Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Greer-Smoot.
Hi Ashley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was always told that I would be successful, that I was the smart one. My grandparents even brought me back a sweatshirt from Harvard one year. So when I chose not to go to Harvard or any college, I have deemed a degenerate in my family of college grads. At 21, I started working in long term care, primarily memory care. When I had my first son, I started my own senior sitter service, Peace of Mind Care. I knew I wanted to work for myself and that college debt was a burden I didn’t want to deal with. From there, I started my second business, online high-end resale, which I never adopted a name for till I met my business partner Melissa White. Fierce Luxury by Ash & Mel (now fierce luxury by Ashley).
We’ve since amicably parted ways, so she had more time for her blog and non-profit. Before I adopted a name for Fierce Luxury, I reunited with my ex, Braden Smoot, owner and founder of ATX Bee Removal and we got married. I help him manage ATX Bee Removal and he helped me start my 3rd business, Bee Merry Lighting, a Christmas light company that also supports our bees through our slow season. When I had my second son, I dissolved my caregiving business for over a year, knowing that I needed to focus on my children and the other three businesses. I have two beautiful boys, Jase seven, and Jonah three, A wonderful best friend and husband, Braden, and we’ve just bought our first home at the begining of the year in Lakeway, TX.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have always been little struggles along the way, but my most apparent one was my divorce from my oldest son’s father. I was a stay at home mom and continued my senior sitter service and started the resale business from nothing while living with my parents while they remodeled their rental for me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
While I rarely work in the field with my husband at ATX Bee Removal, I started Bee Merry Lighting because the Holiday season has always been my favorite. We struggled to support our Bee’s and family during our slow season, which is also the Holiday Lighting season. I still struggle with dissolving my senior sitter service. I miss connecting with an older generation, but the long hours weren’t going to work for my kids, and I needed to focus on my other businesses. Fierce Luxury by Ashley is what I spend most of my time doing. It is a Facebook based online purse consignment and resale. I primarily sell Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Gucci. Bee Merry Lighting helps our bees through the winter. It’s really been a GOD send as it fills the gap in our slow season and our patrons appreciate the fact that their money, in part, is going toward bee rescue.
What’s next?
We’ve always looked at expanding ATX Bee Removal and offering more Agricultural exemption services for landowners. Still, we have struggled to hire reliable help that is willing to work with bees, as you can imagine, Same with Bee Merry lighting, a seasonal business is always hard to staff and we usually end up working, work my husband and me. Until we can overcome hiring obstacles and a barrage of issues with Covid-19, we don’t see ourselves expanding, but that is what we are looking forward to eventually.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://honeybeeremovalatx.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeeMerryLighting. https://www.facebook.com/FierceLuxuryByAshley
Image Credits
Kelly Leonard Photorgraphy (family photo only)
