Bridging Technology Gaps: Insights from Ashley Coffey
The salient point of this conversation is the significant impact of Ashley Coffey's consulting firm, Coffee and Consult, which specializes in bridging the gap between technology and small to medium-sized businesses, particularly in Oklahoma. Ashley, with over a decade of experience in technology and a remarkable background that spans various sectors, discusses the importance of leveraging emerging technologies to enhance efficiency and profitability. Throughout the dialogue, we explore her journey into entrepreneurship, the challenges she faced, and the profound lessons learned along the way. Additionally, Ashley emphasizes the necessity of empowering women in technology, advocating for a greater representation of female voices in this field. This episode serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience and determination required to forge a path in the tech industry while uplifting others in the process.
Takeaways:
- This podcast episode highlights the significance of empowering women in technology and the ongoing efforts to elevate their presence in the industry.
- Ashley emphasizes the importance of mentorship and community in fostering growth and success for women in tech, advocating for collaboration and support.
- Entrepreneurship is portrayed as a challenging yet rewarding journey, with Ashley sharing personal experiences that underline the necessity of resilience and adaptability in overcoming obstacles.
- The conversation explores innovative technologies, particularly AI and AR, and their potential to revolutionize industries while addressing societal issues, showcasing the intersection of technology and social impact.
- Ashley discusses her journey of founding Coffee and Consult, revealing insights on identifying market gaps and the motivation to bridge knowledge gaps in local communities.
- The episode concludes with Ashley's advice to the next generation, stressing the importance of pursuing one's passions, maintaining focus, and learning from failures as essential components of success.
Find them online:
Sandra Nnaji: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrannaji/
Ashley Coffey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleycoffeyokc/
Find us on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/witlovepodcast/
Transcript
Welcome to witlove, a podcast founded by women, produced by women, about women in technology.
Speaker A:There is a huge place for women in tech and this podcast is going to get well into the work as a leading contributor to help change the trajectory and see the rise of women in technology.
Speaker A:Sit back and enjoy as our young female hosts share energy with experienced professional women in technology.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker C:Hello, hello, hello.
Speaker C:Welcome to the witlove podcast, a podcast that is connecting young hosts like me to professional women in tech, where we'll get to share wisdom and learn about each other in the process.
Speaker C:Hi, my name is Sandra Naji and I am the host of this episode called Coffee Chat with Ashley Coffee, which is the first episode of the brand new season three.
Speaker C:I like to give a warm welcome to Ashley Coffee.
Speaker C:Ashley Coffey is the CEO of Coffee and Consult and an experienced technology professional with over 10 years of proven track record and a focus on complex and emerging technologies such as VR, AR and AI.
Speaker C:Her background involves deep experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Speaker C: by the Journal record in the: Speaker C:Whether she's speaking at Harvard, giving multiple TEDx talks, or hosting her podcast Coffee and Code, Ashley is always on the move, working to cultivate empowerment within all realms of tech.
Speaker C:She currently serves on the advisory boards of south by Southwest, Pitch and the American Marketing Association Oklahoma City chapter.
Speaker C:Hey, Ashley, thank you for coming onto the podcast.
Speaker C:How are you doing this evening?
Speaker B:Thank you so much, Sandra.
Speaker B:I appreciate you being a great host and thank you for having me on the show today.
Speaker C:Of course.
Speaker C:So, yeah, I wanted to give a.
Speaker B:Quick shout out of just thank you for what you do.
Speaker B:I love the project and hopefully people out there can like and subscribe and share with a friend to continue to drive that conversation.
Speaker B:So I'm.
Speaker B:I'm glad to be here with you, Sandra.
Speaker C:Thank you.
Speaker C:So, to kick off this episode, I want to ask you some iceberg questions.
Speaker C:You know, get you excited for this exciting episode ahead.
Speaker C:So, Ashley, tell me, what if you could magically be fluent in any language, what would it be?
Speaker B:Oh, that's a great icebreaker question.
Speaker B:Ah, I am ridiculous person, man.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I'm working on learning Spanish right now.
Speaker B:I tried learning Turkish in college because I think it's a beautiful language and honestly, I mean, I'm trying to think of like, what would be most useful, but honestly, I'd love to be fluent in Turkish.
Speaker B:I think it's a beautiful language and has so much rich history.
Speaker B:It's such a unique language that doesn't really compare to others.
Speaker B:And surprisingly it has come in handy, believe it or not, in Oklahoma.
Speaker B:So that, that would be my answers.
Speaker B:I would love to be fluent in Turkish.
Speaker B:What about you?
Speaker C:So I'm Nigerian and like, where my parents are from is Ebo.
Speaker C:Like that's the language that we speak.
Speaker C:Growing up, I've always like, heard it.
Speaker C:So like, I'm pretty good at understanding it.
Speaker C:But if I want to like, pass it on to my kids and you know how to speak it.
Speaker C:So like, I'm trying to like, not like, get too like, worried about because I feel like it doesn't really sound good when I say it, but like, I need to like, you know, do it and like, face my.
Speaker C:Like just be more courageous and like wanting to learn the language.
Speaker C:So definitely want to be fluent in Ebo.
Speaker C:So, yeah, love that.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:That's incredible.
Speaker B:Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So my other question for you is, what was the last movie, TV show, song or album you watched or listened to recently?
Speaker C:Woo.
Speaker B:Oh, love that too.
Speaker B:I just watched a new series on HBO called the Curious Case of and each episode is on a specific topic.
Speaker B:So they do some investigative journalism.
Speaker B: erson when I was a kid in the: Speaker B:But it's interesting how they go through the methods of storytelling.
Speaker B:It's definitely addictive, but it's nice to kind of have that as escapism.
Speaker B:I love true crime and investigative journalism like that.
Speaker B:What about you?
Speaker C:So yesterday I watched the Fast and Furious.
Speaker C:I want to look series.
Speaker C:The, like the movie.
Speaker C:Like the.
Speaker C:The movies, the franchise, the movie, the collection of movies.
Speaker C:Yeah, so I watched that yesterday.
Speaker C:It was really fun.
Speaker C:So I'm watching the next one, the second one next.
Speaker C:So nice.
Speaker B:That's a good commitment.
Speaker C:Yeah, definitely gonna be watching all of them tuned in.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So thank you for answering my icebreaker questions.
Speaker C:Ready?
Speaker C:So first of all, could you tell me and the listeners about Coffee and Consult?
Speaker C:What is it and what inspired you to start it?
Speaker C:And what gap did you see in the market that you wanted to fill?
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:So for those that are listening that don't know, I run a consulting firm called Coffee and Consult and we are a boutique consulting firm specializing in helping small and medium sized businesses leverage technology for efficiency and profitability.
Speaker B:And I started the company because I wanted to bring something different to my region here in Oklahoma.
Speaker B:If you look at the United States, we're smack dab in the middle.
Speaker B:And I've spent a lot of time on the east coast and west coast staying abreast of all the latest technology through conferences, subscribing to researchers that I value their work, and really keeping my finger on the pulse of what's happening.
Speaker B:And a few years ago, I kind of saw the writing on the wall of really shifting technology in a profound way.
Speaker B:And I noticed that there's a gap of knowledge, at least here locally in Oklahoma.
Speaker B:And I wanted to bring, I wanted to bridge that gap between technology and people with my company by bringing that knowledge here to Oklahoma so that people don't necessarily have to go the east coast or west coast.
Speaker B:I specifically serve small and medium sized businesses.
Speaker B:And during this journey, it's been an incredible opportunity to be able to provide value to companies, but also make it more approachable.
Speaker B:I see people be really apprehensive towards technology.
Speaker B:And during my experience between public, private and nonprofit, I learned essentially what I wanted to do, but more importantly what I didn't want to do.
Speaker B:And I think it's important to share with the audience that it's okay to go through different experiences and learn things from each of those because that really can help shape your experience and what you want to do that fulfills you.
Speaker B:So to be frank, I was at a corporate consulting firm and I loved the work.
Speaker B:It was really fulfilling and it supported a really great mission of making sure that people with disabilities had access, adequate representation for entering the workforce, so reducing barriers for that.
Speaker B:And I was making six figures and I was extremely depressed.
Speaker B:I learned really quickly that it's not always about money.
Speaker B:Money is a tool.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's great, but it's not everything.
Speaker B:And I'm glad that I got to that milestone earlier in my age to know that there's more than that, um, so much more.
Speaker B:And ultimately, at the end of the day, I just want to be able to help people with my technology skills.
Speaker B:That's why I started coffee and consult.
Speaker B:And I wanted the freedom and flexibility to move quickly and help my clients.
Speaker B:And sometimes you just can't do that in larger corporations.
Speaker B:So the freedom, the flexibility and the ability to impact as many people as possible are the main three reasons why I decided to start coffee and consult.
Speaker C:I love that.
Speaker C:I love that you're now like, living on your own terms and like, able to do what you want to do.
Speaker C:Like, you're not really confined to like the guidelines or the rules or like, oh, you can't do this, like, you can't do that.
Speaker C:Like you're just doing what you want, which is totally like a boss boss move, by the way.
Speaker C:I love that.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:I want to share one thing too.
Speaker B:With, with, with, with the listeners here is like, remember that some jobs don't exist yet, right?
Speaker B:So it's okay to ideate and create roles for yourself that don't exist yet.
Speaker B:And if you can't find the right words to label it, that's okay.
Speaker B:Find alignment and explain.
Speaker B:So that's something that's been.
Speaker B:That I've found success in.
Speaker C:Could you share like a success story with your consulting company that, like, someone has been like, really, like, touched or heavily impacted by what you offered at your firm?
Speaker B:Thank you for asking that question.
Speaker B:So what I love about technology, and you mentioned it, is it's discipline agnostic, meaning it's moving quickly.
Speaker B:There's always something new to learn.
Speaker B:And my philosophy is that we're students of life.
Speaker B:There's never going to be a moment in which we know everything.
Speaker B:And if you think you do, you're in the wrong mindset.
Speaker B:So with my clients, I serve varying range from law firms that practice criminal defense to mahjong companies that specialize in teaching mahjong to people and everything in between.
Speaker B:Marketing agencies, consulting firms.
Speaker B:And one of the biggest impact that I've seen in real time has been with a client who runs the mahjong company and, and really passionate, really in it for the right reasons and has been able to develop and grow this business that has just taken off like a wildfire.
Speaker B:And when we met, I realized that there were some opportunities for leveraging her technology in a better way because she was doing so many things manually.
Speaker B:And we're like, booking people, following up with people, answering to Instagram DMs, trying to run a team of 15 people across the U.S.
Speaker B:like, I was like, girl, I'm going to help you.
Speaker B:So we work together of implementing some automation tools to help save time and increase efficiency, but also customize the client experience.
Speaker B:That way there's no disruption, there's no downtime, and she's able to focus on what she does best.
Speaker B:So that right there is a tremendous impact of being able to free up CEOs, entrepreneurs, business owners to focus on what they do best and hire out the rest.
Speaker B:That's what I like to say.
Speaker B:So I continue to see impact in that and it's nice to be able to share that knowledge in a helpful way.
Speaker C:I know we talked a lot about, like, what this, what, like, you Opening the firm has, like, allowed you to do and more of, like, the positive side of it.
Speaker C:But also the reality is that it can be hard when you.
Speaker C:Something new, when you're, like, kind of doing things kind of on your own now and not really with a company backing you.
Speaker C:So what, like, if you would like to share some of your challenges or, like, obstacles that you face, space that has gotten you up to this point and what have, like, pushed yourself to overcome to get where you are now?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:And I wish people talked about this more often.
Speaker B:The challenges and some of the not so glamorous sides of entrepreneurship.
Speaker B:And I want to be 100, honest and transparent on this to help people understand and make the right decision for themselves.
Speaker B:It is the hardest thing that you will ever do in your entire life.
Speaker B:And it's.
Speaker B:It takes a lot of risk to do that, both financially, if you're in the right family space, if you're in the right headspace.
Speaker B:I am fortunate enough to where I had a small amount of savings to be able to stay afloat while I was getting my business started.
Speaker B:And when people say it takes two years to be profitable, they're not lying.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:It can take some time to get your services up and running, to get your marketing up and running.
Speaker B:And I didn't come with a book of clients like most people do when they leave a job.
Speaker B:They, you know, have a starter client.
Speaker B:I decided to do everything from scratch on my own.
Speaker B:So being able to connect with a community was really important, but it was also extremely difficult because there's not something similar to what I do here in Oklahoma and really in the US So people have a.
Speaker B:Sometimes it's confusing to understand the value that I bring because it's so new, and that's been a struggle.
Speaker B:There are days where I have the best day of my life and the worst day of my life in the same day and worry, like, am I going to be able to pay my bills?
Speaker B:Like, those are real serious concerns.
Speaker B:And sometimes it's a matter of, oh, crap, this is a mate.
Speaker B:Someone hasn't paid their invoice.
Speaker B:You know, it's.
Speaker B:It's a constant cycle.
Speaker B:But I always remind myself that I would do this ten times over again and deal with the stress and the financial aspect versus being in a horrible mental state, because that's no way to live.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:And that's what I hope for people all over, is to find something that's fulfilling to them that they can make a living off of and continue forward.
Speaker B:Because I've learned the hard way that not all the times do companies value you or value your input, your expertise.
Speaker B:And I feel like I've given so much and gotten so little in return that I'd much rather put that towards people that are going to leverage that expertise versus maybe a larger corporation.
Speaker B:I just don't see myself as a number.
Speaker B:And I want to empower people to also think the same way and know that their knowledge is valuable and to not devalue their skill set.
Speaker B:That's another thing too.
Speaker B:Especially in technology, it's good that you know your worth.
Speaker C:I think it's very important to, like, have a strong sense of self.
Speaker C:That way you're not like, you're not like, sacrificing what you have.
Speaker C:Like, you're not sacrificing your talent and your passion for something that's not really, like, caring about you.
Speaker C:It should be both ways.
Speaker C:You should be pouring into.
Speaker C:You should be.
Speaker C:You should be being poured into and also pouring into, like, your heart into the work that you do, if that makes sense.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:My dad, whenever I was growing up, he told me, whatever you do, make sure you're happy doing it, because as long as that connects, like, you'll be successful and successful in whatever it is that you do, even if it's like showing up and cleaning, you know, if you the best cleaner and it fulfills you.
Speaker B:Awesome.
Speaker B:So I've.
Speaker B:I've taken a lot of preconceived notions out of my head and thrown them away based on the life experience.
Speaker B:And I also want to mention, I want to give a shout out to my husband, who's been incredibly supportive through this entire transition.
Speaker B:I am grateful and fortunate to have a partner who is so supportive and encouraging on not just starting the business, but also being kind of a safety net there.
Speaker B:So as I was getting started, you know, I may have had a month where I was like, I don't know if I'm going to be able to get multiple clients to cover this and to be able to have a partner who is willing to say, don't worry, like, we're going to be able to pay the bills.
Speaker B:That's okay.
Speaker B:That is a huge, huge relief.
Speaker B:And as someone who grew up not with a lot of resources, I'm always stuck in that survival mindset.
Speaker B:So I'm always thinking of, like, you know, what's on the resources?
Speaker B:Like, do I have enough resources?
Speaker B:Is it going to be enough?
Speaker B:It's like a constant state.
Speaker B:But my partner's been super supportive and I want to make sure to, to give him the flowers, because I wouldn't be able to do what I'm able to do now without his support and help.
Speaker C:But I love that.
Speaker C:I love your mindset.
Speaker C:I actually, yeah, I love it.
Speaker C:So I think it was also really cool that you were a, like, you are, I should say, a TEDx and an ex and south by Southwest speaker.
Speaker C:So can you tell, like, how did that come to be?
Speaker C:What.
Speaker C:How do you prepare?
Speaker C:And how have those experiences being a speaker influenced your approach to technology consulting and leadership?
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker B:These are the best questions I've heard.
Speaker B:You really did your homework.
Speaker B:Bravo.
Speaker B:Bravo.
Speaker B:Great question.
Speaker B:I always encourage people to, if you're wanting to do a TED Talk, go for it.
Speaker B:It's no better time like the present.
Speaker B:And what's the worst they can say is no, and then you didn't lose anything.
Speaker B:Just to provide people some clarification.
Speaker B:So TEDx is an independently organized event.
Speaker B:It's still associated with TED, the large conference, but TEDx, since it's independ independently operated, the application and audition process can be different depending on what location that you're at.
Speaker B:So my process for the first talk was different than the second talk, and I also applied to give a TEDx talk at Harvard, and their process was very different too.
Speaker B:I didn't make it in, and I'm okay with that, but I really enjoyed how they framed their application because it makes you think really intentionally about the core of your message and storytelling.
Speaker B:So the first round was a matter of I want to do this because I'm afraid of public speaking.
Speaker B: So in: Speaker B:It's all how you get better.
Speaker B:And like, one of the key skills that people struggle with is public speaking.
Speaker B:And if you can really lean into that and get comfortable with it, it reduces so much friction in life and business and communication because at the end of the day, the ability to communicate is what's key.
Speaker B:So decided to take a jump, go for it.
Speaker B:But also I was really specific in the focus that I wanted to talk about, of cultivating women's empowerment with technology, how that reduces barriers to entrepreneurship, you know, building wealth, and then also most recently, trying to help people understand how to fight misinformation and disinformation online when it comes to generative AI.
Speaker B:But if you're interested in doing a TED Talk, here are my tips.
Speaker B:One, Write out what, what the heck you want to talk about.
Speaker B:Two, ask yourself, what is the value of this?
Speaker B:Is it inspiration?
Speaker B:Is it education?
Speaker B:Is it something else and then think through how would you tell a story around that topic.
Speaker B:What examples could you bring in that really hone in on what you're trying to communicate?
Speaker B:And I love bringing in personal examples too, because this is your time.
Speaker B:This is your time to share your experience.
Speaker B:And this is your 12 minutes.
Speaker B:You can do it up to 20 minutes.
Speaker B:That's the cutoff.
Speaker B:I think I keep mine at like 12 because that 12 minutes goes by real fast when you're on the stage, but it feels like forever when you're preparing for it.
Speaker B:And the preparation part is key as well.
Speaker B:Getting in is the easy part.
Speaker B:The hard part is the consistency of preparation.
Speaker B:So my first go around, I practiced for about four months beforehand.
Speaker B:And what I did was I wrote, I wrote out my what I wanted to say, and I wrote that out based on creating the slide deck first and then wrote out what I wanted to say.
Speaker B:And then I started writing them physically on index cards and then labeling them 1, 2, 3.
Speaker B:I would carry those index cards with me everywhere for the next four months and reference them so I can get into a flow of all right, this is this, this is this, this is this.
Speaker B:That way it became automatic in my mind.
Speaker B:And I'm glad that I did that because if you watch the first TED talk that I gave, you won't see this.
Speaker B:But actually what was happening is that these slides were auto advancing.
Speaker B:And when I was trying to advance them myself, it was getting forward like three or four slides.
Speaker B:So it really threw me off.
Speaker B:And I'm glad that I practiced because that kept me on track of continuing.
Speaker B:Also, my husband was amazing and I asked him to sit on in front of the stage with a printout of all of my slides because sometimes technology craps out.
Speaker B:And at the end of the day, what's your backup?
Speaker B:Okay, paper.
Speaker B:So that actually, actually really helped because he was able to show the paper slides in front of the stage and it helped me feel more confident in jumping back in based on, you know, the technical thing that went wrong.
Speaker B:So it's going to be different depending on where you go.
Speaker B:I recommend, you know, reading out, writing out your specific topic, asking yourself what the value is and just going for it.
Speaker B:But always make sure that you document your application material so you can reference it.
Speaker B:Most of the applications are either Google form or some kind of Microsoft form.
Speaker B:So be as specific as possible and also share your excitement and enthusiasm.
Speaker B:One of my favorite quotes is people will come from miles away to watch it burn if you catch fire with enthusiasm.
Speaker B:And that's Kind of what I'm getting at there.
Speaker C:Well, thank you for that advice and congrats for doing that.
Speaker C:That's like, that's huge.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker C:Why not, why not honestly, just go for it.
Speaker C:Because what's, what's there to lose, right?
Speaker B:True, true.
Speaker B:And as FYI, I gave my first TED talk before I turned 30 and in the middle of planning a wedding and dealing with colleague at the time too.
Speaker B:So that was a lot of fun that you've.
Speaker B:If you listen to the, to the TED Talk.
Speaker B:I'm actually sick.
Speaker B:I woke up sick because of the stress and the preparation and I was like, not today is Satan.
Speaker B:And I grabbed my lozenges and just went for it.
Speaker B:So I'm grateful that I didn't feel completely under the weather, but that's truly the toll that stress can take.
Speaker C:Going back to your background with technology and also thinking about the emergence of AI and different trends with technology, are there any new technologies or markets you are particularly excited about exploring?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Right now I'm really, really looking at AI that's specific to climate solutions, AI that's specific to solving the loneliness problem that we have right now, and AI that's specific to addressing equity issues.
Speaker B:Those are the three buckets of purpose driven AI that I'm really following because it's such a hard thing to do and execute and be profitable.
Speaker B:So whenever we can see someone actually do that in real time, it's going to be incredible.
Speaker B:And I've actually seen some companies that will be at south by Southwest this year.
Speaker B:The Flossy Organization is one of them.
Speaker B:They're based out of Brooklyn, New York, and it's refreshing to see that float to the surface.
Speaker B:And as someone who's on the south by Southwest pitch advisory board, we actually judge the applications that come through.
Speaker B:So each advisory board member is asked to judge at least 100 applications and we go through a lot.
Speaker B:I didn't see a lot of female representation last year, however, I saw that change this year, thankfully.
Speaker B:So a lot more female representation, not just on the team side, but also on the CEO side.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:And I also saw the theme of tools that are geared towards climate solutions, fixing a loneliness problem, and so on.
Speaker B: ,: Speaker B:But also it's been such a game changer in helping people understand the depth and breadth of what AI can do.
Speaker B:For me, it's the impetus of getting people buy in, getting buy in from People because they're able to leverage it and utilize it both for personal life and for professional life.
Speaker B:There's been nothing that has been impact, such as impactful in our society, in our lives as AI.
Speaker B:Except for the invention of the iPhone, which is funny because I actually have my first iPhone right here.
Speaker B:It's the original iPhone.
Speaker B:Eight gigs.
Speaker B:It's tiny.
Speaker B:It's tiny.
Speaker B:It's like the size of my can here, which is amazing.
Speaker B:But anyways, technology is incredible.
Speaker B:It moves quickly and it's, it's an honor to be a part of it.
Speaker B:And I wish more people would get involved, especially women.
Speaker C:And it was kind of.
Speaker C:I was talking about how like the iPhone has gone from eight gigs.
Speaker C:Like it's no longer eight gigs.
Speaker C:It was like 816 and it was like I can't, I don't remember the number after that, but like 32, 32 64.
Speaker C:And it's like no longer that anymore.
Speaker C:It's like it's.
Speaker C:You either have to start at 664 or like 128.
Speaker C:It's like that's insane.
Speaker C:Government was at 8 gigabytes, right?
Speaker C:Yeah, that's crazy to me.
Speaker C:Anyway, so how do you see artificial intelligence and augmented reality influencing the future of, of work, particularly in creative and technical fields, given how you are experienced with VR, AR and AI?
Speaker B:One thing I love about VR and AR collectively, some people refer to it as XR, which is an umbrella term for virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.
Speaker B:So you might hear me use that and that's what it means.
Speaker B:But I really love XR because it has been augmented through the development of AI over the past couple of years and made development easier, less expensive and more approachable.
Speaker B:So the creativity aspects are endless.
Speaker B:Let me tell you that.
Speaker B:I love seeing how artists are leveraging this in their work and they get even more excited when I see an artist who is like a big name like Beyonce leveraging augmented reality in her set.
Speaker B:She's great about leveraging emerging technology.
Speaker B:She also used the specific tool that changes the color of that specific fabric based on light exposure.
Speaker B:So she's able to do a costume change right on stage with the beauty of technology and it's like blowing people's minds.
Speaker B:But she has the capital to do that and experiment with it and to be able to share that with her audience I think is incredible.
Speaker B:But another example of augmented reality, I have a friend who's an artist that paints, paints really realistic looking gemstones and he builds AR experiences that essentially use the gemstone as a target and he builds an experience that's immersive, that's generated via Web browser Niantic 8th wall.
Speaker B:You don't have to download an app.
Speaker B:I worked with a couple of artists on doing an in person exhibit to bring Polaroids to life.
Speaker B:It was Polaroids from people in the community and how they used ar.
Speaker B:They used Art Vive for this so they didn't have to hire someone to develop it.
Speaker B:But they used the Polaroids as a target for generating, targeting for triggering the experience in the web browser to share more information about that community member and their impact.
Speaker B:And I thought it was a really cool way to one connect with something tangible and physical, such as a Polaroid.
Speaker B:But taking it to the next level in augmented reality, I could go on and on about ar and I also want to shout out something specific in Oklahoma.
Speaker B:Oklahoma has a lot of history, as you know, and a lot of not good history.
Speaker B: And in: Speaker B:And that was a horrible thing that happened here that I myself, as someone who's a resident of Oklahoma, did not know about until Watchmen came out on hbo.
Speaker B:And that is embarrassing to me.
Speaker B:So through this project, what we were able to do is reference photos and material from Tulsa Historical Society and to be able to highlight and share the innovation, the entrepreneurship and the profitability of Black Wall Street.
Speaker B:That's what it was colloquially termed is because there was so much business, so much wealth, so much success.
Speaker B:They called it Black Wall street.
Speaker B:And unfortunately during the Tulsa race massacre, that was leveled overnight.
Speaker B:There's a lot of history there.
Speaker B:Definitely.
Speaker B:Look it up if you're listening.
Speaker B:But the augmented reality experience that we produced is the ability to look at markers on the sidewalk where a business would have been and generate an AR specific image of what that business looked like before it was destroyed.
Speaker B:So you've got like the Dreamland theater in so many different businesses that, that contributed so much that we're able to bring back to life.
Speaker B:And to me, that was really impactful as a citizen of Oklahoma, to be a part of that, but also to see how much history was washed away and how important it is to elevate these stories because it's, it's history, it's factual and it's information that needs to be shared.
Speaker B:So all that to say is technology can be a really impactful tool to share the stories of people who have gone through a lot.
Speaker B:Probably give you way too much there.
Speaker B:I'm so sorry.
Speaker C:That's okay.
Speaker C:But Yeah, I think that's cool.
Speaker C:That's like, you can bring it to life through technology and kind of see what was missing or, like, what was.
Speaker C:What was like for unfortunately destroyed.
Speaker C:Get that look of people who just.
Speaker C:Who missed, who may have made.
Speaker C:May have not been familiar or, like, know what it is or like the structure or the building was.
Speaker C:Then you can see it through technology, which is.
Speaker C:Which is cool to do.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And you can even see the newspaper headlines, too, and see how the newspaper was using certain words and shifting the narrative a different way.
Speaker B: of the times that happened in: Speaker C:So what motivated you to start your coffee and code podcast?
Speaker C:And how has it contributed to your personal and professional growth?
Speaker B:Well, it has contributed to personal professional growth in ways that I had never imagined.
Speaker B:Let's just start there.
Speaker B: I started the podcast in: Speaker B:And I'm the type of person when I get an idea in my head, I chase it, and I'm relentless about it, but.
Speaker B:And I don't give up.
Speaker B: So I started in: Speaker B:It was a weekly tech news roundup.
Speaker B:Things that you should know.
Speaker B:That happened in the tech world this week, and that quickly became unsustainable because as I moved into another role, I was also volunteering at a nonprofit leading them.
Speaker B:And it was hard to do all of the things, but I continued doing it and loved it because I got to meet so many incredible people from across the world that have genuine stories that all I've wanted to do is elevate people who don't have the platform that they should have to share their story, share what they're working on.
Speaker B:Because I just see a lot of people that are doing really awesome things.
Speaker B:They just don't know how to market themselves or talk about it.
Speaker B:So I like being that person that elevates it.
Speaker B:And coffee and code is a great conduit to do that.
Speaker B:But also, having control and ownership of the podcast is really important to me.
Speaker B:I make the decisions just like you make the decisions, and it's nice to be able to have the flexibility for that.
Speaker B: about six months, I think, in: Speaker B:And I was very transparent about that.
Speaker B:I let everyone know that joining a podcast is hard.
Speaker B:It can take a toll on you, and I'm just taking a little bit of a beat to recalibrate.
Speaker B:That's okay.
Speaker B:So I Came back for season two and specifically focused on interviews because that's, that's what I had the most fun with, bringing those conversations to more people.
Speaker B:So now I'm continuing to do interviews with really cool people and sharing that.
Speaker B:But I'm going to take a little bit of a shifted approach this year and share supplementary episodes where I share my commentary on what's currently happening.
Speaker B:That's really important because I do realize that people come to me and ask for my opinion or my thoughts on xyz, whether that that's deep seek, whether that's OpenAI, whether that's whatever.
Speaker B:And as a woman, it's been really hard for me to, I don't know, understand and believe that people want to hear what I have to say.
Speaker B:So I had a moment at a conference where someone came up and asked me to do like a, hey, what did you think of this conference?
Speaker B:What are some things that stood out to you?
Speaker B:And I started saying it and I got really passionate about it because it was a cool conference.
Speaker B:And then I started realizing I was attracting a crowd of people like that were recording and I was like, oh crap, people are real when they say they want to, they want to hear me.
Speaker B:So it sucks that it took that for me to believe it, but I think it's something that we probably all struggle with at some point.
Speaker C:So I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish I could ask you more questions because I love this conversation we're having.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker C:We do have to close soon.
Speaker B:That's quite all right.
Speaker B:We can always, you know, do another one sometime soon.
Speaker B:I'm a big supporter, so the door is always open.
Speaker C:Well, thank you, Ashley for being a guest on the Whitlove podcast.
Speaker C:You are such a lovely and well spoken person.
Speaker C:I love how inspiring and also like empathetic you are and honest and I just love that I got to interview you on this episode.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker B:Okay, thank you.
Speaker C:Thank you, Ashley.
Speaker C:Yeah, sorry, one second.
Speaker C:Seem like recuperate.
Speaker C:So, Ashley, what advice or what are your goals?
Speaker C:Let's start there.
Speaker C:What are your goals for coffee and consult in the next few years?
Speaker B:Working on that right now with my business coach and it's an.
Speaker B:It's such valuable resource to have a business coach, have someone that's third party and able to give you feedback, honest direction and recommendations on scaling and growing.
Speaker B:Right now I'm focused on scale and growth.
Speaker B:I am one person.
Speaker B: e people around the world via: Speaker B:That way I can tap into this skill set that is global and help people make an income.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:You know, life is wild and there's so many skill sets that people have that, you know, you don't have to go to an office to do.
Speaker B:Like I'm very results driven and you don't necessarily have to be in a physical place for that.
Speaker B: ale by bringing on people via: Speaker B: wner to bring someone on as a: Speaker B:Because whenever you bring on an employee, that's a whole new level of risk and liability and cost for you.
Speaker B:If you got to provide insurance or you have to do.
Speaker B:Sorry, you have to do a lot of things that are, that can be difficult for a small business owner.
Speaker B:So growing, scaling, creating more impact, but also growing regionally.
Speaker B:I'm right now I'm in Oklahoma and I have clients in Oklahoma, Texas, and my goal is to move into the Colorado, New Mexico area.
Speaker B:It's kind of the southwest region.
Speaker B:Because the ultimate goal is to end up in Colorado where we've got nature in our backyard and we can just go for a hike.
Speaker B:So those would be the goals if hopefully we maintain that profitability and that growth.
Speaker B:We're doing the right things.
Speaker B:It just takes time.
Speaker B:So we just got to wait.
Speaker B:And I'm trying to be patient with that.
Speaker C:You've shared a lot of quotes and a lot of like, advice for your, for the journey and also kind of embarking on something new that you did.
Speaker C:Are there any other messages or a legacy that you would like to leave for the next generation of youth?
Speaker B:No pressure.
Speaker B:My goodness, that's such a profound question.
Speaker B:And I don't take it lightly because I feel for the young generation right now.
Speaker B:And I just want to say, like, do not give up on your dreams.
Speaker B:Don't do it.
Speaker B:Keep fighting for it.
Speaker B:You know what's right.
Speaker B:Like follow your gut, follow your instinct and be razor sharp, focused on what you want.
Speaker B:Because if you don't know what you want, how are you going to direct yourself in the right direction?
Speaker B:So I think that's a really good thing and know that it's okay to make mistakes.
Speaker B:You know, I think that's something that isn't talked about enough.
Speaker B:We learn more from our failures than we do from our successes.
Speaker B:I feel like.
Speaker B:And something that I've done really well is just get back up after I've fallen.
Speaker B:Just do it again.
Speaker B:The more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Speaker B:So know that it's.
Speaker B:That it.
Speaker B:It's not easy, but you can do it.
Speaker B:So don't give up.
Speaker B:Stay passionate about what you're passionate about.
Speaker B:Share that passion with others and continue forward.
Speaker B:Continue forward means continue that momentum.
Speaker B:Don't let that momentum stall.
Speaker B:Because I see some people get really excited about something, they share it, they're like, oh, this is great.
Speaker B:And that momentum kind of like dips off and I check in six months later and they're like, oh, you know, I didn't have time for that.
Speaker B:So be razor shop focused.
Speaker B:Go for it.
Speaker C:I love that it's so simple like that.
Speaker C:You said it.
Speaker C:But it's also like very impactful and like, could take someone so far when they keep that in mind.
Speaker C:That have a.
Speaker C:When you have like a strong mindset and you're like, like you said, like laser sharp focus, it's kind of hard to like back down until you see.
Speaker C:Until you're completely like done and achieve that goal.
Speaker C:It's not, it's like when you're so focused on it, it won't really like let go of it.
Speaker C:It.
Speaker C:If you know what I'm saying.
Speaker C:Oh, like, like tunnel vision.
Speaker C:Like, I'm gonna get this.
Speaker C:Not stopping until I get it.
Speaker B:And yeah, it's easy to get distracted with that too.
Speaker B:Unless you have that, that laser focus.
Speaker C:You're just like opening.
Speaker C:You're like letting yourself be affected by everything else.
Speaker C:That's not the goal, you know, when you don't have that focus.
Speaker B:Absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker B:And I hope, I hope the young generation listens to that and takes it to heart.
Speaker C:Can you please let our audience know how they may learn about Coffee and Code and any other great projects that you are brewing up that are on the horizon?
Speaker B:Well, thank you for asking that.
Speaker B:So if you're interested in listening to the Coffee and Code podcast, you can find us wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker B:Also, you can find us on www.coffee c o f f e y and code.com and from there you can subscribe, you can watch our videos on YouTube and really connect with the coffee and code community.
Speaker B:It's global.
Speaker B:We've got listeners across 21 countries.
Speaker B:We've been doing it for five years.
Speaker B:And it's really.
Speaker B:The goal is to make technology more approachable for everyone.
Speaker B:So we produce episodes every two weeks.
Speaker B:Kind of recalibrating right now and shifting focus.
Speaker B:But you can also find us on Instagram, Coffee and Code.
Speaker B:That's our Instagram and account and for coffee and consulting, you can find coffee and console on Instagram at Coffee and consult again, that's C O F F E Y A n D C o N L C O N S U L T what is words?
Speaker B:And my personal handle is Ashley R Coffee 89.
Speaker B:Very accessible online.
Speaker B:You can find me but would love to hear from the audience if you listened to this episode.
Speaker B:Please find me, send me a message, let me know what your goals are or what you learned from it.
Speaker B:Love connecting people and just encouraging people to continue doing what they're doing and keep your head up and stay hydrated.
Speaker C:Definitely.
Speaker C:That's a big one.
Speaker C:Stay hydrated.
Speaker C:I will definitely be tuning in and following along with you because I just have like good vibes coming from the screen here and I just would love to, you know, keep up with you, you know.
Speaker B:Likewise, likewise.
Speaker B:Thank you, Sandra.
Speaker B:You're an amazing host and asking really thoughtful questions that I think provide fodder for us to have a conversation like this.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker C:So to wrap up, thank you, Ashley, for being a guest on this first episode of season three on the witlove podcast again.
Speaker C:You are absolutely lovely and a great person to, to interview and to get to know.
Speaker C:I see you doing big things and continuing to continue forward like you said, and I look forward to watching you and joining in on the podcast.
Speaker B:Thank you, Sandra.
Speaker B:I appreciate the opportunity to come on.
Speaker B:It's an honor.
Speaker B:And I'm looking forward to hearing episodes from other women in tech that you have planned.
Speaker B:And thank you for celebrating Women's History Month in March.
Speaker B:I think that's important and it's important to be able to shine light on the work.
Speaker B:So you're doing the work.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Keep it up.
Speaker B:And I look forward to seeing you again at some point, whether that's virtually or in person.
Speaker B:Who knows?
Speaker C:Definitely.
Speaker C:And to our audience tuning in today, thank you so much for listening and for your support.
Speaker C:Stay tuned for more exciting interviews with amazing women like Ashley who are trailblazers in the technology world.
Speaker C:You can listen to more episodes on Apple or Spotify podcast and be sure to subscribe and follow our Instagram pagetlovepodcast.
Speaker C:Feel free to drop a comment to let us know what you've enjoyed about our podcast, what topics you like to hear, or who would you like us to interview next and share this podcast in your network?
Speaker C:Thank you, Ashley.
Speaker B:Again, thank you, Sandra.
Speaker A:So there you have it.
Speaker A:We trust that you enjoyed this episode and are looking forward to the next month.
Speaker A:Make sure to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode.
Speaker A:Until then, thank you for listening.
Speaker A:With love.
