I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving! I am not sure if I have always been this way or if it is new, but I do not love Turkey. I am one hundred percent there for the sides and pies.

Newsletter Sounds: a few tracks that carried me through November. Listen here while you read. (and yes, it’s all Christmas music. I’ve been celebrating since Nov.)

My word for December? Preparation.

I am deep in preparing for a 2026 that is beyond my wildest dreams. I am tweaking the most important parts of myself and my business. My process. My offerings. All so I can support the type of expansion and abundance I want to experience. Creating the life you want = work.

I’m aiming for 100 subscribers in the next 30 days. I’m at 52, and I’d love your help getting there. If this newsletter has ever been useful to you, forward it to someone who might appreciate it too.

Halfway through the month I slowed down on pumping out so much content. I put myself in a blackout period. When you are a team of one, sometimes you have to step back and make sure your business is fully up to date before you move forward.

One of the best things I did in November was enlist the services of my friend and fellow Fabrik member, Tish Diggs.

Tish comes from the world of brand and marketing. She is focused on helping business owners and founders understand themselves so they can attract the most aligned opportunities. Through our work together, she encouraged me to reposition my most entry level offering. What started as a Live Product Mini Audit turned into a space for founders to work through the one main thing they feel stuck on in their business.

I realized how much could happen in two hours. The clarity. The next steps. The shift in perspective. I knew I needed to rethink the offer as a whole. So I did what I always do. I took a weekend and rebuilt it from the ground up using everything I have learned from taking founders through the process.

So here it is.

Introducing Calibration Lab.

The Calibration Lab is a 2 hour diagnostic session for founders and business owners who need answers about why their product, offer, or growth is not performing and what to do next.

It is built for founders who have:

Every session produces tangible output you can use to make decisions. Not just think differently. You leave with:

Most first sessions end up functioning as a diagnostic. Founders often know something is off but cannot clearly articulate what needs to shift. By session four they have built enough research, strategy, and reflection to understand how to properly tweak their product, who to pitch for partnerships, how to develop customer research, and whether they should continue on their current path or take a hard right.

While you can book it as a one off, the more sessions I do, the more I see how powerful the continued work becomes. Once the diagnostic is complete, committing to a short container helps founders accelerate instead of spinning their wheels.

I have a few December spots available as we head into a new year. If you or someone you know is interested, I am offering 20% off one session if you book your free discovery call before December 2 at 12 PM EST. Include Startupbaddienewsletter in the description. You will have thirty days after the discovery call to schedule and pay for the session before it expires.

Find more information about it here: https://ashleygracejefferson.com/the-calibration-lab

Reply back if you have any questions!

November brought three new episodes for Startup Baddie Live.

Replay links are here:

Month Two Stats

Some quick learnings:

The numbers were not where I wanted them to be. A few things may be happening. November marks the start of a busy season. People are preparing for the end of year. They are unplugging for the holidays. Many still do not understand that the episodes remain available after the live recording. I get so many questions about where to find replays. I also think some of my titles and descriptions might be a bit too loose and people may not know what to expect.

The people who do listen find the conversations impactful, so I know the content and the guest selection are on point.

What I Plan to Try Next

Reflection is a key part of being an entrepreneur. Many times you’re testing into what works. Excited to report back and see if any of this moves the needle!

Here are a few spaces to be in community with founders and ecosystem players.

Tuesday December 2, DUMBO
How to Meet Your Co founder
RSVP: https://luma.com/05o5st4y?tk=xsvsRx

Friday December 5, Jersey City
Jersey Coffee Shop Series: for Founders, Funders, Fractionals
RSVP: https://luma.com/z7tw6hni

Wednesday December 17, DUMBO
Content Club Live Coaching for Founders and Creatives
RSVP: https://luma.com/tdwcr8hh?tk=WQnsE5

Friday December 19, TriBeCa
Make 2026 Your Breakthrough Year
RSVP: https://luma.com/0klkiof5

SYSTEMS! I am calling in abundance and stability for 2026. Systems need to be in place to support that. From now through early January I am working on the top five processes in my business that need a written structure and automation.

My list:

SXSW and Cannes Lion. I am dreaming about creating an activation that will be unforgettable. If that intrigues you, respond back. Otherwise, more to come.

Thanksgiving.

NGL, I am not a Turkey person. And my mom makes amazing Turkey. I show up for the sides and the pumpkin or sweet potato pie.

Fin.

See a complete list of the Startup Baddie podcasts recs here.

Aspire with Emma Grede: The Obsession That Made Her Unstoppable with Charlotte Tilbury

First of all. Did you know Charlotte Tilbury, the iconic makeup brand, is only twelve years old? Wild.

This episode felt refreshing because it affirmed so much of what I believe about business. Knowing myself has made me better both personally and professionally. Innovation can come from places that have nothing to do with your current industry. It can come from cooking. It can come from a walk. It can come from a completely different sector. And if you know me, you know I love burning a playbook the moment it expires.

Yet these are the parts that no one talks about in big business or in the startup world. It never gets real attention until someone has already made it. In my opinion, it is never seen as a vital component to being able to make it.

Here are a few highlights from the episode that stuck with me:

How she thinks. Very blue sky. No limits. She is willing to rip up the rule book and ask why something needs to be done a certain way.

She is customer obsessed. She focuses on the need and the emotional connection. She aims to understand what customers need before they want it. I would add that it is equally important to see where immediate needs are being underserved as well. She maps all of this to the white space in the market.

She doubles down on innovation. Her entire ethos is to disrupt, innovate, and embrace the challenge. The consumer is always changing. You have to stay in it if you want to keep pace.

She is not hierarchical. She creates an environment where her team can challenge her. I love this. I am working with a founder right now who leads this way and I learn so much by being in that environment.

She removes the need to know everything. She asks questions. She stays open and acknowledges she is always learning.

She believes in being yourself. You can be multidimensional. Confidence is the core. It affects whether people make it or not. It is a business trait as much as it is a personal one.

And to close it out. I believe this conversation is proof that things can shift for you quickly. Whatever your version of success looks like.

Whether you’re looking for a thought partner, a fresh perspective, or someone to help you get unstuck, here’s how I currently support folks:

If something here speaks to you (or someone you know), I’d love to hear from you.

If you made it this far, thank you. Hit reply and let me know what landed (or what you want more of next time. I’d love to hear from you.

Grateful you’re here. Talk soon.

xx,

Ashley, the Startup Baddie