In conversation with Ashley Black, Lesley uncovers the world of fascia therapy. They discuss how Ashley's personal health challenges led to her creating a groundbreaking tool called FasciaBlaster and her dedication to educating others. Listeners will learn about the importance of fascia in overall health, and gain valuable insights into Ashley's unique perspective on balancing scientific research with entrepreneurship.

If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at [email protected].

And as always, if you’re enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.

In this episode you will learn about:

• Ashley Black's journey from battling arthritis to becoming fascia health pioneer.
• How Ashley's FasciaBlaster revolutionizes connective tissue treatment.
• The balance of running a business while maintaining scientific integrity.
• Fascia's critical role in overall health and Ashley's approach to effective treatment.
• Ashley's strategic expansion and focus on educating people in fascia therapy.

Episode References/Links:

• Ashley Black Instagram
• Ashley Black Facebook
• Use this link to get 40% off our FasciaBlaster® fascia regenerating kit
• Ashley Black Website
• Ashley Black Blog Posts
• Bill Kazmaier
• BE…: From Passion and Purpose to Product and Prosperity

Guest Bio:

I own an international company specializing in the health of the human connective tissue, fascia with over 30 years experience in fascia therapy. I invented the FasciaBlaster tools for regenerating this system of the body and have sold $170MM. I was the first person to do a TED talk about fascia, the first person to have a #1 Best Selling book about fascia and the first to publish peer reviewed science showing in ultrasound imaging to regenerate the fascia.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

DEALS! Check out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper’s Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox

Be in the know with all the workshops at OPC

Be It Till You See It Podcast Survey

Be a part of Lesley’s Pilates Mentorship

FREE Ditching Busy Webinar

Resources:

• Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!
• Lesley Logan website
• Be It Till You See It Podcast
• Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan
• Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube
• Profitable Pilates

Follow Us on Social Media:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Episode Transcript:

Ashley Black 0:00  

I don't care if I have to, like take an umbrella and, you know hook you in with something that resonates with wherever you are in that moment. You know once that they are in I'm gonna have time you know to kind of let the story unfold.

Lesley Logan 0:19  

Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.

Lesley Logan 1:01  

You guys, welcome to the Be It Pod and pinch me. I'm so fricking blessed. I'm so honored, I'm so inspired. This interview is just, as a female business owner, you don't often meet people who are like in the thick of it, who are willing to share the journey and be honest and open. And then also be supportive as fuck. And I say that because our guest today is this person. This is and we have Ashley Black on the Ashley Black experience, and the blasters, fasciablasters, I have several tools and I'm going to buy them all. 

Lesley Logan 1:41  

I wanted to bring her on because her personality, what I saw on videos and what I saw her tools doing that could change your life, not just what the aesthetic part, but also like, I know what fascia can do in the body. And like having tools to take away pains, aches, and imbalances, it literally is what helps you be it till you see it, right? Like if you have any pain in your body, if you've got something that is distracting you from your dream, it's going to hold you back and so wanted to have her on for so many reasons. And then I met her and like honored is an understatement. She's just the fucking coolest. And she's so open and honest. And I think it's really, really important to highlight and high five and share when there are female business owners out there that are not only there to help the people that they made their product for, but they're willing to also support the other women who are in aligned businesses. And so I'm so grateful for this connection, for this episode. We've got some amazing stuff coming up. I'm working on a special thing for you guys, for the Ashley Black products. So we'll make sure somewhere in this episode, we'll add all those links in so you'll have that as well. And then make sure you're following me because I'll have those if you're really, really interested in it, and you don't know where to find it or you didn't understand the ad for it then just DM me and I'll get it to you but you are going to love her. You're gonna love this episode. And by the way, you know, I love the Be It Action as always, but like, it's very rare that someone actually does all four and she did all four and get your pen and paper out. It's gonna be amazing. So here is Ashley Black. 

Lesley Logan 3:25  

All right, Be It babe. I'm gonna fangirl a little bit only just because I just discovered this. I don't know where I've been. I've been under a rock. But today's guest blows my mind. She's incredible. I've watched more videos of her than any person I've ever interviewed before. And so we've Ashley Black of Ashley Black Experience here. Can you tell everyone who you are and why you're so amazing?

Ashley Black 3:47  

Well, thank you for that. I'm gonna fangirl out on you because I don't listen to anyone's podcasts. I'm a very busy woman and I also hate technology. And I love your show. I love what you're doing. So thank you for having me. I think it's a great fit.

Ashley Black 4:03  

The short of it is that my name is Ashley Black and I invented some tools called the Fasciablaster. If you wiki me I'm best known for that. Although obviously there's a huge story behind that you don't just roll out of bed and invent tools and then become an author.

Lesley Logan 4:26  

You don't just like it doesn't like it's not out of a box like this is the box. 

Ashley Black 4:31  

(Inaudible) and you're just instantly a millionaire. 

Lesley Logan 4:33  

Yeah. And the tools they don't take any time at all to create I mean. 

Ashley Black 4:40  

(Inaudible) in 30 years, I'm an incredible overnight success. 

Lesley Logan 4:45  

That like

Lesley Logan 4:46  

Thank you for saying that because I think even when I was looking at your stuff, I was like oh my God, like I like how did she do this so fast? And it's like, hold that. It's been decades. It's not you know, we just make up stories when we see people so yeah. Can we talk a little bit about how it got started? 

Lesley Logan 5:03  

Yeah.

Ashley Black 5:04  

Yeah. So all of this that I do now for a living is based around kind of my entire life, just struggling to be healthy. I was born with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. So you know, when you're born was something you don't know any different. But I have to tell you, I do feel like my soul came into this existence kind of a fighter and like questioning things, you know, because even as a little kid, my parents would tell me, I would just tell them, I'm not doing that.

Ashley Black 5:41  

So, I, you know, this is the 70s. So I was being raised when everybody was doing anti-inflammatories, gold shots, they always wanted to take my blood. So I think that a lot of what I do, and I do consider myself holistic health, I do consider myself woowoo. But I'm also still mainstream, but I think that kind of like, maybe there's a better way, in terms of health comes from being a child, and beginning to question the medical institution, my parents and everybody else at a very young age. So that's how it all really started. I also, you know, most children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis do not become junior Olympic gymnast. And, you know, I was on the dance team in my college and, you know, just became very athletic and became obsessed with fitness kind of in my 20s. I was like one of the first people ever to teach Pilates when no one knew whatever it was and do step aerobics, or things that were like my hobby, right? But it did set the stage for everything that I'm doing now.

Lesley Logan 6:54  

Thank you for for sharing that. Because I, it's interesting. They'll say, like, when you were a child, like there was a lot of things about you that made you who you are today. And like, obviously, like, I can't imagine being a child with juvenile, like that just doesn't, like kids are supposed to be able to run and play and fall off trees. Like, I feel like, it definitely feels like it brought the rebel in you like, you're not going to tell me what my body can and can't do. And I feel like that definitely had to put you on the path because you have always be seeking out like, how can I do this thing that they think I can't do?

Ashley Black 7:25  

Totally. And I mean, it definitely extended into kind of being a teenager and working in health clubs. And I'm from Alabama. So I went to this very unique place at a unique point in time, which was called Kaz Gym, it was Bill Kazmaier, who now is very famous for being a strong man. So even when I was in my early 20s, I was being exposed to people who were leveraging fascia for strength, although we didn't know it. So that teased, it kind of teased things up to where I am now. And you know, if anybody says, what is it that you do, I would just say that I'm a healer. But the way that I am a healer is by a very unique understanding of fascia and having that very unique understanding for a very long time. And then developing products around it. And then, you know, when those get in the market, you can refine the products and all that kind of stuff. So, to flashboard the story really what happened was, so it was just my destiny. I don't know how else to say it, when everybody says, tell me your business plan on like, my business plan would never work for anybody but me. Right?

Ashley Black 8:40  

So when I was 29, I had kind of my second crushing blow health-wise, where I got this bone infection. And, you know, just kind of think mad cow disease meets bone cancer, because it was in my spine, which means it gets into the nervous system. And it almost killed me, I had a true two times cardiac on the table. But the beautiful part of that is that I had a near-death experience. And if you've ever talked to anybody with an ND they come back with this kind of interesting understanding of why they're back. You know, and so for me 100% you know, I don't feel like this is my career. I feel like this is what I was brought back here for which makes it fun and passion. 

Lesley Logan 9:33  

And also I just want like, I laugh when you said like, what's your business plan because I, I resonate with like, I kind of fell into every, every business I have, just like kind of fell into it. I'm like, okay, how do we make this work? But I also think like, having that ND, it kind of the things that would hold a normal, normal person, a person who didn't have ND back, don't because you're like, well, this I'm not going to die from this so you can I don't know, I don't know if that's an actual mindset from you. But like, you kind of don't let the normal obstacles and business or going after your dream stop you. You know, that's how I would imagine. 

Ashley Black 10:09  

The first thing people with NDs and it's funny that you say normal people because I do have a term where I'm like they're a normie. I'm definitely not a normie. But it is a perspective that you learn that first of all, we don't die. So the fear of that is, you know, is removed and yeah, it definitely gives you like, a little bit more of a fierceness. But I think you still have to step into that fierceness. So for me, you know, when I came out of the near-death experience, I had three children under the age of four. Okay. I was a full-on crippled, I, it took almost two years for me to really learn to walk. And I decided to get a divorce. That was a little bit part of the ND for me, too. It's like, my life is different now you did different (inaudible). And you know, so when anyone ever says, well, you know, you blah, blah, blah, this or that. I'm like, look, you can't be in a worse position to start a business than what I was in. But what really started happening for me is I already had all of that knowledge about, you know, from being a personal trainer and fitness instructor. So I knew a lot about anatomy and how the body worked. But no one had ever said anything about fascia. Or, you know, this is kind of really before massage even became a thing. So this was when I was like, 30. So we're still talking 20 years ago. So. 

Lesley Logan 11:49  

I mean, I remember I went to I was in college, I guess I've been like, 2002, 2003 When I was in, like, pre-med class, and we had, there was a body there, like at my college that I could like, look at inside. And I remember them saying like, the fascia, this is something we just like kind of throw of. 

Ashley Black 12:09  

(Inaudible) taking my mind. I discovered it, that's exactly what happened. I went and took a dissection course. And I, you know, I'm a big person that is a big believer that like everything in the universe, and in my yard and in my body was put there, right, it's part of the whole thing. And when I saw that dissection, they were literally like, we're just gonna move this, you know, white tissue away, it's called fascia. And I'm like, move it away. It's the whole damn body. What are you talking about? Like, I don't even I see. You cut it open. And it is this fascia everywhere. So for me, I was trying to heal my hip. So my that is where my fascination is best.

Lesley Logan 13:04  

That's a great word, your fascia-nation.

Ashley Black 13:06  

(Inaudible) and you know, there was nothing this is right when Google and everything was kind of starting to come out. But I remember having papers from Chinese institutions, because they study it more. Translate it. And when I say that, I was obsessed. I was staying up all night reading these papers, I couldn't believe that I was learning this and you go through that whole thing like, there's no way I'm the only person in America that knows this and why doesn't my doctor know? And I went through years of that before I finally said, okay, you know what, you're the fascia person. You go learn, you go do it, you figure it out. And by that time I had fixed myself now, we didn't have the Fasciabuster tools, which are wonderful. But girl, I would grab anything from the kitchen. My (inaudible) hey, pull this, you know, but what I understood was that to restore my hip, I needed to look at my knee, I needed to look at my ankle, I needed to look at my ribs, I needed to look at the other side of my body, you know, and when you start to get a picture of this fascia thing, then you're really off to the races. And for me, I went from never hearing what fascia was to treating myself to being flown all over the country to treat Leonardo DiCaprio and Yankees players. It was that sick, but it was literally like I slipped through the fascia wormhole. And I was doing what no one else could it you know? 

Lesley Logan 14:39  

Yeah, I mean, like, it's, I can I'm like, I'm a visual person. Like, I play people's stories like a movie in my head. And I'm picturing like, you going am I the only person in this country that is studying this? And it's like, because we always think there must be someone else. You know, the way that they 

Ashley Black 14:55  

Oh I went to so many courses (inaudible).

Lesley Logan 14:58  

That's not it. I'm the only person who gets this. (Inaudible)

Ashley Black 15:02  

It's actually weird and sort of lonely place and I feel fortunate that I just like you were saying, fell into your career, I really fell in early on like working with, like really successful people and celebrities and athletes and things like that. And they do have a different mentality. I'll tell them this quick story, then we can move on, but, Someillan, who's an incredible producer, basically has produced everybody and I was working on all the artists down at the Miami hip factory. And he and I just became friends and he was wonderful. And I would always be like, I want to do this and then I want to do this and I want to do this and he said, Ashley, he's like, the minute you stop saying I want to do and you just start doing it you're gonna be a lot happier. And that was like okay, step in, step into your your power. Right?

Lesley Logan 15:57  

Yeah, I'd say that's the be it till you see it. I mean, like that's the thing like that's why I created this the title because I was like, people would ask me how do you do this thing? Like, I was not the first person to ever do some of the things I was doing but the way I was doing my industry and teaching Pilates and I'm like, I'm like, how am I doing it? Oh, I'm just doing, I'm just doing it. I'm doing a lot scared. But no one can see on the outside because you don't want people to know you're scared and you don't think you know what you're doing. But I, you know, you got, you got to do it. I love I love that it was Sembalun.

Ashley Black 16:27  

You know what's funny? I (inaudible) through his voice like, he was like, Ash, what are you doing? What are you talking about? Like, just do it.

Lesley Logan 16:36  

Okay, so, um, I want to, I want to obviously talk about your journey, your career, but I do want to just go back to the fascia for like, obviously, there's the misconception, we just throw it on the floor when we're, you know, opening bodies up. What are some other misconceptions about fascia that people have, like people are thinking about incorrectly that could be affecting their lives negatively? 

Ashley Black 16:58  

Oh, my gosh, I think the first thing is, you know, when someone has commercial success, and I'm talking about myself around this keyword fascia, you're gonna get bandwagoners, you know, and so if you go on Google right now and just type in what is fascia and hit images, you're gonna see people foam rolling, you're gonna see Theraguns, you know, you're gonna see this expert was featured, you know, and she's doing some stretching, you know, when I look at that, and I'm just like, wow, we're so far off of it. And I blame it on the products people. Like, yeah, foam rolling is amazing, but target muscles, and, uh, you know, and Theragun is amazing, but, you know, target for pain relief, or, you know, whatever. So the biggest misconception, you know, even if you go straight to Google, and you type in what is fascia, they start talking about how it's a sheet over a muscle. So then people have just run with that. And I think that's where the foam rolling came thing came from. But fascia is completely different than that. So let's just first talk about that it has different states, you know how water can be steam and water can be ice, but it's still H2O, right? So fascia doesn't float out of our body like steam and it doesn't become quite as hard as ice, but it has that spectrum. So it can go from very thick and fibrous to kind of like a gelatinous more viscous all the way to liquid, right? So imagine if you were looking at me, and I was just one big Jell-O liquid fibrous, one continuous thing, right? Like a Jell-O mold. And just like you have Jell-O and you can put fruit in it now just go stick my brain in that stick my eyes stick my skeleton and whatever. So when we think about the human body, it literally, the fascia, literally surrounds every single one of our trillion and something cells. And I have to tell you, I would even argue that it's inside the cells. I just created this whole scientific theorem last year. But just for the sake of this conversation, it's literally everywhere in the body. It surrounds every single cell. Anytime we're talking about communication, cell, cell, brain cell, neurons don't touch, it's all going through the fascia. Fascia is what feeds our cells. So it is way beyond like the thing that makes us tight that we need to foam roll. 

Lesley Logan 19:42  

You had a video that I was, I was bingeing where you took a bunch of red straws, and they were still in like their paper or plastic like surrounding and the way you were showing how the fascia surrounds and I was like, that is not how I picture that. I've always pictured like on the surface and that's it. And like when you did that was like, oh, that makes I mean, because it's not I'm not someone who's ever studied it deeply. I've studied very, very deeply in my world of Pilates. But like, where a lot of people who study fascia go, oh, I love how this exercise hits this fascia. I'm like, great, wonderful. I'm so grateful, too, but the way I love when I stumble upon something awesome, but like, the way I was like, oh, that makes so much sense because and then you talk about your hip, and then like, what's going on my knee? What's going on with my ribs? That's the thing that people don't understand is when I have clients 

Ashley Black 20:36  

Or what's going on with my digestion because of my hip replacement. Like, I gotta get it out of orthopedics and into literally every field of medicine and also spirituality, because that's where it belongs. 

Lesley Logan 20:52  

Yes, yes. I think like, when I because I would have clients and that you know, everything we like happen on this, right? So I'm like, yeah, what is okay, that yes, you have imbalances? And yes, I can work on that muscularly. But something is going on on a level that is, this workout isn't going to cure. You need and like, I can only like I wish, I wish 15 years ago, I had discovered you I probably could have done a different job there. But I think it's so interesting. How slow we have become to understanding fascia and like

Ashley Black 21:25  

I am (inaudible) so I took one of the original Pilates certifications way back in the day when it was only offered in New York and San Francisco, I went to 12 classes studied under Elizabeth Larkam. She's amazing. Incredible moves like a okay, so it is so crazy, because I was just starting to learn this. And I remember asking her and I said, you know, I've designed this I was using the reformer. And I kind of wanted to like take it to her because she was my idol at the time and be like, Oh, look at all this stuff. And she you know what she told me? She was like, you know, this is my place in the universe. But I'm happy for you. Is that crazy? I didn't have that memory until we just said it.

Lesley Logan 22:08  

So I think part of it is like part of me is like, oh my gosh, Elizabeth Larkam is so amazing. But also another part of me is like, what a gift she gave you. Like she didn't take it for herself and like, let you

Ashley Black 22:20  

(Inaudible) a whole thing and probably fasciablasting would have been part of Polestar if they still exist or Balanced Body or whatever.

Lesley Logan 22:28  

Yeah, I mean, but like what a what a gift that she gave like she and she didn't deny it from you. She just said that I'm really happy for it. That's, that's so cool. I love when I hear women say something nice. (Inaudible) because I know what it's like, especially in that industry, there are some people that are like they feel larger than life like they've been in the industry so long. You're like, what do you think? And like she could have if she had said something negative, it might have been too much for you to handle at that new confidence in what you're doing (inaudible). She also didn't go oh, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna put this on my thing. She gave you the permission to do it. I think that's cool.

Ashley Black 23:10  

100%. 100%. And it's beautiful. Like I certainly don't think I'm the first or even the best. Like there have been many that have gone before and even Joseph Pilates if he didn't know it, he could feel it. Because so many of Pilates movements and designs you are leveraging lines of tension of fascia, but I think that's where like, it's weird, because I feel like the like fitness people have been the ones to sort of gravitate to the fascia, but then kind of keep it in, in the fitness realm. You know, when I read anyone else's research or even look at what people are posting online, I'm like, yeah, man. yeah, as long as it's about what fascia is, you know, there's some people discovering the quantum nature of it. There's some amazing people, you know, that are out there doing, you know, training programs and things like that. But when it comes to like, how do you treat it? Yeah, like how do you treat it and restore it to its native or best possible state? And that's when it's like, okay, there's everybody else and then there's the direction that I'm going, right, a little right across the (inaudible) a few modalities, you know, but at the end of the day, I if, you know, the fascia people have kind of been the nastiest to me, and I think that a little bit of it is that word blaster like they, you know, as if you're like, using a gun and shooting it up, like Star Wars or something.

Lesley Logan 24:50  

You know what's so funny? My husband is like, I think that blaster is such a great marketing word glad for her because it's like you're basted. He's like, he was just like, way into it, but I do

Ashley Black 25:01  

(Inaudible) I hope he becomes a blaster vader.

Lesley Logan 25:05  

Oh my God, he will listen to this and I'm gonna I can't even watch his face when he hears it. Isn't that weird how like, it's like some of the people in our own world can be the meanest and the cruelest. And they can't see that, like what you're doing, like, maybe don't like that word. But also that word is something that helps people understand. Like, that's a word that regular people can understand.

Ashley Black 25:29  

(Inaudible) incredibly complex. You know, like, I, again, I've had 30 years of studying this. It is very complex, right? So what I tried to do was, you know, I did almost 15 years of clinical work before I decided to bring it mainstream. And I wasn't, I haven't had to create the whole industry in terms of mainstream-ness, right? So that means I've got to let you know, number one, that you have fascia, right, and number two, that you should treat it, and then number three, this is how you treat it. And so there, I just think that there's that that disconnect. I also think, you know, at the end of the day, people can be jealous of success, and whatnot. But at the end of the day, for me, not I am literally like water off a duck's back, I really could not care less, I know what my direction and my purposes, you know, but I really, ultimately would love to have all of the fascia people come across the fence, we certainly have had lots of them. The reality is, is that I am the only person in the history of fascia to ever be able to throw up ultrasounds and say, this is what fascia looked like before my tools and my method and this is what it looked like after and it go from the state that everybody knows is bad, which is thick, dry, tangled, and then the, the unorganized pattern of it almost like a, like a spider that makes a web with some sort of problem, right? To this very soft, hydrated, supple. These are all things we can see on the ultrasound. So if anybody questions, the work at this point, I'm so glad I spent half of my retirement, you know, hiring an amazing research lab to do these studies because it's like game set match. 

Lesley Logan 27:32  

Yeah. That's so cool that you I mean, like, it's really cool that you did that. Because I you know, when my friends told me about you, I looked at stuff and I'm like, okay, I'm in products I've been in, I've been doing business long enough. I know how the ads work. I know all the things. And it was when I saw not, not just before and afterwards, I saw like the actual site like you had, I was like, oh, she spent money to have third parties not financially invested

Ashley Black 28:03  

I love this course of action that we're on right now. Because it's, it's so true. You know, my study was $2 million. And you can certainly question well, she did her own study, but I didn't do my own study. And I can tell you this, I don't see the National Institute of Health or any grant writers being like, let me study your product. Okay. It just doesn't happen. I'm not a pharmaceutical. Yeah, you know, and no one's going to benefit but me. But I went and hired the Applied Science Performance Institute. And they did the study, blinded. All I did was the actual you know, design of the protocols. So I met the participants and I taught them how to do it. And I worked with them on what I wanted to measure. So we did DEXA scans, which is really, really cool because you can see where fat is distributed and muscle. So we did the DEXA scans. And then we did the ultrasounds that we just talked about. And then we did a lot of blood markers and the blood markers were for the best possible things like pcp for collagen. We wanted to look at inflammation obviously being an arthritic that's a big deal for me. So we measured the C reactive protein. We looked at irisin, so irisin is associated with telomere length. So now we're talking about longevity. I wanted to look at all of those things. But I was completely hands-off. The researchers did it. They pulled all of the data and what somebody I don't think ever thinks about is what if I was wrong? You know?

Lesley Logan 29:43  

$2 million, and they're like, doesn't do any of the things you say. (Inaudible) heartbreaking.

Ashley Black 29:49  

I know and to be honest with you I was more than willing to take that risk because I already had it in the marketplace. We didn't need like studies for FDA clearance. And so I knew something was happening, you know, but I did want to make sure that it was safe. And I did want to make sure that when I would say, you know, I have a theory that this happens or whatever I wanted to be able to validate that, you know, so I think that anybody who really truly has a scientific mind, that's what you do, you throw it up to the data and whatever, you know, the data says, you know? I think sometimes when people see my products, you know, the ads sometimes resonate with people and sometimes don't. And I love that you said, you do love to the (inaudible), but then when you saw that science, you were like, yeah, you know, we put it all out there. But at the end of the day, you, if you're going to spend a lot of money on advertising, you need to get a return. And sometimes the information that I would prefer to be talking about like its fascia inside the mitochondria, it's mitochondria matrix, I think it is, isn't the kind of thing that sells the product. So there's always a balance between, you know, having to run your business and still maintain that scientific integrity. 

Lesley Logan 31:10  

You know, just like my daily life right now, because I'm a Pilates instructor who was lucky enough, like I say, I fell into it, like one of my teachers who I studied with for many many years still say what he's still with Joseph Pilates. So like, I mean, as far as like, all the marketing goes, like I'm a second generation teacher, which means nothing to regular people means a lot to teachers. Like, I you know, all these things, and all I want is help people get off the ground, get off the toilet, like feel super strong. I know the Pilates changes are competent, I know that it changes how your stress levels, I know all these things, right? And because I won't do befor- after photos on looks, and because I won't talk about weight loss because by the way, exercise is not what weight loss is, guys, it's just not it's your microbiome, it's probably your fascia. It's a lot of like hormone stuff, but like, because I don't do that we don't sell as fast and I I can't lie to people like you, you want to do your marketing to be honest and true and to be safe. So you did all these things. And it's really hard, because your stuff, what probably makes it sell the most is like the getting rid of cellulite and getting rid of wrinkles and like that's like superficial to why you started it for. 

Ashley Black 32:25  

First of all, none of that is my passion at all. I was not in the beauty industry. I've always been in the fascia industry, you know, but let me say something when one of my clients who was the first, she got one of the first batches of Fasciablasters. I had not seen her in two months. And I knew what she looked like before she walked in and her legs looked incredible. And she was like, Ashley, it's your tool. And then I was like, let me start doing this. But I will tell you, you know, we do a lot of surveying of our customers, and only about 50% come in for beauty. And then it's a mixed bag from pain. And then now there's a big new group of people that are like wanting to release traumas and things like that. But when we, so we surveyed them, we know a lot about that customer journey, by the time that they're in, 90% are not in for beauty anymore. So I don't care if I have to, like take an umbrella and, you know, hook you in with something that resonates with wherever you are in that moment. No, once that they are in. I'm gonna have time, you know, to kind of let the story unfold. 

Lesley Logan 33:45  

That's cool. That's cool. I think that that's, it's honest and true. And also, like, I love that people are having that transformation. Like they're coming in. Some, not even all of them, but some of them are coming in for this Sedex but then they're realizing it could be life changing. You know, what I also love about it, is the amount of time someone has to spend with themselves. I think that's really cool. I don't think enough people spend time with themselves touching themselves. 

Ashley Black 34:09  

People never touch themselves. 

Lesley Logan 34:11  

Touch themselves. I know. I know. I will. I'll just list a lot of fun jokes, guys. I wanted a hobby. And so I wanted to feel like I could be like sexier, I don't feel like a graceful, sexy person. And so I was like, I'm gonna take a pole class because those girls, they're like, they're sexy, right? Like they. So I took this pole class and she just okay, and just like feel yourself I'm like, okay, but like, what do you want me to do with my hair? Like how? Like, (inaudible) because I do spend (inaudible). I know. So I was just like, okay, all right, like people are walking by this like store. I'm doing pole and I'm like, I'm just gonna feel myself in front of everybody.

Ashley Black 34:52  

A little crotch grab.

Lesley Logan 34:55  

Just so funny because it's like, I just think we don't and so I really love is like your tools can really give them like, help them prioritize themselves and being in their body. And it's, I mean, that's why I teach Pilates. And that's why I do it. But like, it's just another way for people to have time with themselves. And we just, we spend so much time like taking stuff in.

Ashley Black 35:19  

The just beauty of, you know, us being a part of this whole incredible world like we have, in this route, we have a physical body, like, how cool is that we get a body, you know. So that's kind of the way I see it. I know, I'm over the top person in a kind of free sort of way. But, you know, if you, I'll tell you a quick story, but it's to just punctuate what we're talking about is that I did a wefunder campaign, I had never, I've never taken outside investment. And so we raised $3 million, we did it with our own audience. And oh, I just got like a chill. When you read the comments of the people who invested, these are not professional investors, there were women that were like, you know, I saw your Facebook ad and then you know, I started blasting for my cellulite. And then you know, that went away. But then I started realizing how good that I felt. And then I started, you know, jumping into your new year, new year program, then they came to a retreat, and they're like, you know, this changed my life. And like, I only have $1,000 in savings, but I want to put it towards this. You know, so that's what it's about, that. That's what it's about. It's about women. Not all, I mean, we have a large portion of men, and we're doing more male marketing, but primarily the business has been women and when they come together, and we have a huge I think we have about 500,000 in a private group, I manage that thing like mama hen, you know, (inaudible) come in there and say anything mean, and support each other. Sometimes these physical things like people getting a nose job or whatever, sometimes it just makes space for something else to come in. 

Lesley Logan 37:12  

Yeah. Yeah, I think like we had Dr. Celeste Holbrook and, and she talked about, like, you know, when people are making changes to their body, it's often because it's like a harm reduction like they believe it's like going to reduce whatever harm they could see. And I also she's like, so I don't want to take that away from people, but also puts them on a journey towards, like, usually discovering a little bit more in themselves. And if they find it, I think it's so cool for them to tell some people in a Facebook group and a mix. (Inaudible) That's bigger than most cities, actually. But like that they could that they believe in your product so much that they still I mean, like, creating a product is one thing everyone like we have our flashcards and people are like, oh my God, that's such a cute idea. I'm like, it's cute. Yeah, to you're in Alaska, that's not nearly an investment you probably will make on your stuff, but like, my first investment and it was $15,000 to make these decks and I was like, do I do I need to have 100 somebody people buy these before I even get my money back. Do I know 105 people? Am I blowing up all of our savings right now? And so to have a group of people who believe in what your products are doing and the researcher doing all this stuff, you're doing so much that they want, they want it to continue on? That's just a testament to like the impact that your products have on their life. That's, that's more than aesthetics. People don't do that just because they got rid of cellulite.

Ashley Black 38:33  

I got a marriage proposal for getting rid of cellulite. (Inaudible) Yeah, I think a lot of it just has to do with like the support and the fact that like if you get this is what I always tell people it's not about because people say love your body the way it is. I want you to love your body the way that it is, but I also like if you had a rash I wouldn't be like love your rash. I would be like let's get rid of that rash. You know, cellulite is a physical presentation of bad fascia. You know, so for me, I feel like it's a moral duty to say hey, no, don't accept that, you know, and sometimes have terrible fascia below the surface and you don't see any cellulite at all. Just depends on whether it goes down into the muscles. So for me, it's about healthy fascia. You know, and if it (inaudible), you know, people should do love to do our heart but and all of that, like I great. It's just a confidence booster and they're, they feel empowered because it was them that made the decision to do it. It was them that took the time and energy to do it. And they feel great about it and they're getting healthy and having benefits way beyond their kind of wildest dreams. It really is a little bit like a wormhole when you actually understand how to restore your fascia and I'm not talking about stretching it from time to time or being a hydrated person or, you know, all the stuff that's floating out there on the internet. I'm literally saying that you need an effective fascial treatment. I don't know how effective other methods are because there is no ultrasounds to show me. You know, if somebody came to me, cupping regenerated tissue, and by the way I sell cups, I like it, it's part of the system. But by themselves, I don't think they can regenerate the tissue. I'm open to be wrong, you know, but what I know 100% Does the entire fascia system is my tool. So of course, I'm gonna recommend my tools. (Inaudible) every single person, man, woman child, or whatever you identify with should absolutely this is like water, vegetables, I always say brush your hair, brush your teeth, brush your fascia.

Lesley Logan 40:54  

I love that. Okay. Gosh, I just want to ask like, you obviously, like are so excited and so pumped for what you do. Are you excited about anything new coming up? Like what's in store for you? Or fasciablasting? Is there anything that's like on, up and coming that you just like, can't wait to like, work on? 

Ashley Black 41:12  

Oh, gosh, yes, there is. So it's so interesting. And you can appreciate this being a business woman. You know, for me, it was all about launching it. And you know, making it this huge success. But sometimes you don't go well okay, then what? You know. And so for me, we just crossed the 170 million mark in terms of our lifetime revenue. And so I had that moment like so is do I sell or do I like raise money and push the gas pedal. So I have chosen to raise money and push the gas pedal because we are launching this incredible kind of an extension of what we're doing. So last year, we launched the Fascia Advancement Academy where we teach people, you should come. 

Lesley Logan 42:02  

I want to. I'm like tell me more.

Ashley Black 42:07  

It's so perfect for you know, people that teach Pilates and some it's an add-on you can do but we teach professionals, anyone that wants to do it professionally. And there's levels in the Fascia Advancement Academy. And then the actual business model would be to partner with businesses, high-end spas, sports clinics, pre and post-operative care, to insert these people who have been to our academy and then set up those retail locations. So don't be surprised when you walk in the Fontainebleau or the Four Seasons, when you see the Ashley Black tower

Lesley Logan 42:46  

There is a Fontainebleau here in Las Vegas, my friend I think you should (inaudible).

Ashley Black 42:51  

I mean, we actually just trained I think it was November like think like 27 therapists and estheticians because it's also facials. I think this is a way to really, really get it to the public. And instead of having to see another ad. You can experience blasting by a professional who's trained that understands it, and you can take the tools home and continue the treatment.

Lesley Logan 43:19  

Oh my God. So I know because I saw somebody like getting blast I was like, Brad, look at this. Do you think you could do this to me?

Ashley Black 43:29  

It's totally my fantasy. In fact, if I went and open that door right now, my therapist is here. So you know people say do you get blasted? I'm like, absolutely (inaudible). Therapists can reach places you can't reach they can, you know, leverage differently. And if you've had somebody who's been through the academy, then they really understand, you know, which tools are for which depths and it's a whole different level of understanding. So I think it's gonna be huge, you know, (inaudible) we get to this point and think it was already huge, but like, let's do it.

Lesley Logan 44:09  

Oh my God. Ashley, this is amazing. I could talk to you for hours but we're I just I'm really excited thank you for educating us on really what fascia is and also like helping us understand like it's totally in our power our superpowers to like take care of our own fascia and we should. We're goint to take a brief break and then find out how people can find you, follow you, get blasted, and your Be It Action Items. 

Lesley Logan 44:32  

All right, Ashley, where do you like to hang out? What social media should they follow? And where can they get your tools?

Ashley Black 44:40  

I mean, the easiest thing to spell is Ashley Black. Exactly (inaudible) can be spelled and then that can get you to the website. And at the website, obviously, there are icons but my Instagram handle is Ashley Black Guru. On Facebook, The Ashley Black Experience. But I do encourage everybody, if you're fascinated with fascia I just took live for blogs that are what is fascia. And as I kept writing, then I was like, oh my gosh, I'm gonna have to have a fit. But it's free information. You just go to my site, hit blogs and jump in there.

Lesley Logan 45:18  

Oh my God, we'll add that to all the links for sure. Because I think, I know, our listeners are gonna nerd out.

Ashley Black 45:24  

We can definitely do some kind of special for your listener. 

Lesley Logan 45:29  

Yes. I'm gonna want to do that. 

Ashley Black 45:31  

We'll talk about that. 

Lesley Logan 45:32  

Yeah, we're gonna talk about that. Oh, my gosh, we're so y'all don't be surprised OPC if we make something happen for the community. So okay, Ashley, you've given us so many things that we could like, obviously take care of ourselves right now. But what bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it? What are some action steps they can take?

Ashley Black 45:54  

Wow, it's so funny, because I didn't realize that Be It stood for anything until I got forms to fill out to be on the podcast. And I was like, oh my gosh, like this is everything I love. So I was just kind of thinking about what those words meant to me. And you know, bold, I think is that Someillan moment, just step in to your power, you have those little voices that come in from time to time and tell you who you are. Right? And once you know that, just unapologetically, without fear, step into that and just be it. You know, it's like the work of Joe Dispenza, where it's like, you know, if you were a millionaire, what would you do different, you would wear a different outfit, you would walk a little different way. Do that now. Do that now. So that's the bold. Intrinsic, I mean, I think at the end of the day, I believe this more than any plant on the planet, because of my near-death experience, like we are special, all of us are special. And we have something intrinsic to our nature and our authenticity. And if it's a gift that we have, and we don't share it, it's a wasted life, right? So I would definitely say, going on that self journey and creating this space to really discover who you are. I wrote a whole book about this actually, it's funny, it's called Be: From Passion and Purpose to Products and Prosperity. (inaudible) I kind of just did it on the side with two of my girlfriends. But, you know, we talk about like, how could you possibly discover who you are, if you're caught up in a bunch of bullshit all the time. And in the book, take people through activities, the first one is called delete. So that's gonna be my tip for your audiences go through literally for three days, write down every single thing that you do. And anything that does (inaudible) review, delete it, and just don't ever do it again. And you'll be surprised like, oh, I just got three extra hours in the day. So that's intrinsic. 

Lesley Logan 48:12  

That's beautiful. Oh my God, that's beautiful. We're gonna put the book in the show notes too, with our readers. And I, I love that it's a similar title.

Ashley Black 48:21  

It's so funny. When I was writing it, I pictured it like, yeah, like, Family Feud. 

Lesley Logan 48:26  

Yes, yes. I also thought you're gonna say like, delete the people in your life (inaudible).

Ashley Black 48:32  

That might be part of what was on that list? Right? Then I still want to go through these because I actually thought of it. Oh, executable. So when we think about the word execute, I think people take it from zero to 100. And they say, okay, you know, let me I use the word absolute (inaudible) it's not executable (inaudible). Zero to 100 in terms of execution, you know, it's like, should I take the $15,000 and go, you know, launch the business? Okay, well, that is execution. But it's also execution to say, you know what, tonight, I'm gonna go through my finances and just kind of see what I have. And it's also actionable to say, okay, do I have credit cards? Can you know, can we do this? It's also actionable and free to take a notepad out and start sketching out. You know, it's also to take the action, you know, to start to pick the colors, and you know, what is resonating with you and all that. So, it's not the action. It's the little actions, right? That's what I would say, whatever your major, major goal is. Just say look at it and go, oh, God, there's 2000 steps. Okay, we'll take the first three today or take (inaudible). Right? Because once you do it, and you can validate this because it happened to you. Once you do it, your confidence comes. (inaudible) 

Lesley Logan 50:00  

Well also, it's like the moment of that, once you take the first step, because it's the hardest, or the first half a step, there is a little bit of push to pull that comes from you fall in your passion, it like pulls you, you know, so you don't have to keep finding the energy to take that next scary first step. They're like, things get put in place. And it's almost kind of a domino effect that makes it feel like it's too fast and too soon, but like, it does feel like there's a magnet (inaudible).

Ashley Black 50:28  

Actually we were talking about that the other day, it's like, when you have a business, you feel like you're pushing a wheelbarrow with, you know, rocks in it up a hill, but there is a tipping point. Then you're down the hill, and nothing's pulling you and your legs are flying. For me, I've done it so many times that I can almost sense when I'm at that, you know, tipping point. But you know, for the younger ladies out there are women who haven't done it yet. You know, it is there. It is, it's the laws of physics, you know, if we keep going, we're going to get to that place. 

Ashley Black 51:04  

And then before I forget it, I think targeted goes back a little bit to what we were just talking about, it's like you have to, life is not linear, but it is entangled. And if what you say and think and take action on is not in alignment with whatever your target is, then you got to ask yourself that question. Like, am I moving backwards? Am I moving sideways? Is it out of here, and I'll give you just a perfect example, in my own life, because even in business, I get squirreled off, you know, somebody will tell me a great idea. And you know, I'll go focus on it, but then it's like, I'm off my target, even if it's the greatest thing in the world, you know, so I think what I would say first of all is find your target, find your Northstar, find the thing that truly, truly, truly makes you feel fulfilled. And then just make sure that everything that you're doing is on target literally, you know, getting wasted, and you get hung over for two days. That's what happens when you're my age. Isn't, doesn't move you in the direction of your target or, you know, having an old friendship that's become really stale and feels heavy when you are talking about but like that is the point where we can trim the fat you know, and make it a little bit easier to get to that target. Zig Ziglar said it's easier to get where you're going with a pack running with you than one wrapped around your neck.

Lesley Logan 52:50  

Yes. Oh my God. Ashley, this is so, you're so amazing. I love all of these. I I cannot wait. Brad's gonna listen to this and we're gonna choose our favorites but I don't know how to choose mine. I love them all. You guys, how are you gonna use these tips in your life? I want to make sure you tag Ashley Black, tag the Be It Pod, share this with a friend, share this with friends who need to hear it because it gets really easy to want people in our lives to grow as well but we hold all the growth to ourselves. So pass it along because maybe they need it for the fascia tips or maybe they need it for the inspiration of like sometimes it takes, it's an overnight success for 30 years.

Ashley Black 53:31  

Right. I'm exhausted from my overnight success.

Lesley Logan 53:35  

I just appreciate you being so honest, because I just it's so easy for people to think it happens overnight and must be nice. And you know what, guys, every single person out there you're looking up to I'm sure there's 20 years of like, or more of just them fighting uphill to make their magic happen and get their thing out into the world. And so thank you Ashley for being that example of what it can look like and for your amazing tools. I'm over here like nuggeting my (inaudible) I'm just like out here like tapping around. So thank you so much. We'll have all these links in the show notes. Make sure you tag with a friend, tag this, send it to a friend. And until next time, Be It Till You See It.

Lesley Logan 54:20  

That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. 

Lesley Logan 54:47  

Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @Be It Pod.

Brad Crowell 55:02  

It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.

Lesley Logan 55:07  

It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.

Brad Crowell 55:12  

Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist Gianfranco Cioffi.

Lesley Logan 55:19  

Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.

Brad Crowell 55:22  

Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy