ASHLEY BAYLOR shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
ASHLEY, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
What’s commonly misunderstood about my business is charity work. People hear the words cancer and caregiver and instantly assume that Baylor Strong is a nonprofit organization. While we do sow into nonprofits and contribute toward initiatives for cancer research, we are a for profit business.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Ashley Baylor and I founded and own The Baylor Strong Project LLC. I’m a proud native of Los Angeles, CA and currently reside in Houston, TX. The Baylor Strong Project LLC was inspired my dad and our family’s experience as caretakers during his battle with pancreatic cancer. We believe that caregivers need care too. Our mission is to support the whole person of every caregiver within the pancreatic cancer community and raise awareness concerning the struggles of this role.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship with Jesus Christ has most shaped how I see myself. I’m fortunate to have parents who nurtured my relationship with Christ. Now as an adult, I’m grounded and firmly rooted in my identity as a child of God. I know that I’m loved, covered, and was created with purpose and intention. I have finally reached a place in my life where my identity is no longer abstract (I struggled to own this in my youth). The acceptance of who I am in Christ is my guiding light toward a promising future.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes. 2019 is the year I shook an angry fist at God and demanded revelation about my future. I’d pursued physical therapy since high school and after years of academics, work, volunteering, and community involvement, I was lost. I was unaware of the potential impact I could have in the field. Up until 2019, I felt as if life had passed me by. Everyone around me seemed to move with certainty and precision, fulfilling their goals and arriving steps closer to their destiny. I, however, felt distant from my life’s purpose with every passing year. I told God that if He didn’t give me a reason to keep going, I’d quit and never look back.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is authentic. I’m loud, funny, active, caring, compassionate, and an advocate. I’m always dancing and challenging what the world deems as truth. I was raised in a family where “what you see is what you get.” So, I don’t know how to be anyone other than who I am. I used to shrink in spaces where my personality felt suppressed. Now I dominate everywhere I ago because I refuse to make myself small in order for others to feel comfortable.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
My hope is that people will talk about the transformative impact I had on their lives. I was taught that a person should become better as a result of knowing me. Especially as a Christian woman, if people haven’t come to know the truth of Jesus Christ, then I’ve failed. When the Lord calls me home, my legacy should be that of love, wisdom, kindness, gentleness, compassion, transformation, joy, peace, and a fighting spirit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.baylorstrongproject.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebaylorstrongproject
Image Credits
Udo Asomugha and D’Yani St. Cyr
