We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Baylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was, “I can’t allow other families to experience what me and my family experienced.” Hi my name is Ashley Baylor and I’m the founder and CEO of The Baylor Strong Project LLC. My dad was diagnosed in February 2019 with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He lived a few months past a year of his diagnosis. His oncologist and primary care physician were phenomenal. They took great care of him. Yet, there was so much that was missing from his plan of care that I believe would’ve been beneficial for him. I, also, believe there were resources my family weren’t privy to. Four years later, we’ve learned so much and I decided to create a business that caters to the needs of the caregivers. People forget that patients aren’t the only ones who have to adjust quickly after a diagnosis like cancer. The families have to transition immediately and often times, no one is around to walk them through that transition. We’re left trying to figure things out on our own. I don’t want families to do this fight alone.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Baylor Strong Project LLC is a caregiver-centered business inspired by my family’s experience caring for my dad who died from stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Baylor Strong started as a hashtag when I began planning and hosting fundraisers in 2020 to fund pancreatic cancer research. Last year, I decided to start a business that brings the resources, education, and community support families need in order to care for their loved ones. We’re 10 months into business and I can attest to the challenges of entrepreneurship. There have been days where I’ve wanted to quit, and I’ve battled insecurities in regards to my abilities. Business is 24/7-365. Every day is a new lesson and to be successful, you’ll have to make up in your mind to endure. It has to be driven by passion and your desire to serve others; not money. Throughout this process of growing a community and business, I’ve learned to embrace the mundane parts of business ownership. There are just some parts of business that aren’t exciting. I’ve also learned that time is what you make of it. You won’t have more of it, so, what will you do with the time you have? This shift in mindset has helped me grow in the area of prioritization. I’ve also grown in the areas of patience, focus, organization, and compassion. A lot of entrepreneurship involves learning your audience in order to understand them better. This fosters compassion and fuels your fire to want to serve them at the highest capacity. I want every family I help to walk away feeling valued and that they received a premium experience. Lastly, most of your service will be for free. Don’t be a gatekeeper. People come to us because they want their problems solved and it’s our duty to make sure we solve them.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I had a friend visiting, I’d want to take them to some of my fave eateries in our beach cities, the Getty museum that overlooks L.A., to the Marina in Long Beach for aquatic activities, bike riding along the beach, and rooftop events if they’re scheduled.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shoutout my family, church family, friends, and mentors from Cash in Class University. I couldn’t be my best without them. Their prayers, love, encouraging words, and support are why I continue to pursue what God has called me to with vigor and passion.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebaylorstongproject

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleylbaylor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soar.baylorstrong

Image Credits
Udo Asomugha

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