VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Being your own boss is something Ashley Horner knows very well.
"I'm a humanitarian, first and foremost. An entrepreneur, I'm a mother, I'm a business woman, I'm an athlete and I'm a fitness model," says Horner.
She's opened her own gym, American Sled Dogs, and a coffee shop, American Brew, both in Virginia Beach. But she found another industry she wanted to break into.
"Every business that I started was because I saw a need," says Horner. "Besides fitness clothing, I was wearing more active outdoor girl clothing and I was just like 'well if I'm wearing these other brands why cant I just create my own brand?'"
Enter Valkyrie Surf and Snow. With over a hundred pieces so far, the line is meant for active women who love the outdoors.
"It may not be everybody's style, but I wanted to create something that I loved that reflected who I was," says Horner.
She says one of her best business strengths is her fearlessness.
"I'm a little hard headed and whenever there's something that I want, I go after it wholeheartedly."
As a successful owner of multiple businesses, she recommends starting small.
"Whenever you think about business it can be extremely scary because most times were thinking huge big branded companies," says Horner. "But having your own business can be extremely small. You can be in your spare bedroom making little flies for fly rods for a little company in North Carolina... Business can be small and it has to start with passion."
The reason she's been able to be so successful?
"I'm honestly just a normal girl with a lot of passion for everything that I do. I believe with hard work and a good work ethic that you can do anything that you want to do."
