Life and Work with Ash Krupnik

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ash Krupnik.

Ash, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I had wanted to be a concept artist for Disney, but when that didn’t pan out like I had hoped, I took some time to really ponder where I wanted my career to go. My husband was in his last semester of law school and with the light gleaming brighter at the end of that tunnel, I felt that was the perfect time to launch myself into a career that I love. I took inventory of what I could do, what my skill sets were, and what I could do with them. Wardrobe Styling quickly became the front-runner of options, and I began scouring the Valley for some of the best in the industry to learn from. Through a few series of coffee dates, I began reverse engineering my career as a Wardrobe Stylist. Before I could blink, I was handed my first fashion show that really launched my career. I chose several designers in the Valley to work with, one of whom was Jane Goh-Qwa: the designer behind “Journey by NC.” We formed a working relationship and she’s been someone I look up to as a mentor and friend ever since. I also met my future business partner: Caitlin Martin. She was a model who stepped in to do Hair & Makeup for my show at the 11th hour.

After my first fashion show, I also worked on the annual Brave Wings Charity Fashion Show as the head stylist where I had the pleasure of wrangling and styling over 70 of Phoenix’s best models. Along with the personal styling clients that found me in the pages of Chandler Lifestyle Magazine as a style columnist, and the mentions from Ahwatukee Foothills News, my business was growing. I was approached in August 2017 by a friend who had recently had bariatric surgery, to see if I could help her and other women like her style themselves post-op. She explained the unique styling challenges this community faced and I was drawn into helping women who needed that boost of confidence after conquering a major challenge in their life.

I began The Emergent Collective and added Caitlin Martin to my team. We are very honored to be working with a renowned non-profit consultant, Kari Yatkowski (Goodways & Co.) and utilizing her expertise to launch our non-profit. We are currently getting our 501c3 status, and look forward to being a force for change in our community by empowering women to live authentically and use style and confidence to emerge from their challenges with grace and confidence. I’ve been invited to lead a session at the national Obesity Help conference in Anaheim this fall and look forward to working alongside Caitlin to launch this movement. I currently have a workbook in the works, that will hopefully be published this fall, called “Emerging YOU.”

Has it been a smooth road?
If you’re just starting out, I would say you need to learn how to:

1.) Learn to say “no.”
I’ve headed to learn how to say “no.” After getting taken advantage of by others who are looking for free labor, I’ve had to learn my worth and refuse jobs that don’t honor that. I think that’s the hardest lesson to learn when you’re starting a business.
2.) Know you worth, then add tax.
I like this mantra because it gives us permission to ask for what we deserve. I think that’s hard for women to do sometimes. The clients you want will pay you what you’re worth. It may take longer to find them, but once you do, you’ll be satisfied knowing that you’re getting compensated appropriately
3.) Network, network, network.
I can’t stress this one enough. One of the lessons I’ve learned from Jane Goh-Qwa (my friend/mentor) is that you must utilize your community. Are you starting something new? Tell people about it. Ask them directly if they know anyone who can assist you in your journey. It’s going to take so much longer to get where you want to go if you don’t network. It can be as easy as talking to someone browsing in the same section of the bookstore as you or you can do what I did and track down experts and learn from their mistakes.

Has this been a smooth road? Certainly not! But where’s the fun in that? If you can just learn to do your best, abide by these three rules, and hang on for the ride, you’re going to get where you’re meant to go. Let things grow organically, but put in the work. You can’t expect to be “discovered” if you’re not out there on the playing field.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Ash- Personal Stylist – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
As a Personal Stylist, I help clients achieve the look they are going for. Whether it’s a closet overhaul, or simply choosing outfits for their nights out, I am there to help them look their best. I also work with designers to style for their runway shows, photo shoots, and catalog shoots. I’ve recently begun directing these types of projects as well, and have found yet another strength and passion of mine – directing. I have recently launched style coaching as well, where I can work 1-on-1 with clients to help them become their own personal stylist. I love teaching and this is a great thing for women who are looking to transform themselves through style.

I also work with Journey by NC as the “in house stylist”, doing business development, and maintaining some of the 26 channels they are represented in around the country.

I am the Founder/CEO of The Emergent Collective and am looking forward to diving into this new venture to impact our community.

Things that set me apart? Well, for starters, I’m bossy. I walk into a job and own it completely. I am quick on my feet, organized and innovative. I am fearless. I appreciate opportunities to learn, to grow and to evolve. I am not afraid of failure, because I use it to my advantage.

Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
As women, I think it’s time to move away from labeling ourselves as victims first. Yes, we need to honor our past, grieve it, and process it. But we also need to move forward and not allow ourselves to adopt the “victim” label as our identity.

Women are at a unique place right now. So often, we are painted as: victims, catty, competitive to a fault, selfish, jealous and manipulative. Turning that narrative onto men, we see them painted in a much more positive light: beating the odds, driven, competitive, focused, and persuasive.

As women, it’s up to us to create our own opportunities, because let’s be honest, most men won’t hand them to us. Do you want something? Chase it down, don’t stop until you get it. Do you want an opportunity? Create it. We are creative by nature. We are leaders, ambassadors, innovative, empowered and angry with the status-quo. Once you embrace it, own it, and love yourself for it, you are unstoppable. Are unstoppable women scary? Abso-freaking-lutely we are.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ashpersonalstylist.com
• Phone: 480-296-4851
• Email: ash@ashpersonalstylist.com
• Instagram: ashpersonalstylist

Image Credit:
Jam Sani Photography, Memorees by Liz Photography, Elena Thornton Photography

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.