The Journey Home By Ashlene

I was raised in Sydney, but New York made me a woman.

At 20, my parents told me I probably wouldn’t amount to much since I wasn’t an A+ student like my sister. They suggested I start thinking about getting married. But I knew that wasn’t what I wanted. I was ambitious and creative—traits that, in my Fiji-Indian household, were considered undesirable for a girl.

During my teens and college years, I founded Australia’s first website for South Asian youth. I interviewed celebrities like Usher and Aamir Khan—all organised from my bedroom in Western Sydney, before social media even existed. The late ’90s and early 2000s shaped me into an independent, music-loving, Bollywood-obsessed, badass desi girl. So at 22, I left home with only a suitcase filled with big dreams.

I ended up in New York City, and before long, I was rubbing shoulders with Jay-Z and Beyoncé, interviewing celebrities like Missy Elliott and Rihanna, and traveling to Mumbai to shoot The Cheetah Girls or touring with Jay Sean. I transitioned into advertising and went on to work on over 300 campaigns with brands and celebrities—on set with the likes of Winnie Harlow and Alicia Keys. Eighteen years in New York flew by. It was magical… until it wasn’t.

Burned out and with nowhere to truly call home, I started longing for Australia again. It was time to reconnect—and spend some real, meaningful time with my aging parents.

Right before COVID hit, I returned home, got married, and “settled down” with a Punjabi boy—much to my parents’ delight. The highlight? Having my childhood crush, Gary Pinto from CDB, sing at my wedding (if you know, then you know). But adjusting to life in Australia after the fast pace of New York has been a struggle—especially now that I’m a mum in my forties (yep, I had my son at the ripe age of 42 lol). It feels like I woke up one day and the party was over. I’m still in mourning.

During COVID, I tried to keep the hustle alive—just like I did when I was that girl in my bedroom in Blacktown emailing celebrities. I launched a haircare line in a major US retailer—the first South Asian woman from Australia to do so. I collaborated with Australia's top influencers on their brands. I called out over 150 Australian fashion and beauty brands for their lack of diversity and sparked a social movement online. 

But I was also slowing down and adapting to my new normal. My pay had drastically decreased—as it does for many women in their forties (thanks, patriarchy) and I no longer want the late hours of the advertising / corporate world. I am getting older, and motherhood has taken its toll. I find myself in a different chapter—one that is demanding a massive shift and prioritising my well-being.

And that’s how AYOUVEDA was born. As someone who frequents luxury spas in every city I go to, I longed for that experience here in Australia. So I decided to create it for myself and others like me. 

A space that puts culture and people first.
A place to relax, unwind, and reclaim your power.

AYOUVEDA is my escape—and I hope it becomes yours too.