school in California, where the Hispanic and Latin American heritages are prominent. I had many friends who were from a Hispanic background and their native language was Spanish. I found myself so eager to learn more from their families; I yearned to learn more than just what they taught us in school. I wanted to know the significance and lifestyle of the culture; I wanted to hear how similar or different our upbringings were, and as minorities in the United States how much we had in common. The best way to achieve this was by immersing myself in the Hispanic culture so I could understand from a first person point of view the answers I was seeking. When I went away to school at the University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB), I elected Biology/Pre-Med as my major with a minor in Chemistry and Spanish. However, my infatuation with my Spanish classes seemed to resonate deeper than I knew. I had professors from Peru and Columbia and hearing each of their stories about their countries ignited a spark in me.

Before I knew it, I was in my academic advisor’s office dropping Spanish as my minor and adding Foreign Language with a concentration in Spanish as another major–honestly, the best decision of my life! It was not an easy road trying to graduate with two majors and a minor, but it helped shape into the person I am today. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with the Spanish degree, but. I knew I was walking in my divine purpose. After graduation and before I landed my job with the federal government, I would tutor high school and college students in Spanish; it really did bring me so much joy. It culminated everything that made me happy– my love for people, helping them and still being able to spread my love for the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. The amount of joy that I received from doing this I knew I wanted to have this incorporated in my life. Like many others, COIVD-19 gave me time to reflect, realign and evaluate different aspects of my life. I was still tutoring and God placed on my heart to take my passion to the next level. I wrote everything down and in a matter of a couple of hours I had a business name, goals and new found purpose. At that moment, in a world of uncertainty, I knew that Español with Amor, LLC was just right!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Initially, the road wasn’t a bad one at all. I was doing something I loved and that I had been doing for so long–I found my “groove” and just went with it. However, once I actually started to publicize my services on social media, the not so bumpy road transitioned to a rocky one, quickly! This is where the “business” side really kicked in. My demand was bigger than just me. Realistically, I was still working 10-12 hours a day with my career job and then getting off to tutor. Once my flyers were being shared and my email underwent a huge influx of incoming inquiries, I had to figure out how to just get it done. I had to transition from a tutor to a business owner. I had to determine how am I going to respond to all of these people and what system will I use to help me manage this chaos. My thoughts went every which way, and I experienced a level of anxiety that I didn’t even know existed!! Some of my thoughts included–“Do I create waitlist? Sure, that sounds perfect. But uh, oh how do I do that?”; “How do I remind people of their scheduled sessions?”; “How do I keep my growing waitlist interested in my services?” “Oh, I’m African American and actually need to SHOW everyone I can speak, read and write in Spanish!” Navigating my way through becoming a business owner and what that actually meant all while making sure that I still provided creative and unique sessions was definitely a struggle. The struggle isn’t over by any means, but my passion and my love for what I do makes each day a new opportunity to figure it out with faith, love and an untamable vision.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as a Bilingual Post Entitlement Technical Expert for the US Social Security Administration. I handle Retirement and Disability benefits and ensure that US citizens are receiving the correct benefit amount each month. Additionally, I translate documents and serve as the point of contact for our Spanish speaking beneficiaries. Just like anyone else, they need to be informed on pertinent changes on their Social Security records and know of policies and procedures that may affect their livelihoods. I am an ambitious risk-taker. I don’t take “no” for an answer. I work harder than anyone else. I am passionate and I’m a force to be reckoned with. I give 1,000% in everything I do. I do not give up. I push myself beyond my comfort zone every day. I test the limits and establish new parameters for new limits.

However, I’m a woman who loves to have fun. I love a great cocktail with my girls and I’ll take a flight quicker than driving to the store. It’s all about balance. I come from a family who breeds greatness and I’m just trying to keep up honestly (lol)… it’s my duty to make sure that my family is proud of me just as much as I’m proud of them. That’s my motivation. That’s what sets me apart. I’m a dedicated, hard worker, but I genuinely love people and making them happy. I am most proud of never giving up on myself. I moved from California to Alabama at the age of 18 without anything or anybody. I have no family here and the quickest way to get to them is a flight. The road was extremely difficult. Transitioning from high school to college is hard enough–having to do that without a support system while working full time and trying to figure out life…. Whew! Figuring out how I was going to pay bills and graduate with 2 degrees isn’t for the faint of hearts, but I did it, I really did it! God saw something in me; he didn’t give up on me so I had to persevere through all of my downs.

As I look back, I am so grateful that He saw enough in me to elevate me to higher places. He gave me ambition and he allowed my lessons to turn into blessings. I honestly love sharing that story. I don’t mind saying that I struggled in order to help someone else know that “Hey, you can do it. Keep pushing, keep praying and keep the faith in yourself–never, ever give up! Bad things don’t last forever, but bad mindsets can lead to self-destruction.” It is easier said than done, but my journey was worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing! It has created me into being me! It has molded me into a Bilingual African American woman in America who trusts the process in knowing EVERYTHING that’s meant for you God ensures it gets to you! No matter what path you choose to take, the universe works with you and not against if you just trust in yourself. You got this!

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk-taking is my area of expertise–lol. As I said before, I moved across the country from California to Alabama at 18 with no family; no one to have my back. I made a risky decision, but I just couldn’t give up. My parents raised my siblings and I to be independent and to never quit. I pushed the limits with this one though! I transitioned from a child to a woman without having the comfort of my family’s physical shoulder to cry on at night time. I had to figure out life and I had to figure it out quickly in order to not sink. Sorting through emotions and giving myself pep talks to make my failures “go away” was not easy. I wanted to give up some days; I wanted to throw in the towel and go back home. However, my vision, goals and passion that was burning inside of me had to be ignited some way, somehow; it required me to keep pushing and press forward. I stumbled most days, but I am able to stand firmly today. Risks are uncertainties that can result in a big return or they can yield losses. Despite the unknown, every risk is worth taking. You never know how strong you truly are until that’s your only option. Whether you walk or crawl to the other side, you made it out with a story to tell and wisdom to share. Hey, that’s what life is all about–the risks you take to ultimately grow. I think it’s a win-win situation!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/espanol_with_amor
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/espanolwithamor

Image Credits
Photographer: Amber Jones Make-Up Artist: Meeka Lewis