Meet Ashley Michaelsen of AshleyMichaelsenPR (AMPR) in Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Michaelsen.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born into the entertainment industry in upstate NY (Rochester) My immediate family were all models. It was inevitable as the youngest and the only girl, I would follow in my family’s footsteps. Throughout my career which lasted about 25 years since I started when I was 6 weeks old, I was able to work for wonderful clients, magazines, travel the country and represent several brands. When I was 18 I moved to NYC to pursue my real passion for Fashion.

I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, while modeling supported me financially. Shortly after, I created my first clothing line in NYC and started selling my collection in boutiques in NYC and online. My modeling career eventually brought me out to Hollywood CA and I continued to pursue my fashion line. After a few years of the grind with both modeling and fashion, I decided to shift and open up a Fashion Marketing agency + showroom.

I was able to turn a lot of past modeling clients into my marketing clients, I took a step back from designing as I realized I enjoyed promoting a finished product versus designing a product. AMPR now services clients from the east and west coast, we focus on celebrity and editorial product placement, small business consulting and social media management. We are located on the most famous cross street, Hollywood and Vine.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
NO! wow it is such an emotional rollercoaster. Anything from anxiety, fear, tears, loneliness to passionate, persistence, rewarding, excitement! I mean its really a mess, haha. I think as an entrepreneur, people seem to think you have it all or you are “On top” the problem with that is that we or I should say (I) never feel “On top” because you can constantly keep going and keep climbing so you always feel the pressure to keep growing, there’s no end.

Which on one hand, IS AMAZING because it is completely up to you how big you want to grow, but on the other hand, it can feel very unsatisfying because you are always looking for the next step, next client, next anything. It is a reminder, that you literally need to stop and smell the roses and be grateful for what you do have instead of chasing that next deal.

Some struggles that stand out, being so far away from my family on the east coast, transitioning from a “Model” to a “Business owner” and having people take you seriously, severe growing pains of hiring and firing employees, gaining and losing clients, self-love management. I have accepted the answer “NO” really well so that’s not too much of a bother anymore, but I used to go into a hole for days when I was told “NO” and now I appreciate that word because it has really really given me a tough shell, and keeps me very unbothered most times. Now its like, “Okay that didn’t go as planned, on to the next”

AshleyMichaelsenPR (AMPR) – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Ashley Michaelsen PR (AMPR). A unique PR boutique Agency based in the heart of Hollywood, CA. AMPR specializes in up to date marketing strategies, creative directing, celebrity/editorial product placements, social media content creation and full social management. We also work with clients to create custom marketing/sales plans that are specific to their needs to launch into the marketplace or a relaunch for the brand.

In addition to the agency we are a showroom as well, we represent several shoe brands and we are the “go-to” showroom in Los Angeles for fashion stylists when looking for shoes to put on their celebrity clients or other entertainment industry events, or film/print productions. What sets us apart is our niche for focusing on shoe brands.

I am most proud of our massive and aggressive shark mentality but in a boutique setting.

We are very hands-on with our clients, always available to chat or discuss a new idea. We believe in a lot of face-to-face time with our clients. We treat each client just like it’s our own business, investing our time and energy into our clients at all hours. We don t stop at 5 pm or over the weekend. This is a lifestyle for us. I literally don’t know how to work any other way, and my clients get to benefit from it.

I also am proud to say that we do not just accept any client, if we don’t feel that connection, or know we can’t help you, we have no problem saying no. We want happy clients and a happy PR agency, and no sense in wasting someone’s time for a paycheck. If we can’t help or have too many clients at once, we will politely decline.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Well the young me (like last year, haha)) defined it by how much I was making a year and how many clients I had, where I was going, how much I was traveling, etc. But those are all ingredients for a depression, being unfulfilled and being in the rat race or stuck on a hamster wheel. NOW (one year later) after going through extreme ups and downs, I have realized it is so much more than that.

I was so co-dependent on my business that any little shift it would make, I would climb into a non-healthy hole until I could come up with a plan that would feel like I could come back full force. I was creating these high and lows for myself. Success is honestly whatever you make it. So my new version of “being successful” is balance and happiness. I struggle with finding the balance because I just always want to work, but what is the point of working so hard if you can’t enjoy the life you are working so hard for?

So the long answer is this: If I have a healthy combination of, family, social activity, personal travel, work, love and self-care I feel super successful! If I focus on one more then the other then I don’t feel as well. It’s a work in progress finding that perfect balance (As I sit here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in LA writing this, haha).

There are no markers, just keep going and keep growing every day even if its just a little growth. JUST MAKE PROGRESS!

Contact Info:

• Address: 6253 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA
• Website: www.ashleymichaelsen.com
• Phone: 323-380-6163
• Email: ashley@ashleymichaelsen.com
• Instagram: @ashley.michaelsen and @ashleymichaelsenpr
• Facebook: ashleymichaelsen and ashleymichaelsenpr

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