Ashley from San Francisco used to bring in $2.5 million a year running a consulting firm that helped schools and corporations donate unused furniture and supplies to global charities. But during a recent call to “The Ramsey Show,” she said her business has been crushed this year by policy shifts under President Donald Trump.
‘The Money Has Dried Up’
“A lot of the current administration’s policies have hit about every single section of my job,” Ashley told co-hosts George Kamel and Ken Coleman. She cited revoked university grants, reduced school funding and recent tariffs as major reasons contracts have disappeared. “So bottom line is that the money has dried up. What was coming in freely to pay for your consultancy services has dried up,” Coleman summarized.
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Ashley said she tried to adapt. She laid off staff, cut benefits and tried to restructure expenses. But then her husband, who is also her business partner, fell seriously ill and was hospitalized for two months.
Now, she’s running the business alone and is staring down $250,000 in debt, including $60,000 owed to a subcontractor, $90,000 in lease obligations for work vehicles, $80,000 in credit card debt and a $5,000 monthly office lease. After hearing this, Coleman exclaimed, “Go get a job!”
She added that while she has large contracts lined up for spring and summer of next year, there’s no meaningful revenue coming in right now.
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Time For A Reality Check
“You built a house of cards with all of this debt that’s mounted,” Kamel told her. “So there’s pressure.”
Coleman was frank: “You have to go get some income in for you and your husband first and foremost,” and Kamel added she should use her skills to go do something else until those contracts come in next year.
Ashley pushed back at the idea of getting another job or relocating from California because of the high cost of living. “Where am I going to go?” she asked, noting the high costs of moving and starting over.
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Coleman didn't let up. “We’re not mad at you, but we’re frustrated for you," he said. "The fix here is you got to bring in some income now in the short term, or this whole thing collapses.”
He also added that she should call the vendor she owes and be honest with them. She should simply explain the situation openly and outline how she intends to pay what she owes, along with a proposed timeline for repayment.
They closed the call, urging her to hit pause on the business, get work immediately, and then revisit entrepreneurship once her finances stabilize.
“We're talking about urgency,” Coleman said. “That’s all we got for you.”
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