Meet Ashley Carter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Carter. 

Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I have always had a passion for style and writing. I grew up in the small town of Mt. Olive, North Carolina and because of the small-town life, I developed a love for reading and magazines when I was young. It gave me the outlet to see fashion in the world while also learning writing styles. I also grew up with my mother often taking me to consignment shops so as I entered high school, I began to realize that I could recreate the fashions I often read about and saw in magazines with vintage finds. That’s truly where my love for thrifting and vintage came from. I loved the idea that I could use my imagination to recreate a look yet it still be unique and my own. I went on to Meredith College to major in Communication/Professional Writing. After graduation, it was difficult to find jobs within my desired field, which of course, was editorial writing. A friend suggested I start a blog and in December 2010, FabEllis was created. At the time, I created the blog as an outlet for me to express my love for beauty and style, and over the years, it has transformed into so much more. It has become an affordable lifestyle brand where I share my love for affordable beauty, style, and travel with my husband. I also use my platform to share my story of how I was diagnosed with the neurological condition, Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, in November 2020. My diagnosis has taken me on an amazing journey of rediscovering how amazing our bodies can be and how much we can heal/transform ourselves by what we put into our bodies and spirits. Adding my healthier living lifestyle to my platform has been an amazing experience so far! 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey with FabEllis and life, in general, hasn’t been smooth, but it has been such a beautiful experience so far to say the least. One of the main struggles I first experienced with my brand after the first three to four years was the desire to become a full-time influencer. When I first began FabEllis, I didn’t even know that making money from blogging was possible. As I began to learn more about blogging and met other bloggers and influencers, I began to learn that you could actually make money from this. I still remember I made my first $200 from blogging in 2012. I applied for an influencer opportunity through the influencer platform, CLEVER, and I was chosen to style tights in a fashion post on my blog. I was amazed that I could actually earn money for doing things I typically would do anyway in blogging. That was the beginning of the journey. When my husband and I got married in 2014, he knew the desires of my heart when it came to going full-time with my dream. We developed a plan, which primarily included paying down bills and paying off my car, and I took the leap to being a full-time influencer in 2016. It has been a process, though! With social media constantly changing, new social media platforms being created, and the ebbs and flows of being an entrepreneur, it can be a journey within itself. I have found that always being willing to learn, living within your means, asking what you’re worth, and saving money helps you tackle any changes that can come. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in living an affordably, fabulous life! I love showing women ways to be fabulous without breaking the bank and that ranges from showing how I style pieces in my closet multiple ways, how I style thrift finds, and how I travel affordably. I am most proud of the audience I have cultivated. My audience includes beautiful, encouraging women that push me to keep going. They leave some of the most thoughtful comments, we have great conversations in my direct messages and I love when they tag me to show me ways, they’ve styled items I’ve shared or looks I’ve inspired. 

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I tell people this all the time, but please, PLEASE start with what you have. Your blog, social media, and/or brand doesn’t have to be perfect. Please start with what you have and grow in the process. The key is being authentic and being willing to learn. I started my blog with actual camera phone pictures and mirror selfies. Whew! It wasn’t cute, but it was real. That realness has helped me in so many ways because it allows me to be authentic and that’s what people want now. 

Contact Info:

• Email: info@fabellis.com
• Website: http://www.fabellis.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/iamfabellis
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/iamfabellis
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/iamfabellis