Story & Lesson Highlights with Ashley Overholser of Atlanta

Ashley Overholser shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Ashley, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Flowering. The textures, the scents, the colors—flowers pull me into the present moment. I easily lose track of time, as I intentionally place every bloom. It has always been a meditative process, a spiritual practice for me. I notice the dissipation of negative thought. You cannot help but feel joy when you have finished the final product.

It is incredulous to me, the idea that your design cannot be replicated. It is original, like you. Like me. When life seems dark and dismal, I find myself again through play in nature. I am reminded we are merely uncovering the beauty in us that was already there- your floral work is a mirrored reflection of who you are, in that frozen moment in time.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Ashley, the owner and CEO of Ever After – a new LGBTQ+ matchmaking agency in Atlanta, GA!

A little bit about me and my work:

For centuries, matchmaking has centered around the heteronormative narrative—leaving queer and trans love stories largely invisible. I personally experienced rejection firsthand, when a matchmaker in Atlanta refused to offer me matchmaking services because of my orientation.

While the core of my work is matchmaking, my real focus is to create affirming, supportive spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals to experience love, community, and belonging.

I’m working relentlessly to normalize celebrate queer joy, queer love, especially in a world and matchmaking market where most are excluded and shamed for who we love.

We offer:

1:1 Matchmaking
Singles Mixers
Date Coaching

What is matchmaking? Matchmaking is is dating with direction. No more swiping, ghosting, or weird fish pics—just real, curated connections made by someone who actually gets you. Think VIP treatment. Sit back, relax, and show up. I’m your personal wing woman, here to help you find your happily EVER AFTER.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As I child, I grew up hearing from family, friends, even teachers that I was “too much,” that I was “too curious,” had I had “too many questions.”

It was a label that made me feel small, like there was something wrong with me being loud and curious and emotional and alive.

I think being “too much” is my superpower because I am now unapologetically myself.

While others dim to fit in, I want to shine even brighter—and I like to think that my unabashed boldness inspires others to do the same. I feel deeply, love fiercely, and dream loudly. I believe that in a world that often asks us to shrink, too much is exactly what we need more of. People may not always know what to do with your “too much,” but that’s not your problem. You’re not here to fit in their comfort zone; you’re here to shake things up, spark joy, and remind people how powerful it is to be fully, wildly yourself.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to sit with discomfort, how to listen when there are no easy answers, and how to find strength in simply surviving. It showed me the depth of my resilience and the eventual realization that my story of healing and recovery can provide hope for those who have none.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to creating a world where mental health is treated with the same urgency, compassion, and respect as physical health—no matter how long it takes. As a mental health activist, I believe in breaking stigma, amplifying lived experiences, and making sure no one feels alone in their struggle. Change takes time, but I’m in it for the long haul.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace in the woods.

John Muir once said, “Come to the woods, for here is rest. There is no repose like that of the green deep woods. Here grow the wildflower and the violet.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.findlovewitheverafter.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/match.everafter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-overholser-922185300/