Published Articles
Hoping for a Second Chance
Read Article in Northern Michigan Woman Magazine
I’m sure you’ve heard the statistics: one in four women and one in seven men will be the survivors of domestic violence. That means one in four moms, one in seven dads, one in four women business owners, one in seven men business owners, one in four of your women coworkers and one in seven of your men coworkers.
I am the one in those statistics.
My relationship started out very intense. He was doting and would shower me with gifts. He would surprise me wherever I was and I thought, “Oh man, this guy really loves me! He wants to be everywhere that I am.”
I thought that that was a sign of his love when it was a sign of control. When you’re in love, those lines are very blurred. That’s how it starts.
It inevitably trickled into a more controlling dynamic. I was no longer allowed to drive anywhere. I wasn’t allowed to leave the house. I wasn’t allowed to work. It became verbal and physical abuse. It became financial and religious abuse.
Then, there were some explosions that were pretty hostile. I had to call the police a couple of times, each time not receiving the help or support I needed. I’m sure they see it all the time, so they think it’s just dramatized or exaggerated.
I was isolated from my family. I felt like I had no one. My friends weren’t welcome, so they never came around. And then it started getting more physical and aggressive. I grabbed my hidden credit card and cell phone, googled domestic violence shelters in the area and I left. Luckily, my mom let me stay with her and the next day, I went to a domestic violence agency.
They were amazing and welcomed me with open arms. They made sure that they advocated for my decisions, not necessarily decisions that they wanted to push on me. They also educated me on all of the different ways that I was being controlled and abused that I didn’t really see.
The agency connected me with the financing and funding to get my own apartment for six months so that I could move out on my own, which I had to do secretly when he was at work. And so I did that, got an apartment and went back to college to pursue my master’s degree in counseling after having completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology.
I had a professor in college who was an insurance agent at New York Life and needed a recruiter. I needed a job, so I took it and that is how I fell into recruiting.
The role turned into a recruiting position where I spearheaded the program and called the shots on decision making with the many different avenues to attract talent. I really cut my teeth on recruiting hard-to-fill positions.
I was using my psychology degree every day interviewing people and helping them figure out what their next step was in their career and what they actually wanted out of life. I loved recruiting and decided to pursue it full-time.
With a background in corporate, sales, and executive recruiting, I felt like I could do it better, that I could open a firm that actually advocated for its candidates and clients that we met everyday.
I also had this idea of partnering with the non-profit domestic violence agency that changed my life several years prior, to create a mission-driven business that had a mission and drive for philanthropy, and Hire For Hope was born.
The “hope” part of Hire For Hope is that we give 10 percent of our profit to non-profit organizations that support women who are experiencing domestic violence. My hope is that these contributions help women who are going through abusive relationships similar to what I went through, and ultimately get the second chance they deserve.
That’s how I came up with the concept of Hire For Hope, and I went for it. I was a one-woman-show for about a year until I hired my first employee. Now we have several employees and the business is booming.
I’ve always been interested to get deeper than just the surface level as to what the motivating factors in life are for the people we work with. We spend so much time at work that it’s really important to realize and recognize your behavioral factors in the workplace and how those create motivating needs. By being aware of peoples’ behavioral drives, we can predict the needs that motivate them. For this reason, Hire For Hope opened the talent optimization consulting division. It ended up complementing our recruiting division very well.
My goal is to continue growing the company, to continue helping to fund a non-profit organization that changed my life, to continue to find the best candidates for our clients and to help our clients maintain a highly-engaged workforce so they can focus on doing their important work in this world. I’ve grown my dream from a one-woman team to a team of ten, and am planning on another year of growth for Hire for Hope. I’m grateful for the opportunity to turn my life around, and hope that I can help other women in similar situations do the same.
My First 5 Years of Building a Business
Most entrepreneurs learn a lot in the first five years of running a business. Between business operations, leadership, sales, marketing - you name it - there is certainly a lot to digest while starting and running a business.
I started my company, Hire For Hope, an executive recruiting and talent consulting firm, as a one-woman show and was very content in doing so. I was excited about the freedom and flexibility it would provide me. My aspirations were originally to stay small and nimble. But, there came a point in my journey where my mindset started to shift. The flexibility was nice, especially since I could do my work from anywhere, but I started having desires to grow my business even more and add employees to my team.
The crossroads in a small business between being a one-person show and adding staff is a pivotal moment in the business’ evolution. Adding staff changes the entire game!
I started small by adding one employee so I could start creating the company culture of my dreams. I also was motivated to scale the philanthropic mission side of my business. I started my company with the mission to give ten percent of the business’ profit back to the community, specifically to a domestic violence agency that played a big role in my life in the past. By scaling my business, I knew I’d be able to make a greater impact in the community. My recruiting firm now has ten employees and is continuing to expand.
Along the journey over the past five years, it has not always been smooth sailing. There are many hurdles and barriers I’ve faced along the way. I have learned many lessons that have taught me how to manage stress, be resilient, and never give up.
Here are the top five lessons I’ve learned in my first five years of building a business:
Stress Management
As an entrepreneur, my motor is always going. I find myself having dozens of thoughts and ideas at once. Can you resonate? Managing stress has been a big learning curve for me. Learning to slow down to prioritize self-care and family time has been key. To do so, I track and log the things I do to manage stress on my business calendar. I color code my entire calendar, and personal or self-care items are in pink. If I look at any given week and I don’t see enough pink on my calendar, I know my overall health and wellness may take a toll. It’s also fun to look back at all the wellness time I’ve logged from the previous calendar year, which instills confidence that I’m fostering work/life balance. Prioritizing “self” time is key to combating stress.
Tenacity
Having been through many adversities in life, as many of us have, I’ve learned how to bounce back from failure very quickly. When something within the business isn’t working, I’m not afraid to change it and pivot to a new direction. It helps us stay nimble as a team and make quick decisions to move forward fast.
I’ve learned to take responsibility for my mistakes and take time to assess and reflect on what went wrong or what I could have done differently. Even in the face of adversity, it’s important to remain positive. A positive attitude and focusing on things within my control are essential for bouncing back quickly.
Leadership
Leadership has been a muscle I’ve certainly had to flex, stretch, and grow over time. As a new leader, when I hired my very first employee, I wasn’t well-versed in how to manage employees or make sure they were set up for success. It was definitely an experience where I learned on the job and challenged myself to get better and better. I read leadership books, listened to podcasts, learned from others in my network and incorporated a behavioral analysis tool so I could predict what motivates each of my employees. By using a behavioral tool, I have real data on how each of my employees are wired in order to best coach each of them based on their individual motivations and natural behavior styles. We use the same tool to help our clients motivate their teams.
Client Mindset
My business cannot be successful without providing value to our clients. We pride ourselves on white-glove service. I strive to be empathetic and understanding of the needs of my clients and take the time to listen to their concerns and needs. I make sure to ask questions to get a better understanding of their goals because in order to be valuable to our clients, we need to be working with them toward their objectives. Vulnerability is also key. I am open to feedback and am willing to make necessary changes to ensure the best results.
Growth Mindset
Having a growth mindset is an attitude that focuses on learning and improvement. One of Hire For Hope’s core values is “Curiosity” — encouraging each team member to never stop learning something new.
A growth mindset encourages a person to think outside the box, and it helps them to stay resilient in the face of failure. Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself and your abilities, and don’t be afraid to take risks. Believe that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to. Have a long-term vision. Don’t get caught up in short-term successes.
Heading into my sixth year of business, this growth mindset has led me to identify a need for a total rebrand of my business. Who we are today isn’t who we were five years ago, and it’s time our brand reflects that. We’re relaunching this spring with a new name, logo and colors, and I’m looking forward to announcing a brand that truly reflects the growth we’ve experienced and the kind of organization we are today.
Talent Optimization Strategies You Can Adopt at Your Organization Today
Most of us are feeling the pinch of the talent market affecting our businesses. I often ask company leaders what their talent strategy is and the truth is, many of them haven't invested any time into creating a playbook for attracting and retaining talent.
It's no surprise, as there are many factors keeping our leaders busy, such as managing growth or putting out fires. However, people are a company's most important asset, and the critical piece of the puzzle that's missing for most companies is a well-defined and easily executed talent optimization strategy. With a job market unlike any we've ever seen, now is the time to consider implementing talent optimization strategies within your organization.
SO, WHAT IS A TALENT OPTIMIZATION STRATEGY?
Talent optimization is a business' lifeline for managing and attracting talent. When we hear "optimization," we think about getting the most out of a resource.
By integrating a talent optimization strategy, you'll be able to get the most out of your people, enhance productivity and create a happier work environment. Getting the right person in the right seat doing the right job the right way, ensures your company will run smoothly on all cylinders. Creating an objective talent management process will enhance diversity, equity and inclusion, remove hiring biases and create a structured and consistent hiring process that works every time.
Here are five small and effective talent optimization tactics you can implement, right away:
1. Create a list of company cultural and behavioral traits used for employee hiring, promotion and discharge decisions.
Making decisions based on these traits holds each employee to the same standard related to the company's unique culture and values.
2. Gain hiring alignment on candidate qualifications by creating a candidate scorecard.
The scorecard does not have to be extremely intricate to be effective; a simple Excel sheet will do. Start with the top five prioritized skills and core behavioral traits for the role, which then makes it easy to assess a candidate's match on the scorecard.
3. Integrate behavioral or cognitive assessments into your hiring, selection and promotion process.
In a 2021 study conducted by the Predictive Index, employees determined that good managers utilize personality or behavioral assessments with greater frequency than bad managers. These make for easy and accurate data points for decision-making pertaining to talent. Do your research to select an assessment tool that's scientifically valid, equitable for a diverse candidate pool and compliant with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines.
4. Schedule consistent one-on-one meetings with employees.
All employees want to know where they stand. Having time set aside each week or month to discuss career mapping, role structure, and the changes in the organization will keep employees engaged and enhance the manager/employee relationship. Maintaining this relationship is vital, as 63% of employees with a poor manager relationship are thinking of leaving their company.
5. Create a standardized onboarding orientation for new employees.
It's hard enough to attract great employees, but once you get them, how do you keep them? New employees want to feel special and welcomed. Creating an onboarding checklist for an employee's first day will standardize the process for the leadership team and help the new employee feel the company was prepared to welcome them. Workstation set up? Check! Office tour? Check! New hire paperwork printed? Check!
In this job market, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Start with these small, easy steps and your organization will be well on its way to having the most optimal environment to recruit and retain top talent, so you can continue to do what your organization does best.
Ashley Ward is the Founder and CEO of Hire For Hope, a talent consulting and recruiting firm based in Grand Rapids. A survivor of domestic violence, Ashley founded Hire For Hope in 2017 with a mission to empower women experiencing domestic violence and now gives 10% of profits to the YWCA so that other women can have the same chance she did.
This article originally appeared in the Dec/Jan '21-'22 issue of West Michigan Woman.
Overcoming Burnout: Tips for Coping with Stress and Avoiding Burnout at Work
In today's fast-paced and demanding work environments, burnout has become an all-too-common experience. Juggling professional responsibilities, personal commitments and societal expectations can take a toll on our well-being, particularly for women navigating their careers.
As an advocate for women's empowerment and work-life balance, I'm dedicated to sharing practical strategies to help you cope with stress and prevent burnout in the workplace. Keep reading for valuable insights and tips to support you on your journey to a healthier, more fulfilling work life.
1. RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF BURNOUT
The first step in overcoming burnout is recognizing the signs. Common indicators include chronic exhaustion, decreased productivity, cynicism and a negative attitude towards work. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained or physically exhausted, it's essential to acknowledge these warning signs and take proactive steps to address them.
2. PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE
Self-care is not a luxury; it's a necessity. As women, we often prioritize the needs of others over our own well-being. However, taking care of yourself is crucial for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Make time for activities that bring you joy and help you relax, such as exercise, meditation, hobbies or spending quality time with loved ones. By prioritizing self-care, you can replenish your energy and better handle the demands of your career.
3. SET BOUNDARIES
Establishing boundaries is vital to prevent burnout. Learn to say "no" when your plate is already full, and be realistic about what you can accomplish within a given timeframe. Communicate your limits to your colleagues, superiors and even clients, if necessary. Setting boundaries allows you to maintain control over your time and workload, reducing the likelihood of becoming overwhelmed.
4. DELEGATE AND COLLABORATE
One of the most effective ways to avoid burnout is to delegate tasks and collaborate with others. As leaders, we tend to take on too much, believing that it's our responsibility to handle everything. However, learning to trust and empower your team is essential for your well-being and the success of your organization. Delegate tasks that can be handled by others, and foster a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility.
5. FOSTER SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Building a strong support system is crucial for combating burnout. Surround yourself with positive and supportive colleagues who understand the challenges you face. Share your thoughts and concerns with trusted mentors, peers or friends who can offer guidance and perspective. Having a network of like-minded individuals who can empathize with your experiences can provide valuable emotional support and help you navigate difficult times.
6. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS AND STRESS MANAGEMENT
Incorporating mindfulness and stress management techniques into your daily routine can significantly reduce burnout. Take regular breaks during the day to clear your mind, practice deep breathing exercises, or engage in short mindfulness sessions. Additionally, consider incorporating stress-relieving activities such as yoga or journaling into your schedule. These practices can help you stay grounded, manage stress and maintain a positive mindset.
7. TAKE TIME OFF
Vacations and time off are not indulgences; they are essential for your well-being and productivity. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that constant availability and long working hours make you a better professional. Instead, allow yourself regular breaks to rest and recharge. Disconnecting from work during your time off is crucial to ensure you come back refreshed and rejuvenated. Ask coworkers to cover for you when you're out so you can really unplug, and do the same for them in return.
8. SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP IF NEEDED
If despite your best efforts, you find yourself struggling with chronic stress and burnout, don't hesitate to seek professional help. A therapist or counselor can provide you with the tools and support necessary to overcome burnout and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength and self-care. I have two therapists and a mentor, and they have made a world of difference in my life pertaining to different topics and life lessons.
Overcoming burnout requires a proactive and holistic approach. By recognizing the signs of burnout, prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, delegating tasks, fostering supportive relationships, practicing mindfulness, taking time off and seeking professional help if needed, you can regain control over your well-being and career.
As a professional woman, your health and happiness matter. Embrace these strategies, find what works best for you, and strive for a harmonious balance between your personal and professional life. Together, we can create a workplace culture that values well-being, productivity and the success of women in their careers.
Ashley Ward is the Founder and CEO of W Talent Solutions, an executive recruiting firm based in Grand Rapids. A survivor of domestic violence, Ashley founded W Talent Solutions in 2017 with a mission to empower women experiencing domestic violence and now gives 10% of profits to the YWCA so that other women can have the same chance she did.
5 Steps to Nailing Post-Interview Communication
Congratulations! You've just completed a highly anticipated interview for your dream job. You prepared, gave it your best shot, and feel confident about the opportunity. Now what?
The ball may seem to be in the employer's court, but there are several key post-interview communication steps you can take to help you stand out from the competition and ensure you're viewed as proactive. To help keep your name at the top of the list (and the hiring manager's mind), consider these five steps for nailing post-interview communication.
MASTER THE THANK-YOU NOTE.
Be sure to collect email addresses of the interviewers to promptly send a follow-up thank-you note. It's recommended to follow up within 24 hours of the interview. Even better, follow up by the end of the day you interviewed, though this doesn't have to mean by 5 p.m. If you send the communication at 8 p.m., your email will have a good shot at being the first thing in their inbox in the morning.
The email's subject line should be something snappy, such as: "Thank you for your time today, [interviewer's name]." The body of the email should include gratitude for the interviewer's time and your interest in the role.
Pro tip: Be sure spellcheck is working properly or download a grammar plug-in. Lastly, your contact information should be nicely spelled out in the email signature.
MATCH YOUR UNIQUE ABILITIES TO THE JOB.
In this new era where culture trumps all, candidates are no longer assessed by their skillset alone. Culture fit, values alignment and a candidate's ability to catch up to speed quickly in complex environments all play a role in candidate selection. We call this the "Head, Heart and Briefcase." Remind the hiring manager why you're qualified in each of these arenas. Some of the best thank-you emails I've received from candidates include not only why their skillset matches the qualifications of the job, but also why their core values resonate deeply with the company.
Oftentimes after the interview, there can be things you feel were left unsaid or that you want to elaborate on. Briefly share those items in the follow-up correspondence. If certain strong suits you possess were listed on the job description but were not brought up in the interview, make sure to acknowledge them in your post-interview email.
IF YOU WANT IT, ASK FOR IT!
One of the most important pieces of advice I give for post-interview communication is this: If you really want the job, ask for it. I've worked with many hiring managers and CEOs that have said to me, "This candidate has the perfect experience, but I feel like she doesn't want it enough." In such an instance, all the candidate had to do was send a post-interview email and express genuine interest.
BE PATIENT.
If you don't hear back on the exact date the hiring manager wanted to have a decision made by, don't be discouraged. Companies have many moving parts and anything can derail hiring timelines. Oftentimes, it has nothing to do with the candidate's qualifications and is simply due to the company's internal relations.
CHECK BACK IN.
After the date has come and gone that the hiring manager said they'd have a decision by, send additional correspondence shortly after. This can be another email or a physical note in the mail, which can be a nice touch. Reiterate your interest, ask if they'd like you to provide references and ask where things stand with the process.
Ultimately, if you don't get the job, reach out with one more note asking for feedback. The feedback can help you learn and grow, and perhaps even demonstrate that you're interested in keeping the door open for future opportunities. What do you have to lose?
Now best of luck, and land that dream job!
Ashley Ward is the Founder and CEO of Hire For Hope, a talent consulting and recruiting firm based in Grand Rapids. A survivor of domestic violence, Ashley founded Hire For Hope in 2017 with a mission to empower women experiencing domestic violence and now gives 10% of profits to the YWCA so that other women can have the same chance she did.
This article originally appeared in the Jun/Jul '22 issue of West Michigan Woman.
Finding Hope After Domestic Violence
There was a time when I found myself torn between two decisions: to stay in a toxic relationship and allow my daughter to believe that violence equated love, or to flee an abusive situation, leaving behind everything I had, facing homelessness and the unknown.
I chose freedom. I chose myself. I chose to break the cycle.
The relationship started strong, and I was heavily courted. There were gifts, trips, the showering of affection, and an elaborate, over-the-top marriage proposal. I thought, "What more could I ask for?" But suddenly, these grandiose acts had strings attached. The manipulation was meticulously laced throughout every facet of our relationship. I seemed to have developed blinders from the enchantment and couldn't see the blatant red flags rearing their ugly heads.
The relationship spiraled and I began to gradually find myself emotionally manipulated, gaslighted, shamed, belittled, name-called, abandoned and isolated. I walked on eggshells until the tension became too overwhelming and I became the victim of an aggressive outburst. I was expected to perform the traditional duties of a wife based on his perception of a marriage that was unattainable. My basic rights were taken away, such as driving my car or using my cell phone. The ties with my family and friends were slowly severed through guilt and manipulation.
I doubted my own sanity.
A myth about domestic violence is that it manifests in the form of physical abuse only. I used to believe in that concept and didn't think my suffering was worthy of seeking help. It wasn't until my daughter was afraid for her safety in our own home that I gave myself permission to leave.
I sought help from two local domestic violence agencies that gracefully took me in and helped open my eyes to the prevalent abuse in my relationship that had been corrupted by power, control and narcissism. Domestic violence can take many forms, including physical, emotional, spiritual, financial or sexual abuse, and I found myself enduring them all.
The resources the agencies provided restored my sense of hope. They provided the knowledge to put my abuse into words, with a safe space to plan an exit strategy from my relationship, with an educational support group, a pro-bono legal service, and the funds for my daughter and I to get an apartment for six months so I could financially get back on my feet.
The healing journey is a lifelong evolution comprised of discovering and embracing our authentic selves while discarding the muck, shame and negativity of the past. I equate it to the lotus flower. Through mud, roots and sludge, the lotus flower beautifully blooms, proudly claiming its position in the world, demonstrating strength, resilience and perseverance.
Thankfully, there are healing methods I've discovered for the post-traumatic stress that many domestic violence survivors experience. None are a one-size-fits-all, and none of them are a quick cure, but all of them have helped me move gradually toward peace while healing. Therapeutic yoga, essential oils, meeting with my therapist, neurofeedback, and a regular exercise routine have all positively impacted my stress levels. Being vulnerable, leaving my shame at the door where it belongs, and openly sharing my story with the community has helped me reclaim control over my life while relating to others who share similar experiences.
Now, I have the confidence and freedom to blaze a new trail.
In 2017, I founded an executive recruiting and talent consulting agency, Hire For Hope. My firm donates 10% of its profit to West Michigan-based domestic violence agencies to support the same programs that have forever changed my life's trajectory. My hope is that I can help make change possible for women who are experiencing domestic violence and serve as an example of someone who was able to come out of it on the other side.
I am not alone in this journey. One in four women have experienced domestic violence, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Domestic violence doesn't need to be a taboo topic. The statistics prove that we all likely know someone experiencing domestic violence, and there are ways to make a difference by understanding the warning signs and being a resource to those in need.
By speaking up and being catalysts of awareness, resources and support, women experiencing domestic violence can lay the groundwork to change their lives for the better and receive the same hope that inspired me to rebuild my life.
RESOURCES:
YWCA West Central Michigan | ywcawcmi.org
Safe Haven Ministries | safehavenministries.org
SELAH Empowers | selah-empowers.org
Resilient Roots Trauma Informed Yoga | resilientrootsgr.com
Sound Body Sound Brain | soundbodysoundbrain.com
ThriveWorks Grand Rapids Domestic Violence Counseling | bit.ly/3oRp52b
Ashley Ward is the Founder and CEO of Hire For Hope, a talent consulting and recruiting firm based in Grand Rapids. A survivor of domestic violence, Ashley founded Hire For Hope in 2017 with a mission to empower women experiencing domestic violence and now gives 10% of profits to the YWCA so that other women can have the same chance she did. Learn more at hireforhope.com.
This article originally appeared in the Oct/Nov '22 issue of West Michigan Woman.
Doing More with Less People: Maintaining a Functioning Workplace
As a business owner or a people manager, you don't always have the resources to match bigger, more established companies. However, that doesn't mean that you can't achieve big things. Instead, you've got to be nimble and make the most of the resources you do have.
Business owners and managers know that having the right people in the right positions can make or break their success. But sometimes, budget constraints can make it difficult to hire more staff or offer competitive salaries. One of the trickiest parts of building a business is knowing when and how to add employees to the team.
Here are my best tips for running a small business by doing more with less people to maintain a functioning workplace:
1. MAXIMIZE INTERNS.
Plugging in an intern wherever possible is a brilliant idea. They're often very eager to apply themselves (not to mention brilliant with technology!). To maximize the capabilities of an intern, it's essential to make sure their tasks are connected to the company's goals, while ensuring the intern can connect the dots between their tasks and the bigger picture. This will help them to be as effective and productive as possible.
2. BE RESOURCEFUL.
Leverage technology to automate certain tasks and streamline processes. Automating mundane, repetitive tasks can free up your team to focus on more important, value-driven activities. Having the right technology in place is essential for small business owners looking to do more with less people.
3. OUTSOURCE TASKS.
Outsourcing certain tasks to freelancers or virtual assistants is a great way to get help with tasks that can be time consuming or require specialized skills, without the expense of hiring a full-time employee. Freelancers and virtual assistants can help with a range of tasks like social media management, website maintenance, data entry, content creation and more. With the right freelancer or virtual assistant, small business owners can free up their time to focus on the core aspects of running their business.
4. CREATIVE INCENTIVES.
Get creative with compensation and benefit packages. Think outside the box to reward your employees for their hard work and dedication. Consider offering flexible work hours that allow for more productivity, additional or unlimited vacation days to promote a healthy work-life balance, or other incentives such as discounts at local businesses or additional training opportunities.
5. TALENT OPTIMIZATION.
Implement a training program to ensure employees are equipped with the skills required to do their job, which helps increase efficiency and productivity. In addition to training, employee engagement is key to reduce turnover, while saving time and money. Talent optimization is an effective strategy to help small business owners maximize their resources. With the right training program and an emphasis on employee engagement, you can create a productive and engaged team that will help your business thrive.
Business owners don't have to feel overwhelmed by the challenge of doing more with fewer people. By investing in the right tools, having a clear plan and being creative, they can successfully accomplish their goals and maximize their resources.
Ashley Ward is the Founder and CEO of W Talent Solutions, an executive recruiting firm based in Grand Rapids. A survivor of domestic violence, Ashley founded W Talent Solutions in 2017 with a mission to empower women experiencing domestic violence and now gives 10% of profits to the YWCA so that other women can have the same chance she did.
This article originally appeared in the Apr/May '23 issue of West Michigan Woman.