From $20k Debt to Dream Yoga Studio: How Ashley Reed Built Body Art Noire [Ep 25]

Send a textWhat does it take to turn a dream into reality—and build a thriving business that serves your community? In this episode of Financial Confidence for High Achieving Women, I chat with Ashley Reed, owner of Body Art Noire in Inglewood, California. Ashley shares her inspiring journey from navigating layoffs and personal financial challenges to opening a yoga studio designed to make wellness accessible for everyone.Whether you’re dreaming of starting your own business, looking for financial inspiration, or just want to hear a real story of patience, perseverance, and community, this episode is packed with practical takeaways and heartfelt wisdom.We dive into:How Ashley’s experience with being laid off from her job led her to discover yoga and her passion for wellness.The personal finance lessons that made her entrepreneurial journey possible, including paying off debt and crowdfunding her dream.The power of community and social capital—how asking for help and saying yes to support turned her vision into a reality.The ups and downs of opening a brick-and-mortar business, from renovations to working with vendors (and sweating through it all!).Balancing a 9-to-5 job while building a business and why stability can actually accelerate your dreams.Ashley and Taryn’s exciting Mindful Money & Movement series, combining financial wellness with chakra-focused yoga flows.Resources for this episode Mindful Money and Movement Series @ Body Art Noire:- Sept 14, 2pm: Money Systems to Build Wealth (Solar Plexus Vinyasa)  - Nov 9, 2pm: Holiday Shopping Plan (Heart Chakra Vinyasa)  Get your tickets here: https://www.bodyartnoire.com/class-scheduleBook: Brass Knuckle Finance by Jarim Person Crowdfunding Platform: iFundWomenMemorable Quotes- “You can get out of [debt] and go back into it. Sometimes you just need to go through things a couple of times to be like, that’s enough.” — Ashley Reed- “When women have money and when women are confident with their ability to manage...we automatically do a greater good.” — Taryn- “It is a journey. I started this back in 2010, and here I am at 2025, still using a lot of the same basic financial principles” — Ashley ReedConnect with Ashley Reed & Body Art Noire