We were out there seeking to add to staff due to our growth into Cape Coral, planning for entrance into Sarasota, and final testing stages of our Port Charlotte Who2Call Business Directory......

when we stumbled onto Ashlyn Carter.

As soon as we met her, we were hooked with her sweet Southern drawl and alluring genuineness. We expect that Port Charlotte will soon be, too.  

Having moved here less than a year ago from West Virginia, Ashlyn is amazed, enthranced, and "ga ga" over all the wonderful things she has discovered in Port Charlotte.  She brings a breath of fresh air to a community that has many people looking the wrong way.

We can only imagine many of you arrived brimming with enthusiasm over what a wonderful place Port Charlotte is.  You'll rediscover that feeling when you meet Ashlyn.

As a young mother of two, Ashlyn and her husband followed parents to the North Port-Port Charlotte area, looking for opportunity, and it came knocking when they started their "Grit & Glow" detailing business.  Although Ashlyn enthusiastically dips her hands in the bucket alongside her husband, she felt her future resides in local business outreach, and her goal of giving back to the Community.

We asked her to write a few paragraphs of introduction:

Well, Hello There. I'm Ashlyn.

A little West Virginia girl who found her way to Southwest Florida — and decided it was time to put down some roots. I'm Ashlyn — a mom of two, a wife, a business owner, and a small-town country girl at heart.

I grew up in rural West Virginia, where things moved a little slower, neighbors looked out for one another, and community wasn't something you had to think about. It was simply part of life. Those roots have stayed with me, and honestly, they probably explain a lot about who I am today.

Eventually, life brought me to Southwest Florida. Trading mountain roads for palm trees, beaches, and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico wasn't a bad deal. Although I will admit, I'm still getting used to Florida traffic. Y'all drive a little differently down here. 

Over time, this place started feeling less like somewhere I landed and more like somewhere I could actually put down roots.

I've grown to absolutely love it here. Give me sunshine, the beach, the water, and a good sunset, and I'm a pretty happy woman. And if you can't find me working on one of my many ideas, you can more than likely find me enjoying time with my children, playing mermaids at the beach, sitting in on library story time, detailing boats and cars, or having a good time supporting one of our small local businesses.

Honestly, that's usually where I'd rather be anyway.

Family is a huge part of my world, and so is community. 

I believe in working hard, supporting small businesses, giving back when you can, and treating people with kindness. I also believe that where you live should feel like more than just an address. I'm just doing what most of us are doing — raising a family, building a life, chasing a few dreams, and trying to enjoy the ride somewhere between all the responsibilities.

And now, I'm at a point in my life where I'm not just passing through. I'm putting roots down.

North Port Matters, Port Charlotte Matters, and Venice Matters are a part of that. They're giving me another way to connect with the communities around me, discover the people and places that make them special, and hopefully give a little something back along the way.

I'm grateful to be building a life here, and I'm excited to see where it takes me next.

I'm happy to be here. ❤️

Well, the next time you meet a chatty, bubbly, enthusiastic "good ole County Girl" bouncing around town, we are betting it will be Ashlyn, and we look forward to her contributions to Port Charlotte, and  to Port Charlotte Matters. 

We're pretty sure she will rub off on you, too!

No AI was used in writing this article.

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