Most people don’t know what I actually do. But my clients do.

I work with leaders who have outsized impact—executives, creatives, and founders navigating high-stakes decisions, leadership challenges, and the kind of pressure that comes with being the person everyone looks to.

When they’re at a crossroads, I’m the person they call—to sharpen their vision, push them past hesitation, and help them step into what’s next with clarity and confidence.

That means no two days look the same.

Some days, I’m coaching a leader on how to cultivate a high-performance culture. Others, I’m helping an executive navigate internal politics or position themselves for a major career leap. And sometimes, like today, I’m inside one of my client’s businesses, working directly with their team.

A Day in the Life: Coaching at A24

On this day, I spent the afternoon at A24, one of my client partners. Here’s what the day looked like:

8 AM – Central Park Walk

Every morning starts with a long walk in CP. No coaching calls until later, so I take my time today.

9 AM – Prep & Emails

I catch up on emails, prep for meetings, and review client notes. Continuity matters—so tracking progress between sessions helps me see patterns in my clients' growth.

11 AM – TV Break

Gossip Girl plays in the background while I get ready. No shame. Just vibes.

12:50 PM – Arrive at A24

Most of my coaching is virtual, but I aim to meet NYC-based clients in person when I can.

1 PM – Coaching with an Accounting Leader

We only have two sessions left, so we’re making them count. We talk long-term career plans, passions, and—of course—our dogs. Surprisingly, it’s our first time meeting in person, and she tells me I’m shorter than she expected. I laugh, it’s not the first time I’ve heard this. It’s all in the presence for sure.

2 PM – Coaching with an Entertainment Executive

She’s behind many of the A24 films we love. I think she’s brilliant. We talk about her vision for the next few months, how she wants to show up.

Then she drops an incredible update: she’s going to the Oscars.

She’s smiling as she says it and I flash back to our very first meeting. "That’s what you said you wanted, you wanted to be in THE ROOM", I remind her. She smiles even bigger.

Something is different this time. The energy in the room has shifted. She’s confident. Grounded. Owning it.

She tells me it’s because we’re chatting in person—she’s feeding off my energy.

But what she doesn’t know is, I feel the same. Her confidence is contagious, and I’m charged up, because this is what it looks like when someone steps fully into their power.

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3 PM – Running Into Familiar Faces

I see my HR partner, then bump into a former client. We catch up and she shares something big—she’s discussing expanding her responsibilities with her manager. A little over a year after stepping into her role, she’s ready for more.

We laugh and share life updates and she reveals she’s heading to the Oscars too. We joke about the conundrum of what to wear.

3:15 PM – Conference Room Break

I camp out in a conference room, catch up on emails, then head out to meet a friend at Essential by Christophe.

What This Day Made Me Think About

One of the biggest mindset shifts I help my clients make is moving from hoping to be in the room to owning the fact that they belong there. No room is too big.

This week’s coaching session was a perfect example of that. Three months ago, my client told me she wanted to be at the Oscars—as someone whose work deserved to be recognized in the room. Now, she’s going.

The best leaders don’t just have talent. They have intention. They know what they want and they move with purpose to get there.

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How To Work With Me

If you’re a high-achieving leader navigating big goals, transitions, or high-stakes decisions and need a strategic partner in your corner, let’s talk. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. Learn more about my Elevate program.

If you know me, you know I’m a Performance Coach. But what does that actually look like day to day?

I work with high-achieving leaders—executives, creatives, founders—who are navigating big decisions, leadership challenges, job transitions, and the pressure that comes with being the person everyone looks to.

My job? To be their strategic partner, helping them lead with clarity, confidence, and direction.

That means no two days look the same. Some days, I’m coaching a leader on how to cultivate a high-performance culture across their team. Others, I’m helping an executive analyze their team’s strengths, identify gaps, and plan for new hires. And sometimes, like today, I’m spending time inside one of my client’s businesses, working directly with their team.

Wednesdays are my in-office day. I have a retainer client (a creative agency) who I work with in-house once a week—it makes life as a solopreneur feel a lot less solo.

Here’s A Day in the Life With Me

9:30 AM - Pass the Mic

We start with a team ritual called Pass the Mic. This week, one of our comms leaders gave a full TED Talk on her passion for chocolate. We sampled chocolate from around the world (yes, this is work) and I left questioning every Whole Foods chocolate bar I’ve ever bought.

10 AM - Senior Leadership Team Meeting

Strategy talk, service refresh discussions, and making sure the business is moving in the right direction. High-achievers thrive in the details and the big picture—this is where we keep both in check.

11 AM - New Team Member Check-In

I meet with a new hire, a graphic designer who’s diving headfirst into strategic work. She’s already moving fast and making an impact. We bond over her studies in branding and consumerism. We talk about current aesthetic trends, how body positivity seems to have gone by the wayside. Love seeing people step up quickly.

11:30 AM - Policy Chat with London

International conversations = time zone math. Enough said. Love these chats, my weekly sanity check.

1 PM - Weekly Sync with Head of Creative Services

We talk work, life, team updates. These meetings are efficient, real, and always a highlight of my week.

2 PM - Deep Dive with Chief Creative Officer

One of my most important weekly rituals. We balance long-term vision with the day-to-day details, keeping us grounded in what’s happening now while making sure we’re steering the business where it needs to go. They’re a small team and it’s lonely at the top, so it helps to have me as a sounding board.

After 3 PM - Text from a Client/Friend

A client (now friend) texts me. We plan a drinks catch-up at The Modern. My work and relationships blend in the best ways.

5 PM - Done for the day

It’s finally still light out after 5 PM in NYC, so I’m taking full advantage.

PS - there’s a bar in the office. Perfect for after work hangs or aesthetically pleasing chats during the day.

What This Day Made Me Think About

I spend a lot of time helping my clients manage the tension between big picture thinking and right now execution. The best leaders don’t just have vision; they know how to stay present in what’s happening today while still steering toward the long-term.

This week’s deep dive with the Chief Creative Officer was a perfect example of that. You can’t run a business (or a career) on only five-year plans or only daily tasks—you need both. The balance is what keeps high achievers from burning out or feeling stuck.

How To Work With Me

Balancing long-term vision with the day-to-day isn’t just a skill—it’s a leadership necessity. It’s also one of the biggest reasons leaders bring me in as a strategic partner. If you’re navigating high-stakes decisions and need an advisor in your corner, check out Align.

There’s always a moment. It’s not loud, but it lingers.

You watch someone—less experienced, less good—get tapped for the opportunity you wanted.

You tell yourself it’s office politics, bad timing, a fluke.

But the thought sticks:

What do they see in them that they don’t see in me?

You start replaying things in your head. The meetings where you spoke up but didn’t quite land. The times you thought you were on leadership’s radar. The feedback that was good but not great. You work hard. You do what’s asked.

And yet, something isn’t clicking.

I built a quiz to help you figure that out.

In just a few minutes, you’ll see exactly where you stand—and what your next move should be.

Take my Career Influence Index → the next step in your career is within reach.

Take the Career Influence Index

Ashley

If we were sitting down for coffee right now, I’d want to know everything. Not just what you do, but what drives you.

I’d ask:

• What made you hit subscribe?

• What are you hoping to figure out, shift, or unlock?

I’ve spent years and hundreds of hours coaching high-achieving leaders and next-gen executives. I study the patterns, the motivations, and the small but powerful decisions that separate the good from the great. And the more I worked with ambitious people like you, the more I realized something:

Most self-help and leadership advice isn’t built for us.

It’s too broad.

Too surface-level.

It doesn’t speak to the real challenges that high achievers face—like balancing ambition with burnout, learning how to lead when you’re used to doing, or navigating high-stakes career moves with confidence.

I was having trouble finding resources that truly applied to my clients. So I decided to make my own.

And the beauty of creating my own is that I also get to share my insights with you.

That’s what The Operator’s Edge is.

A place where high achievers get leadership insights that actually apply to them. A space where you get to pause, think, and sharpen how you lead—before jumping into the next big thing.

I’m so glad you’re here.

No pressure, but if you want to share—I’d love to know: What brought you here? Just send me a note. I read every email.

Ashley

There’s always a moment. The one that forces you to grow, whether you’re ready or not.

For me, it wasn’t a single flash of insight—it was a slow, uncomfortable realization.

When I first became a manager, I went from being one of the team to leading the team. The shift was more than just a title change—it was a complete identity shift.

I had spent years building trust and friendships with my peers. We vented together, gossiped, shared everything. Then, suddenly, I was in a new room—surrounded by leaders I hadn’t built those same relationships with. And worse? I was still operating like I had before.

I kept my old habits.

I overshared when I shouldn’t have.

I undermined other leaders’ authority by staying too close to their teams.

Rookie mistakes.

And I paid for them (in embarrassment and some tough conversations).

But it didn’t set me back.

The moment everything changed for me was when I made a conscious decision to step fully into leadership. To elevate how I carried myself, how I communicated, and how I built trust—not just with my old peers, but with my new ones.

Leadership isn’t just about what you know—it’s about who you decide to become. And deciding to actually be a leader—even when it felt uncomfortable—was the moment everything shifted for me.

Now I want to hear from you.

What’s the leadership moment that changed you? Drop a comment and share.

Ashley

P.S. If you’re new here and want to catch up on my best writing, here’s a piece a lot of people tell me hit home:

I’ve had bad bosses.

Like the manager who insisted I email her every single time I stepped away from my desk—yes, even to go to the bathroom. She also stalked my social media accounts. Wild times.

And I’ve had great bosses. The kind who show you, every day, what true leadership looks like—not just when things are going well, but on their worst days too.

I’m lucky. I had a great manager who led with integrity, operated on principles, and showed me what courage looked like in real time. He shaped the way I lead today.

Without a strong foundation for what good leadership looks like—or what it absolutely does not—high achievers can feel lost.

You can feel frustrated. You can feel stuck in your career, constantly second-guessing whether you’re leading the right way or just repeating what you’ve seen.

That’s why The Operator’s Edge exists. Here, I help you uncover your own unique approach to leadership—one that’s shaped by the best of what you’ve learned and the lessons you don’t want to carry forward. My insights come from my own leadership journey and from working with clients—most of whom are in leadership positions themselves.

Whether you’ve had great bosses, bad bosses, or feel like you’re floating somewhere in between—this space is for you.

So tell me—where did your leadership approach come from? A great boss? A terrible one?

Take the poll below or leave a comment.

Whether you subscribed last week or last month, I just want to say—this isn’t a newsletter you skim and forget. It’s a space to think, to challenge, to actually grow.

During my coaching sessions, I aim to ask my clients just the right question—the one that makes them pause, reflect, and unlock an insight they didn’t see before.

High achievers don’t get a lot of those moments. We move fast.

We thrive on execution.

We jump from one thing to the next because getting things done is what we do.

But when we pause? That’s where the real breakthroughs happen.

Consider The Operator’s Edge your 15-minute pause every week. A space to step back, process, and sharpen how you think about work, leadership, and the trajectory of your career.

Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Read along. My best posts are here: Welcome to the Operator’s Edge

• Reply to my Operator’s Edge emails anytime. I read every one.

• More than anything, keep going. You’re here for a reason.

See you soon. New posts drop every Monday before 9AM EST.

Ashley