May 2, 2025 • 31 mins
Ashley Coffey is the CEO of Coffey and Consult and host of the Coffey and Code podcast. She specializes in bridging the gap between technology and people, helping small and medium-sized businesses—especially in Oklahoma and the Midwest—leverage emerging technologies like AI for efficiency, profitability, and empowerment.
Key Takeaways:
- Making Tech Accessible: Ashley founded Coffey and Consult to bring innovation and technology consulting to businesses in Oklahoma, eliminating the need for local founders to seek coastal agencies for modern expertise.
- AI and Tech Adoption: She demystifies AI for business owners, focusing on practical adoption, minimizing “tech overwhelm,” and maximizing efficiency with the right tools.
- Industry-Agnostic Approach: Ashley works across sectors, emphasizing that technology and AI are universal enablers. She often finds companies overspending on fragmented, redundant software stacks and helps them consolidate and optimize instead.
- Education First—Teaching to Fish: Ashley’s consulting goes beyond tool recommendations. She teaches organizations how to critically assess their business problems and technology needs (not just “what’s the best tool?” but “what’s the best tool for our outcome?”), fostering sustainable, independent tech decision-making.
- Championing Human Connection: Despite AI’s rise, Ashley believes the “human touch” is at a premium—helping clients see technology as an enabler for more meaningful work, not a replacement for human insight.
- Impact-Driven and Iterative: She measures her success by how empowered her clients become—tracking increased efficiency, reduced software bloat, and improved confidence and independence in tech decision-making.
- Empowering with AI Literacy: Ashley highlights a knowledge gap: many business owners (and even younger generations) struggle to use AI effectively. She provides hands-on workshops to move clients from AI “search engine” users to strategic AI partners, emphasizing clear articulation and thoughtful prompting.
About Ashely Coffey
Ashley Coffey is an emerging technologies subject matter expert with over a decade of experience in the technology industry, including roles in both the public, private and non-profit sectors, and is recognized by the Journal Record in the 2022 Powerlist of Innovative Women in Oklahoma.
Ashley interweaves her lived experience and diverse background across industries to help companies achieve greater efficiency and profitability by leveraging technology in meaningful ways.
Ashley is a TEDx speaker and has presented professionally on emerging technologies nationwide, including Harvard and SXSW-EDU. She serves on the Boards of the American Marketing Association, Oklahoma Chapter, and SXSW Pitch. In addition, she volunteers as a mentor in the OKC community for young women pursuing careers in technology.
A "glow up" signifies a positive transformation, reflecting the journey of becoming a better, more successful version of oneself.
At The Tech Glow Up, we humanize the startup and innovation landscape by focusing on the essential aspects of the entrepreneurial journey. Groundbreaking ideas are often ahead of their time, making resilience and perseverance vital for founders and product leaders.
In our podcast, we engage with innovators to discuss their transformative ideas, the challenges they face, and how they create value for future success.
If you're a founder or product leader seeking your own glow up, or a seasoned entrepreneur with stories to share, we invite you to join our guest list via this link.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Ashley Coffey (00:00):
'cause everyone, like regardless of if you're 99
or five, you have heard AImentioned in the past, you know,
year probably at least athousand times.
So I think we all have a generalunderstanding that it exists.
I think the through line ishelping people, one, understand
what it is and what it isn't.
Nathan C (00:20):
that's beautiful.
Ashley Coffey, CEO of Coffey andConsult podcast, host of the
Coffey and Code podcast.
Welcome to the Glow Up.
Thank you for joining me today.
I'm so glad to chat with you.
Ashley Coffey (00:34):
I'm so glad to be here.
Nathan C (00:35):
Ashley, could you please, take a minute and
introduce yourself and, whatyou're doing, with Coffey and
consult?
Ashley Coffey (00:43):
Absolutely.
Okay, so hello everyone.
My name is Ashley Coffey and Iam the CEO of Coffey and
Consult.
We are a technology consultingfirm based in Oklahoma, but
working worldwide, and we helpsmall to medium sized businesses
really leverage their technologyfor efficiency and profitability
(01:04):
so they can spend less timebeing, overwhelmed and more time
being empowered so they canfocus on that zone of genius or
whatever brings them joy intheir business.
And I started this in August of2023 because I saw a need here
in the Oklahoma market.
We are smack dab in the middleof the us, which means we're
smack dab in the middle of theeast and west coast.
(01:26):
And as someone who has beeninvolved in the emerging tech
world since 2018, I see where weare lacking in terms of bringing
innovation and new types oftechnologies to business owners
here in Oklahoma.
So they don't necessarily haveto go to the east or west coast
to get that knowledge.
So bringing access to businessowners here in Oklahoma is
(01:48):
really why I decided to startCoffey and consult here.
And I also am the podcast host.
Of Coffey and Code.
So that's spelled C-O-F-F-E-Y ifyou're wondering.
And I started that podcast in2020 because I got laid off from
my job and I really wanted to dosomething and keep myself going.
And I loved having conversationswith really cool people that
(02:10):
were interesting, innovative,and I just really wanted to
those conversations with abroader audience.
So I've been doing that for fiveyears.
Listeners across 21 countries,35, 5 star reviews.
So you can find us wherever youget your podcasts and I've had
you on the show, Nathan, so Iencourage listeners to go listen
to your episode.
And that podcast is created foreveryone.
(02:30):
It's meant to make technologyaccessible to anyone out there,
regardless of what yourbackground knowledge is, because
at the end of the day.
Coffee and consult, coffee andcode.
And myself, I exist to bridgethe gap between technology and
people.
Nathan C (02:48):
Thank you for that.
I love this space that you foundfor yourself or that you're
working in helping to distilland teach and coach people
through some of the biggestglobal trends, you know,
technology developments andothers, but doing it in a really
(03:08):
local focused way.
Identifying that pain point oflike, wow, you know, you
literally have to go hire anagency on the coast, you know,
potentially, Build relationshipsoutside of where your industries
are known, where your you know,your peer.
Like, there's some veryinteresting things about like
(03:29):
serving the, the local communityjust as a as a founder in
general.
But identifying that pain pointof, you know, really needing to
leave home base to get help andto be current.
So why not just bring that,bring it right to the people?
it.
Ashley Coffey (03:49):
Why?
Well, why not?
And, I like to call it theSilicon Prairie.
we're working on it and it'skind of wild to see how quickly
things have changed over time,and as you know, it will
continue to change and reallywanna challenge people to really
lean into that change andembrace it and look at it as an
opportunity for innovation andefficiency and profitability.
(04:11):
I like to think of work smarter,not harder.
Nathan C (04:14):
Can you dive in a little bit, about some of the
ways, that you're helping,businesses with things like ai,
these, tech processes, just,getting their stacks and
strategies in order?
Ashley Coffey (04:27):
Yes.
So one thing I want toacknowledge here right off the
bat is that it is challengingbecause I am the first service
provider of my kind here inOklahoma.
So there's nothing to compareto, and I started my business
without a book of clients likemost people do.
I started from scratch, soreally spending time working on
(04:48):
my service offerings and thevalue that those bring was
instrumental.
In me being able to articulatewhat it is I'm trying to do to
help businesses.
That right there was a wholejourney in itself that took
about a year, and I'm almost twoyears into this now, so I wanted
to acknowledge that right offthe bat so that people don't
think this is a walk in thepark, because it's not just
because AI is making thingseasier.
(05:10):
It doesn't necessarily mean thatwe're not doing more, we're
doing more, but we're having ahigher output here.
And I think at the end of theday, the human connection, the
human touch will be at apremium.
So I'm really trying to toe theline very carefully and very
thoughtfully with the servicesthat I provide to businesses
here in Oklahoma.
And if you look at my website,Coffeyandconsult.com, you'll see
(05:34):
that I'm very industry agnostic.
And that is on purpose becausetechnology is industry agnostic.
It's the through line, througheverything regardless.
If you're a consulting agencythat focuses on marketing,
branding, and design.
Or a trial attorney law firm, oreven a scientific consulting
firm.
all of these companies are gonnainteract with technology in some
(05:56):
way, shape or form throughhiring processes, technology of
what they share on the internet,what they have internally.
And what I see the most acrossthe businesses that I help is
that they're wasting so muchmoney on so much software that's
not solving their needs.
And I am sure you see this too,and it's really disappointing
when I see people pay so muchmoney for these platforms that
(06:21):
they should be coming with asoftware rep and like working in
the technology field, I knowthat they get a software rep or
a person that's supposed to betheir point of contact, but it's
not happening And a lot of thesepeople are left with these
out-of-the-box solutions thatseemed really awesome at surface
level.
But then they're like, how do Ido this?
What do I do?
And you know, I am.
Here kind of picking up thepieces because those software
(06:43):
companies aren't doing their duediligence to provide that
educational opportunity to helpthose business owners make the
most of their investment.
So I really come in and providethat all encompassing technology
transformation service from asubject matter expert and
someone who has been trained inthis field to identify and
optimize and make things moreefficient so that you can
(07:05):
achieve more efficiency andprofitability.
So things like Software Scoutwhere I come in and create an
assessment of your current techstack and make recommendations
on what you should do to eitherconsolidate or.
centralized.
A lot of the new tools that havecome out in G Suite have really
eliminated the need for a lot oftools like Otter ai or
Grammarly, that are just beingbaked in and a lot of people
(07:28):
aren't paying attention to thoseupdates.
So really helping to elevatethese technology changes will
help people save money in thelong run and have more of those
aha moments so that they feelmore empowered and less
overwhelmed.
Nathan C (07:42):
Thank you for calling out, right, that, there's this
cool trend with AI and it, it'skind of a, a marker of the
robustness of the AI ecosystemas well as this pain point that
you're talking about, that like,often times like people are
paying for way more than theyneed.
and it's because of like.
(08:02):
You know, needing to like, havea microservice for every
different business process wherenow there's a lot of things that
are baked
Ashley Coffey (08:09):
in.
Nathan C (08:10):
A software or like a technology initiative at an
organization is either connectedto a core business pain point,
or a pet project for anexecutive.
Right?
And those are all like bigstones.
To move when you're trying.
(08:32):
Right.
And as a consultant, you know,to come in with big, bold ideas
and to be like, this is wrong.
that can be, a challenge toleaders and big visions.
How do you approach.
those conversations.
And how do you, what's yourapproach to getting leadership
and, business people to reallysit down and reflect and
(08:52):
understand the choices thattheir technology choices, are
building into their business.
Ashley Coffey (08:57):
That's a really good question and a stakeholder
buy-in is so important.
And what sets me apart fromother companies and other
consulting firms is that I teachorganizations how to fish.
I don't give them the fish.
And the fish is software.
and platforms, because a lot ofthe times people ask me, and
(09:18):
this comes from my days workingat Apple too.
What's the best machine?
What's the best software, what'sthe best tool?
And I challenge people to changethat thinking of what are we
trying to accomplish first?
What is the best tool for whatwe need to do.
So really taking a step back andhelping organizations answer
those questions first can leadthem to a lot of deeper insights
(09:41):
and success in the long run.
'cause if you don't know whatyou're measuring or why you're
measuring it, then what the heckare we doing here?
and by providing that, to me,that is more long-term success
for me as an educator, forsomeone to have that knowledge.
That way no matter what happens.
Five, 10 years from now, we'regonna see a lot of different
(10:03):
software platforms come in, comeout.
But I want people to rememberthe general foundational
framework of how to make thosedecisions like privacy and where
is that data stored do you ownit?
is it private?
Is it public so manyconsiderations are to be made
right now that are going to makean impact in the next future
decade, future century?
(10:23):
And I hope people understand theimportance of that right now.
Nathan C (10:26):
Amazing.
you mentioned something at thetop that's kind of juicy, right.
you discussed that, you've beenworking on.
These offers you've been reallytrying to learn and, Can you
talk about a moment where you'velearned something from your
customers and, and how thathelped you in this journey.
Ashley Coffey (10:45):
Thank you.
Thank you.
So for everyone that'slistening, different buckets of
my business involve consultingand training and coaching.
So when it comes to technologytraining, that can be workshops
that are customized to aspecific business or a specific
idea.
one of those workshops that Idid for an organization here in
(11:05):
Oklahoma, is for a food groupthat has a stamp of approval
saying, this is made inOklahoma.
the audience was a group ofbusiness owners who are in the
food industry or who have beenseasoned in the food industry.
And these are big names that inOklahoma, you name it.
And, a different age range too.
And I love having differentperspectives in a workshop
(11:26):
because to me, peer-to-peerlearning can be so powerful when
it's happening in the moment andit can unlock.
The ability for people to haveconfidence in asking questions
versus being too shy.
And here's what I uncovered inthat workshop.
I uncovered through a exerciseusing ChatGPT that some people
were using ChatGPT as a searchengine.
(11:49):
Which blew my mind.
So the example was, I wastalking to a woman and she said,
oh, I don't use ChatGPT itdoesn't work for me.
And I was like, okay, tell memore, tell me more.
And she said, yeah, I was tryingto get, recipes for my pepper
relish so that I can postrecipes about my pepper relish
business on Instagram, Facebookand newsletter and, fun things.
(12:09):
And she was going to ChatGPT andjust typing in"pepper relish.
Pepper, relish." And at first Iwas like, okay, what?
And then I realized, whoa, thiswas such an insightful thing to
uncover, to understand howpeople's brains work and how
different people might be usingthis.
So through that, we were able totake a step back and the whole
(12:32):
group was like, okay.
What if you typed"ideas forpepper relish recipes that can
be used for newsletter andsocial media content." Like
really diving into what are youtrying to accomplish here versus
just throwing things in here.
And that's another thing that Isee often and I'm sure you do
too, is there's a disconnectbetween people's brains.
(12:53):
Ai, ie.
The machine or what languagelearning model we're trying to
put action through that we'renot being as specific or
articulate enough to themachine, and therefore we're
getting, inadequate outcomesthat don't meet our expectation,
but we're not putting theinformation out there for it to
meet that expectation.
Nathan C (13:10):
This is such an interesting space.
when ChatGPT first came outthere were all these memes about
how the other, AI assistantslike Siri and Alexa and Google
were all grumpy that they couldonly do things like look at your
calendar and tell you theweather and set timers and chat.
GPT was like this next levelthing.
(13:33):
But I think to a certain degree,there was almost a decade of
these like smart in-home Devicesthat were really dumb and not
very helpful and you couldn'tsay more than a couple things to
them, right.
And so we sort of trainedourselves that like, oh,
assistants are kind of stupid.
(13:54):
You gotta be like super, yougotta say it one way.
And this whole change of mind oflike, well, actually large
language models, if youstructure it well, if you're
very clear about what you'retrying to do, can, take these
ideas to such a deeper space.
You know, a lot of the advicethat I'm seeing now is like, be
more thorough.
(14:15):
In explaining what you want, youknow, be very specific and, to
even have, layers of context,layers of detail and, structure,
is, something that's kind ofnovel even in the last, two or
three years of, exploring theseideas.
super cool.
Ashley Coffey (14:31):
And we, we've lost the ability to articulate
too.
And I think the culture ofimmediacy and the culture of
moving towards a more visualworld versus one where we read
is taken out the ability forpeople to use descriptive and
objective words that paint moreof a picture for someone.
and I think that's another thingthat I'm seeing in younger
generations too, that were inhigh school during covid.
(14:53):
that really are having a hardtime putting descriptors to
things, and I think that'ssomething we need to really take
into consideration here, as wellas the impact of a technology on
humanity's way of learning.
Nathan C (15:04):
You gave me way too many things.
My brain, no, my brain's justover here exploding.
I'm gonna go totally off script.
I'm actually gonna keep us alittle bit focused'cause, I
think a, the
Ashley Coffey (15:16):
conversation
Nathan C (15:17):
can like, suck the air out of any room.
and we are here to, dive intothe deeper, ideas of innovation.
When you're working both withbig ideas and local orgs, when
you're really, focused onhaving, these strong connections
with the brands that you workwith, how do you measure the
impact of your work and how doyou, see success in what you're
(15:40):
doing?
Ashley Coffey (15:41):
Thank you for that question.
I think it's a question that alot of people should ask
themselves every day, and when Iwas building the foundation for
Coffey and Consult, I built itaround a pillar of five brand
values And we did this becauseit's so important to have that
driving way pointer through abusiness.
Otherwise, how do you know ifyou're being successful or if
(16:03):
you're ever driving valuableimpact?
So our brand values answer, howdo we uphold these values and
brands and why?
Why do we do it?
So our brand values are candor,connection, empowerment,
expertise, and innovation.
So those are very specific toour industry, the value that we
provide and the solutions thatwe bring to people.
(16:27):
Now, when it comes to.
having this all encompassingconversation with people.
I really like to take thingsoutta the box and do things
differently because.
If you do say things the sameway and they're not working for
you, that is a definition ofinsanity.
So let's shift to something thatmaybe might be more beneficial.
(16:47):
And I love it when people tellme that they never considered
adding something or looking atsomething in a different way
after having a fresh set ofeyes.
So having a fresh set of eyesand fresh set of perspective can
be incredibly valuable.
And as someone who bringspublic, private, and nonprofit
experience into my consulting,that right there in itself
(17:10):
provides a lot of ability tomove quickly and strategically,
but also be able to track valueand meaning through meaningful
metrics.
I like to ask the client ofwhat.
Success means to them, what aretheir metrics?
That way I can tailor theirsolution to ensure that we're
both achieving success and we'reboth achieving a win together,
Nathan C (17:32):
A, as a consultant, that's an important, but often
overlooked detail, right?
That even though you might have,an opinion, even though you
might understand, what providesthe most value to your clients'
goals is in the end, the thingthat will, create those lasting
business relationships willdrive that success that, ideally
(17:54):
they're gonna be stoked on.
Ashley Coffey (17:56):
And I'll add, I'll add to that.
you're gonna boost efficiencyand productivity.
You're gonna reduce costs.
You're going to enhanceunderstanding and competence
across your team, improvedecision making, which, oh my
gosh, we need more of that.
Decision fatigue is real.
Fostering innovation andalleviating stress like that
just right there to me is like ahuge value-add of why wouldn't I
(18:17):
wanna bring in a consultant intomy company to help augment what
you're currently doing.
Nathan C (18:22):
I like how, the values that you discussed in those
pillars, Line up so nicely withthe ways that you're helping
businesses understand what'sgoing on.
because it's a lot about being,open, reflecting on what's now
listening, to all of yourinternal experts.
(18:44):
if you can build.
A culture where you're lookingat the data, the team can talk
with candor about what's goingon.
you're focused on goals andefficiency rather than, tasks
and tools.
All of a sudden, you've built ahigh performing team, not just,
fixing one or two, problems.
I love the way that all those
Ashley Coffey (19:05):
come together.
Thank you.
Nathan C (19:08):
So Ashley, as somebody who's looking, to build more
efficient businesses and tohelp, founders live, in that
unique voice, that unique spacethat they have, what's the glow
up that you're looking to makein the next six months or so?
And, how are you looking toelevate or take Coffey and
consult,
Ashley Coffey (19:28):
to the next level?
Thank you for this question.
I love that it ties into thetitle of your podcast, the Glow
Up, and also it's good toreflect on what does the glow up
mean to you.
Right.
And honestly, as a businessowner and entrepreneur and
innovator, scaling is hard andit's something that I've thought
about a lot.
(19:49):
And ultimately my vision for thecompany was to like start small
and be able to hire on 1099contractors and build that so I
can tap into the network ofamazing people that I've met.
Throughout the years that havethese very specific skill sets
that are being laid off fromtheir companies that don't value
that, unfortunately.
So like providing that space forthem to make a living wage and
(20:11):
actually use their expertise in,in an innovative way.
And it's, it's a hard, it's hardto do that.
I mean, I tried to onboard avirtual admin and it is just.
It just didn't work out andthat's okay.
And those were factors outsideof my control.
I don't consider that a wastebecause now I have great
documentation of what I'mlooking for and I can just use
that for the next thing.
So there's always gonna be somekind of challenge or obstacle.
(20:34):
So really, what is a glow up?
For me, it is focusing on mymental health as being a
business owner and making surethat I'm taking time for myself
so that I can show up as thebest version of myself, not only
for me, but my husband, thepeople around me, my friends.
My professional colleagues andmy clients what I have found
myself doing in the first yearor so of business is
(20:55):
deprioritizing myself so I canprioritize my clients.
I thought that that's just whatyou do when you're a hard
worker.
That's just what you do whenyou're run a business.
And I realized very quicklythat's not the case.
So I have been shifting that alittle bit to prioritize, but
differently so that I'm showingup for my clients in the best
possible way.
And showing up for myself too.
(21:16):
I see direct benefits from notjust, you know, tracking my
sleep, tracking how often I workout or spend time outside now
that we're getting out ofwinter.
Thank goodness.
Seasonal depression is real.
the glow up of Coffey andconsult is, I have a three year
roadmap of goals that I workwith my business coach.
And each time that we meet, wego over those goals to see am I
(21:36):
on track?
What do I need to lean into?
And I'm on track from my oneyear goals.
And so many times do I sit downwith the anxiety of thinking I'm
so far behind, and finally I'mlike, oh my God, I'm actually
not.
So I encourage everyone to workwith a business coach or if you
can't utilize CGPT to visit, beyour business coach.
it's really important, butserving more clients, expanding
(21:58):
the industry.
Being able to get out ofOklahoma and serve clients in
like Colorado, Texas, Arkansas,and that tech sarcoma region is
ideal.
And really seeing where XR isgoing excites me because
Oklahoma is finally starting topay attention to it again, even
though It was here in 2018, itjust wasn't being paid attention
to.
But the Chips and Science Actand the state initiatives are
(22:21):
providing funding for virtualreality to be reintegrated into
educational institutions.
So that excites me, and I wannabring that to some of my clients
and that are looking forinnovative ways to activate or
provide solutions to theircustomers.
that's the glow up.
Hopefully we get there.
Nathan C (22:36):
Oh my goodness.
so I love that the glow up thatyou shared is a combination of.
of Scaling your business,building into new markets and
prioritizing your balance andfocus as an entrepreneur, that
(23:00):
trap of like, if I just hustlemore, right, like hustle culture
really did a bad thing for a lotof people's mental health, which
is right if.
you know, sort of the virtues ofcapitalism that really
prioritize doing over, you know,being, can be just a trap for
somebody who is passionate aboutan idea that wants to succeed
(23:24):
faster.
I talk a a lot with people thatI coach and you know that I
advise that like especially ifyou're in marketing, if you're
in strategy, if you're in acreative field, you know a
business founder needs to besomebody who can respond.
Bond with a clear head.
They need to be able to bedecisive.
They need to be able to bepresent, absorb things, move on.
(23:47):
And those are things that youphysically cannot do if you are
in a state of fight or flight,right?
If your sleep is messed up, ifyour cortisol is all jacked,
like your brain and body willnot let you think strategically.
It will not let you think longterm.
And that's where you start tomake, you know, choices out of
out of fear and out of scarcity.
(24:08):
And so by.
Prioritizing your health.
You know, making sure that thethings that are important are
getting done, not just doing allof the things or doing more
things We can't do it all.
We can't be the experts ateverything.
So like hire people to helpcoach you and keep you focused,
(24:28):
you know, to give you thataccountability, that, that time
for reflection, Like get atherapist and make sure that
you've got plan to get yourbrain and, anxiety on track so
that you can be there for thosecustomers.
And so lovingly, likeintertwined, these personal
values.
And these goals that you havefor the org, it that takes a lot
(24:49):
of courage, you know, to listenand, to find what works for you
and, advocate for it.
So, bravo.
Ashley Coffey (24:55):
Thank you.
Thank you.
And speaking of marketing,because I don't do enough, I'm
stepping in as president of theAmerican Marketing Association,
Oklahoma City chapter startingin June, which is a nonprofit
organization here in Oklahoma.
There's a national organizationcalled American Marketing
Association.
So I'm able to stay really on,keep my finger on the pulse of
what the marketing trends are,but you're so right.
(25:15):
I have found, and as as you age,that also changes and I've
noticed that, That's reallyhumbling.
So as I continue to do more,like I teach at OU as an adjunct
professor, a podcast host.
I'm a business owner.
I've tried to stay hydrated andbe a good friend and wife and
all those good things.
And at the end of the day, it'slike there's always gonna be
something to do.
And if everything's important,nothing is important.
(25:38):
Tomorrow's gonna come, like,let's hope.
you can only do your best.
And if you're showing up anddoing your best, that's all you
can do.
The rest of it is outta yourcontrol.
the hustle culture is very toxicand can lead us to have these
misshapen and beliefs of how weserve in our business.
And then you start to feel theeffects of that and it's not
fun.
And as a business owner, yougotta be on 24/7 You gotta be
(25:59):
ready for any opportunity thatcomes your way.
'cause it's gonna come to youwhen you're least prepared and
you've gotta be able to turn iton and do it.
Because I've found myself thatif I overexert and I don't put
those boundaries in, I findmyself in those situations of
potential opportunity that Ilose out on because I'm not a
hundred percent myself.
Nathan C (26:19):
You can't pitch when you're burnt out and crashed
out.
Ashley Coffey (26:23):
No
Nathan C (26:23):
do you have your summer
Ashley Coffey (26:24):
vacation on your calendar
Nathan C (26:26):
yet?
yet I don't.
So thank you for, I plan like,AWE,
Ashley Coffey (26:30):
I mean, it's not a vacation it's a conference
Nathan C (26:33):
break,
Ashley Coffey (26:33):
summer break.
Yes,
Nathan C (26:34):
founders need breaks Founders
Ashley Coffey (26:35):
My husband and I will probably go to Colorado.
That's our place to seek refugeand get recharged in nature.
Nathan C (26:41):
I just put mine on my calendar last week, so
Ashley Coffey (26:44):
I love it.
Nathan C (26:44):
gonna do that.
it's it's my challenge
Ashley Coffey (26:46):
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
'cause that's a conversation myhusband and I had too, of like,
you know, being a founder and hehas a full-time job and he loves
what he does, but working withsomeone like me, it's sometimes
hard to plan for the future.
being made Any advice if I'mgiving advice to anyone out
there is just like, enjoy thejourney.
It's gonna be a fun ride.
Nathan C (27:06):
Ashley, is there anything that you're looking
for, to help you with this glowup or, any of the big goals that
you have for these projects thatyou're working on?
whether it's networking,learning partners, clients.
Ashley Coffey (27:20):
Great question.
So first off, one would love tohave people sign up for my
weekly newsletter.
I don't spam you.
It's once a week, only Mondays.
And it provides you with techtips, an update of what's
happening in the tech world, howit's impacting businesses, and a
little bit of behind the scenesof being a business owner and
(27:40):
entrepreneur.
Technology, what are the trendsthat I'm seeing?
I went to South by Southwest anddid a recap of that, so there's
a lot of value in thatnewsletter, and I invite people
to subscribe.
You can go to Coffey andconsult.com/newsletter to sign
up there.
Super easy.
Please follow me on Instagram.
You can find Coffey and consulton Instagram at
(28:01):
C-O-F-E-Y-A-N-D-E-C-O-N-S-U-L-T.
Also the podcast Coffey andCode.
Please do follow us on Instagramand YouTube and anywhere you get
your podcast, you can benotified of new episodes go live
and one.
Also follow me on my social, mypersonal social.
It's at@AshleyRCoffey89.
(28:25):
And the reason why I say that isbecause every Friday you will
get a reminder from yours trulyto stay hydrated and do
something nice for someone.
And anyone can do that,regardless of your background,
ability, how much money youhave.
Welcome.
Nathan C (28:38):
Follow, like, subscribe.
it's Coffey and code y'all.
I love it.
it has been, a treat to bereminded, to stay hydrated and
to get a little peek into, theOklahoma landscape throughout
the year.
So, I do recommend, signing onfor the Fridays.
(28:58):
We also like to make theopportunity to give a shout out
to a community group or an orgthat's doing something,
fantastic in the world.
is there a shout out or aspotlight you'd like to, share
your time with?
Ashley Coffey (29:11):
Absolutely.
It's called Launch Ahead AI.
It's built by Amnoni Myers, andI actually had Amnoni on my
podcast and I realized thatLaunch Ahead existed because
they are a startup here inTulsa, Oklahoma that made it to
the startup.
pitch competition finals forSouth by Southwest.
Amnoni was a foster childherself, and went through the
(29:33):
foster care system and had avery.
Unique experience and probablynot an uncommon experience that
a lot of foster kids go through.
the reason why she developedLaunch Ahead is to be a system
that provides support for fosterkids and caseworkers through
self-assessments, resources, andthe ability to actually know
(29:55):
what's happening with the childand provide a more holistic
care.
So they actually, they didn'twin the.
Pitch competition, but they didwin the inclusive award that was
given out.
So highly recommend checkingthem out.
It's a great initiative and onethat I believe in, and I hope to
see it go to the next level'cause it's something that
actually has tangible benefitand tangible good for the people
(30:17):
that are, that are being leftbehind.
Nathan C (30:20):
That's amazing.
Thank you so much, for that.
I can't wait to go learn more.
And how cool to have, Oklahomaconnections via South by
Southwest.
Ashley Coffey (30:30):
Who would've thought, yeah, I looked at the
whole list and only one was fromOklahoma, which was really
surprising..
Nathan C (30:36):
Ashley Coffey, it is always a pleasure to chat with
you.
I am so inspired, to hear about,the updates to the work that
you're doing, both with Coffeyand consult and, with the Coffey
and Code Podcast and all theother, deep community
engagement, that you're doingfor, your community.
(30:57):
there in.
Oklahoma and, soon worldwide.
it's great to talk about thepower of ai, how to build
mindful business processes thatactually help you with your
goals and how to not waste yourmoney on tech, just for tech's
sake.
Thanks again for joining ustoday.
Ashley Coffey (31:16):
Thank you for having me, Nathan.
This has been awesome.
I appreciate the work that youput into the glow up to make it
intentional for guests and foryour listeners.
So thank you for the work.
It's been exciting to see yourjourney.
We met through the technologyworld and here we are years
later on each other's podcast,which I think is really cool.
flowers.
Yes.
Nathan C (31:36):
Thank you so much.
'cause everyone, like regardless of if you're 99
or five, you have heard AImentioned in the past, you know,
year probably at least athousand times.
So I think we all have a generalunderstanding that it exists.
I think the through line ishelping people, one, understand
what it is and what it isn't.
Nathan C (00:20):
that's beautiful.
Ashley Coffey, CEO of Coffey andConsult podcast, host of the
Coffey and Code podcast.
Welcome to the Glow Up.
Thank you for joining me today.
I'm so glad to chat with you.
Ashley Coffey (00:34):
I'm so glad to be here.
Nathan C (00:35):
Ashley, could you please, take a minute and
introduce yourself and, whatyou're doing, with Coffey and
consult?
Ashley Coffey (00:43):
Absolutely.
Okay, so hello everyone.
My name is Ashley Coffey and Iam the CEO of Coffey and
Consult.
We are a technology consultingfirm based in Oklahoma, but
working worldwide, and we helpsmall to medium sized businesses
really leverage their technologyfor efficiency and profitability
(01:04):
so they can spend less timebeing, overwhelmed and more time
being empowered so they canfocus on that zone of genius or
whatever brings them joy intheir business.
And I started this in August of2023 because I saw a need here
in the Oklahoma market.
We are smack dab in the middleof the us, which means we're
smack dab in the middle of theeast and west coast.
(01:26):
And as someone who has beeninvolved in the emerging tech
world since 2018, I see where weare lacking in terms of bringing
innovation and new types oftechnologies to business owners
here in Oklahoma.
So they don't necessarily haveto go to the east or west coast
to get that knowledge.
So bringing access to businessowners here in Oklahoma is
(01:48):
really why I decided to startCoffey and consult here.
And I also am the podcast host.
Of Coffey and Code.
So that's spelled C-O-F-F-E-Y ifyou're wondering.
And I started that podcast in2020 because I got laid off from
my job and I really wanted to dosomething and keep myself going.
And I loved having conversationswith really cool people that
(02:10):
were interesting, innovative,and I just really wanted to
those conversations with abroader audience.
So I've been doing that for fiveyears.
Listeners across 21 countries,35, 5 star reviews.
So you can find us wherever youget your podcasts and I've had
you on the show, Nathan, so Iencourage listeners to go listen
to your episode.
And that podcast is created foreveryone.
(02:30):
It's meant to make technologyaccessible to anyone out there,
regardless of what yourbackground knowledge is, because
at the end of the day.
Coffee and consult, coffee andcode.
And myself, I exist to bridgethe gap between technology and
people.
Nathan C (02:48):
Thank you for that.
I love this space that you foundfor yourself or that you're
working in helping to distilland teach and coach people
through some of the biggestglobal trends, you know,
technology developments andothers, but doing it in a really
(03:08):
local focused way.
Identifying that pain point oflike, wow, you know, you
literally have to go hire anagency on the coast, you know,
potentially, Build relationshipsoutside of where your industries
are known, where your you know,your peer.
Like, there's some veryinteresting things about like
(03:29):
serving the, the local communityjust as a as a founder in
general.
But identifying that pain pointof, you know, really needing to
leave home base to get help andto be current.
So why not just bring that,bring it right to the people?
it.
Ashley Coffey (03:49):
Why?
Well, why not?
And, I like to call it theSilicon Prairie.
we're working on it and it'skind of wild to see how quickly
things have changed over time,and as you know, it will
continue to change and reallywanna challenge people to really
lean into that change andembrace it and look at it as an
opportunity for innovation andefficiency and profitability.
(04:11):
I like to think of work smarter,not harder.
Nathan C (04:14):
Can you dive in a little bit, about some of the
ways, that you're helping,businesses with things like ai,
these, tech processes, just,getting their stacks and
strategies in order?
Ashley Coffey (04:27):
Yes.
So one thing I want toacknowledge here right off the
bat is that it is challengingbecause I am the first service
provider of my kind here inOklahoma.
So there's nothing to compareto, and I started my business
without a book of clients likemost people do.
I started from scratch, soreally spending time working on
(04:48):
my service offerings and thevalue that those bring was
instrumental.
In me being able to articulatewhat it is I'm trying to do to
help businesses.
That right there was a wholejourney in itself that took
about a year, and I'm almost twoyears into this now, so I wanted
to acknowledge that right offthe bat so that people don't
think this is a walk in thepark, because it's not just
because AI is making thingseasier.
(05:10):
It doesn't necessarily mean thatwe're not doing more, we're
doing more, but we're having ahigher output here.
And I think at the end of theday, the human connection, the
human touch will be at apremium.
So I'm really trying to toe theline very carefully and very
thoughtfully with the servicesthat I provide to businesses
here in Oklahoma.
And if you look at my website,Coffeyandconsult.com, you'll see
(05:34):
that I'm very industry agnostic.
And that is on purpose becausetechnology is industry agnostic.
It's the through line, througheverything regardless.
If you're a consulting agencythat focuses on marketing,
branding, and design.
Or a trial attorney law firm, oreven a scientific consulting
firm.
all of these companies are gonnainteract with technology in some
(05:56):
way, shape or form throughhiring processes, technology of
what they share on the internet,what they have internally.
And what I see the most acrossthe businesses that I help is
that they're wasting so muchmoney on so much software that's
not solving their needs.
And I am sure you see this too,and it's really disappointing
when I see people pay so muchmoney for these platforms that
(06:21):
they should be coming with asoftware rep and like working in
the technology field, I knowthat they get a software rep or
a person that's supposed to betheir point of contact, but it's
not happening And a lot of thesepeople are left with these
out-of-the-box solutions thatseemed really awesome at surface
level.
But then they're like, how do Ido this?
What do I do?
And you know, I am.
Here kind of picking up thepieces because those software
(06:43):
companies aren't doing their duediligence to provide that
educational opportunity to helpthose business owners make the
most of their investment.
So I really come in and providethat all encompassing technology
transformation service from asubject matter expert and
someone who has been trained inthis field to identify and
optimize and make things moreefficient so that you can
(07:05):
achieve more efficiency andprofitability.
So things like Software Scoutwhere I come in and create an
assessment of your current techstack and make recommendations
on what you should do to eitherconsolidate or.
centralized.
A lot of the new tools that havecome out in G Suite have really
eliminated the need for a lot oftools like Otter ai or
Grammarly, that are just beingbaked in and a lot of people
(07:28):
aren't paying attention to thoseupdates.
So really helping to elevatethese technology changes will
help people save money in thelong run and have more of those
aha moments so that they feelmore empowered and less
overwhelmed.
Nathan C (07:42):
Thank you for calling out, right, that, there's this
cool trend with AI and it, it'skind of a, a marker of the
robustness of the AI ecosystemas well as this pain point that
you're talking about, that like,often times like people are
paying for way more than theyneed.
and it's because of like.
(08:02):
You know, needing to like, havea microservice for every
different business process wherenow there's a lot of things that
are baked
Ashley Coffey (08:09):
in.
Nathan C (08:10):
A software or like a technology initiative at an
organization is either connectedto a core business pain point,
or a pet project for anexecutive.
Right?
And those are all like bigstones.
To move when you're trying.
(08:32):
Right.
And as a consultant, you know,to come in with big, bold ideas
and to be like, this is wrong.
that can be, a challenge toleaders and big visions.
How do you approach.
those conversations.
And how do you, what's yourapproach to getting leadership
and, business people to reallysit down and reflect and
(08:52):
understand the choices thattheir technology choices, are
building into their business.
Ashley Coffey (08:57):
That's a really good question and a stakeholder
buy-in is so important.
And what sets me apart fromother companies and other
consulting firms is that I teachorganizations how to fish.
I don't give them the fish.
And the fish is software.
and platforms, because a lot ofthe times people ask me, and
(09:18):
this comes from my days workingat Apple too.
What's the best machine?
What's the best software, what'sthe best tool?
And I challenge people to changethat thinking of what are we
trying to accomplish first?
What is the best tool for whatwe need to do.
So really taking a step back andhelping organizations answer
those questions first can leadthem to a lot of deeper insights
(09:41):
and success in the long run.
'cause if you don't know whatyou're measuring or why you're
measuring it, then what the heckare we doing here?
and by providing that, to me,that is more long-term success
for me as an educator, forsomeone to have that knowledge.
That way no matter what happens.
Five, 10 years from now, we'regonna see a lot of different
(10:03):
software platforms come in, comeout.
But I want people to rememberthe general foundational
framework of how to make thosedecisions like privacy and where
is that data stored do you ownit?
is it private?
Is it public so manyconsiderations are to be made
right now that are going to makean impact in the next future
decade, future century?
(10:23):
And I hope people understand theimportance of that right now.
Nathan C (10:26):
Amazing.
you mentioned something at thetop that's kind of juicy, right.
you discussed that, you've beenworking on.
These offers you've been reallytrying to learn and, Can you
talk about a moment where you'velearned something from your
customers and, and how thathelped you in this journey.
Ashley Coffey (10:45):
Thank you.
Thank you.
So for everyone that'slistening, different buckets of
my business involve consultingand training and coaching.
So when it comes to technologytraining, that can be workshops
that are customized to aspecific business or a specific
idea.
one of those workshops that Idid for an organization here in
(11:05):
Oklahoma, is for a food groupthat has a stamp of approval
saying, this is made inOklahoma.
the audience was a group ofbusiness owners who are in the
food industry or who have beenseasoned in the food industry.
And these are big names that inOklahoma, you name it.
And, a different age range too.
And I love having differentperspectives in a workshop
(11:26):
because to me, peer-to-peerlearning can be so powerful when
it's happening in the moment andit can unlock.
The ability for people to haveconfidence in asking questions
versus being too shy.
And here's what I uncovered inthat workshop.
I uncovered through a exerciseusing ChatGPT that some people
were using ChatGPT as a searchengine.
(11:49):
Which blew my mind.
So the example was, I wastalking to a woman and she said,
oh, I don't use ChatGPT itdoesn't work for me.
And I was like, okay, tell memore, tell me more.
And she said, yeah, I was tryingto get, recipes for my pepper
relish so that I can postrecipes about my pepper relish
business on Instagram, Facebookand newsletter and, fun things.
(12:09):
And she was going to ChatGPT andjust typing in"pepper relish.
Pepper, relish." And at first Iwas like, okay, what?
And then I realized, whoa, thiswas such an insightful thing to
uncover, to understand howpeople's brains work and how
different people might be usingthis.
So through that, we were able totake a step back and the whole
(12:32):
group was like, okay.
What if you typed"ideas forpepper relish recipes that can
be used for newsletter andsocial media content." Like
really diving into what are youtrying to accomplish here versus
just throwing things in here.
And that's another thing that Isee often and I'm sure you do
too, is there's a disconnectbetween people's brains.
(12:53):
Ai, ie.
The machine or what languagelearning model we're trying to
put action through that we'renot being as specific or
articulate enough to themachine, and therefore we're
getting, inadequate outcomesthat don't meet our expectation,
but we're not putting theinformation out there for it to
meet that expectation.
Nathan C (13:10):
This is such an interesting space.
when ChatGPT first came outthere were all these memes about
how the other, AI assistantslike Siri and Alexa and Google
were all grumpy that they couldonly do things like look at your
calendar and tell you theweather and set timers and chat.
GPT was like this next levelthing.
(13:33):
But I think to a certain degree,there was almost a decade of
these like smart in-home Devicesthat were really dumb and not
very helpful and you couldn'tsay more than a couple things to
them, right.
And so we sort of trainedourselves that like, oh,
assistants are kind of stupid.
(13:54):
You gotta be like super, yougotta say it one way.
And this whole change of mind oflike, well, actually large
language models, if youstructure it well, if you're
very clear about what you'retrying to do, can, take these
ideas to such a deeper space.
You know, a lot of the advicethat I'm seeing now is like, be
more thorough.
(14:15):
In explaining what you want, youknow, be very specific and, to
even have, layers of context,layers of detail and, structure,
is, something that's kind ofnovel even in the last, two or
three years of, exploring theseideas.
super cool.
Ashley Coffey (14:31):
And we, we've lost the ability to articulate
too.
And I think the culture ofimmediacy and the culture of
moving towards a more visualworld versus one where we read
is taken out the ability forpeople to use descriptive and
objective words that paint moreof a picture for someone.
and I think that's another thingthat I'm seeing in younger
generations too, that were inhigh school during covid.
(14:53):
that really are having a hardtime putting descriptors to
things, and I think that'ssomething we need to really take
into consideration here, as wellas the impact of a technology on
humanity's way of learning.
Nathan C (15:04):
You gave me way too many things.
My brain, no, my brain's justover here exploding.
I'm gonna go totally off script.
I'm actually gonna keep us alittle bit focused'cause, I
think a, the
Ashley Coffey (15:16):
conversation
Nathan C (15:17):
can like, suck the air out of any room.
and we are here to, dive intothe deeper, ideas of innovation.
When you're working both withbig ideas and local orgs, when
you're really, focused onhaving, these strong connections
with the brands that you workwith, how do you measure the
impact of your work and how doyou, see success in what you're
(15:40):
doing?
Ashley Coffey (15:41):
Thank you for that question.
I think it's a question that alot of people should ask
themselves every day, and when Iwas building the foundation for
Coffey and Consult, I built itaround a pillar of five brand
values And we did this becauseit's so important to have that
driving way pointer through abusiness.
Otherwise, how do you know ifyou're being successful or if
(16:03):
you're ever driving valuableimpact?
So our brand values answer, howdo we uphold these values and
brands and why?
Why do we do it?
So our brand values are candor,connection, empowerment,
expertise, and innovation.
So those are very specific toour industry, the value that we
provide and the solutions thatwe bring to people.
(16:27):
Now, when it comes to.
having this all encompassingconversation with people.
I really like to take thingsoutta the box and do things
differently because.
If you do say things the sameway and they're not working for
you, that is a definition ofinsanity.
So let's shift to something thatmaybe might be more beneficial.
(16:47):
And I love it when people tellme that they never considered
adding something or looking atsomething in a different way
after having a fresh set ofeyes.
So having a fresh set of eyesand fresh set of perspective can
be incredibly valuable.
And as someone who bringspublic, private, and nonprofit
experience into my consulting,that right there in itself
(17:10):
provides a lot of ability tomove quickly and strategically,
but also be able to track valueand meaning through meaningful
metrics.
I like to ask the client ofwhat.
Success means to them, what aretheir metrics?
That way I can tailor theirsolution to ensure that we're
both achieving success and we'reboth achieving a win together,
Nathan C (17:32):
A, as a consultant, that's an important, but often
overlooked detail, right?
That even though you might have,an opinion, even though you
might understand, what providesthe most value to your clients'
goals is in the end, the thingthat will, create those lasting
business relationships willdrive that success that, ideally
(17:54):
they're gonna be stoked on.
Ashley Coffey (17:56):
And I'll add, I'll add to that.
you're gonna boost efficiencyand productivity.
You're gonna reduce costs.
You're going to enhanceunderstanding and competence
across your team, improvedecision making, which, oh my
gosh, we need more of that.
Decision fatigue is real.
Fostering innovation andalleviating stress like that
just right there to me is like ahuge value-add of why wouldn't I
(18:17):
wanna bring in a consultant intomy company to help augment what
you're currently doing.
Nathan C (18:22):
I like how, the values that you discussed in those
pillars, Line up so nicely withthe ways that you're helping
businesses understand what'sgoing on.
because it's a lot about being,open, reflecting on what's now
listening, to all of yourinternal experts.
(18:44):
if you can build.
A culture where you're lookingat the data, the team can talk
with candor about what's goingon.
you're focused on goals andefficiency rather than, tasks
and tools.
All of a sudden, you've built ahigh performing team, not just,
fixing one or two, problems.
I love the way that all those
Ashley Coffey (19:05):
come together.
Thank you.
Nathan C (19:08):
So Ashley, as somebody who's looking, to build more
efficient businesses and tohelp, founders live, in that
unique voice, that unique spacethat they have, what's the glow
up that you're looking to makein the next six months or so?
And, how are you looking toelevate or take Coffey and
consult,
Ashley Coffey (19:28):
to the next level?
Thank you for this question.
I love that it ties into thetitle of your podcast, the Glow
Up, and also it's good toreflect on what does the glow up
mean to you.
Right.
And honestly, as a businessowner and entrepreneur and
innovator, scaling is hard andit's something that I've thought
about a lot.
(19:49):
And ultimately my vision for thecompany was to like start small
and be able to hire on 1099contractors and build that so I
can tap into the network ofamazing people that I've met.
Throughout the years that havethese very specific skill sets
that are being laid off fromtheir companies that don't value
that, unfortunately.
So like providing that space forthem to make a living wage and
(20:11):
actually use their expertise in,in an innovative way.
And it's, it's a hard, it's hardto do that.
I mean, I tried to onboard avirtual admin and it is just.
It just didn't work out andthat's okay.
And those were factors outsideof my control.
I don't consider that a wastebecause now I have great
documentation of what I'mlooking for and I can just use
that for the next thing.
So there's always gonna be somekind of challenge or obstacle.
(20:34):
So really, what is a glow up?
For me, it is focusing on mymental health as being a
business owner and making surethat I'm taking time for myself
so that I can show up as thebest version of myself, not only
for me, but my husband, thepeople around me, my friends.
My professional colleagues andmy clients what I have found
myself doing in the first yearor so of business is
(20:55):
deprioritizing myself so I canprioritize my clients.
I thought that that's just whatyou do when you're a hard
worker.
That's just what you do whenyou're run a business.
And I realized very quicklythat's not the case.
So I have been shifting that alittle bit to prioritize, but
differently so that I'm showingup for my clients in the best
possible way.
And showing up for myself too.
(21:16):
I see direct benefits from notjust, you know, tracking my
sleep, tracking how often I workout or spend time outside now
that we're getting out ofwinter.
Thank goodness.
Seasonal depression is real.
the glow up of Coffey andconsult is, I have a three year
roadmap of goals that I workwith my business coach.
And each time that we meet, wego over those goals to see am I
(21:36):
on track?
What do I need to lean into?
And I'm on track from my oneyear goals.
And so many times do I sit downwith the anxiety of thinking I'm
so far behind, and finally I'mlike, oh my God, I'm actually
not.
So I encourage everyone to workwith a business coach or if you
can't utilize CGPT to visit, beyour business coach.
it's really important, butserving more clients, expanding
(21:58):
the industry.
Being able to get out ofOklahoma and serve clients in
like Colorado, Texas, Arkansas,and that tech sarcoma region is
ideal.
And really seeing where XR isgoing excites me because
Oklahoma is finally starting topay attention to it again, even
though It was here in 2018, itjust wasn't being paid attention
to.
But the Chips and Science Actand the state initiatives are
(22:21):
providing funding for virtualreality to be reintegrated into
educational institutions.
So that excites me, and I wannabring that to some of my clients
and that are looking forinnovative ways to activate or
provide solutions to theircustomers.
that's the glow up.
Hopefully we get there.
Nathan C (22:36):
Oh my goodness.
so I love that the glow up thatyou shared is a combination of.
of Scaling your business,building into new markets and
prioritizing your balance andfocus as an entrepreneur, that
(23:00):
trap of like, if I just hustlemore, right, like hustle culture
really did a bad thing for a lotof people's mental health, which
is right if.
you know, sort of the virtues ofcapitalism that really
prioritize doing over, you know,being, can be just a trap for
somebody who is passionate aboutan idea that wants to succeed
(23:24):
faster.
I talk a a lot with people thatI coach and you know that I
advise that like especially ifyou're in marketing, if you're
in strategy, if you're in acreative field, you know a
business founder needs to besomebody who can respond.
Bond with a clear head.
They need to be able to bedecisive.
They need to be able to bepresent, absorb things, move on.
(23:47):
And those are things that youphysically cannot do if you are
in a state of fight or flight,right?
If your sleep is messed up, ifyour cortisol is all jacked,
like your brain and body willnot let you think strategically.
It will not let you think longterm.
And that's where you start tomake, you know, choices out of
out of fear and out of scarcity.
(24:08):
And so by.
Prioritizing your health.
You know, making sure that thethings that are important are
getting done, not just doing allof the things or doing more
things We can't do it all.
We can't be the experts ateverything.
So like hire people to helpcoach you and keep you focused,
(24:28):
you know, to give you thataccountability, that, that time
for reflection, Like get atherapist and make sure that
you've got plan to get yourbrain and, anxiety on track so
that you can be there for thosecustomers.
And so lovingly, likeintertwined, these personal
values.
And these goals that you havefor the org, it that takes a lot
(24:49):
of courage, you know, to listenand, to find what works for you
and, advocate for it.
So, bravo.
Ashley Coffey (24:55):
Thank you.
Thank you.
And speaking of marketing,because I don't do enough, I'm
stepping in as president of theAmerican Marketing Association,
Oklahoma City chapter startingin June, which is a nonprofit
organization here in Oklahoma.
There's a national organizationcalled American Marketing
Association.
So I'm able to stay really on,keep my finger on the pulse of
what the marketing trends are,but you're so right.
(25:15):
I have found, and as as you age,that also changes and I've
noticed that, That's reallyhumbling.
So as I continue to do more,like I teach at OU as an adjunct
professor, a podcast host.
I'm a business owner.
I've tried to stay hydrated andbe a good friend and wife and
all those good things.
And at the end of the day, it'slike there's always gonna be
something to do.
And if everything's important,nothing is important.
(25:38):
Tomorrow's gonna come, like,let's hope.
you can only do your best.
And if you're showing up anddoing your best, that's all you
can do.
The rest of it is outta yourcontrol.
the hustle culture is very toxicand can lead us to have these
misshapen and beliefs of how weserve in our business.
And then you start to feel theeffects of that and it's not
fun.
And as a business owner, yougotta be on 24/7 You gotta be
(25:59):
ready for any opportunity thatcomes your way.
'cause it's gonna come to youwhen you're least prepared and
you've gotta be able to turn iton and do it.
Because I've found myself thatif I overexert and I don't put
those boundaries in, I findmyself in those situations of
potential opportunity that Ilose out on because I'm not a
hundred percent myself.
Nathan C (26:19):
You can't pitch when you're burnt out and crashed
out.
Ashley Coffey (26:23):
No
Nathan C (26:23):
do you have your summer
Ashley Coffey (26:24):
vacation on your calendar
Nathan C (26:26):
yet?
yet I don't.
So thank you for, I plan like,AWE,
Ashley Coffey (26:30):
I mean, it's not a vacation it's a conference
Nathan C (26:33):
break,
Ashley Coffey (26:33):
summer break.
Yes,
Nathan C (26:34):
founders need breaks Founders
Ashley Coffey (26:35):
My husband and I will probably go to Colorado.
That's our place to seek refugeand get recharged in nature.
Nathan C (26:41):
I just put mine on my calendar last week, so
Ashley Coffey (26:44):
I love it.
Nathan C (26:44):
gonna do that.
it's it's my challenge
Ashley Coffey (26:46):
Thank you.
I appreciate that.
'cause that's a conversation myhusband and I had too, of like,
you know, being a founder and hehas a full-time job and he loves
what he does, but working withsomeone like me, it's sometimes
hard to plan for the future.
being made Any advice if I'mgiving advice to anyone out
there is just like, enjoy thejourney.
It's gonna be a fun ride.
Nathan C (27:06):
Ashley, is there anything that you're looking
for, to help you with this glowup or, any of the big goals that
you have for these projects thatyou're working on?
whether it's networking,learning partners, clients.
Ashley Coffey (27:20):
Great question.
So first off, one would love tohave people sign up for my
weekly newsletter.
I don't spam you.
It's once a week, only Mondays.
And it provides you with techtips, an update of what's
happening in the tech world, howit's impacting businesses, and a
little bit of behind the scenesof being a business owner and
(27:40):
entrepreneur.
Technology, what are the trendsthat I'm seeing?
I went to South by Southwest anddid a recap of that, so there's
a lot of value in thatnewsletter, and I invite people
to subscribe.
You can go to Coffey andconsult.com/newsletter to sign
up there.
Super easy.
Please follow me on Instagram.
You can find Coffey and consulton Instagram at
(28:01):
C-O-F-E-Y-A-N-D-E-C-O-N-S-U-L-T.
Also the podcast Coffey andCode.
Please do follow us on Instagramand YouTube and anywhere you get
your podcast, you can benotified of new episodes go live
and one.
Also follow me on my social, mypersonal social.
It's at@AshleyRCoffey89.
(28:25):
And the reason why I say that isbecause every Friday you will
get a reminder from yours trulyto stay hydrated and do
something nice for someone.
And anyone can do that,regardless of your background,
ability, how much money youhave.
Welcome.
Nathan C (28:38):
Follow, like, subscribe.
it's Coffey and code y'all.
I love it.
it has been, a treat to bereminded, to stay hydrated and
to get a little peek into, theOklahoma landscape throughout
the year.
So, I do recommend, signing onfor the Fridays.
(28:58):
We also like to make theopportunity to give a shout out
to a community group or an orgthat's doing something,
fantastic in the world.
is there a shout out or aspotlight you'd like to, share
your time with?
Ashley Coffey (29:11):
Absolutely.
It's called Launch Ahead AI.
It's built by Amnoni Myers, andI actually had Amnoni on my
podcast and I realized thatLaunch Ahead existed because
they are a startup here inTulsa, Oklahoma that made it to
the startup.
pitch competition finals forSouth by Southwest.
Amnoni was a foster childherself, and went through the
(29:33):
foster care system and had avery.
Unique experience and probablynot an uncommon experience that
a lot of foster kids go through.
the reason why she developedLaunch Ahead is to be a system
that provides support for fosterkids and caseworkers through
self-assessments, resources, andthe ability to actually know
(29:55):
what's happening with the childand provide a more holistic
care.
So they actually, they didn'twin the.
Pitch competition, but they didwin the inclusive award that was
given out.
So highly recommend checkingthem out.
It's a great initiative and onethat I believe in, and I hope to
see it go to the next level'cause it's something that
actually has tangible benefitand tangible good for the people
(30:17):
that are, that are being leftbehind.
Nathan C (30:20):
That's amazing.
Thank you so much, for that.
I can't wait to go learn more.
And how cool to have, Oklahomaconnections via South by
Southwest.
Ashley Coffey (30:30):
Who would've thought, yeah, I looked at the
whole list and only one was fromOklahoma, which was really
surprising..
Nathan C (30:36):
Ashley Coffey, it is always a pleasure to chat with
you.
I am so inspired, to hear about,the updates to the work that
you're doing, both with Coffeyand consult and, with the Coffey
and Code Podcast and all theother, deep community
engagement, that you're doingfor, your community.
(30:57):
there in.
Oklahoma and, soon worldwide.
it's great to talk about thepower of ai, how to build
mindful business processes thatactually help you with your
goals and how to not waste yourmoney on tech, just for tech's
sake.
Thanks again for joining ustoday.
Ashley Coffey (31:16):
Thank you for having me, Nathan.
This has been awesome.
I appreciate the work that youput into the glow up to make it
intentional for guests and foryour listeners.
So thank you for the work.
It's been exciting to see yourjourney.
We met through the technologyworld and here we are years
later on each other's podcast,which I think is really cool.
flowers.
Yes.
Nathan C (31:36):
Thank you so much.
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