Meet Ashley Faison-Maddox, an inspiration to many who effortlessly juggles her roles as a dedicated wife and mom of a teenage son and bonus daughter alongside her pursuits as a creative, college student, and avid traveler. In addition, Ashley’s heart extends to her fur babies, Nova and Romeo, who bring joy and companionship to her life.

Ashley isn’t someone to fumble; she’s a game-changer. With over a decade of experience assessing hiring packages and gracing interview panels, she’s your ultimate ally in crafting standout resumes and mastering those pivotal job interviews.

You’ve likely heard her voice on 97.5 KDEE radio and tuned in to glean insights from her on podcasts like Full Circle, Mac’s List, and Meet the Elites. Her wisdom has graced the pages of publications like The Observer and PowerHouse Newsletter. She’s been featured guest speaker at the Free Women Free Women Heal(H)er brunch, Tuesday’s with Té Sacramento, She Leads She Profits Summit 2.0, and Society of Elite Résumé Writer’s CareerCon. 

Ashley is a woman who loves Jesus and isn’t afraid to walk boldly in her faith to help others. As the founder of Diamond Collective (a newly formed non-profit aimed to serve survivors of sex trafficking aged 25-45) she’s planning to make a difference providing support groups and connecting clients with essential resources through a whole-person approach. 

Can you tell us more about your journey and how you manage to balance so many different roles in your life?

My journey has been spirit-filled and led by Jesus. Words don’t do my journey any justice because it doesn’t make sense that I made it to such a healthy and happy place in my life, but I’ll do my best to explain it. Most of my teenage years from 16-19 were spent in and out of the juvenile justice system. The domestic violence I witnessed, the exposure to porn at a young age, molestation, and the financial hardships my family faced all contributed to the lens through which I saw the world. A saving grace was that my mom raised me to believe I could be anything in this world that I wanted to be. At 19 I was placed in a transitional home with a family and it changed my life. The woman of the house, who I affectionately call my Auntie B asked me when I first arrived “What can I do to support you that no one else has done?” This empowered me, and I told her to hold me accountable, I asked her to check to make sure my words aligned with my actions because if no one cared around me, I wouldn’t either. I went from being trafficked as a teenager to securing stable employment, promoting 7 times in my human resources career, starting a professional development company, and started a non-profit to connect thriving survivors with opportunities by leaning on Jesus. I leaned on Him through the fear, insecurity, pain, disappointment, and lack. Jesus brought me to where I am, giving me a family beyond just blood, and setting me on a path of success in motherhood, friendships, community, education, and entrepreneurship.  

I manage my various roles by utilizing time management tools and techniques. I add everything to my calendar, prepare for my day/week in advance, set reminders to stay aware of deadlines, and communicate my goals with trusted friends and family to help hold me accountable. 

What inspired you to pursue entrepreneurship while also being a dedicated wife, mother, and college student?

Freedom inspired me to pursue entrepreneurship while balancing my other roles. I love having time and location freedom to earn a living that provides for my family. Travel is a part of who I am and entrepreneurship allows my lifestyle to align with providing for my family. My dream is to bring thriving trafficking survivors along on my travel journeys to allow them the opportunity to see and explore places they’ve only dreamed of. Travel is restorative and allows trafficking survivors to move forward in life by creating new memories that overshadow the trauma they’ve faced. 

With your excessive experience with the overall hiring process, what advice do you have for individuals looking to excel in their job search?

I actually talked about this on the Mac’s List podcast! You can find information and listen to the episode I am featured on here: https://www.macslist.org/podcasts/resumes/7-ways-to-revamp-your-resume-fast-with-ashley-faison 

What motivated you to establish Diamond Collective, and how do you envision it making a difference in the lives of sex trafficking survivors?

Diamond Collective will serve trafficking survivors. As a survivor myself, I know that certain experiences inspired me to believe bigger and to trust Jesus. Seeing other survivors who have done the work required to thrive in life after trafficking I have a deep respect for their journey and want to connect them to resources and provide opportunities to participate in restorative activities that may inspire them to believe bigger and trust Jesus more too. 

As someone who incorporates faith into your work, how does your relationship with Jesus influence your approach to helping others?

Jesus goes before me in all I do. I live in faith not fear. I am not afraid of stepping into places most would avert their eyes from seeing. I rely on prayer and Jesus’ movement in my life more than systems and more than my abilities. I trust that He will show me the ways to go. When helping others I hold grace and mercy in my heart for what their unique journey holds, knowing that Jesus was with me and sent me incredible mentors who graciously guided me too. 

What challenges have you faced in your journey, and how have they shaped you into the person you are today?

Challenges I’ve faced are probably similar to anyone else’s, we all will face challenges in anything we aspire to do in life. Remembering that Jesus is for me has allowed me to move confidently in the direction of my dreams with the understanding that everything I need He has already placed inside of me. The challenges I’ve faced have created willpower and tenacity that move me to continue to take the next step. Just focusing on the next step helps me not to be overwhelmed with the overall processes. And by focusing on the small steps I notice God’s sweetness throughout the journey because my attention is on the small wins (which add up!).

What advice do you have for individuals who aspire to make a positive impact in their communities, as you have with Diamond Collective?

Start. Introduce yourself to the leaders in your community and let them know your desire to help. Be teachable and soak up all you can about organizations that are resources to the population you desire to serve. Stay true to who you are. Schedule in time for self-care throughout the journey. You don’t need a plan, just start.  

Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the future, both personally and professionally?

My biggest goal is to cultivate a lifestyle that allows me to travel and make a difference in the lives of my family, friends, and trafficking survivors. I want to bring them along for the journey. I want us to explore and see the wonders God has created. I want our minds to believe bigger and our lives to be richer in experience. 

What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles?

A Pretty Woman Who Hustles to Me is a woman who owns her authority in Jesus and walks with Him to achieve her dreams. She remains focused, intentional, and authentic. She gives herself the grace to move through the challenges of the hustle and understands that success comes with consistency.

Connect with Ashley Online by visiting: www.ashleyfaison.com 

Read her recent spotlight in our February issue of Pretty Women Hustle Magazine where we dived into her journey: https://issuu.com/theprettywomenhustlemagazine/docs/copy_of_pwh_-_feb_2024 Page 24-25