Stage to Workshop: How Ashleigh Harvey Found Confidence in the Chaos

S4 E3

In this episode, we sit down with Ashleigh Harvey actor, writer and confidence coach, whose career has taken her from the stages of South Africa to the West End and into a new chapter helping professionals present with confidence.

Ashleigh shares how she found her voice at 11 years old in a school production of The Pirates of Penzance, and what gave her the courage to leave everything behind and move to London. She talks openly about the realities of auditioning in one of the world’s toughest industries, handling rejection, and how she turned the challenges of the pandemic into a new way to support others.

We explore how her theatre experience has shaped the business she now runs helping leaders and teams bring their full selves to the room. While still performing in Fawlty Towers in London’s West End and on tour, Ashleigh now delivers training sessions in each city she visits, blending both worlds on her own terms.

This is a candid, honest and at times emotional conversation about keeping going, learning from rejection and staying grounded in what really matters.

Key Learnings:

Rejection isn't personal — it's part of the process.

Ashleigh explains that in the performing arts, being rejected is far more common than being selected. She shares how she learned to view rejection not as a judgment of her worth, but as a reflection of fit and how she uses each experience as a prompt to reflect, adapt and improve.

Her approach: “You have to run towards it, embrace it, and then learn from it.”

Do one thing every day to keep moving forward.

Whether it was sending a single email, doing vocal warm-ups, or going for a run, Ashleigh talks about the power of small, consistent actions. During long periods without work, she kept herself going by staying active in small ways, building momentum even when motivation was low. 

As she puts it: “Everything adds up.”

Guest Information:

ashleigh@ashleighharvey.co.uk
linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-harveyldn
https://thoughtful-maker-2236.kit.com/behindthecurtain

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Chapters

• 2:35 Introduction
• 4:28 Ashleigh Harvey on Finding Her Voice at age 11
• 7:23 Moving to London to chase a dream
• 12:15 Facing rejection in a competitive industry
• 19:36 Starting a business during the pandemic
• 26:41 Keeping momentum through self-doubt