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Black Entrepreneur Experience
BEE 502 Ashley M Fox, Founder of Empify and Former Wall Street Executive
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Ashley M. Fox, founder of Empify and former Wall Street executive, with an inspiring story and mission. Info:
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- [00:00]
Podcast Announcer
Welcome to the Black Entrepreneur Experience podcast. Inside the business buzz and brilliance of Black entrepreneurs. Here's your host, Dr. Francis Richards.
- [00:12]
Dr. Francis Richards
What happens in Vegas goes all over the world on Black Entrepreneur experience, episode number 502. Thank you for joining us for Black Entrepreneur Experience, where we elevate CEOs, thought leaders, innovative thinkers and black entrepreneurs across the globe. I'm your host, Dr. Francis Richards. Imagine maxing out your credit card and facing overdrawn accounts at the age of 25 to now empower individuals to build long term wealth across all communities. Featured on the 2024 Inc. 5000 Founder of Emplify and former Wall street executive. Welcome. Ashley M. Fox. Hi, how are you? Perfect, thanks for asking. I've given our audience such a brief bio. Why don't you fill in the gaps and share with our audience what you'd like them to know about you and your business.
- [01:09]
Ashley M. Fox
So my name is Ashley M. Fox. I'm the CEO and founder of Emplify. It's the merging of the words empower and modify together and we are a fintech startup that is revolutionizing how adults and children learn how to build wealth. And my career started on Wall street. So I went to Howard University and my goal was to major in finance and work on Wall street and so on Wall Street. When I landed my dream job upon graduating Howard worked in asset management. So it was my job to help manage the money to grow the wealth and protect the wealth of individuals that had at least $25 million or more. And so I saw the ins and outs of what wealthy people did with their money, went on to decide that one I deserve to be that wealthy client. We all do. But also I wanted to financially empower the 99% of people that Wall street often overlooks. And so when I left Wall street in the midst of losing everything and having to start my life all over, I created the word empathy, which is now today a organization that has impacted the lives of over 2 million people across the world with our financial education classes, tools, resources, our membership based app, the Wealth Builders community giving adults access to the tools and resources they need that I gave to the Wall street clients we worked with, but now targeting the hearts and minds of the people who may not have the opportunity to go on Wall street but but do aspire to effectively build wealth.
- [02:22]
Dr. Francis Richards
Talk about that moment when you knew that you were going to be successful. What was that aha moment about?
- [02:29]
Ashley M. Fox
I always wanted to be the best. So whether it was getting all A's at Howard University or graduating with honors, landing my internships I think the first thought was to get on Wall Street. I knew that being a black female, that wasn't, like, the target audience for Wall Street. But I felt like I had to be the best. I wanted the best, and I wanted to make a lot of money, if I'm being honest, and. And got the opportunity to be there. And I would say about eight months in, I didn't have a desire to stay there. And so I'm the type of person. I've learned. I like really big, audacious goals that scare me. But I have to become a completely different woman to achieve the things that I desire. But when I was on Wall Street, I got more joy out of figuring out how our clients built their wealth versus showing them how to keep it. And I remember a day I was on the phone with a really good friend of mine, and I was overlooking. So I Sat on the 27th floor, overlooking Park Avenue in our headquarters, and he told me to look out the window. And he asked me how I felt. And I said, you know, I feel trapped. And he was like, now imagine if you close your eyes and this entire building was yours. How do you feel? And I said, I feel on top of the world. And I don't know what that exercise did to me, but it did something to me internally. So I did the exact same exercise to one of my colleagues on Wall Street. And I said, okay, look out the window. How do you feel? And. And the guy was like, I feel regular. And like, no, no, no. Look out the window and how do you feel? And he said, I feel fine. And that's when I realized I was different. That's when I realized that I deserved to be the Wall street client that I wanted to financially empower the world, not just chase money, but realize that I was here for something much bigger. And I think in that moment, that's when I knew that I was somebody different, that I belonged in a different room, that I could cultivate and create something different. And then months later, I decided to leave to pursue my dreams of creating empathy. I had no idea how. I just knew I was going to be the woman to do it. And I knew why. And so you couldn't tell me I couldn't do it because I was around money all the time and specifically in my career. So I didn't grow up with a lot of money. I'm the first person in my immediate family to go to college. But when you're around millionaires and billionaires all day, it either will intimidate you or Motivate you. And I realized that I had what it took. I just needed the game, I needed the rules, I needed to understand. And that's what Wall street gave me. And once I kind of learned and saw the commonalities of what we were doing for all of our clients, I felt inclined to be able to share that information with people. So if you read my journal, the days that I left Wall street or the days I was contemplating doing something more than what I was blessed with in that moment, I called it it. And I wanted something that could take the potential of something and pull it to its full greatness. I felt like on Wall Street, I was working with people who had it all together. What about the people who didn't have it together, who aspired to have more? Now, I couldn't put my hand on exactly what that was, but I called it it. And little do you know that it is empathy, and that is a company that I created. So I think since the beginning, I always knew. I didn't always know the how, but I knew I knew what the light at the end of that tunnel did look like.
- [05:30]
Dr. Francis Richards
Talk about that journey from the entrepreneurial standpoint. What was that aha moment? You knew that your it was going.
- [05:37]
Ashley M. Fox
To be successful when I went on tv. So when I first started Empathy, I was on the verge of. Well, when I first left Wall Street, I became a financial advisor and targeting low to moderate income people and I did not have any money. I was on the verge of getting kicked out my Harlem apartment. I had maxed out credit cards, a negative bank account, and I had to move back to my parents house. And through that eviction phase of not knowing of what I was doing, I was first featured on Jim Cramer's the Street. And at that moment, it was like me, I don't know what I was doing. I made up a word, I left my job. I didn't, you know, I'm on the verge of getting evicted. Even though nobody knew that. And I saw them. It was the first time I was interviewed. And when that first happened, I hid because I was featured all over the Internet. And I was like, I did not sign up to be famous. I have no website. I have no, I have no money. I had no idea what I was doing. And then a few years later, I got. I was asked to get back on the news again. And I watched my interview. I was on Fox News this time and I watched my interview. You know how when you like take pictures or you shoot videos, like you're looking to see like, what's wrong? And in that moment, when I watched that interview, nothing was wrong, and I did everything great. I loved the way I looked. I loved how I presented, and I knew the direction my life was going. And I had a mentor of mine tell me it is selfish of me to hide who I am from the world, knowing what I know. And it was in that moment that I knew that I was destined for something so much bigger than what my mind could even conceptualize. But I knew that it worked, and I knew that I was onto something. And I knew that you wouldn't be able to find an African American female with my credentials, my passion, and my heart to be able to actually believe that we can change the way people think in the role of money in their life. And I think in that moment, it was kind of like, this isn't just an idea. This is a movement. This is a lifestyle. This is something within you that you can't get out even if you tried. And it's my job to share that and bestow that on everybody I come in contact with.
- [07:36]
Dr. Francis Richards
Ashley, what is your zone of genius?
- [07:39]
Ashley M. Fox
That is a great question. I think I have this, like, inner power to pull out the inner greatness of people, to see what they dream of having and becoming, despite the fear, doubt, and worry that they possess, to pull out that inner greatness. I just so happen to teach finance.
- [08:00]
Dr. Francis Richards
And speaking about inner greatness and your superpower, your zone of genius, we're in 2025, and there's a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of people are feeling a little bit cautious, fearful. What advice would you give them?
- [08:21]
Ashley M. Fox
I would say you are undefeated at life. Up until this point, there has been no trial or tribulation that you have not won. So, one, take heed of that. The second thing is, when it. When it comes to really building wealth, wealth doesn't have a color. Therefore, it looks like you, it looks like me, right? And I think the person in the mirror is the only person you need. The question is, do you love the person in the mirror? What are we saying to the person in the mirror? What are we thinking about when we look at the person in the mirror? Because I don't think there's any system, any president, any government, any family member that can give you the life that you want. And I think when we remember the power that we have from within, fear is just. It's just a thought. Because the same way the world may feel like they want to be cautious, I want to be risky. I want to be abundant. I Want to keep going, I want to strive. But we live it. We're living in the same world. Why do I see it differently? Because it's all about your perception. So how do we take our experiences? How do we take our current reality and take the pen and the notebook and write the next chapter to what your life looks like? Because you are the only person with the pen and nobody can take it from you. I'm really big on not letting external forces dictate your inner energy. So how do we protect what's going on on the inside? Protect what you're thinking about so you can start to create the life that you want, not the world that society wants, not what your family wants, not what your children want. But recognize that everything that you have up until this point has been designed for you. The question is, what are you going to do with that pen in your hand? Because. Because nobody can take that from you. And so I think it's really about shifting your mindset. What if we look at this as an opportunity to get stronger, an opportunity to get better, an opportunity to become more self aware, an opportunity for us to build wealth. An opportunity for us to let go of the feelings and focus on the logic of what we need to do and what we want to create for our families.
- [10:12]
Dr. Francis Richards
I want you to have a monologue. I want you to name this person. Living or not, they've impacted your life. Who is that person and what are you saying to that person?
- [10:22]
Ashley M. Fox
Okay, so my dad. Since the day I was born, my father has set an example of work ethic, of excellence and of standards. I've always wanted to show my father that I was great. And like I honest, I always looked up to my dad. And my dad recently passed away a couple of years ago and it changed my entire life. And the one thing it did was show me that what I am creating with empathy is possible. Because my dad, at the time, I did not know. I learned in his passing that he was the ultimate wealth builder. He had everything organized, he had everything structured. He was a generational wealth creator. And he passed it down. So making me a generational wealth receiver. So much that he passed down his thoughts, his, his structure, his habits and money. And when I saw that my father did that and he didn't have a fancy Wall street job, he worked in law enforcement, right. But he worked hard. He was strategic. And it made me realize that Wall street is not the reason empathy exists. He said empathy was always in my DNA because it was in his. And when I think about what is possible for the world. It doesn't come from just what I saw working with wealthy people. It comes from what my father has given to me, both internally and tangibly so. It gave me hope that it can be done. It gave me strength to say, I'm going to carry his torch. If my father can do it, I'm going to do it for my family, and I'm going to show other families how to do it as well. But it gave me the confidence to know that while I was so busy trying to prove to my dad and overachieve for my dad that everything he did was for myself and my family. And so it made me then realize that in the moments of doubt, in the moments of I'm not good enough, I'm reminded that I actually was always good enough. And he reminded me of that. And the more I believe that, the stronger I am, and the more I believe that, the more I can give some of that belief to the people that doubt themselves.
- [12:21]
Dr. Francis Richards
And sorry for your loss.
- [12:23]
Ashley M. Fox
Thank you.
- [12:25]
Dr. Francis Richards
Advice you wish you had followed I.
- [12:28]
Ashley M. Fox
Wouldn'T say that there is advice that I should have followed because I received this advice later on in life. I'll give you advice that I wish somebody would have given me a little bit sooner. Go to therapy. I started therapy in 2017, and I have never looked back. I will pay top dollar for the becoming of Ashley. Everything from coaches to everything that I do, I spend a lot of money on mob development. I would have went to therapy just a little bit sooner, maybe, as a kid. And because we don't have it all figured out, I don't think we ever will. But the path could be a lot clearer if I was a little bit more clear on who I was and why I do the things that I do, which I've learned through therapy. But I was very, very insecure on Wall Street. I was very insecure. Part of me believed I could achieve, but part of me also still doubted me. I didn't think I was great. So that's probably why I was not the best employee when I was on Wall Street. Now you put me back on Wall Street. I can run circles around everybody, but I didn't have that level of confidence when I was younger and in my early 20s. And so I would have started therapy as a young child, maybe even 10 years old, because there's so many unresolved questions and issues that happen as a child that come along with you as an adult. And so I wouldn't say that there's advice that I would have followed. There's just advice that I got later on in life that if somebody would have told me a little younger, I probably would have listened to.
- [13:58]
Dr. Francis Richards
And speaking of that, when you talk about becoming Ashley in therapy and talk about mental wellness and entrepreneurship, I think.
- [14:08]
Ashley M. Fox
The two go hand in hand. There is no way you can run a business, be effective, make money, lead a team and build something big that I'm trying to do without mental support. And I'm a firm believer that nobody is self made, everybody needs help. And until you know that your cup always has to be full because you are constantly pouring out and the moment your cup runs dry, you are no good to anybody. So I, I now know, and this is for anybody knowing that you are your biggest asset. There is no business without you. There is no team without you. There is no customer without you. And there's a lot of mental toughness you have to be able to deal with and battle with. There's a lot of pressure that just naturally you'll put on yourself, but actual pressure that will be on you. I also believe that there is no rule book to running a business. I don't care what class you go to, what school you go to, college does not prepare you to run a business life. Life just has to be lived in order for you to continue to learn how to build a business. And it's not for everybody. But I would not be here today if I did not have my spiritual advisor. I take qigong. I have all types of people in my corner and I'm a firm believer that anytime I find an area of me that needs work, I'm going to find someone that can help me solve that problem. Because I know I can't do it alone. But the better I get, the stronger I become, the more I accomplish and the more people I serve. And I have a direct proof of that. So it's become a natural thing to me. Oh, I need air. I need help in this area. There's an automatic self awareness that I have. There is no one in this world that knows me better than Ashley Marie Fox. But it took me a really long time to find her, understand her and to love her. And now that she is mine, I'm giving her everything that I've got, all the resources and support because I know who I used to be and I know how much it hurt. And there's no way I can go back to that. I just want to continue to evolve into the next beautiful version of who I am.
- [16:02]
Dr. Francis Richards
Talk about your top two influencers or mentors and what Lessons do they teach you?
- [16:08]
Ashley M. Fox
One is my dad for sure. I don't know if I have a number two. I think there's so many people who have impacted my life, from my first customer at amplify to my team to my mother, to my father, to my coaches, to my partner. I don't think there's one person. I think it's a culmination of pieces of me, pieces of people that have made me a phenomenal Ashley. But if I had to sum it all up into one person is my dad from the start of my life to the current Ashley you see today?
- [16:43]
Dr. Francis Richards
What is the takeaway that you want the audience that's listening to take away from your conversation today, Ashley, that you are phenomenal.
- [16:53]
Ashley M. Fox
You are a wealth builder. Brick by brick, share by share, you can build. There is no amount of money that you can or cannot have. There is nothing you cannot do despite wherever you are, how much you have, what you look like, or how this society is designed and to really get good at loving the person in the mirror. Because once you love the person in the mirror, everything around you will amplify the life you desire.
- [17:17]
Dr. Francis Richards
What problem exists in the world today that you'd like to solve?
- [17:20]
Ashley M. Fox
The wealth gap. I think there is a big disconnect between wealthy people and the everyday person. And it is a perception because when we shift how we think about it, we can ultimately create the life that we want. And when you really think about it, some of the wealthiest people in the world have built the companies we know, use, believe in, and can't live without. And some of the wealthiest people from the. From the largest companies in America, you can own stock in those companies for a few hundred dollars, some even less. But those companies wouldn't exist without you being the consumer. So how do we understand the value and the impact we have on the wealth that is created just by our mere existence? And shifting that narrative to saying it is okay to spend, but we have to maximize and change our desire and our commitment to building a financial legacy for ourselves and families to come. And that is a big mental shift. So I would say the biggest problem I want to solve is the mental shift between the lack to abundant mindset when it comes to money. Because one of the biggest things I learned on Wall street is not that wealthy people are just wealthy or they just came into money because even if you come into money, you got to learn how to sustain it and grow it, and that's not easy to do either. Or whether you built your wealth, it's understanding that There is a belief system that they deserve to be wealthy. There is a belief system that I can do this. There is a belief system that I have power. But while you might not have that business, while you might not be that wealthy person, there is no wealthy person without your with your buying power. There is no wealthy person without your commitment to taking out debt. So if you understand how the rules to the game are played, you will understand that you are the number one pick on the court. And then you can understand how to really play the game and win. Because you don't have to build a business to build wealth. You just have to invest in your own idea or somebody else's idea. And when we start to shift that thought process and shift from wanting someone to give us something or someone to owe us something to then look in the mirror and say, nobody owes me anything because I can go out and get everything I want. It shifts your thinking and what your ability and your ability to create and have what you want. And I think when that changes, the wealth gap changes. Because now you don't just have to be the 1%, you can start to think like the 1% and ultimately you can become the 1%. And I'm a living example. I mean, I didn't come from a lot of money, took off student loans, I've been kicked out of places, had bad credit, lost everything, made it back. But I still cannot unsee what I Learned from the 1%. And if you follow the steps and not let your thoughts control your actions, but shifting your thoughts to create the life you want and not be driven by fear, doubt, or worry, it can be done without a doubt. And I think that is what amplified my company, our wealth builders community app. That is what we created to instill that in people's mind, no matter who they are or where they live.
- [20:12]
Dr. Francis Richards
Thank you for your transparency. So let's talk about. We know that there's risk and rewards in building a business. And let's talk about that risk factor. Worst moment in business. Tell us that backstory. And what was your takeaway?
- [20:28]
Ashley M. Fox
I would shift the narrative because I wouldn't say it was my worst moment in business. I think it was probably the most impactful. That taught me one of the biggest lessons. One of the biggest things that I learned in business is your business grows at the direct correlation that you grow, so does your money. And I remember in 2021 is probably one of the most impactful. I found myself struggling. You go through a phase of struggle. You go through a long phase of struggle. Does this work? Do people like it? Will they buy your product? Can you make money? Can you survive? And I learned that I was onto something and I was impacting the lives of people. But I wasn't quite sure of who I was and what I wanted. And I found myself just making money. And I never created emplified with the intent to make money. Because regardless of the how, Ashley Fox was always going to be a billionaire. You couldn't tell me otherwise. I didn't worry about the how. I focused on the becoming of Ashley. And I got to a point in life where I just wasn't happy. And I realized now that I was becoming a new version of Ashley and everything was being removed from my life. So friends that I associated with relationships that I had, business strategies and tactics, everything was being removed. I wouldn't even say I consciously removed. It was being removed from me. And I got to a point where I didn't know who I was. And so Covid had just ended and I booked a one way ticket to Paris because Paris had just opened and I lived in Paris for about four months. I was just walking in Paris. It was kind of like my Eat Pray Love kind of trip. But that was because I was so afraid to become a CEO. I used to hate the word CEO. It made me feel so uncomfortable and I didn't want to step into that power. And I ended up coming back from Paris. I randomly moved back to New York, but I had no money. No money. I had enough to pay the little employees that I had and they weren't making a lot. But I had to figure out how to redesign, emplify to become a CEO. And it was hard for me to be in a familiar space with as a being an unknown woman. So that's why I just randomly went to Paris because nobody knew me. I could cry, I could do whatever. But when I came home and randomly moved back to New York, I moved back to New York because New York was the only place in the world that filled my cup to become the Ashley I was up until that point. And that was when I was on Wall Street. So I moved back to New York, lived in Airbnbs, figuring out still how to make money, but I just knew it was going to work out. Ended up randomly moving to Atlanta. And if we fast forward to today, that actually that I was afraid to become three, four years ago is exactly who I am today. I actually cannot see myself being anything different than a CEO. What it's requiring me to be, the things that people were telling me I should pay attention to now actually make sense. But I would say that was probably the hardest part of my life because that was the second phase of me not having money. The first phase is when I got kicked out my apartment when I first left Wall Street. At this point, empathy was a business. Empathy was making some money. We had customers, but I didn't know who I was. And it was because I was in a transition from letting go of who I had been to becoming a woman that was still foreign to me. And so there was a lot of morning and the old Ashley of which I now don't regret. So that's why I wouldn't say it was like a horrible time or I regret it or anything like that. I needed that shedding to be confident and comfortable in who I am today. And interestingly enough, Paris is actually the best place in the world to me because of that trip. I don't know what I would do without Paris. But I also wouldn't know what I would have done without going through that phase of life in order for me to become the Ashley I am today.
- [24:07]
Dr. Francis Richards
And you've impacted so many people in your business, Ashley. Share a story and I'm sure you have many and only share information that that you can about the story a client that you've really impacted their lives.
- [24:25]
Ashley M. Fox
There are children that I've taught that I've watched struggle in school, buy stocks, go on TV with me buying stocks. There are members in our app. There's one woman who is in her 70s and I've watched her evolve. I've watched her take our programs. I've watched her cry on camera. I watched how she's changed the dynamic of our company. But I've watched how she's also given us hope to know that just because you're in your 70s doesn't mean you can't learn how to effectively build wealth. I've watched her make money. I've watched her become smarter than the financial advisors that she once hired. And so I think there's a plethora of clients from the child that I taught in North Philadelphia learning how to buy stock for themselves to the mother I then taught as a result of her child wanting to learn more about stocks. To the 73. 4 year old woman who came into this app to learn how to build wealth to ensure that she's set for retirement, but also became smarter than the financial advisor she was paying. And so it's moments like those where I get those messages, I get those opportunities to hear those stories. I see the tears in people's eyes. And it's not that, oh, empathy made me a bunch of money, but empathy has helped me become the person that I am today. Empathy is the reason I can believe that this can be done. Empathy is the reason that there is hope. And the hope wasn't given to me by anybody but myself because I watch what I'm capable of achieving as a person.
- [25:57]
Dr. Francis Richards
There are so many brands and businesses that are dominating. Talk about a brand or a business that's dominating that you admire and why.
- [26:05]
Ashley M. Fox
To be honest, I admire anybody that has over 25 employees and they are still actively growing. But I am a fan, so I'm not always a fan of people because there are things I like about certain people, certain things I don't like. But I respect a business owner to go through what you have to go through to build a scalable. Big business is dynamic. I've always liked companies like a Big Apple or Big Amazon. I can't think off the top of my head any small business right now that I admire. But I respect and admire anybody that has over 20 employees because that's kind of where I'm at in business now. And I see the challenges that come from that and what is required and the shaping of who you need to become. And to see people surpass that and become that leader that does the best that they can is extremely admirable. But it's always exciting to watch a company become a trillion dollar business knowing that I am their customer. So watching Apple cross $1 trillion knowing that I own stock and Apple, my 7 year old niece owns stock in Apple. I got about three Apple iPhones and an iPad. And it's like I like that because it's like it gives me hope to know that I can build my $1 billion business. If someone has the ability to create multiple trillion dollar businesses, no matter who they are, what they look like or how old they are, if one person got it done, it is possible for Ashley Fox to, to get it done as well. And so I really just admire. I'm really obsessed with the infrastructure of businesses now and watching the leaders evolve to do the best that they can. Because no matter who you are, male or female, black, white, pink or purple, it's just not easy to do. And I respect the mental fortitude it takes to really build and to remain and to consistently grow.
- [27:59]
Dr. Francis Richards
Absolutely. And thinking of scaling and growing, what is a daily or a weekly habit that you do consistently that you believe has given you the greatest success?
- [28:10]
Ashley M. Fox
The number one thing is I always put Ashley first. Every day, what I wanted mattered first. If Ashley feels like crying today, I am allowing her to cry. If Ashley wants to smile, if Ashley wants to release, I give myself space to be. I don't, because I used to cover it up. I used to not cry. I used to be emotionless. I used to, you know, not speak up for myself. Every single day, I come first. Every single day. I am my biggest cheerleader. Every single day, I am showing up for me in the best way that I can, and that is exciting for me. So that is. I do that every. There is no day that I do not come first without a doubt. And every time I put myself first, it gives me the space to pour out love and to show up for other people because I know how to show up for me.
- [29:00]
Dr. Francis Richards
And speaking of attitude of gratitude, I have what we call a thank fest. And I want you to thank people and situations that have impacted your life and your journey and your business. Have at it.
- [29:14]
Ashley M. Fox
So my daddy, my mommy, my family, my team, my partner Paris, our members inside the Wealth Builders community app, all my followers, all my coaches, my therapists, my trainer, my spiritual advisor. This is a really cool exercise. Everybody that supports the empathy team, everybody that has been there and is still here from the beginning, I'm grateful for Wall Street. I'm grateful for being kicked out. I am grateful for all the breakups that I went through. I am grateful for all the friends that relationships that have ended, relationships that have come, that have blossomed. I am grateful for my 2008 Hyundai Elantra, because at one point, that was the only thing I had to my name. And I'm grateful for all the things that I've been able to create, all the lives I've been able to change, all the love I've been able to give.
- [30:05]
Dr. Francis Richards
Thank you for that, Ashley. I appreciate that. What is the biggest achievement so far in life or business to date?
- [30:14]
Ashley M. Fox
I would say us being featured on Inc. 5000. There's a reason for that. So for so long, empify, which is empify was a word I created. I didn't want people to have a preconceived perception of what empathy was and its meaning. And a lot of the business has been surrounded by me, which is fine. But one of the biggest things I learned when my father passed away, I was out of my business for six months, and thank God we were still around. But I watched how we didn't thrive. We survived, but we didn't thrive. And I never intended to build a business that could not thrive without me. And so when I came back to work, I set out on a mission to build a business that the world wants, not just a woman that the world wants. And when I came back, that was my mere focus, and it was going to take time. But when we were Featured on the Inc. 5000 list, they didn't really look up Ashley. They looked up Amplify. They looked at Emplify's financials. We were ranked as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation, coming in in the top 15%. So out of 5,000, we were ranked 652. And over the past three years, we have grown tremendously. And the beauty of that is it showed me that there is space for Emplify. There is space for something the world has never seen. There is space for a company that the world needs, and we are growing, and our numbers show it. But it gave me hope that the ability for me to constantly keep going and to create something that the world needs to financially educate and empower people of all walks of life was possible. Because that award wasn't an Ashley Fox thing. It was an amplified thing. And that is why I left Wall Street. And I think that reminded me that it was still possible, because I'm a crazy. You got to be a crazy person to run a business, to wake up every day to do what I do. You have got to be crazy. But I own my crazy. And sometimes that crazy comes with doubts. Every single day, I get scared. Every single day, I think I can't do it. And it's always little things like that in 5000 because I didn't think our ranking would be that high. And it's things like that inc5000 that show me you're on to something. Even when you doubt yourself. Keep going. And those little accolades and recognitions constantly remind myself and my team that is possible.
- [32:26]
Dr. Francis Richards
And thank you for that. Congratulations for the Inc 5000. But. And also, I believe congratulations is in order. You were just nominated, if I'm not mistaken, for 40 under 40 for black entrepreneur. I mean, black.
- [32:41]
Ashley M. Fox
Yes. Yes.
- [32:42]
Dr. Francis Richards
2025.
- [32:43]
Ashley M. Fox
Yes. Thank you.
- [32:44]
Dr. Francis Richards
Yeah. Congratulations for that. So you are just really a leader. And so we thank you for the work that you're doing. What can we do to support your business, Ashley?
- [32:58]
Ashley M. Fox
Share the emplified mission, hope, dreams, and belief that it is time for us to build wealth like no other, to take the money that we do have, whether it's $20, you can start small and build big over time and constantly remind people that we can do this, constantly remind people that we can build that, we can invest, share our website, share our work, share our education. Because the world, you can't just walk into a bank and expect the bank to teach you financial education. A bank's job is not to educate you, a school's job is. And unfortunately, schools missed the mark with giving us financial education. So that is why empathy was created. I always say what Kleenex is to tissues is what emplify will be to financial education for adults and children all over the world. And so the more our mission is put in front of individuals, the more our education is given to individuals and the more that we talk about building wealth and make it a conversation that is at the dinner table, the better we can be for the world and the better the world will be.
- [33:56]
Dr. Francis Richards
And what brings you joy?
- [33:58]
Ashley M. Fox
This is a great question. Paris, my niece, who's seven years old, journey and playing tennis. So those I was asked that question by my spiritual advisor. What brings you joy that is not directly correlated to anybody else's happiness? And it's Paris playing tennis and my seven year old niece.
- [34:15]
Dr. Francis Richards
And speaking of play, how did you play today?
- [34:20]
Ashley M. Fox
Today specifically, I did work out, but working out does not bring me joy. I feel the joy in working out after I leave the gym. So in that moment I felt that joy. But surprisingly enough, one of my colleagues, a woman on our team that has been around since the beginning at Amplify, she got me a birthday gift. And her gift symbolized Paris and what I experienced when I was in Paris. And it took me back to that Paris moment. So in that moment, I had the opportunity to feel good, to feel loved. And I didn't plan that either. That just still happened today. But yeah, so I did work out, But I wouldn't say that I do that for joy. I do that because it's a way of life. I don't know life without working out anymore. And I like the results it produces, but it doesn't bring me joy. It actually is a little bit painful. But I did open gifts from a woman on my team that got me things from Paris. Got me things that brought Paris to my home. And I loved it.
- [35:15]
Dr. Francis Richards
Happy birthday.
- [35:16]
Ashley M. Fox
Thank you.
- [35:17]
Dr. Francis Richards
That's awesome. What have you not done in life that you dream about often that you would like to do?
- [35:25]
Ashley M. Fox
I want to go to every major tennis tournament all over the world. I've only been to the French Open in Paris, but I want to get to Wimbledon, I want to get to the Australian Open and I want to go back to the US Open, but as an adult. But I want to go to every single major tennis tournament all over the world now.
- [35:41]
Dr. Francis Richards
Do you play tennis personally?
- [35:43]
Ashley M. Fox
I do, yeah. I've been playing tennis since I was 8 years old. That's my favorite sport.
- [35:47]
Dr. Francis Richards
Excellent, Excellent. Ashley, if you conducted this interview, what is the one question you would have asked yourself? I want you to ask the question and answer it.
- [35:58]
Ashley M. Fox
This is just what popped into my mind. I always like to know this about people. What are you currently struggling with and what are you doing to figure it out? And my answer would be, the one thing I'm struggling with is the management of my life, my evolution, and leading people. And that is a new space. So the leading people is the newest, newest thing. But it's not just like my only job is to lead people. I still got to live my life. I still got to evolve. I still have to grow as a woman. How do you do all of that and still grow and persevere when it comes to building a business? So that's what I would want to know. I think whenever I talk to people, you always hear the really, really cool stuff about them. And I always try to get to, like, let me get to the human of who you are. Where can I help you? And my answer would be to how I'm figuring it out. I have shifted all of whether it's people on my team, the coaches I have in place, and the systems I have in my life, I have either let some things go, restructured existing things, or found new ways of doing things. So I'm reading different books, I am hiring different coaches, I am restructuring meetings to make them more effective so that it can help me in the areas I need support. And I am actively looking for answers to the questions I don't have answers to yet. So that is how I am handling the one thing that I currently am struggling with in life.
- [37:27]
Dr. Francis Richards
Thank you for that. And speaking of books, what book would you recommend and why?
- [37:33]
Ashley M. Fox
Money book. I would recommend the Secrets of a Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Ecker. That was an eye opener for me to help you rethink how you think about your life and money and the language you have towards it and the mentality you have towards it when it comes to the evolution of you. One of my biggest and best books is called the Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukoff. He's my favorite author. It is one of Oprah's favorite books and Jay Z's favorite books, surprisingly, probably one of the hardest books I've ever had to read. But that was one of those books that when I read it, I could never look back or think about life in my mere existence the same. But to this day, that is my favorite book, hands down. And he's my favorite author.
- [38:14]
Dr. Francis Richards
Thank you for that. We come to the part of our interview. It's called Rapid Round of Fun. I'm going to ask you a series of questions and I'd like you to give me very quick answers. If there's something you desire not to answer, feel free to say pass. Are you ready for the Rapid Round of Fun?
- [38:30]
Ashley M. Fox
Let's do it.
- [38:31]
Dr. Francis Richards
What is your favorite comfort food?
- [38:34]
Ashley M. Fox
Annie's fruit snacks.
- [38:37]
Dr. Francis Richards
The last movie you saw?
- [38:39]
Ashley M. Fox
Devil Wears Prada.
- [38:41]
Dr. Francis Richards
You relax. Doing what?
- [38:44]
Ashley M. Fox
Nothing. On the couch.
- [38:45]
Dr. Francis Richards
Your favorite singer or rapper?
- [38:48]
Ashley M. Fox
Singer Mariah Carey. Rapper Jay Z.
- [38:50]
Dr. Francis Richards
Your favorite dance song?
- [38:52]
Ashley M. Fox
I don't know. But I have a playlist called Healing with Abs. So I want to get abs and I have a playlist that drives me to work hard to get abs. And there's about 50 songs on that list. I can't think of one. But I'm going to just give you my Healing with Abs title playlist.
- [39:09]
Dr. Francis Richards
That what food do you eat every week, no matter what?
- [39:14]
Ashley M. Fox
Egg whites and grapefruit. I eat that every day for breakfast. Your ideal car right now it is a 2025 S680 Maybach with the driver.
- [39:31]
Dr. Francis Richards
Thank you so much for joining us on Black Entrepreneur Experience podcast. Before we let you go, share with our audience the best way for them to connect with you to do business with you and leave all of your social media handles.
- [39:43]
Ashley M. Fox
Yes. So you can find us@emplify.com empify.com we have our free classes, free resources, our Wealth Builders community app which is our membership based platform. You can find me on social media, Instagram, Underscore, Ashley M. Fox, TikTok, the Ashley M. Fox and LinkedIn and YouTube, Ashley M. Fox and Emplify across all platforms.
- [40:04]
Dr. Francis Richards
Thank you Ashley. That's a wrap.
- [40:06]
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