Photo taken by Allie Provost (https://www.instagram.com/pret.a.photo/)
Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlee Hightower McHugh.
Ashlee, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I graduated from law school and did what any good newly minted lawyer does; I took a job at a large, national law firm in Birmingham, Alabama. After practicing law for three years, I transitioned into a more corporate legal job in Washington, DC at a global publishing company where I worked as a legal editor writing and editing legal articles.
While working as a legal editor, to scratch my own creative itch, I launched a style, travel, and wellness blog, Cobalt Chronicles. As I dove deeper into the blogging world and began to meet creatives in different fields (photographers, graphic designers, event planners, etc.), I realized there was a hole in a lot of my peers’ businesses – they weren’t utilizing contracts to protect themselves and their businesses.
With my background in the blogging world and my legal expertise, I launched my Contracts for Creatives business where I help creative entrepreneurs and small business owners with all of their legal contract needs!
Today, I run Cobalt Chronicles and Contracts for Creatives full time here in Houston, Texas.
Cobalt Chronicles is a Houston based lifestyle blog celebrating everyday style, attainable travels, and wellness.
Contracts for Creatives is a consulting business where I consult with clients (mostly solo entrepreneurs and creative entrepreneurs) on legal contracts. I also provide intellectual property services such as filing trademark and patent applications on behalf of clients.
Has it been a smooth road?
The most challenging part of starting both Cobalt Chronicles and Contracts for Creatives was gaining traction and growing both businesses. It’s an ongoing task that really never ends. I’m always looking for different ways to keep my Cobalt Chronicles audience engaged and keep providing value to my community.
With Contracts for Creatives, I’m always brainstorming more ways to get in front of potential clients, whether that’s pitching workshops to established conferences or connecting with podcast hosts in an attempt to secure an interview on a new episode.
My advice to any other women just starting out and trying to build their own businesses would be to say yes to everything in the beginning. That’s how I first built such a solid community around Cobalt Chronicles and then was able to utilize that network in building out Contracts for Creatives. I’ve met so many amazing, creative, and driven women pursuing their passions and side hustles just by saying yes!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Cobalt Chronicles & Contracts for Creatives story. Tell us more about it.
Cobalt Chronicles is a lifestyle blog and brand focused on style, travel, and wellness. I aim to provide my readers and audience with everyday style inspiration, travel tips, travel guides, and lifestyle inspiration. I love everyday fashion and have a passion for travel. I aim to inspire my readers by providing everyday outfit ideas and tips and tricks on how to make travel more attainable. My main goal with Cobalt Chronicles is to create a community of like-minded women where we can all inspire one another to live our best, balanced lives.
Contracts for Creatives is where I wear my attorney hat. I provide legal contract services and legal consulting services to creative entrepreneurs and small business owners. I help clients including bloggers, photographers, event planners, wedding planners, and graphic designers, with drafting and reviewing contracts. I provide an approachable and affordable solution to business owners’ legal needs.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
In regard to Cobalt Chronicles and the blogging industry, I think females are leading the way. Blogging and the entire concept of influencer marketing is such a new industry, and if you look at the demographics of top bloggers and influencers, especially in the lifestyle space, women are the dominant force.
I look up to female bloggers and influencers who have been in the game much longer than I have, the OGs if you will, like Emily Schuman of Cupcakes & Cashmere and Arielle Charnas of Something Navy. It’s incredible that these women have been able to build out brands and businesses from an initial online blog. And they did it the right way. These days it’s easy to fake influence, but I think as the influencer industry is becoming more of a well-known marketing avenue for brands, brands are wising up and going after bloggers and influencers who, like the original bloggers leading the way, have built their brands, followings, and communities authentically.
Contact Info:
- Website: Cobalt Chronicles www.cobaltchronicles.com; Contracts for Creatives: www.ashleehightower.com
- Email: Cobalt Chronicles: ashlee@cobaltchronicles.com Contracts for Creatives: ashlee@ashleehightower.com
- Instagram: Cobalt Chronicles: @cobaltchronicles Contracts for Creatives: @contractsforcreatives
- Facebook: Cobalt Chronicles: https://www.facebook.com/cobaltchroniclesblog/ Contracts for Creatives: https://www.facebook.com/contractsforcreatives/
- Twitter: @cobaltchronicl
Image Credit:
Lois Campos: https://www.instagram.
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