Megan: Thank you guys so much for joining us today on SheBoss. I am delighted to be joined by Ashley Engles Ross with the Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce. Ashley and I have talked, um, a little bit offline and have known each other for a long time, and this is. This interview and you sitting here is way overdue.
Way overdue because you are excited, you’re such a light in our community and, uh, just brings so much joy and intention to what you do. And that has been obvious in, in the relationship that we have had. But from the outside looking in, you just bring such a light to our community. So we’re gonna talk a little bit more about what she does.
In just a minute. Um, but as we talked about, a lot of people may not know your background a little bit. Okay. And just know kind of where you started, what brought you to Huntsville. I know you’ve got a military background [00:01:00] in your family too. Mm-hmm. So talk a little bit about that aspect and then we’ll kind of dive into your position today.
Ashley: Okay. So what brought us here? Um. Uh, my husband, my husband got stationed here. Um, we bounced around between, uh, far West Texas and Colorado. Um, Jim moved into space and missile defense, and that’s, uh, we came from Fort Bliss to Redstone and that’s, and so that’s how we stopped and landed here. Um, our kids were little.
They were, everybody was in elementary school and middle school when he retired. And so it was kind of like, oh, we’ve moved every two years for the last, I don’t know, 15, 20 years. We, and so, um, it was just kind of a, it was a great job market for him. Mm-hmm. Um, and I had. Uh, worked in the couple things that you’ve seen over the course of the years, but it was a good job market and it was a good place to be, and our kids were settled in school and so that’s, that’s how we landed here.[00:02:00]
Megan: Yeah. And you’re originally from where? Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Okay.
Ashley: Ghost Steelers. Hailed to pit baby. Awful. I love it. I love it. Yeah. Everybody’s like. War Eagle, roll tide, hail on the pit. They’re like, what? I’m from the A, c, C. Now my money’s going down here now. ’cause I do have a child at Alabama, but that’s great.
Yeah. I still am gonna. Hail the Panthers first.
Megan: I was surprised when I moved to Huntsville almost 20 years ago, and legitimately the DMVI was asked, okay, which team are you on? Yeah. And I did keep your stand, what that meant. Mm-hmm. No, I went to college at a school that held the longest losing streak in college, perform history.
So we didn’t go to celebrate football, we just went to drink beer. There we go. Yeah. So when I moved to up up here, I was like, oh, SEC. Okay, I get it now. That is just not something I was used to, you know?
Ashley: No, you know, it’s, it’s funny. So, um, it was. Pit Penn State. That was the big rivalry that I grew up with.
Um, but I. I somehow missed all of the SEC and [00:03:00] the Auburn, Alabama. I’m so sorry. I nothing against anyone. I just totally missed that. And now, um, my son is at Alabama and there he doesn’t, everyone around him is from California and New Jersey and has this sweet friend from Wisconsin that was just at my house in Texas.
And I, I mean, they’re. None of them. Uh, so I don’t know how I missed it, but I sure did. Yeah.
Megan: Well, and Bama pulls in students from all Yeah. Over the place. So my daughter is there right now. We are learning so much about it. We see. She says, why need to come? Look, I’m not outta fun. I doubt. So she’s graduating in July.
Yeah, so she was able to finish her undergrad in two years, which, oh, my stars. Thank you. Madison City Schools. That’s, that’s amazing. That’s fantastic. Cow. She’ll be done. Yeah. Which is really exciting. And then I’ve got a stepson at James Glennons.
Ashley: Okay. Okay. Yeah. So we, let’s, so my oldest, my oldest will graduate from Sanford in Birmingham.
Okay. [00:04:00] Uh, next, not next month, April, may. Yeah. May, may. Yep. Exciting. Like may, just a few months. Yes. Okay. Yes. The first weekend in May. How does that feel? Um, uh, I’m excited. I’m excited for her. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What is she studying? Uh, theater for youth is what she, um, is very, she’s incredible with children. Um, is really, um.
A, a, a gifted artist. Um, she’s doing some acting right now. Uh, but like I said, she’s really talented with children and watching her just kind of take off and. I, I think she is ready for the next step. For the next thing. Yeah. Uh, and so we’re anxious to see what that will be.
Megan: Yeah. That generation has, has not had it easy.
No. Just with the pandemic and COVID and everything and, uh, you know, getting into the real world. The real world is. Just changed so much where it [00:05:00] was, I mean, even now, you know, I mean my daughter, what, what she wants to do is gonna be heavily impacted by federal funding. And so we’re like, you know what, maybe just go overseas and teach English as a second language for a little bit.
Very out to avoid the chaos That is our environment right now. That’s right. We’re having a maneuver through, you know? That’s right. So, and then I also have a son named Jack.
Ashley: Oh my gosh.
Megan: I know, I know. See, see you look at that. I know. God. You, you discovered you. I know, I know. How did we miss that? I don’t know.
Ashley: This is, oh my goodness. Okay.
Megan: Yeah. I’m so glad that you’re here. Um, so you studied social work? I did. And found that really, really interesting that you worked a bit in with child protection Yeah. And all that. So talk a little bit about your experience there.
Ashley: So I, um. It’s kind of funny. I knew I wanted to go into social work.
I actually transferred. I started at Clearing University in Pennsylvania, um, and, uh, knew after a, a couple semesters and a co doing a couple different [00:06:00] things that I wanted to go into. Social work, loved Pitt, loved the city, loved everything about it, um, and transferred there. Uh, to go to Pitt. Never. It’s so funny ’cause I met with some students from JP two today and I, they were asking me about my story and I was telling them frequently when you hear people, uh, in social work, they went there like going a medical track and wanted to go into clinical social work.
I never did. I never did, I never wanted to work in a hospital. I never, I loved community work and that’s really what I wanted to focus on, and Pitt allowed that. And so, um, I worked in a, a food kitchen that also had a clinic and um, then also had an afterschool program. Um, so that’s kind of where I. Got started with all of that.
Mm-hmm. Um,
Megan: what, what happened in your life that sort of influenced you to take that path? Was there a moment where you had [00:07:00] an experience that sort of opened your eyes to social work and, and the impact around that? Or were your parents influential in that or?
Ashley: Um, you know, I think. There were a lot of different things, but probably the most impactful was I went to, I was a camp counselor at, uh, at Camden, Camden, New Jersey.
And I, we had kids that would come to us for during the day camp and in essence, um, weak. I couldn’t walk them home. Because I would draw too much attention to walking them home. It was too, I, I made it more dangerous. Why is that? Walking into their neighborhoods. Ah, okay. And, um, I knew because of things that we experienced, and that was my first encounter with a social worker because I had to call social services for the, for my, for a couple of the kids that I worked with.
Um, that was kind of the [00:08:00] first. I’ve always been drawn to community and how communities were organized and the influence and impact that a community has. But in that circumstance, I’m, you know, I’m trying to take these kids home or try and, and they’re coming back to me every morning and I’ve got, I’ve only got them for so many hours in a day, and I spend the first hour or more just trying to regroup and get us back.
Back to where we are, to having fun and being kids. And when you negative, that happened and, and it’s everything, right? It’s not just their home, it’s the homes around them, the businesses that are or are not around them, the schools that they have access to, the atmosphere, the other people, the, and, and I think that, that it was at, it was at that point that I thought.
I can work with this little individual [00:09:00] all day, every day. I can give them every ounce of my being, and I know that I can and I will. But if I can’t change this, if I can’t do something to make this better in some way. Yeah. Yeah, the broader system, how do you Right then this is never, I, I’m never gonna be able to help this little person.
Yeah. As much as I would like to. And so that was probably the, the most impactful and influential. And that was, I mean, I came away from that. Um. 18 years old, ready to save the world. Uh, you know, and I, but um, I came away from that angry. Yeah. Um, but it sounds like also energized, but driven. Yeah. And, and understanding that that’s, and then, right.
That was the beginning [00:10:00] of my collegiate. Experience and then having more experiences as I went through. Which, um, so over the course of, you know, you’re a military spouse, you’re moving mm-hmm. Nonstop, you’re, I worked in for the Department of housing, administering housing grants, you know, um, going all over the place.
I had actually gone back to nursing school. Not gone back to nursing school, gone back to college to be a nurse. Mm-hmm. I had had training in the Army as a medic and a psych tech. And I thought, well, I kind of knew basic anatomy, you know, I know something. And everywhere we were stationed, nurses could get a job.
Mm-hmm. And I thought, I’m, I’m just, I’m gonna do that. Um, but of course I had already applied for all of these jobs and, um. While I was in my first semester, I got a phone call. They asked me to [00:11:00] come interview. Never, never ever did I ever wanna work in child protection. I had done stints, I knew I had children.
That changes it for me. Mm-hmm. That changed things. Um, kind of makes me start to my tease chatter a little bit as I remember all of this, but I, um. Uh, I went into that interview and I’m not like, I’ve been nervous about doing this forever in a day. Like, I’m not that person that’s like, I knocked that interview out of the park.
I, I got this job. I, but I walked out of there and thought, oh, they’re gonna offer me this job. And I, and I didn’t know that I wanted it. I mean, I. I prayed about it. I talked to my husband about it. I was like, I just, I don’t know, but they offered it and I took it and, um, I learned a lot. Mm-hmm. Um, I learned a lot about, a lot [00:12:00] had experiences that, um, I remember to this day, think of the people that I worked with and what they endured.
To do their job and to do it well, um, for the love of the yeah. Families that they served, um, but got pregnant with my third surprise. Yeah. And, um, uh, we quite honestly, this so apropos to today, we couldn’t afford daycare. Yeah. We couldn’t afford daycare for a third child. And so, um, that. Did it, I had to, you know, my husband was active duty.
He wasn’t quitting. Yeah. And so, um, I, I left, uh, I got out of that then. And what did I do next? I ended up working for a nonprofit at Fort Bliss. This was, uh. [00:13:00] Couple assignments later may have been our next assignment. And a really neat opportunity again, uh, for a nonprofit called Operation Home Front, serving military families.
Um, when their service member was deployed in doing things like, um, it was hysterical. I would go out and collect, uh, donations from dollar trees and all these of school supplies and Christmas presents and baby supplies. And so we did this big, um. Christmas parents would come in and shop for, shop for their kids for Christmas.
Love that. And, and then we did a back to school drive and, and that, and then, um, kids came through and picked up their backpack and got all their school supplies and we did that. And then we did a big, huge baby shower, um, for folks. Yeah, I mean, it was really, I’m laughing as I’m remembering the, because. I had to go out and collect it all, so I had boxes all over my garage.
It was like, come on, [00:14:00] kids. And we would just have piles of tablets and pencils and pens and get, and it was like the pen’s over there, the tablet’s over there. Collegiate rule. Tablet there, you know, I mean, it was like, holy cow. Took over our house. Yeah,
Megan: it was, it was, it was really neat. So, um, you have been the vice president of Small Business and the Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
Yes. Um, since 2021. Yes. Yep. So, yeah, and we have, um, you know, for anybody who listens to this knows, and we’ve got just a handful of the ladies on the wall here, but, um, you know, we’ve talked with Pam Jamar, who love Pam Jamar. Um, but. The Chamber has consistently come up in conversations for sure. Um, as just being such an amazing resource in our community that goes small to me.
Oh my gosh. And granted, I will say, you know, I haven’t done business in other studies, huntsville’s, where I’ve always had my professional career. And so I don’t have a lot of things necessarily to compare [00:15:00] it to, but. I don’t know what our community would be without the Huntsville Chamber. I truly don’t.
Mm-hmm. In the Madison Chamber as well. And I love that you guys partner on different things and um, you know, Michelle has just grown that organization and she really alley, which has just been amazing. But, um, the chamber’s been such a staple, um, in a cornerstone for our community and so many different ways.
Um, and you know, of course the pandemic was a huge thing that had a massive impact on so many people. I do not know that we would be here still if we did not have the chamber in our back pocket as a resource during that time. Truly. ’cause you, nobody really knew how to maneuver and you guys were just on it, you know, immediately, which was amazing.
But talk a little bit about your role at the Chamber now. Yeah, and I, you know, from the outside looking in and we all see the things that you do, but. You have so much fun in your role and you bring so much joy to that organization. I try to. You do. Yeah, you do. And it’s not easy, you know, meeting a lot of, and you have how many hundreds of members, right?
To be able to, yeah. 2100. But that’s, that’s [00:16:00] a lot. And so I had to provide programming that meets the needs of all of those people. It seems like there’s a little bit. For everybody, you know. Good. Which I just love It seems that way. Yeah. Um, so just talk about your role there and I’ll kind of dive into some questions specifically to that.
Ashley: Um, so it’s really kind of funny. I, um, I got involved with this chamber. I attended a networking event that Pammy hosted, right? And so that’s when I met Pammy and, um, formed a professional, like knew who she was, engaged with her when I could. Um, that was my introduction to the Huntsville Chamber and then, which obviously segued into this.
And Pam, um.
Pam has been, was and has been an advocate for me in this role, and I’m so grateful for that and call, and I can call [00:17:00] her at any time and say, what, what just happened? What am I doing? This is just, and, and, and she’s always been there. So that’s kind of just the fun. Um, segue into how I landed, um, at the Chamber.
Megan: And Hammy used to be Pammy was me. She was, yeah. She was in your role prior to, and now she leads the Athens Limestone. That’s as her Chamber of Commerce. And Pammy Jamar is a former she boss guest, yeah. In the early days. Um, yeah. But I have to say, uh, what an amazing resource for you to have in your back pocket.
Yes. In her ’cause. Yes, she is like. I don’t know that you could get a better mentor friend. No. Like just, I mean, she’s just such a light and just, you know, you know that those are big shoes to fill.
Ashley: Yeah. Coming in. Yeah, it was, it was. Um, but she was cheering me on and, and you know, as you said. Huntsville Chamber Ha is an amazing team of people.
They’re [00:18:00] incredibly talented, very gifted, um, and they’re definitely, they’re always there and willing to help. And so the small business office at the Huntsville Chamber is really kind of, we’ve tried to really make it almost like a, a, a small business ecosystem, right? Like we have networking events, we host things so that.
Small businesses can co uh, connect with each other. We have professional development events that are not only for individual development, but also hoping to engage those businesses in business, in the community. Mm-hmm. We offer C-Suite series where we bring in folks that would be kind of ideal mentors and to hear from them and what they’ve done and how, how they’ve done it and what they’ve accomplished.
Then we have these incredible branding opportunities with best places to work, which we’re in the middle of. If you haven’t finished your small, your, your. Your, uh, surveys. You need to do that now. Yep. They’re due very soon. Um, um, and then, and then also [00:19:00] the small business awards that we talked about. So Right.
The, the small business office is kind of, encompasses all of those things and really is trying to engage the, the community and provide resources. And within all of those. You’re right. The Chamber has 2100 members. We range from solopreneurs to companies like Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen
Megan: and these huge, so with, with the chamber having 2100 members.
Yeah. Obviously seeing a lot of growth in that. Um, you know, for those that don’t know, home to Redstone Arsenal, huge. A community here. Yeah. Um, big biotech community. I mean, there’s lots of different industry efforts happening here, but for someone who may not be a member of the Chamber. Honestly, I would love to hear from you, like what, and I could talk about the chamber all day long, but what, what benefits would you say that maybe a smaller business or someone who is starting a business who may think, oh, the Chamber’s not for me.
It’s just for bigger companies, right? It is. Absolutely not. No. Like it’s [00:20:00] for businesses of all sizes. So if you’re a new resident here, if you’re a new business owner who’s relocated here, if you’re a, a wife or a partner of someone who got stationed here, right. What are some of the benefits to someone joining the Chamber as a member?
Ashley: I think that probably the biggest, the biggest benefit is the connection. Um, I would say the connection and then if you’re a business owner and you have a business, right, it’s, it’s the mark, the different marketing opportunities. Mm-hmm. Everyone and anyone can attend our events. Now to participate in, like to be a contender in the small business, where is the best places to work?
You have to be a member, but anyone can intend and engage. And so I would say someone that’s new to someone that’s new, just come. Yeah. Um, the Women’s Business Council hosted a social, this was probably last year’s end of year social, and I think we had three spouses. Um, of folks, not necessarily service [00:21:00] members, but they were new, they had relocated to the community.
And I remember the, um, one woman, she was like, she had this idea for a business that she had been thinking about. Well, it was so fabulous because. She was in a room filled with business owners mm-hmm. Just like her that at one point had had an idea that they thought about. Right. This is, these are the places to connect with people.
Doing all different things. You are going to meet people that are involved in social organizations that can tell you the best restaurant to go to, that can tell you what business to use for your air conditioning. That can tell you, right? I mean these, and I think the, the, the greater thing is that if you engage in all of the different activities at the chamber, not only are you gonna find out, um.
The [00:22:00] nooks and crannies of your community, as well as the ways to navigate it. You’re gonna learn about what makes the community tick and what makes it grow. And maybe find your niche and maybe, you know, all of, so, um, it’s funny that you ask that because in El Paso when I was, um, in graduate school, no, I was done with graduate school at this point anyways, I went to chamber meetings, just.
To hear what was going on, to see who was there to start learning about who was what in the community, what kind of efforts the community was involved in. Um, and it’s just. It’s a great way to do that. As, as a member, as a new member. Um, they have new member luncheons that you can come to learn about all different ways to take advantage of your, of your membership and meet other people in the community.
All the different programs that you can continue to engage [00:23:00] in. Um. All the marketing opportunities within our marketing department. Submit flyers, put things on our calendar. Yeah. Watch our calendar for upcoming events. Um, learn about the ribbon cuttings, learn about right. It’s just, um, it’s an incredible source of engagement.
It’s an incredible source of learning how your community ticks. Yeah. And what is happening. Um. What the hot button issues are. What? You know what? All I’m, I’m repeating myself. Oh, but you’re right
Megan: though. Yeah. Well, and I would say, you know, maybe this is, I don’t know if this is unique to Han. Well, I think there’s a lot of unique things about Hansville.
I feel like we’re in a little bit of a bubble in the state, you know, compared to the rest of the state. But, um. I, I feel as though people really share a similar vibe here where they’re willing to go outta their way to help other people. Mm-hmm. And I feel like that’s just, if you live in Huntsville, Madison County, that’s just part of who you are.
You know? I mean, it’s not a, it’s not a hundred percent, but most of the people who share a similar mindset just like that, where they just wanna connect. I [00:24:00] mean, that, that mindset is very front and center, I feel.
Ashley: Absolutely.
Megan: So it’s, yeah, the connection is, is a huge part of it.
Ashley: And I think that you’ll find even within, um.
Not even within, you’ll find within the business community if you are thinking about starting. Starting a business or you have an idea, or there are people here that are willing to go grab coffee Yeah. And talk about it. Yeah. There are, they, they are willing to say, well, uh, you might wanna do this or start here, or, I did this, you know, there.
And, and I think, um, to take it back to why the chamber. If you attend chamber events, if you, you’re, you’re gonna connect with people in all different industries. Yes. Um, aerospace and defense is huge here, and it is what we’re known for and will continue to be known for as well as. Um, biotech and all of those things, right?
But, um, [00:25:00] you, you will find others that are willing to talk to you and give you advice and tell you how, how they did. I mean, you look at some of the biggest companies like Intuitive, I mean, who hasn’t. Had the great opportunity to hear about, hear Ray Alvar talk about how that, how intuitive was started.
And I’ve been fortunate enough to hear stories of people that had worked for him that he turned around and said, Hey man, it’s it’s time. You’re, you’re ready. It’s time for you to start your own business and. I’ve got some business for you. Yeah. You know, I mean, and they’re here.
Megan: Yeah. They’re here.
Intuitive is, uh, intuitive research and technology corporation or intuitive research check. Intuitive. Intuitive. Intuitive. They’re great. I know, but they, they are what a what a another cornerstone to our community of rice, you know, great successful business of, you know, two guys that started this, gosh, long time ago, many stories ago.
Um, but just such an amazing company. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Love that [00:26:00] company. They’re great. That’s awesome. Thank you so much for every Yay. Doing our community, Phil, the Small Business Awards, I know you do a lot of programs, but that’s sort of a little cherry on top of every young that you get to do and you know, all of the programming that really fuels the growth and fuels the innovation and fuels the networking, I feel is though, is really celebrated it something like the Small Business award.
Good. That’s you’re supposed to everyone, everyone’s supposed to feel celebrated. Yeah. At the Small Business award. Yeah. It’s a, it’s a great event. Good. It’s a great event. Thank you. Um, and, uh, it’s just, yeah, it, it holds a very special place in our heart. Um. So funny story real quick that you’ll get a kick outta.
So We Flourish was nominated, um, for a small business award like years ago. I think it was in 2019. Okay. No one knew who we were. Like not, not a single thing. Um, people thought we sold plants, you know?
Ashley: Like,
Megan: yeah. Right. Because, you know, um, and, uh, Logan Moore and Logan Kate now, um, she was my, my employee at the time, there was only two of us.
Okay. And I was like, [00:27:00] Logan, we got nominated for this award. We gotta go and, but if we’re gonna go, we gotta go big. And she’s like, what do you, what do you mean? You know? And the theme that year, I think it was three Oh, Amy Yep. Was Fire and Ice with gay thrones. Yeah. Yes. And so I was like. Theme, give me a theme and I’m gonna lean into it.
Right? So I found this woman on Facebook who does face painting, and I went as a fire and Logan went as ice. And we had this paint just across our face and we just had little black dresses on and then the paint. And she, it took a little bit of wine to get her convinced to go, because our walking in, like nobody knows who we are.
But the second we walked in, Pammy was there interviewing people and she didn’t know who we were, but she’s like, get over here girls. You know, and just put Oh yeah. In our ace. Oh yeah. And it was, it was the best experience. We just had such a great time. But it was, a lot of the things were, um, truly. As a small business owner watching that event unfold and seeing people just celebrate each other and Yes.
You know, it was something that stuck with me, not because we were covered in [00:28:00] face paint, but because it, um, it just, I was like, I want that. Yeah. I wanted a piece of that and it just sort of fueled this fire, I think, and, you know, and you guys do that on a daily basis. In so many different ways. You know,
Ashley: I, um, the small business awards, you know, you get to go and I obviously get to get walk around as people are coming and welcome them and, um, I can’t tell you the number of times, uh, companies, I, it Cortina solutions it, right?
They were like the first person that said this to me, um, they said, we come every year. We come every year, um, whether we’re nominated or not. We’re, we’re here just to root our friends on just to celebrate and have fun. Um, there was another organization in town, they were like, no, this is, this is what we’re doing every year to celebrate our employees.
Like it’s fantastic. We’re bringing the leadership team here. We’re, and, and, and this is what we’re gonna do. Um, because it’s just. I mean, right. I hope, I [00:29:00] want it to be something that every contender is there. Every everyone that’s there should feel like you’re celebrated and you’re recognized for the work that you do on our community.
Yeah. Um, everyone is valuable. Everyone, you know, we can’t, you can’t put on programs like that. You can’t have a successful community without these small businesses. So that’s really. That’s what, that’s the motivation that’s behind putting that on. We’re just there to celebrate and have fun, maybe poke a little bit of fun at ourselves and, um, and, um, I can’t do that.
What else? Oh yeah, that’s right. And so, um, it was, yeah, gosh. And last year, oh, we had, we’d weather, like there was a tornado warning. There was, and it was, we had all these phone calls, are you canceling? Are you, we were like, oh. I’m so sorry. Do you No, no. We can’t cancel. [00:30:00] Call me Dorothy. I know we can’t cancel chicken and steak.
Already cooking it. You’re not. Nope. There’s still, yeah, Abby probably cooked at that point. I don’t know, but Oh my gosh. Yeah. So it’s, um, welcome to North Alabama. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, um, it is a thank you for saying that. ’cause it’s, that’s important. That’s important. Yeah. And then, and it’s important to our team that everyone feels celebrated and valued.
Yeah. Um, because they are.
Megan: Yeah. And you guys, you guys make that, you can tell that that’s intentional. I. You know, from your team. So kudos to you for that. Thank you, Ashley. Thank you so much. Oh, I’m spending time. So glad. And we had to learn so much about each other. Yes. But I’m like, I love this so much. So, but thank you so much.
I mean, you, um, in my interpersonal opinion, you absolutely represent Yeshivas in so many different ways and you, I think even getting a chance to chat with you and learn more about you today, just. All that does is just reaffirm that, you know, 10, 5, 10, 10 times over. So, um, I’m honored to call you my friend.
Ashley: Thank you. With this feeling is mutual and I appreciate, I [00:31:00] appreciate the invitation.
Megan: Absolutely. All right, we’ll see you guys next time.