Felicity’s Story

Mother. Marketer. Mariner. Motivator. Rowing against the current.

After over 20 years working as a blue-chip marketing leader, the business founder and mother of three rowed the Atlantic whilst unknowingly fighting cancer.

Felicity’s Story

Mother. Marketer. Mariner. Motivator. Rowing against the current.

After over 20 years working as a blue-chip marketing leader, business founder and mother of three Felicity Ashley rowed the Atlantic whilst unknowingly fighting cancer.

About

Drawing on her personal journeys of discovery, she now works with organisations and leaders facing transformational change. Supporting them to become more inclusive, dynamic, confident, adaptable and resilient. Her work focuses on how a positive mindset is key to success – overcoming challenges, tackling biases, creating winning teams, thriving through change, embracing opportunities, smashing goals. When life gives you lemons, it’s not just about making lemonade - it’s about using them to create something amazing.

In her 20+ years of leading marketing teams in some of the UK’s largest organisations, she successfully navigated and guided teams through a plethora of business and personal challenges, from organisational restructuring and transforming corporate culture, to supporting colleagues’ return to work, striking her own work/life balance with three young children and adjusting to extreme market disruption.

Inspired by renewed mobility following a hip replacement, she put her body and mind to the ultimate test by taking on ‘The World’s Toughest Row’ as part of ‘The Mothership’ crew – a 3,000 mile, unsupported row across the Atlantic Ocean and in completing it, joined the ranks of only 280 women to have ever rowed an ocean. Her aim was to inspire women and children, and show them that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Just weeks after this incredible achievement she was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer, a challenge which would once again put her mental and physical resilience to the test.

Before and after photos of Felicity Ashley, after the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge: before and after 40 days, 11 hours, 25 minutes at sea

Felicity Ashley laying in a hospital bed with tubes attached to her nose to help her breathe.
Felicity Ashley sitting in an armchair at a hospital hooked up to a chemotherapy machine.

Just weeks after completing a 3,000 mile Atlantic row, she was diagnosed with bowel cancer

What others say about Felicity

“Felicity stood before a captivated audience, weaving a tapestry of vulnerability and strength. As she shared her journey, navigating a labyrinth of health challenges, the room fell into a hushed reverence. She had captivated the room. Her courage echoed through each word, resonating with everyone present. The raw authenticity with which she confronted her fears and triumphs left an indelible mark on me. Felicity’s ability to articulate the intricate interplay between mindset and resilience became a beacon of inspiration. In that moment, she wasn’t just a speaker; she became a living testament to the power within each individual to overcome adversity and emerge stronger.”

— Darren Aston, Managing Director, Aston & James.

Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge: The World’s Toughest Row

The premier event in ocean rowing – a challenge that will take you more than 3000 miles west from San Sebastian in La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain to Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua & Barbuda.

Watch as Felicity and her team, The Mothership, complete their gruelling journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

The common thread that runs through her professional and personal experiences and that has enabled her to repeatedly overcome challenges and adversity is a positive mindset – a willingness to open herself to opportunity and turn negatives into positives. She shares her unique and inspiring experience with her audiences with candour and humility, and speaks about mindset over matter – showing how a positive mindset is key to thriving through challenge, change and adversity.  

Bringing her familiarity with organisational challenges and her personal experiences together, she works with organisations, leaders and teams to support them through transformational journeys. Through a variety of in person and virtual formats, including keynotes, workshops and Q&As, she relates her experience to their challenges – from organisational restructuring and setting ambitious strategic goals, to creating inclusive, high performing teams and reducing burnout through promoting a more healthy and sustainable work-life balance.

The common thread that runs through Felicity’s professional and personal experiences and that has enabled her to repeatedly overcome challenges and adversity is a positive mindset – a willingness to open herself to opportunity and turn negatives into positives. Felicity shares her unique and inspiring experience with her audiences with candour and humility, and speaks about mindset over matter – showing how a positive mindset is key to thriving through challenge, change and adversity.  

Bringing her familiarity with organisational challenges and her personal experiences together, Felicity works with organisations, leaders and teams to support them through transformational journeys. Through a variety of in person and virtual formats, including keynotes, workshops and Q&As, she relates her experience to their challenges – from organisational restructuring, setting ambitious strategic goals and transforming corporate culture, to creating inclusive, high performing teams and promoting health and wellbeing in the workforce.

© 2023 Felicity Ashley | All Rights Reserved
Website design by GS Creative Designs