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Ashley Lemieux03 March 2025

Ashley Lemieux: How Entrepreneurs Can Overcome Loss, Heal, and Build a Thriving Business

8Frameworks
16Insights

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Frameworks in this episode

Mindset6 steps

Acknowledgement Before Healing

You cannot heal what you refuse to name — and most people spend a lifetime avoiding it.

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Peak Performance5 steps

Adaptive vs Maladaptive Coping (The Founder Work-Avoidance Trap)

The world praises the maladaptive coping mechanism that's quietly burying your grief: work.

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Self-Mastery4 steps

Anger Is a Mask for Love

Ask what you love so much you're trying to protect it — then convert the anger into action.

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Self-Mastery6 steps

Clarity Mapping

Five morning questions that rebuild purpose when your identity gets taken from you.

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Entrepreneurship6 steps

Dirt Is a Fine Place to Start Growing

You're never starting over — you're starting with everything the failure taught you.

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Strategy5 steps

The Intention Map (Feelings-First Annual Planning)

Pick the feeling first, then map the four life areas that have to support it.

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Self-Mastery4 steps

The Peace Decision Filter

One gut-check question that replaces every pros-and-cons list: does this invite peace?

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Mindset5 steps

The Thought Audit and Reframe

Write down every negative thought for an hour, trace its root, then name what you'd rather believe.

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Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 2

Myth Buster14:00

Grief Can't Be Fixed — It Needs Acknowledgment

Ashley challenges common platitudes like 'time heals all wounds' and 'everything happens for a reason,' arguing that grief isn’t something to be fixed but acknowledged. True healing begins when we stop avoiding pain and allow ourselves to feel it fully.

  • Rejects clichés like 'everything happens for a reason.'
  • Believes grief cannot be 'fixed' with quick solutions.
  • True healing starts with acknowledging pain, not avoiding it.
  • Avoidance prolongs suffering; acknowledgment creates space for recovery.

“I'm going to be the first one to say that none of those things are true. It's okay to feel exactly how you feel.”

Ashley Lemieux · 14:30
#grief#healing#emotional truth#trauma#mental health
Myth Buster30:00

Entrepreneurs Often Use Work to Avoid Grief

Ashley warns that many entrepreneurs use overwork as a maladaptive coping mechanism for grief. While society praises busyness, it often masks unresolved pain and leads to burnout and emotional misalignment.

  • Entrepreneurs often overwork to avoid feeling grief.
  • This is a maladaptive coping mechanism, not true resilience.
  • Men often withdraw and work; women tend to process through talking.
  • Unaddressed grief leads to burnout, even amid external success.

“One of the maladaptive coping mechanisms that a lot of us have and a lot of entrepreneurs have is work. And working too much.”

Ashley Lemieux · 30:30
#entrepreneurship#grief#coping#burnout#mental health

Hot Take· 1

Hot Take47:00

Anger Is Often Masked Love

Ashley reframes anger as a signal of deep love and care. Instead of suppressing it, she suggests asking what you love so much that its loss or threat makes you angry—then channeling that energy into protective action.

  • Anger often masks sadness or unmet emotional needs.
  • It can stem from love—e.g., anger over losing someone you loved.
  • Asking 'What do I love?' reveals the root of anger.
  • Channeling love into action transforms anger productively.

“A lot of times the root for anger is actually love. I'm angry that I lost my kids because I love them so much.”

Ashley Lemieux · 48:00
#emotions#anger#love#healing#self-awareness

Explainer· 3

Explainer06:30

How Clarity Mapping Began After Loss

After losing her sense of identity as a mother, Ashley struggled to get out of bed. She began asking herself one simple question each morning: 'What is my intention today?' This practice evolved into 'clarity mapping'—a five-question daily ritual to rebuild purpose and direction.

  • Lost her sense of purpose after no longer being a daily caregiver.
  • Started with a single daily question: 'What is my intention today?'
  • Developed a five-question process to regain clarity and rebuild her life.
  • The practice helped her transition from paralysis to purposeful action.

“I started with one simple question every single morning... that's when the concept of clarity mapping really started.”

Ashley Lemieux · 07:30
#clarity#purpose#grief#self-reflection#mindset
Explainer15:30

How Sharing Painful Stories Accelerates Healing

Ashley explains that speaking or writing about trauma helps release it from the body. Sharing stories creates validation and community, giving others permission to do the same. Healing, she says, happens fastest in community.

  • Putting pain into words—written or spoken—helps release it.
  • Sharing stories creates validation and reduces isolation.
  • Others feel empowered to share after hearing her story.
  • Healing is most effective in supportive, understanding communities.

“When our pain can leave our bodies... we know that that helps facilitate healing.”

Ashley Lemieux · 15:30

“Healing happens fastest in community.”

Ashley Lemieux · 17:00
#healing#storytelling#community#trauma#vulnerability
Explainer40:00

How to Reframe Negative Thoughts Daily

Ashley recommends tracking negative thoughts in a journal, identifying their roots, and reframing them with compassionate alternatives. This builds new mental habits and helps align internal beliefs with external reality.

  • We have ~90,000 thoughts a day; 80–85% are negative.
  • Write down negative thoughts without judgment.
  • Trace them to childhood origins or external influences.
  • Reframe with kinder, truer beliefs and journal progress.

“Take out the notes app on your phone or have just a little journal with you. And anytime you notice that you have the negative…”

Ashley Lemieux · 42:00
#mindset#self-awareness#journaling#mental health#cognitive reframing

Story· 5

Story02:00

Losing Children After a Contested Adoption

Ashley Lemieux shares the traumatic experience of becoming permanent guardians of two children in her 20s, only to lose them after a sudden contested adoption battle that lasted two years. The loss devastated her and her husband, leaving them emotionally shattered and struggling to rebuild their lives.

  • Became guardians of two children overnight; raised them for four years as a family.
  • Lost custody after a two-year legal battle in a contested adoption.
  • Was on another coast when the loss occurred and didn’t get to say goodbye.
  • The experience left her feeling emotionally empty and questioning her purpose.

“We experienced a very unexpected contested adoption and we ended up losing the kids.”

Ashley Lemieux · 02:30
#grief#adoption#trauma#loss#family
Story04:30

Trying to Escape Grief by Moving Cities

After losing the children, Ashley and her husband moved to Nashville hoping a change of scenery would ease their pain. When the grief persisted, they traveled to Europe with no plans, trying to outrun their sorrow. Eventually, they realized they couldn’t escape their emotions and had to face them directly.

  • Moved from Phoenix to Nashville to escape painful memories.
  • Relocating didn’t ease the grief; the emotional weight remained.
  • Took a spontaneous two-month trip to Europe hoping to heal.
  • Realized they had to stop running and begin processing their grief.

“We ended up packing carry-on suitcases. And we went to Europe with pretty much no plans for almost 2 months, hoping maybe that that would…”

Ashley Lemieux · 05:30
#grief#healing#moving#emotional pain#coping
Story09:00

Losing a Baby During the Pandemic

After returning to Phoenix to start a family, Ashley became pregnant in early 2020. She developed sepsis, was hospitalized alone due to pandemic restrictions, and lost her baby boy. The experience deepened her grief and forced her to confront loss all over again.

  • Became pregnant shortly after returning to Phoenix in 2020.
  • Developed sepsis and was hospitalized; husband couldn’t visit due to lockdowns.
  • Lost her baby boy after a rapid decline in health.
  • The trauma compounded her existing grief and sense of isolation.

“Later the next day, there was a moment where they called a code... I remember asking him, 'Am I going to die right now?'”

Ashley Lemieux · 12:00

“We had lost our baby, our baby boy. I ended up delivering him alone the next morning.”

Ashley Lemieux · 13:00
#pregnancy loss#pandemic#trauma#motherhood#grief
Story18:00

Going Back to School to Heal and Serve

After losing her son, Ashley decided to return to school for a master’s degree in mental health and wellness with a focus on grief and bereavement. She wanted formal training to complement her lived experience and better serve others.

  • Decided to pursue a master’s degree after personal losses.
  • Focused on grief and bereavement, despite it being an 'unsexy' topic.
  • Wanted both lived experience and academic credibility.
  • Graduated while caring for a four-month-old, pumping at commencement.

“I knew that I needed to go back to school to get my master's degree, specifically in mental health and wellness, with an emphasis in…”

Ashley Lemieux · 18:30
#education#grief#mental health#healing#purpose
Story27:30

Yelling 'I Am Here' in a Milan Square

While traveling in Europe, Ashley saw a mother and daughter celebrating a lost tooth—mirroring a moment she’d never have with the children she lost. Overwhelmed, she ran into a square, screamed 'I am here,' and made peace with staying present despite her pain.

  • Triggered by seeing a mother and daughter in Milan.
  • Broke down, realizing she’d never have that moment with her lost children.
  • Screamed 'I am here' as a declaration of presence and acceptance.
  • Became the title and core message of her book.

“I threw up my arms and I yelled, 'I am here. I am here.' And I just started crying.”

Ashley Lemieux · 29:00
#grief#presence#healing#breakthrough#mindset

Q&A· 1

Q&A20:00

Why She Left a Successful Jewelry Business

Ashley explains her decision to shut down her thriving jewelry business to focus on grief work. Despite guilt and fear of judgment, she followed her inner calling, realizing her purpose was no longer in products but in helping others heal.

  • Ran a successful jewelry brand sold in stores like Hallmark.
  • Felt drained by the grind and wanted to pursue deeper work.
  • Felt guilt over letting people down but followed her purpose.
  • Believes she made the right decision despite the emotional cost.

“I knew that I had to make a pivot. So I started writing more.”

Ashley Lemieux · 21:30
#entrepreneurship#pivoting#purpose#career change#burnout

Tool· 1

Tool58:30

The Five Daily Clarity Questions

Ashley shares her five-question morning practice to regain focus and purpose: intention, worthiness, service, release, and authenticity. These help align daily actions with inner truth.

  • What is my intention today?
  • Why am I worthy?
  • Who can I serve today?
  • What can I set down today?
  • How does the truest version of me show up today?

“How does the truest version of me show up today? I used to ask 'best version' but realized I was answering based on what others…”

Ashley Lemieux · 60:00
#clarity#self-reflection#mindset#journaling#purpose

Takeaway· 3

Takeaway26:00

You're Not Starting Over — You're Leveling Up

Ashley reassures entrepreneurs that closing a business isn’t starting over from zero. Every experience builds knowledge and wisdom that can be applied to the next chapter, making future efforts more informed and aligned.

  • Closing a business doesn’t erase past learning.
  • You bring all your experience into your next venture.
  • Fear of judgment often prevents necessary pivots.
  • People move on quickly; most won’t dwell on your past failure.

“You're not starting over. You can't. You have so much knowledge now and so you get to now apply all of that into the next…”

Ashley Lemieux · 26:00
#entrepreneurship#growth#mindset#failure#pivoting
Takeaway61:00

Set Intentions, Not Goals, for the New Year

Instead of traditional resolutions, Ashley recommends setting intentions based on how you want to feel—like peace or clarity—then building strategies in four life areas (emotional, spiritual, financial, relational) to support that feeling.

  • Focus on how you want to feel, not what you want to achieve.
  • Choose a core intention (e.g., peace, clarity).
  • Set supporting intentions in four life areas.
  • Align actions with internal state, not external outcomes.

“I don't set goals and I don't set resolutions ever in my life. I set intentions and I base my year... on how I want…”

Ashley Lemieux · 61:00
#goals#intentions#new year#mindset#planning
Takeaway63:30

Use Peace as Your Decision-Making Filter

Ashley’s life philosophy is to prioritize peace. She evaluates every decision by asking whether it brings peace or takes it away, leading to more aligned, fulfilling choices.

  • Peace is an internal state, not something external.
  • It feels like freedom and alignment.
  • Decisions are filtered through: 'Does this bring peace?'
  • Leads to healthier boundaries and sustainable success.

“My secret is to create peace as my priority... I base every decision off of is this going to invite peace in my life or…”

Ashley Lemieux · 63:30
#peace#decision-making#mindset#values#alignment