Meet Ashleigh, the founder, and CEO of The Stay Beautiful Foundation, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing clean beauty to women with cancer. Ashleigh truly represents the motto of doing what you love, as she strives to make sure that every woman deserves to feel beautiful — inside and out. In today’s #BossTalk, Ashleigh shares with us her inspiring story about how she created The Stay Beautiful Foundation.

What sparked the idea of The Stay Beautiful Foundation?

My grandmother was the owner of a luxury day spa on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue prior to her diagnosis. I witnessed my grandmother’s skin deteriorate from the harsh chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but I saw the strength and beauty in my grandmother’s will to go on. As a result, I began my mission to find products to help women undergoing treatments cultivate beauty from within.

We love the name ‘Stay Beautiful’.How did you come up with the name?

My grandmother used to always use the word beautiful. “Beautiful!” was how she expressed her joy or gratitude. After she passed away from cancer, I wanted to carry on her legacy of bringing that feeling of beauty to other women and provide them with the tools they needed to “Stay Beautiful” inside and out!

What do you want The Stay Beautiful Foundation to accomplish in the new few years?

To Educate and Provide Access. We want to educate women and health care professionals on the power of beauty during a woman’s cancer treatment. Providing the necessary products to support women’s skin and self-esteem is critical to her mood during recovery. Studies show that a positive mood is crucial in fighting disease. When you look good you feel good, when you feel good you look good. It all starts from within, that is why we believe in products that heal the skin from all-natural ingredients. In 5 years, we want “beauty therapy” to be a part of a woman’s treatment with cancer. Access is another huge barrier Stay Beautiful aims to tackle in the next five years. Women of color are significantly impacted by a cancer diagnosis. Stay Beautiful wants to change that by providing a community of support and a beauty box full of products that will aid their skin in healing to ensure they feel their most beautiful selves inside and out during treatment. We are hoping with the support of the beauty industry and our sponsors that together we can work together to conquer cancer with the power of beauty.

Do you believe in work-life balance? Do you feel like you achieve this in your everyday life?

I believe in it 1000% percent. You can not fill from an empty cup. However, making this world a more beautiful place for women with cancer can be demanding. There are times when you have to work harder than usual, but it is how you unplug after the last sprint, that helps you keep running the marathon!

What is a typical day in your life?

The day always starts off with meditation, walking my pup, squeezing in a workout with my trainer, breakfast then straight into emails and meetings…lots of meetings. After that, I like to unwind by eating dinner with my partner and catching up on some good shows.

What is your definition of success?

I must say I am still defining that myself every day. Success is when your dreams turn into reality.

What has been the most rewarding moment in business?

The most rewarding part of my business was when I had to invest in our first storage warehouse because of the number of donations we were receiving. It was then I felt like WOW, I am really doing this.

What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs who just don’t know where to start?

Faith over fear! I had Stay Beautiful on my mind for years before I truly poured myself into the work. My advice is to just follow your heart, pour yourself into the work and the blessings will follow.

Check out all Ashleigh’s and The Stay Beautiful Foundation website and social links below:

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBlYB524c-GUVUIqhhMrfrw

Stay Beautiful Site: https://www.thestaybeautifulfoundation.org/

SB Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7TN3zhI67dtdTPxaRUWPMA

SB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staybeautifulfoundation/