Bloom Where You Are: How Ashley King Turned Perfectionism into Power and Built a Brand That Helps Women Rise
When Ashley King founded BLOOM Virtual.co, it was not just a business move. It was a personal declaration. After years of working in the luxury fashion world and magazine publishing, she reached a breaking point that many women entrepreneurs can relate to. She was tired of building other people’s visions while silencing her own.
So, she created BLOOM. Not just as a company, but as a commitment to herself. A way to grow, to rise, and to help other women do the same.
“I created BLOOM so I could bloom,” she said. “It was about becoming more of myself.”
Today, her Toronto-based creative agency and VA studio helps women founders bring their brands to life with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Through a mix of design, strategy, and support, BLOOM empowers women to build brands that feel authentic, look beautiful, and most importantly, convert.
From Fashion to Foundership
Ashley’s story begins in the world of haute couture. Trained in fashion design, she built her early career working for an established designer in Montreal and later in magazine publishing. She loved the creativity, the storytelling, and the beauty. But over time, she began to see what was behind the curtain, the imbalance, the lack of purpose, and the pressure to chase image over impact.
“I realized my love for fashion wasn’t about clothes,” she explained. “It was about design and the way stories can make people feel.”
That realization marked a shift. Ashley started building brands instead of garments. She wanted to help people tell their stories in ways that mattered.
After co-owning a business with her partner, she decided it was time to pursue her own vision. She launched BLOOM Virtual.co in 2021, beginning with a simple mission: help women founders bring their ideas to life and grow with integrity.
Letting Go to Grow
Like many founders, Ashley struggled with the urge to do everything herself. “I was a perfectionist,” she admitted. “I thought no one could do it like me.”
But she quickly learned that perfectionism was a cage. The moment she began to let go, everything changed.
“The biggest win in growing any company,” she said, “is training people to do what you do and finding people who can do it even better.”
That mindset became a foundation of BLOOM’s success. She built a team of women who share her values of integrity, creativity, and care. Her agency’s hiring process includes a two-week live trial to ensure energy, communication, and work ethic align with the team’s rhythm.
“It’s not about checking boxes,” she said. “It’s about energy. The right people make you feel safe, supported, and inspired.”
Building Brands That Convert
BLOOM’s clients are mostly women creatives, coaches, and founders in wellness and service-based industries. They come to her agency for websites, branding, and ongoing creative support.
But Ashley is clear: her work is not about making things pretty. It is about building brands that convert.
“Your website is the heartbeat of your business,” she said. “You can spend all the money in the world on ads, but if your website doesn’t tell the right story, it won’t convert.”
Too often, she explained, entrepreneurs create websites that talk about themselves instead of speaking to their clients. The result is a disconnect between what they offer and what visitors feel when they land on the page.
“A good website should feel like home,” she said. “When your dream client lands there, they should exhale and say, ‘This is what I’ve been looking for.’”
The Three-Step Framework for Growth
Ashley teaches a simple but transformative process for business growth, one that applies as much to mindset as it does to branding.
Visualize the Future You
“Get clear on who you’re becoming,” she said. “What does your brand look and feel like in five years? What kind of support do you have? How do you show up?”This step is about allowing yourself to dream, to see the next version of yourself before she exists. Ashley recommends creating a visual mood board or Pinterest collection that captures what your future brand will look and feel like.
Audit What’s Holding You Back
“Make a list of everything that’s draining you,” she said. “That might be tasks, clients, people, or even habits.”This is where founders often find clarity about what needs to go, whether that means delegating, redesigning, or letting go of old systems that no longer fit.
Take One Brave Step Forward
“Growth starts with action,” she said. “Hire the VA. Redesign the website. Delegate the task. You don’t need to have it all figured out, just take the next step.”
Ashley believes real progress happens when you start moving like the woman you’re becoming, not the woman you used to be.
The Heart of a Brand
When Ashley works with clients, she starts with emotion.
“People buy from emotion first,” she explained. “We are intentional with our dollars. We want to feel connected to the brands we choose.”
That emotional connection is what makes branding so powerful. It is not just colors or fonts. It is the feeling your brand creates, trust, calm, excitement, inspiration.
She often reminds founders that if their brand no longer inspires them, it is time to evolve it. “A brand should grow with you,” she said. “You are not meant to stay in one version of yourself forever.”
Blooming Forward
Looking ahead, Ashley sees BLOOM growing intentionally rather than rapidly. She is building long-term creative partnerships with clients, expanding internationally, and supporting more purpose-driven brands.
Her vision for the next decade is simple: “Serve with heart, elevate with purpose, and keep growing slowly and beautifully.”
BLOOM now manages podcasts, marketing campaigns, and creative projects for clients across North America and Europe. But Ashley’s purpose has never changed.
“I want every woman who works with us to feel seen, supported, and proud of her brand,” she said. “That’s what blooming really means.”
For Every Woman Ready to Bloom
Ashley’s story is a reminder that business growth and personal growth are deeply intertwined. When you step into your next level, you do not just build a better brand, you build a fuller version of yourself.
So if you are feeling stuck, ask yourself:
Does my brand still inspire me?
Do I trust the people around me?
Am I holding on to too much out of fear?
Then take one brave step forward.
Because blooming is not about being perfect. It is about being ready.
Connect with Ashley King
Website: https://www.bloomvirtual.co
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ashley-k-7a144611
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomvirtual.co
Podcast: The Brand Bloomprint Podcast
