From Grief to Grit:How Loss Fueled My Purpose and Power
- Oct 2
- 2 min read
By Ashley Wardlow
Losing my little brother was the hardest setback I’ve ever faced. Six months after his passing, I packed up and moved to Miami alone, determined to start fresh. Grief could have consumed me, but instead, it lit a fire in me. My drive and motivation had always been there — I’ve always been hungry to succeed and help people — but after losing him, that hunger became unstoppable.
I went into grind mode. I knew I had the smarts, the education, and the passion. With my degrees in forensic chemistry and forensic psychology, I was equipped with both brains and heart. But I also knew I didn’t want to be boxed in. I was multi-talented, and I wanted flexibility to help people in many ways. That’s how I found my way into private investigations.
Starting out in this field wasn’t easy. Private investigation is notoriously male dominated, and as an African American woman, I often felt like I had to work twice as hard to prove I belonged. There were clients who doubted me before I even got started — questioning whether a woman could really deliver results in this line of work. Needless to say, I delivered every single time. Those same clients left not only happy with my work, but with a new respect for women in this field.
One of the turning points in my career came when Eric Nathan, CEO of Nathan’s Investigations, saw something in me. He didn’t just see a private investigator — he recognized that I was more than a PI. He took a chance on me, and I showed up and showed out. I understood the assignment every time, and I earned the respect of my peers and my clients.
The truth is, being underestimated has been one of my greatest motivators. Every time someone assumed I couldn’t do it, I proved them wrong — not just for me, but for other women in this profession. I love meeting fellow female investigators because we all know the hurdles we’ve had to jump just to be recognized in this work. There’s a sisterhood in knowing you fought your way into a room that wasn’t built for you, and you stayed.
Today, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I’ve been featured on Nancy Grace Crime Stories and other national podcasts. My work as a private investigator and fraud examiner has put my name on the map, and more people are learning who Ashley Wardlow is. But the truth is, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the setbacks. Losing my brother forced me to dig deeper than I ever imagined. And breaking into a male-dominated field taught me how to stand tall when others expected me to shrink.
My biggest win has been transforming pain and obstacles into power and purpose. I’ve built a career rooted in resilience, intelligence, and the unshakable drive to help people. Setbacks don’t define me — they fuel me.
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