Ashton Cantou is a Certified Transformational Life Coach and founder of Intrinsic Motivation, LLC. As a natural born leader, Ashton is gifted with the ability to serve, reach, and empower those whom she has the opportunity to work with. She has demonstrated this in multiple arenas with nearly a decade of experience in education, mentoring, and philanthropy. Additionally, serving as a coach and trainer to hundreds of educators in the North Texas area, she has further developed strengths in speaking and leadership to support others in achieving their goals. Read our interview with the lovely Ashton below…
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I had spent many years of my life swimming ‘upstream’ and working against myself instead of for myself. My negative self-talk was often detrimental to my personal growth. Often making the process of how I reached my goals much more difficult than necessary and sometimes hindering my own potential because of limiting beliefs I held about myself. Along the way, I learned to use “failure” as feedback to course correct onto that stepping stone. Then, I started to realize that I had only scratched the surface of my potential. After that, I became determined to figure out how to tap into my own potential. It was through my own studies and implementation of the transformational success principles I offer in my programs, that I have been able to breakthrough limitations and achieve greater results than I had ever known possible. Gaining clarity, confidence, and achieving greater levels of success, all while enjoying the highest levels of fulfillment in life. As a woman of purpose, once figuring out how to do this for myself, I’ve made it my mission to share what I have learned by empowering and educating people on how to tap into their unlimited potential. Encouraging and supporting others in the pursuit their passions and fulfillment their lives purpose is of upmost importance to me.
Tell us about your business.
Intrinsic Motivation, LLC is a multifaceted coaching practice, one that assists people in improving their results in any or all four domains which we create results: Vocation, Time & Money Freedom, Health, and Relationships. One of the programs offered is a proven reliable system called The DreamBuilder program, which serves as a support system to bridging the gap from your current life to the life you would love living. People discover and pursue their dreams along with the confidence required to go after it with inner peace and joy. It is a program designed for people who are ready to define what they want in life and dissolve fear, doubt and worry to achieve it. It is a 90-Day PROVEN Process to transform your life and jumpstart the results you have been longing for.
Another service offered is leadership coaching for high performance, geared towards advancing and supporting more confident, competent, and courageous leaders. This is offered for those seeking a deeper dive into personal leadership development, ready to learn new tools and begin sharpening their leadership skills.
In the near future I will be offering a program called Intrinsic Beauty, which I have co-developed with Kara Marlene, LLC. Kara is a partnering inspirational speaker/coach. As well as, a beauty, business, and talent consultant. We launched our Intrinsic Beauty YouTube channel last week, Intrinsic Beauty, which foreshadows our 4 week long program. It is specifically geared towards supporting women in tapping into their inner beauty. Thus, giving them tools to draw that beauty out from within, live more confidently, and in harmony with who they truly are. Intrinsic Beauty dives into real and raw topics such as tapping into your sense of deserving, developing self-love, re-patterning negative self-talk, and deepening self-care practices.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
I am offering complementary strategy sessions ($250 value) to the first 10 people to direct message me after reading this blog. They’re half hour conversations where I completely give you my time just as an architect would and help you design an energetic blueprint for the most important area of your life that you want to change. If we work together over time, we would design a crystal clear vision for all of the areas of your life but let’s start and I will give you a free session completely complimentary for helping you understand how to design a crystal clear vision. Imagine if you said, “I want to do better.” You want to design exactly what that better is, exactly what it looks like, and feels like and that’s what I’m a specialist in doing. That’s the first step and probably the most important step in you changing your results.
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
- Bachelor’s of Education, University of Indianapolis
- Master’s of Education, Indiana University
- Certified DreamBuilder Coach, The Life Mastery Institute, the premiere training center for transformational coaching
- Certificate of Completion in Leadership Coaching for High Performance, Results Coaching Global (Accredited Coach Training Program – International Coach Federation)
- Board of Directors, ICanStillShine Nonforprofit
- District wide curriculum writer, trainer, and coach
- Professional Model/Red Carpet Hostess
Where is your business based?
Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas and online.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
Before I could ever expect to transform the results in the lives of others I needed to be sure I was able to do it for myself. One of the best decisions I ever made was choosing to invest in myself. I completed the intensive 12-week transformational DreamBuilder program myself, making changes from within, applying what I learned, bettering myself everyday. (I still am.) I also of course hired a coach of my own, someone to mentor and guide me through the process. Another important step was enlisting partners in believing to support and encourage me along the way.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
In addition to the Vision Workshops I hold monthly, word of mouth, and testimonials are always a sure fire way to build the know-like trust factor and gain client interest. I can’t forget to mention this amazing opportunity to be featured on Ladybossblogger as well!
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
In DreamBuilding first we blueprint, then we begin to bridge the gap from the life we are coming from to the life we are going to. Simply the patience and persistence it takes to look at your progress and not compare your results or where you are at to other people was one of my most difficult challenges.
How did you overcome these challenges?
Holding the belief that “This is simply what it looks like while it’s all coming together.” Also, trusting that I am always exactly where I need to be, learning and growing, at the pace that I am supposed to be.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
Staying emotionally and energetically involved with my vision on a daily basis has been critical in overcoming any circumstantial evidence that infuses doubt. Also, knowing that the power breathing me is more powerful than any circumstance I face, and that I have unlimited access to the power from within.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
As an inspirational speaker & Certified Transformational Life Coach, I serve anyone who is wanting to build their dreams, accelerate their results and create richer, more fulfilling lives. The coaching services offered are multifaceted. I specialize in achievement execution and life principle implementation. Which means that we don’t simply focus on where we’re going but who we’re becoming in the process of getting there. The processes I use enables people to use their gifts, passions, trials, and even failures to propel their results in a positive direction of growth and achievement. My coaching methods are interwoven with tenacity and compassion. Which enables me to push those I mentor and coach beyond their current understanding of how to bring about the results they seek. I often serve as a mirror to others, helping them identify their own limiting beliefs, to see their blind spots, and assist them in revealing their true potential. Giving those I work with an opportunity to live the life they would love and also make a difference in the world.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
“Failure” is simply feedback. Use it to course correct.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
A year from now, this next year will be gone and you will have results, not maybe but absolutely. There is only 1 of 2 ways that you can live. You’ll either live by design because you place an intelligent design in your mind about what you would really love to achieve and be and do with your life, your one precious life or you live by default which is the same pattern. If we want different results you must not only be willing to think differently but also do differently. You must also know that you can get to your dream, and that certainty comes from within, which requires a higher level of being.
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
I love Coaching World Magazine for learning cutting edge approaches and practices in the coaching industry. To hold meetings, video conferences, or live webinars, Zoom is an excellent tool as well.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @born_2b_a_blessing
Twitter @ashtoncantou
Facebook @intrinsicmotivationllc
Email missmotivation8@gmail.com
Hashtags #transforamtionallifecoach #leadershipcoaching #lifecoach #intrinsicmotivation #intrinsicbeauty #lifebydesign
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
“Build Your Business With Your Heart” by Ram. S Ramanathan, MCC – Leadership Coach, trainer, & spiritual wonderer, Coaching World Issue 21:Grow.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
Branding, I am learning about the importance of building the know-like and trust factors through consistently conveying my branding throughout all of my marketing and communications. I would be delighted for some support in making everything cohesive especially with varying services.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
I am going to solidify consistent branding across the board and increase my marketing. Through networking and making contacts I plan to enlist some support from someone who is an expert in this field. I also want to start taking small groups through the DreamBuilder program so people can learn and grow from one another. Additionally, through my partnership with Kara Marlene, LLC we will continue to build our own content and curriculum for Intrinsic Beauty in order to continue serving and empowering women to live their best lives.