The Self Made Life Podcast

Ashley Wyatt
  • 3.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Entrepreneurship comes with a lot of ups and downs. I‘m here to share my journey of pivoting, running and scaling a successful creative business from the ground up. I‘ll also share inspiring stories from my branding clients in different industries, and of course share my favourite tips of everything branding, productivity and mindset to leave you feeling inspired and not alone on this rollercoaster of a journey that entrepreneurship can be.

  1. 17h ago

    EP 100: Where We Started and How Everything Changed

    One hundred episodes. (Technically 101, because we started at zero. Overachievers. lol) This one's a little different. No framework, no five steps. Just me, looking back at how The Self Made Life Podcast started, everything that's shifted since, and where the show is headed next. Here's what most people don't know: I wasn't the host of Episode Zero. It wasn't my podcast. It wasn't even my idea. It was Sydney's, and she pulled in our friend Megan and me at the end of 2018. We had no idea what we were doing. We just pressed record. In this episode, I share: Why I was teaching myself calligraphy and laser-engraving wooden hangers in a public library makerspace How Tayne and Ashley Illustration and Design started by accident at our condo table What 2020 did to the wedding industry in Ontario, and the business pivot that saved everything Rebuilding in my in-laws' basement and going all in on brand and web design Where the Monarch name came from Taking the show solo when I wasn't sure anyone would listen Three lessons from Episode 0 to Episode 100 My own answer to the question I ask every guest: what does self made mean to you? Plus, Sydney and Megan drop in with voice notes to share what they're up to now. If you're in the middle of your own pivot, or your brand feels like it's holding you back, I'd love to chat. Book a discovery call at themonarchdesign.co/contact. Tell me which episodes stuck with you: DM @monarchdesignco on Instagram or email hello@themonarchdesign.co. Here's to the next 100. 00:00 — Intro: where it all started 01:36 — Flashback: Episode Zero (January 2019) 06:01 — Welcome to Episode 100 (well, 101) ~07:00 — The corporate job, calligraphy and the library makerspace ~08:30 — Tayne and Ashley starts by accident ~09:30 — How the podcast began ~10:30 — 2020 and the wedding industry shutdown ~12:00 — Moving to Barrie and going all in on brand and web design ~13:30 — Where the Monarch name came from ~14:30 — Taking the show solo ~15:30 — Lesson 1: Done is better than perfect ~16:30 — Lesson 2: Pivots are part of the plan ~17:15 — Lesson 3: Your brand is supposed to grow with you ~18:30 — What self made means to me ~19:30 — What's next + your homework 20:59 — Voice note from Megan 23:54 — Voice note from Sydney 24:56 — Thank you + here's to the next 100

  2. Sep 30

    EP 99: What an End-of-Life Doula Wants You to Know About Grief (Yes, You Can Laugh)

    What if you're not grieving wrong? What if nobody ever told you the truth about grief? This week I'm joined by Ashley Quenneville, a certified grief coach, end-of-life doula, and the founder of Tranquil Waters. Ashley spent eight years trying to have a baby while losing seven people she loved. Then she lost her grandmother, her best friend, in hospice. That peaceful goodbye changed everything about how she saw death, and it became the reason she does this work. We talk about: What an end-of-life doula actually does (before, during, and after a death) Why a death plan works a lot like a birth plan Grief that has nothing to do with death: divorce, job loss, friendships, custody Why the "stages of grief" don't go in a straight line Why dark humour belongs in hard moments Postpartum depression, matrescence, and the missing village Why time doesn't heal, but it does help you process If you've ever laughed at the wrong moment or wondered who you even are anymore, this one's for you. Connect with Ashley: Instagram @tranquilwaterstransition Join Navigating the Waves: her 8-week virtual grief support group (DM her on Instagram) If you're struggling: In Canada, call or text 9-8-8 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline. For perinatal mental health support, Postpartum Support International: 1-800-944-4773. If you're in immediate danger, call 911.

  3. Sep 29

    EP 98: Brand, Copy, Website: The Right Order to Build Your Business Online

    If your website looks fine but isn't converting, the problem probably started long before launch day. Ashley Wyatt, founder of Monarch Design Co., breaks down the order of operations for building a brand that books: brand strategy and identity, then messaging and copy, then the website. She explains why skipping steps leads to expensive redos, why copy has to come before design, and how to phase the investment if doing it all at once isn't realistic. In this episode: Why the website is the last step, not the first The house metaphor: strategy is the foundation, copy is the framing, the website is the house What happens inside the brand visioning process (and why clients who resist it end up loving it) Why messaging is the most underestimated step for conversion Professional copy vs. AI-informed copy built from your strategy Foundational SEO and brand photography at the website stage How to phase your investment without skipping steps 🎧 Share this one with a friend who's about to build a website. It might save them from a very expensive mistake. Book a discovery call: themonarchdesign.co/contact Instagram: @monarchdesignco Mentioned in this episode: Laura, @copybylaura (Monarch's messaging and positioning copywriter) and our podcast episode together  SEO episode

  4. Sep 22

    EP 97: Starting Over, Money Honey Energy & Your It Girl Strategy with Elyse Berendson

    Elyse Berendson is back on the show, and she's in the middle of another pivot. We talk about starting over at 38, her new It Girl quiz, why women still feel uncomfortable talking about money, and how to build a business and brand that fits who you actually are instead of copying someone else's strategy. Connect with Elyse: @elyseberendson | stan.store/elyseberendson Connect with Ashley: themonarchdesign.co | @monarchdesignco 01:07 — Boss or Bust: a clarity download on a walk, and potty training wins 03:58 — Who is Elyse today? Starting over, shedding old identities, and her final solo retreat 07:35 — The It Girl quiz and why your strategy isn't supposed to look like hers 09:21 — The yapping trend (and why not every business needs it) 10:07 — What starting over looks like, practically and personally 15:11 — Why she relaunched her mastermind and opened the Money Honey Room 18:17 — Having the confidence of Chad, and writing emails like a man would 21:43 — The pattern she sees in 275+ women when it comes to money 24:50 — Why the breadwinner conversation still needs to happen out loud 27:13 — AI, human connection, and why she'll never outsource herself to a chatbot 31:47 — Her new framework: identity, brand, business, visibility 35:25 — Theme days, energy spurts, and "body before brain" 39:21 — Rapid Fire This or That 41:02 — What does self made mean to you?

  5. Sep 15

    EP 96: From 98% Not Profitable to Booked Out Months in Advance: My Business Rebuild, with Kelsey Kerslake

    I recently sat down with my business coach Kelsey Kerslake on her show, The Aligned Business Podcast, and I'm resharing it here because it's honest in a way I don't always get to be. We talk about rebuilding Monarch Design Co. after two babies, a job loss, and a fixer-upper renovation all hit at once and what it took to go from "98% not profitable" to booking out months in advance. I also open up about how I use an AI coach called Soul to work through the moments that don't fit neatly into a Tuesday coaching call: sick kid weeks, soccer field meltdowns, pricing conversations, the whole mess of running a business and a household at the same time. The doors to The Art of Becoming, the program built around Sol, are open right now. Keep listening, I share exactly what it is and how to join partway through. Join The Art of Becoming here! Connect with Kelsey on IG  Connect with Ashley  www.themonarchdesign.co @monarchdesignco

  6. Sep 8

    EP 95: The Truth About Gut Health, Constipation, and Detoxes with Dr. Liz Dalglish ND

    You don't need to detox. Your liver's already handling it. This week I'm talking with Dr. Liz Dalglish, a naturopathic doctor and gut health specialist practicing in Barrie (Rooted and Blue Haven Wellness) about what's actually behind chronic bloating and constipation, why so much of the wellness advice online is garbage, and why letting go of "doing it perfectly" might be the most useful health advice you get all year. We also talk motherhood, running a practice with a five-month-old at home, and what self made really means when you can't do it all alone. Follow Dr. Liz: @dr.liz.nd https://lizdalglish.com/

  7. Sep 1

    EP 94: What Caterpillars Can Teach You About Rebranding (Yes Really)

    Most people know a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. What most people don't know is that it has to completely dissolve first. Ashley Wyatt, founder of Monarch Design Co., uses this metaphor to explain the "mush stage" — the messy middle where established service providers feel like they've outgrown their brand but haven't figured out what's next. She breaks down why that discomfort is a sign something is working, not a sign you're doing something wrong, and why the fix isn't a fast rebrand but finding the blueprint that was already there. 🦋 themonarchdesign.co/contact  IG: @monarchdesignco

  8. Jul 28

    EP 93: SEO Isn't a One and Done. Here's What Actually Gets You Found on Google in 2026

    You did the SEO audit. You filled in the meta descriptions. You felt good about it. And then not much changed. I want to clear up the biggest misconception about SEO today, because I think it's why so many service providers put in the work and feel like nothing happened. We talk about: The two layers of SEO, foundational and ongoing, and why most people stop at the first one Why Google trusts the business that's actively showing up over the one with a beautiful, untouched website What AI search means for your content strategy right now Whether blogging still works (spoiler: it's not dead, it's the long game) The four things that actually make SEO content work The simplest way to start if you've been avoiding this 🎧 Listen, send this to the business owner friend who keeps saying they'll start blogging and never does, and come find me on Instagram @monarchdesignco or online at www.themonarchdesign.co . Ready to get your website actually working for you?

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About

Entrepreneurship comes with a lot of ups and downs. I‘m here to share my journey of pivoting, running and scaling a successful creative business from the ground up. I‘ll also share inspiring stories from my branding clients in different industries, and of course share my favourite tips of everything branding, productivity and mindset to leave you feeling inspired and not alone on this rollercoaster of a journey that entrepreneurship can be.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Wyatt
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2019 - 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Self Made Life Podcast

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