Ashley Miller - Elevated Collective - Life Of A Small Business Owner
"The Heart Of Huntington”
Ashley Miller - 2026 - Photograph by Lorynn Hunt
What is it about a small towns ability to bewitch one so much that it leaves a craving? Maybe its the slight familiarity to the streets with it’s evening lamp light glow or it’s historical buildings crafted with artful hands. Though those reasons are enticing, I believe the true charm that provokes a desire to stop and take in the experience is the people who bring the essence community, with their steady realness, one could only fully appreciate it with time like the lingering creaking of the old wooden floor.
Ashley Miller is the epitome of the most refreshing welcome from the moment you walk into Elevated Collective. Your met instantly with a presence that contains the qualities of a beautiful smile and a, "I feel like I've known you my entire life", heart, embodying the small town spirit and encapsulating laughter. She has become heart of Huntington, bringing downtown a spark of joy and contagious uniqueness.
Miller opened the doors of Elevated Collective in July of 2025 and sense then it has been the cornerstone of championing local makers. With shelves full of handmade items, small business creativity, and late night, can't sleep, ingenuity, such as A Simple Farm LLC.
"We had the ribbon cutting at 11:11 right when we opened and we went straight into it, I did a little speech, and I couldn't even get through the speech it was so beautiful. Everybody that was a part of the store who had moved in that past week was there, for so many of them it was their first time being in a store as well. It was almost spiritual. I feel like each one of them were holding my hand and we're all cutting this ribbon together. I was in tears and I still begin to tear up when I think about it now. I looked out and all of the creators that were apart of it, they themselves were in tears because it really did feel like more than just my dreams coming true, it was like a true sisterhood."
Ashley Miller - 2026 - Photograph by Lorynn Hunt
Behind every “dream come true” moment lies the scaffolding of resilience. When asked about how she keeps a mindful balance of motherhood and the decisions of her business, Miller answered with the same word, pivot.
"I sometimes love it when a door gets shut because I just know that much faster that it wasn't where I was supposed to be. I'm like, 'Oh, nope. okay.' If it's a no, 'amen'. That just means I'm closer to getting to what is the yes and that helps in all of the moments where things feel overwhelming or feel like, ‘What have I just done?’. "
Miller has a desire to bring the community together, whether it is through group events or personal one on one moments between the guests of her establishment, and she treasures it all. The question isn't, is she going to leave a legacy, but what legacy does she want to leave?
"I think I want people to be like, wow, Ashley cared. There's been times where with customers, we've cried. They were in here buying flowers because their best friend's mom just passed away and they're just now realizing, ‘wow, what happens when my mom passes away?’ Or I just lost my baby. I just miscarried. There's been so many crazy moments like that and beautiful moments. I want everyone to feel like this was a place where they came and it was real. It was real people trying really hard to be good, to do good for the community, to try to make money doing it, and try to help other small businesses. I want people to be like, ‘she was a real one.She was here, she was a good person and she tried hard for our community.’ "
From the moment I met Ashley Miller there was something about her. When I left after our wonderful conversation that you will hear in this episode, I left with a feeling of utter encouragement and a heart that was full. Thank you for a wonderful evening of laughter and heart felt stories. May I say that you are a true testament to why our towns need small businesses.
Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this “on location” episode with Ashley Miller and learn the behind the scene life of a small business owner!
Want to see more of her beautiful shop? Click here to see more photographs of her store but make sure you truly experience the heart of Huntington by stopping in. https://www.hereinmytime.com/blog-1-1/ashley-miller-elevated-collective-life-of-a-small-business-owner
Episode Info:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5z7VJDan8gFT20lXhwZB0F?si=gXMO7qDtQsCKdkwWOpQWrg
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/here-in-my-time/id1858774701
https://youtu.be/LcsHsaZ4ANU
Guest Info:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575155428254
https://the-elevated-collective.net/
https://www.instagram.com/the.elevated.collective.260/
Contact me:
Want to nominate a guest for season 2?
https://www.hereinmytime.com/share-your-story
https://www.instagram.com/here.inmytime/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583151527148
