Ashley Beaudin dreamed of bringing together a group of strong women who hope to change the world. Through her online community Firework People, she has been able to do just that. From supplying resources to giving much-needed encouragement, Beaudin answered our questions about how her work provides women throughout the nation with the tools they need to change the world.
What does the Firework People community mean to you?
Ashley Beaudin: To me, the Firework People community is a sisterhood of visionary women who are passionate, convicted, hilarious and making their move in the world. They are women who aren’t willing to stay comfortable but are busting out of fear to do the dreams that inside of their heart. They are kind and generous. They are going to be a success in every way.
What inspired you to start it?
AB: I was longing for a community for women who wanted to do the stuff and make a difference. That can be such a lonely journey, but it doesn’t have to be.
How can individuals get involved?
AB: Currently, individuals can take a look at our website! From there, you can check us out on social media, sign up for our happy mail, work with us, or just receive a high-five. We like those a lot.
Why do you think it’s so important for women to lift each other up?
AB: The world throws some crazy messages at women, very few that are true. We have to be in each other’s corners. The temptation can be to compete and claw for the top, but her success is not your failure. We need each other.
How has this community grown/changed? Where do you see it going in the future?
AB: In the past year, I’ve seen our community grow so fast. In our first five months, we went from a handful of people to thousands. That’s a massive leap! We are staying in our vision to be a community, resource, and encouragement to women who want to not just dream big, but do those dreams and be so awesomely successful at them. When women do that, it is world changing. Into the future, I see us doing more live events.
What advice do you have for ambitious young women looking to make a difference?
AB: Ah, I love this question! My advice would be to this: Dream big. Dream so crazy-big that it scares you to think about and you wonder how it could ever be possible. Dream that big. But also, stay present. Stay in today. Work your butt off to create what you desire and know that today isn’t forever so utilize it and make the most of each opportunity. And have fun!
What has been your biggest obstacle in forming this community?
AB: The biggest obstacle in forming the community I would say is when people get upset. Whether it comes out of nowhere or it is based in good reason, it makes me sad when that happens! But I’ve had to learn how to stay faithful to the vision in my heart even when people don’t agree, because you’ll never have across-the-board support.
What has been the most rewarding part of forming this community?
AB: The most rewarding part has been people, by far. I insanely believe in our community of women and the hearts that I’ve come to know, relationships I’ve seen form, and lives I’ve seen change make it a thousand percent worth it. From the very beginning, it was people over profit and that is still a core belief of my heart.
You can follow Firework People on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Cover image courtesy of Ashley Beaudin.
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