Vision Board Experience 2024 with Ashley Calhoun: Empowering Evanston’s Community

Aaron Masliansky (00:01)
Welcome to the Chicagoland Guide and I'm your host, Aaron Masliansky Today, I am really happy to be sitting with Ashley Calhoun. Ashley runs the vision board experience that's going to be taking place in Evanston in December. She's going to give us all the details on that as we talk. So many cool things to talk about with Ashley and appreciate you joining me.

Ashley Calhoun (00:27)
Yes, hi. Good morning. It's a privilege to be here on the Chicagoland Guide. Thank you.

Aaron Masliansky (00:33)
Thank you. thank you for doing what you're doing. And I want to basically get all that information to be able to share with the audience here to learn about what a vision board is and all that kind of good stuff and how you got there. But yeah, tell us a little bit about yourself. mean, what brought you to doing a vision board in the first place?

Ashley Calhoun (00:54)
Yeah, absolutely. I'm Ashley, I'm 29, the founder of the Vision Board Experience, Vision Board EXP. And truly the idea of creating this event was very selfish in that I wanted to get everyone I loved in the same room at the same time. That wasn't in relation to birthdays or some celebratory event, which has now became a celebratory event, this Vision Board Experience. But...

In 2021, we had 20 people come together to create vision boards and do something positive and enjoy each other's company. And that's really all I wanted from this event. It was fueled by my love for people, of course. I truly value and love the people that are in my life and just everyone I come to me. I appreciate everyone I meet and I'm grateful for all the experiences. So I guess that sums me up in my background.

But I am an Evanstonian through and through. I believe that my values and who I am came from because I learned in Evanston to be kind. I learned how to be a good person. I learned how to interact with people from all walks of life. And I equate that to me being born and raised in Evanston and being able to grow this event to where it is now and be able to give back and go back to my home and my community is such a privilege.

Aaron Masliansky (01:52)
Mm-hmm.

Ashley Calhoun (02:18)
And yeah, I have a cat. Not too much about me here.

Aaron Masliansky (02:19)
Yeah. No, not too much. Well, for those who don't know, what actually is a vision board?

Ashley Calhoun (02:28)
Yeah, absolutely. So a vision board is a manifestation tool used to align you and get you on track with your goals and things. So officially it is a manifestation tool, a very creative one and one that works. So you have a board, whatever you like, you can even use your phone, but you put images and messaging of the things that you want in the goals that you have. A home, for example. My personal example is my car. I actually got my first car.

through my vision board. I didn't have any money. I didn't have my license at the time even, but I put this picture of this car on this board and the act of seeing it every single day, it does something in the realms and the subconscious and it puts you on track. So I'm not going to say it's magic because you still have to do work, but it puts you, yeah, every morning it programs you and puts you on track with where you're trying to go and what you're trying to achieve.

And it's so fun.

Aaron Masliansky (03:28)
It gives you, yeah, it gives you that map where you can see it. You know, I feel like, you know, we had talked a little bit before and I had mentioned like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he's got his whole thing is have a vision and have a really big vision because then it gives you like a wide perspective to be able to get to where you want to go. and it's tactile because you're putting things on the board. So if you take the car or whatnot, but you you started with this, you're talking about the car. didn't have a car.

2021, obviously we're in the middle of COVID and everything. Where did you do this first event and how many people and how did you get people to actually come to something in person during that time period?

Ashley Calhoun (04:09)
Yeah, exactly. It was a crazy time during that time. I remember the end of 2020, it was December, and I called my mentor and once it became an idea, I just acted on it. And it was beyond me. And it was three weeks from the date that I had set. So I had three weeks to get us together. No planning experience, no event coordinating experience other than birthdays. A woman always plans her birthday. But I did this with the help of

my friends and I had booked a room on there's this site called Spear Space where I booked this room for like 20 bucks an hour in Schomburg, Rolling Meadows area. And yeah, literally people came out, I believe it was towards the end of January and it was COVID, yes, but it was also an ice storm that day. So that happened. I'm just...

Like you, Aaron I'm beyond grateful and shocked that people showed up for this. It was around 20 of us. So was nice.

Aaron Masliansky (05:09)
When you build it, they will come like field of dreams. So you don't have a background in this. What do you, what have you been doing? I mean, you said you grew up in Evanston and then, you know, you've taken this on, but like that, that hasn't been your career up until this point, has it?

Ashley Calhoun (05:11)
Yes, absolutely.

Right, exactly. So I do, I am a subscriber. I mean, we're being honest on this podcast. I have, I do have a job, a nine to five, and they pay my bills and I'm so grateful for them. I provide financial income for myself. But planning these vision boards and helping people, loving people is where my true passion lies. So I am a makeup artist. It is not full time. Currently I work for a company. We do product testing, so electrical.

engineering for things. I coordinate between the client and the engineer. So I'm like the middleman. And that kind of gives me a sense of purpose in what I do because I get to connect with people and the clients. So that's pretty awesome. But yeah, so I do a lot of things. I'm also in school, Aaron. I'm just a busy bee these days. And I'm hoping that everything, but to the core, I'm an entrepreneur. And I believe in my vision and my goal and where I'm going.

Aaron Masliansky (06:15)
You are.

Ashley Calhoun (06:24)
So I'm hoping that I can take all these skills that I've developed from the job currently with coordinating again, my makeup artistry and being creative and I can apply this into the vision board experience.

Aaron Masliansky (06:37)
I love that you do so many different things because even like now, like people talk about what happens when AI starts to take over different job functions or, you know, just, there's just a lot of transition. I feel like people try to find their place and it's, what's interesting is that you can, you can do many different things. I mean, me, I sell real estate, but doing a podcast or being involved in a volunteer role somewhere, it doesn't pigeonhole you and

I feel like having a vision board or something like that, you know, I've, I've done some of these mind naps and worked with coaches to try to figure out what I want to do. And it gets you to where you want to be because you can see it. And I think that's really helpful. It gives people hope. You know, no matter where you are politically, there's a lot of stress right now. We're recording this the day after the elections and it's, it's always a high stress event.

people want to know what the future of the country is going to be. What's the future going to be for me personally? And to be able to have that vision and to be able to try to create your own destiny, I think is really empowering. you know, having this event is so timely. Tell us a little bit about it. I mean, where, where and when is it going to be and what should people expect?

Ashley Calhoun (07:55)
Yes, you are all welcome to the vision board experience December 14th, two to six p.m. at the Fleetwood Jordanian Community Center that's in Evanston on Foster Street. And what to expect from the event, the goals of the event. I'd like to start with the values. The values are exactly what you shared here. Being empowered, feeling motivated, feeling good from within because.

I believe despite the world's circumstances, we are in control of our reality and where we go. And it all is dependent on how you feel about yourself, how you feel entirely. Most of our life and our experiences are based on choices from day to day. So how you feel is so important. And with this event, I'm hoping to help people feel empowered and feel able and feel capable and also be around other people who are going through this journey and maybe a little further in the process than you.

We have our event is special because we have guest speakers. We have fabulous sponsors. To name a few, one of our guest speakers is Dr. Abina Berry. She is a therapist. She's going to speak. Dwayne Hunter, he's an entrepreneur. does, his company is Thrillamaze. He does roller skating events. Dr. Hirely, he's our chiropractor expert. There's so many people and people that I want our guests to meet and to network with and talk to and just.

provide support on their journey. Cause that's what it's all about. And our values of support, our value of community. Cause being from Evanston, I've been exposed to just how important community is. I was in the community centers. This event is at the community center. I worked at the community center growing up. I went to school. All these things where the community positively impacted me. So I'm hoping that this event is where we can commune together, lean on each other, for support. Excuse me.

But also be reassured that we can do it. We also have a real estate expert coming in. So the idea is that when you put these, when you have your goals and you have your mind map and you're able to put it on this board creatively in a fun space, you can put your future home on the board and you can look over and see our real estate expert there. Because a lot of times, a lot of people, the doubt sets in when they don't have the knowledge.

or they don't know someone who can help them achieve these goals. So I'm hoping to bridge that gap at this event.

Aaron Masliansky (10:23)
Right.

Yeah, I get that. mean, cause there's a lot of steps that take place in anything that you want to do. Buying a house for sure. I know that intimately, but if you want to buy a car, you want to have a certain type of job, you want to become a musician. And it, like you're saying, it's important, the network, the people to be able to bond with there about how many people do you expect? How many did you, how many people did you have last year?

Ashley Calhoun (10:50)
Yes, last year we had around 65. 65, yes, probably 68 officially. This year we're hoping to have 75 to 100. So I want this experience to be bigger and better. And the more people that are there, the more opportunity for growth that we all have. So I'm hoping that we as a community can lean on each other and learn from each other, of course.

Aaron Masliansky (10:59)
Wow.

for sure. mean, and the other ways to be able to stay connected throughout the year, because if and do you have plans to maybe make this more than once a year?

Ashley Calhoun (11:22)
Yeah, that's a great question. Perfect question, honestly, because I am hoping to grow in our community and be able to connect throughout the year and growing. Excuse me, that's my cat. have a cat, everyone. He just loves to do things at the right time. But yeah, we have our social media. It is at vision board EXP on Instagram and we post photos there. We communicate via the stories and things like that. Our Facebook, the vision board experience. So officially.

Aaron Masliansky (11:33)
Hahaha

It's okay.

Ashley Calhoun (11:52)
I am creatively and prayerfully designing a space where we all can stay connected throughout the year. But as it stands, the people that I meet at these events, they become friends. So I have everyone's emails, I have their phone numbers. So I personally reach out, but I'm hoping to grow the brand and have it be an official channel to connect with our audience.

Aaron Masliansky (12:15)
Yeah, no, I think it's great. And the fact that you're able to grow it is wonderful. And I think that a lot of people over the course of COVID and times they felt isolated and a lot of existing groups have been trying to get people to come back and some have been successful, some it's a little bit more challenging. I happen to be part of some different groups and they...

I think it's really important. mean, for me, like I'm a member of the Rotary Club of Evanston and we do a lot of service work and we have different networking and I think that's really good to stay grounded in your community and be able to do that. whatever, know, if it's something new or, you know, getting people together and feeling connected, I think helps bring us to be a closer community. I think that's great. Yeah. So if you do it more and you have different ways for people to get together,

That would be great. And then, you you talked a lot about Evanston last year, you were at the Robert Crown Center, right? So have you seen just a lot of support from the community with the city wanting for you to be doing this? And I have you talked to the high school about it? Because I know you're a graduate of shoot, you're a graduate of ETHS. So where my kids are both at right now. So it's pretty cool to have that kind of connection.

Ashley Calhoun (13:17)
Yes, yes, yes.

Yeah, absolutely. I'm so glad they go there. But yes, Evanston as a community has been so supportive. The fact that they're even letting me host this event there at the centers is so, I'm so grateful. I have reached out to the high school. I imagine there'll be some more conversations and things before that takes place, but I'm hoping that I can build that relationship and we can have more events there as well as not just Evanston. I'm hoping to expand across Illinois entirely.

hopefully tour to different states, that'll be awesome because the value is just that, bringing people, networking. So I think the world will find value in this event for sure.

Aaron Masliansky (14:18)
Yeah, I mean, are you modeling what you're doing after another organization? Have you seen other people do what you're doing?

Ashley Calhoun (14:24)
No, Aaron, I haven't. And I can confidently say that I have came into something that is entirely my own. of course, I have support and insight from mentors and things. And this is a team. I even have volunteers that work with this group with me. So we all provide input and insight. But this model and what we're doing is uniquely our own. So yes.

Aaron Masliansky (14:26)
Really?

Yeah. And when people walk away from the, from the event, do they come, do they, are they able to take the board with them and they're able to keep it in their home or wherever to be able to reference.

Ashley Calhoun (15:04)
Yes, absolutely. Everything is provided by us with a low ticket cost. We have food, we feed everyone, we have music, we have the speakers, and of course you make your very own vision board. We provide all the materials, the magazines, the markers, anything you may need to create the board. We always suggest when it's related to a specific goal, print out your own pictures because a magazine may not do it. But yes, you go home. The goal is to go home with a created, almost finished vision board. Because I don't want to say it'll be perfect.

but it'll be close to it.

Aaron Masliansky (15:34)
Right. What are some of the things that you've seen? I know you talked about your own personal experience, but what are some stories of what other people have put together on their board and actually made things happen?

Ashley Calhoun (15:47)
Yes, absolutely. So one of my close girlfriends who, she's right in my life. She came to the event last year and she put a home on her board. And I have been her friend and been encouraging her and supporting her and her and her fiance to go out and look and go out and look in the market. And this year they had, they gained the confidence and they were able to go looking for homes. They're still in the process, but they're now confidently.

the turn but they are confidently and what is it called when you put the sign

Aaron Masliansky (16:22)
Are they they are they pre approved for a mortgage and are they currently searching for a home?

Ashley Calhoun (16:29)
They are currently searching, but what is it when you like, no, but they're putting offers down. That's what they're doing. I think I'm overthinking it. Please forgive me. But they are now putting in offers where before they were just looking from the background on Zillow. So they're actually out and about looking. One of my guy friends, Gary, he has put weight loss on his goal. He's lost close to 20 pounds now.

Aaron Masliansky (16:31)
Are they under a contract?

Okay.

It's okay.

Ashley Calhoun (16:54)
It's really nice. And then of course I get texts from the people that I keep up with and things and the message is always, I'm so glad I came to your event. I want to come to the next one. I'm achieving so many goals. It's very nice.

Aaron Masliansky (17:06)
How do you juggle all this? mean, cause you do have a lot going on.

Ashley Calhoun (17:10)
Yeah, I am very blessed and I don't know how my mind does it. I think I got a little ADHD, but it's not diagnosed, but it's nice. I'm not mad at it. You know, I can juggle many things at the same time. It comes with blessings. I, cause yeah, I'm in school. I do these events, but I'm really fueled by passion for this because it's my baby. And no matter what, if I'm tired or if anything, just, I always have it in me to show up for the vision board experience.

Aaron Masliansky (17:18)
You

Ashley Calhoun (17:40)
what I'm creating and I'm putting a lot into this. So it's nice. And it's nice to experience the event with everyone else because I also get a return on this investment, what I work so hard for, because the day comes every year when I can enjoy everyone having a good time, seeing everyone smiling. It's nice. And then I can't wait till next year.

Aaron Masliansky (18:01)
Yeah. Now do you have other people that work with you on it or do you have like volunteers or employees? How does it all come together?

Ashley Calhoun (18:09)
Yeah, absolutely. So we currently have volunteers and we have about seven of us, nine, including myself and my volunteer coordinator, Orlando Jackson. He has been a huge help. But at the moment, everything that gets invested into the event goes back into the event. So we aren't currently profiting for this at all financially as of yet. But yeah, we have volunteers and the volunteers get a free ticket. They help coordinate the event, organize the event with myself.

And then we have sponsors. So sponsorship is an investment and they invest into the business because putting on an event like this does cost everything in life costs. And I'm just very grateful that people believe in this vision and where we're going. And I see it taking off and being something really big.

Aaron Masliansky (18:59)
I did too. mean, I think that it has so much potential. mean, definitely the in-person events, which I think are always the best, but you probably could do something even remotely and be able to reach people, you know, anywhere in the world to be able to put on these types of boards. And I see like even like you could do like use a whiteboard on zoom or different, software programs where maybe people can do that together. you know, there's, there's,

many different ways to play it. Have you thought about that?

Ashley Calhoun (19:32)
Absolutely. Yeah, I'm so glad you brought that up because I would love to offer remote and online services and bring different guests and different people like yourself to come in and share their manifestation and how they go set to the audience. Because I want I don't want this. I don't want the vision board experience and what we're doing and where we're growing to just be about me. It's not just about me, it's about all of us. So anyone who has

inside and anyone who is making it and trying, want to give them a platform. And I think that would be awesome too, while you're in Chicago in this area, we can be having our experience online, like across all the states. And you can share like how you got into real estate and break down this idea of the mind maps and have the board. I can associate happening. I really could.

Aaron Masliansky (20:27)
I can see it too. I'm making the vision board right here in my head. Yeah. No, it's so cool. I, you know, it's an exciting type of thing. It's the right time of the year. You know, people are trying to plan for the beginning of the year. So you're doing it in December. It's at the company I'm at Dreamtown real estate. have every year, we have fourth quarter classes. So you can do.

Ashley Calhoun (20:31)
Right, exactly.

Aaron Masliansky (20:54)
goal setting class, you can do a business plan. You could do just all these different types of business types of enrichment in order to be able to get ready for the next year. And I think that's important for everybody to be able to do. sometimes you're working a job and maybe it's not your passion and you always have this idea, but like you never have the opportunity to really go and sit down and have that and to be able to be intentional about it and to be able to write the plan.

or see it and then be able to act on it. And whether it's losing weight, getting a car, buying a house, whatever it may be, you kind of, need that time to be able to sit and think and draw it out. And that's why I think this is perfect. Yeah.

Ashley Calhoun (21:36)
Absolutely. Thank you. And it is like, you're so right. Being intentional and setting time aside for yourself is so important. And a lot of times we get swept up with work and distractions that we don't make the time. So I market the vision board experience as a time to do that, but creatively. And just have a good time while doing it. So just have fun, goal set, be around other people who value goal setting.

who value growth in their lives. And for sure, I totally agree.

Aaron Masliansky (22:11)
I love it. So just to remind everybody, when is the event and what is the website that they can go learn more?

Ashley Calhoun (22:18)
Yes, our event is the Vision Board Experience in Evanston, Illinois at the Fleetwood Jourdain Center, December 14th, 2 to 6 p.m. You can check us out on our recently published site. Bear with me, you guys, I'm figuring it out. But it is www.visionboardexp.com. And there you can learn more of our values, learn some more of our sponsors, and of course purchase your ticket to this year's Vision Board Experience.

Aaron Masliansky (22:48)
Perfect. And I will put that in the show notes as well. So if you're looking there, you're looking on the website, you will be able to click that and hope to see you there and get some tickets. But Ashley, thank you so much for joining me today. Thank you for what you're doing and for supporting the community.

Ashley Calhoun (22:58)
See you guys next week.

Yes, absolutely. And thank you for all you're doing too, like mind right?

Aaron Masliansky (23:09)
My pleasure. That's right.