My Conversation with Ashley Stahl: How to Rebuild After Financial Loss and Find Clarity in Your Life and Career

Creating a life you love often means learning to navigate two seemingly opposing forces: urgency and stillness. Urgency can push us forward, helping us achieve our goals and create success quickly, while stillness can provide the clarity we need to make intentional decisions and course-correct when necessary.

Recently on The I Heart My Life Show, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ashley Stahl, founder of Wise Whisper and an expert in helping entrepreneurs share their stories through TEDx talks. Ashley’s journey has taken her from a high-powered career in counterterrorism to career coaching, to having over $500,000 of debt, and now to rebuilding a thriving business based on the principles of storytelling and personal growth.

From Career Success to Financial Crisis

Ashley’s story is a reminder that even when you’ve reached what seems like the pinnacle of success, life has a way of testing your resilience. After building a multi-million dollar business in the online space, Ashley found herself over half a million dollars in debt. She candidly shared how that financial crisis forced her to reevaluate not just her business strategy, but her mindset and approach to life.

Rather than succumbing to fear or panic, Ashley embraced the experience, learning valuable lessons about managing money, pacing her business growth, and most importantly, allowing herself to find clarity in the stillness that followed the chaos.

Balancing Urgency with Stillness

One of the most powerful insights Ashley shared was her philosophy on balancing urgency with stillness. Early in her career, urgency was her driving force, pushing her to create success quickly. But as her financial troubles mounted, she realized that urgency alone wasn’t enough. It was in the moments of stillness and reflection that she found the clarity to rebuild.

Ashley emphasized that while urgency can propel you forward, it’s often the moments of stillness that allow you to see what truly matters and to make the intentional decisions that will shape your future.

Rebuilding and Finding Clarity

After losing everything financially, Ashley didn’t rush to build something new. Instead, she gave herself the space and time to figure out her next steps. For four years, she continued working with private clients while waiting for her next big idea to emerge. Eventually, that idea became Wise Whisper, an agency that helps entrepreneurs and business leaders craft TEDx talks to share their stories and amplify their influence.

Ashley’s approach to rebuilding her life and career is a testament to the power of patience, intentionality, and trusting the process. She found that clarity doesn’t always come from hustle and action—it often comes from allowing yourself the freedom to pause and reflect.

Storytelling as a Path to Success

Today, as the founder of Wise Whisper, Ashley has combined her love of storytelling with her expertise in personal development and public speaking. Through her agency, she helps others craft powerful TEDx talks, using storytelling to connect, inspire, and create lasting impact.

Ashley’s own experiences on the TEDx stage have transformed her career, and she now uses those lessons to help her clients step into their own power and share their messages with the world.

Final Thoughts

Ashley Stahl’s journey is a powerful reminder that success is not always linear. It requires balancing urgency with stillness, accepting setbacks as part of the process, and trusting that clarity will come when the time is right. Her story is an inspiring example of how resilience, reflection, and storytelling can help you build a life and business you love.

If you’re in a period of transition or searching for clarity, I encourage you to download my Dream Life Guide. It’s designed to help you get clear on what you truly want and take action toward creating your dream life. Download it for free here.