The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

ASHLEY B Swaby wears many hats.

She is an events coordinator and promoter, app developer, social media influencer, TV co-host, co-founder of PerFete, to certified project manager. But through it all she says she is learning, trying, failing, regrouping, growing, and evolving each and every day.

“I’m looking forward to the titles that come with this growth and new found self motivation,” she told Tribune Woman, as she discussed her newest ventures.

Just recently, the serial entrepreneur reintroduced her AB Swaby brand to the world with the launch of a new website and her third “12 Days of Christmas” campaign. The dual launch was celebrated with an executive launch party held at Island House.

Since launching her website on December 6, almost 2,000 visitors flocked to it in just four days along with signups. Over the years, Ashley has leveraged her extensive background in project management, event production, as co-host of “Countdown to Carnival” and sales and marketing to amass almost 19,000 followers through her Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat platforms.

When asked of the 12 days of Christmas campaign, Ashley explained: “Essentially, there were 12 partners/sponsors with a minimum of one gift. Gifts were raffled every night for 12 consecutive nights in the month of December. Naturally, I love gifting people and seeing the joy and gratitude on their faces. Freebies and giveaways were a huge factor in the success of my events from 2010 to 2017. I thought to extend this gesture to my loyal and supportive followers. The gifts were a mixture of things I love, and items or services to empower business minded people.”

To be eligible, persons were encouraged to sign up for Ashley’s newsletter via www.abswaby.com and follow her on Instagram to track the daily giveaways.

For the past nine years, Ashley has created, coordinated and promoted signature themed events under her first company entitled Bankable Productions. With fresh ideas and a compelling desire to breathe new life into the industry via her new website, Ashley will be sharing experiences, lessons, and launching an innovative masterclass to help aspiring and established female entrepreneurs going forward into 2020.

“Now that I’ve been seen, I want to be felt. Over the last few years, I have grown into my own, discovered new passions simultaneously rediscovering old ones. One passion in particular, empowerment through testimonies. It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I am using my platform for a purpose that is bigger than solely making money. I believe I grew with the realisation that not all payments are in the form of currency, compared to the basis of ‘Banks’, my old brand,” said Ashley.

She also spoke about another past venture of hers known as “S’gern On”, an events promotional app. Ashley said the app was the first step in realising that she had outgrown the space of nightlife events and promotions.

“I thought this would be a good way to transition into the unknown, while keeping a pulse on a market I once dominated. As a local social media influencer, my current rebranding initiatives, are a display of my growth and the obligation I feel to inspire, motivate, educate, and mostly relate to women of the Bahamas, and the world at large. This display will be carried out greatly through my new website, www.abswaby.com, which is made up of three components: lifestyle, empowerment, and traveling,” said Ashley.

In 2020, Ashley said persons can expect to see more trials, errors, success, glam, travels, events, dining, and partnerships via her brand. She encouraged young Bahamian women to follow their goals, learn as much as they can and start where they are with what they have.

“Procrastination can be crippling and ignorance can be a setback. I would tell young women to be quick, but don’t hurry; patience plays a great role in greatness. Lastly, always carry yourself with grace,” said Ashley.