Today we’d like to introduce you to Naomi Asher.
Hi Naomi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m Naomi Asher — leadership and nonprofit consultant, Enneagram coach, and proud East Tennessean. For nearly 20 years, I’ve been consumed with helping people and organizations lead better and have a bigger impact. I started in the nonprofit world pretty quickly after college, starting in the front office and working up to executive leadership. Through my work at United Way especially, I had the honor of working directly with many organizations and saw a pattern: incredible people were burning out trying to do everything for everyone — often with little clarity or support. Through my PhD studies, I am learning to understand more about burnout and have found real ways to increase efficiency and avoid burnout.
One year ago, I took The Maven Consulting full-time to help teams work together, leaders to gain clarity and focus, and individuals achieve their biggest dreams. My work intersects strategy, leadership, and resource development. Whether it’s a team or board retreat, executive coaching session, or workforce leadership cohort, I help people see their own patterns, align their goals, and build systems that make work (and life) easier.
I love the mean of Maven – “one who understands” or “a trusted person who passes timely and relevant knowledge to others” – and have tried to embody this idea for years. If I learn something the hard way, I don’t gatekeep!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Running your own consulting business means learning to balance purpose with boundaries. When you care deeply, “no” is the hardest word to learn. I still have a problem with saying yes to every opportunity… this has put me replicating the same burnout I coach others to avoid. I also hate charging nonprofit organizations. I know what it’s like on that side of the table, and wish I could offer my services to them for no charge. My long term goal is to be able to do just that.
Another challenge is translating the heart of nonprofit work into structures and systems that scale. Compassion in nonprofit leaders is what I love the most, but sometimes that’s hard to balance with sustainability. On the other side, it can sometimes be a challenge to help employees at for profit businesses to find the passion and meaning in their work, which makes us all happier and more more motivated.
And, as a woman in leadership, there’s always a balance between being direct and being “too much.” I’ve learned to take that label as a compliment because if my presence shakes the table, maybe the table needed shaking!
As you know, we’re big fans of The Maven Consulting. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Everything I do is built around clarity, ownership, and a sense of humor. My approach combines serious strategy with real-world humanity. I’m not just helping people make better plans, I’m helping them understand why they lead the way they do, and how that impacts their energy, teams, and culture.
The Enneagram plays a big role in my coaching. As an Enneagram 8 (the Challenger), I bring both intensity and protection into my coaching. I want people to feel both safe and challenged to see their blind spots. Every person has incredible talents and skills natural to them and I want to help them see that. My workshops aren’t lectures, they’re conversations with laughter, a few honest truths, and hopefully some meaningful takeaways. I love coaching people who are eager to be their best self.
Visually, The Maven brand is unapologetically pink, bold, and full of life. Leadership doesn’t have to look corporate. It can sparkle. After spending a lot of years trying to be someone I’m not, this business is a very clear reflection of who I genuinely am and hope it helps others to become unapologetically themselves as well!
How do you think about happiness?
Good coffee, big laughter, and seeing people light up when they recognize their natural skills and abilities. I’m happiest when I’m in a room full of energy, especially when it’s empowered women supporting each other. From leadership workshops, to conferences, and casual brainstorming sessions, I love helping people connect the dots between who they are and what they’re meant to do.
Outside of work, my happiest days include travel, live music, rooftop cocktails, animals, and any excuse to host people around a table of food. I love moments that are real and a little bit messy, the kind where you laugh until you cry and have no idea what time it is. As a foster parent, I find so much joy in getting to know the teens who come through our home, showing them love and support, and giving them positive and new experiences that open their world a little more.
Honestly, happiness for me is when life feels full. Full of purpose, people, and a little sparkle.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.naomithemaven.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naomimavenconsulting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naomithemaven
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-maven-consulting-llc
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-maven-consulting-oak-ridge
