Win With Paid Ads™ Podcast

Episode #108: How I Built an 8-Figure Business From Scratch
Host: Ashley Brock
Date: February 26, 2026

Episode Overview

In this deeply personal and insightful solo episode, Ashley Brock shares her journey from being an only child with big dreams to founding and scaling an eight-figure business in digital advertising. Ashley walks listeners through the pivotal moments, setbacks, and strategic decisions that have shaped both her life and her entrepreneurial success. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, risk-taking, and the power of paid advertising, aimed at inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners to dream—and act—bigger.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ashley’s Formative Years: Family, Sports, and Early Lessons

[01:30 – 08:00]

• Grew up an only child, highly opinionated and competitive.
• Parents divorced early: experienced alternating family dynamics and brief spells with step-siblings.
• Learned ambition and perseverance from her parents: Mom (teacher, counselor, and math whiz) and Dad (lifelong salesman).
• Early love for sports: basketball and soccer became central to her identity.
• Excelled academically (“I never made a B as an actual grade for a class.” [03:35])
• Parents incentivized performance: car or sorority if she graduated in the top 10 of her class; Ashley chose the car and graduated 10th.

First Jobs and Early Entrepreneurship

[11:50 – 21:10]

• First job as a hostess at O’Charley’s; manager doubted her under pressure.
  • “You can’t handle too many things at once, so you’re just gonna stay a hostess.” ([13:44])
• Attended University of Georgia, away from closest friends, started “from scratch” socially.
• Met Kyle (now husband) during a pickup basketball game—a pivotal “love & basketball” moment.
• Struggled with work ethic and budgeting in college; first job at Chick-fil-A in Athens.
• Ashley’s first entrepreneurial venture:
  • Inspired by fraternity parking lots, pitched and ran a private parking lot on game days.
  • “I’d never made $75 in 75 seconds… I literally hit the lottery. Like, I put that sign out there... first game, we sold out that parking lot.” ([21:00])
  • Learned a foundational lesson: Value beats hours spent.

Path Through the Agency World

[21:10 – 46:30]

• First “real” job: marketing agency (Full Media), managed small business accounts across SEO, SEM, email, and social media.
• Progressed to larger agencies, working with Fortune 500 brands and six-figure daily ad budgets.
• Managed large teams, learned advanced analytics/reporting, and experienced cross-channel advertising at scale.
  • “I got to really see advertising at scale and learn from so many other experts.” ([39:35])
• Notable clients: GameStop, Coca-Cola, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, California Closets, Thumbtack, Rockport, and more.

Teaching, Consulting, and Repetition of Core Problems

[46:30 – 54:50]

• Evening side-hustle: teaching advertising at General Assembly.
• Began consulting privately—realized the same core questions across small owners and CMOs.
  • “The same questions the CMO... were asking were the same ones these small business owners were asking.” ([50:00])
• Reached personal bandwidth limits; recognized the need for scalable solutions.

Failed Early Ventures and The Value of Trying

[55:00 – 01:01:50]

• Formed a network marketing side business and a credit-rewards blog (“Travel Cash With Ash”).
• Launched a digital course (“How to Get a Job in Digital Marketing”)—few sales, but ultimately hired her first director (Laura Beth) from the tiny customer base.
  • “There are all these different things you’re gonna try. Just because it feels chaotic and it's not working doesn’t mean it’s not actually working for you.” ([59:15])
• Core lesson: Clarity comes from movement.

Pivotal Moments, Personal Struggles, and Big Bets

[01:01:50 – 01:14:00]

• Personal turbulence: relationship with husband Kyle suffered; Ashley searched for distraction and poured energy into entrepreneurship.
• Discovery moment: Rachel Hollis audiobook—“You can want something more for yourself for no other reason than because it makes your heart happy.” ([01:05:10])
• Decided to create ads training: taught the first program live while heavily pregnant; first $1,000 sale felt transformative.

Notable Quote

• “Courage will precede confidence. You will not have confidence when you begin, but you must have courage to begin.” ([01:09:00])

Investment, Momentum, and Scaling Fast

[01:14:00 – 01:34:00]

• Hired Laura Beth as the first team member.
• Took a huge financial leap: $50,000 investment in a sales training program, funded by credit cards after a moment of faith.
  • Emotional story: gaining the blessing of husband and especially her frugal mother.
  • “Ashley, open your hands. You have faith with your words, but not your money.” ([01:19:30])
• Invested further: $125,000 to work more closely with mentors, even sat with Alex Hormozi; reinvested in herself and company at each stage.
• Ran first live event via paid ads with minimal following—resulted in her first six-figure day; six months later, her first seven-figure day.

Notable Quote

• “If you have value, it doesn’t have to take a certain amount of time… You can make money based on value.” ([01:28:55])

Mindset Evolution and CEO Lessons

[01:34:00 – 01:40:00]

• Transitioned from scarcity to abundance, learned to bet on herself before anyone else would.
• Embraced rapid decision making: “They don’t waste time in indecision; they spend time in precision and decision mode.” ([01:33:00])
• Built a team that grew as the company scaled.
• Belief in acting as the $25 million CEO today to become the $100 million CEO tomorrow.

Notable Quote

• “Your identity will precede your results. People can’t wait to find you. They can’t wait to pay you. Growth is uncomfortable and so worth it.” ([01:39:10])

Encouragement and Call to Action

[01:40:00 – end]

• Ashley invites listeners to embrace discomfort, take bold action, and “act it into existence.”
• Opportunity: Join the Win With Paid Ads Challenge to learn, connect, and accelerate business goals.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Value, Not Time:
  “If you have the right offer for the right person at the right time, they buy it. That was pretty cool.” ([21:07])
• On Early Failure:
  “No one got a job [from the course]… but it was creating the me that is the me today. It was data.” ([58:55])
• On Courage vs. Confidence:
  “Courage will precede confidence. You will not have confidence when you begin, but you must have courage to begin.” ([01:09:00])
• On Faith and Risk:
  “Ashley, open your hands. You have faith with your words, but not your money.” ([01:19:30])
• On Growth and Identity:
  “Your identity will precede your results… The beliefs that got you to where you are won’t be the same beliefs that carry you to where you’re going.” ([01:37:10])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:30] – Early family and sports experiences
• [13:44] – O’Charley’s manager doubts
• [21:00] – First entrepreneurial win (parking lot)
• [39:35] – Agency world lessons and scale
• [46:30] – Teaching and consulting
• [55:00] – Learning through failed side ventures
• [01:05:10] – Rachel Hollis quote; personal epiphany
• [01:09:00] – Courage precedes confidence
• [01:19:30] – Faith-driven $50,000 investment
• [01:28:55] – Value vs. time
• [01:33:00] – Decision making as a CEO

Conclusion

Ashley’s story is a blueprint for entrepreneurial grit and smart risk-taking. Her willingness to act before she felt ready, continually invest in herself, and find lessons in every misstep offers invaluable insight for anyone growing a business. She leaves listeners with the challenge to become the CEO they aspire to be—today.

To learn more about Ashley’s approach and connect with other ambitious entrepreneurs, check out the Win With Paid Ads Challenge.