Built Without a Blueprint is not just a memoir, it’s a journey through absence, resilience, and identity.

Ashley Mills grew up in Yorkshire, raised by a white British mother in a working-class community, while navigating the absence of his Jamaican father, a man he would only meet for the first time at the age of 30. Without a roadmap, he learned early what it meant to survive in a world that often made him feel unseen. From the streets of Morley, through the pressures of elite schools and the chaos of Birmingham nightlife, to the boardrooms of London, Paris, Zurich, Geneva, and Dubai, Ashley’s story is one of navigating identity in places where he was often the only one who looked like him..

This book explores what it means to grow up fatherless, and how the absence of guidance can become its own form of resilience. It is about breaking generational cycles, rediscovering heritage, and learning to lead with empathy, humility, and strength.

At its heart, Built Without a Blueprint is both deeply personal and universal. It speaks to anyone who has faced struggle, felt like an outsider, or questioned where they belong. And it offers a powerful reminder: what you think holds you back may, in fact, be the very thing that sets you free.

Early Praise for Blueprint

“Ashley Mills’ story is proof that where you start doesn’t define how far you can go - a powerful call to action for resilience, representation and belief.”

— Ric Lewis, Founder of The Black Heart Foundation, Chair of The Crown Estate, Executive Chairman and CIO of Tristan Capital Partners, and The Powerlist 2019’s Most Powerful Black Briton

“Ashley’s story touched me, inspired me, and taught me the meaning of true resilience - and how being different can be a superpower.”

— Mustafa Shamseldin, Senior Vice President, PepsiCo; Forbes Top 50 Storyteller

 “An unforgettable memoir of hard-won lessons and an invitation to reflect on your own story - to craft your own blueprint in service of others.”

— Steven D’Souza, Senior Partner, Korn Ferry; Bestselling Author of “Made in Britain” and “Shadows at Work”.

 “Built Without a Blueprint is a lifeline for anyone who has felt unseen, a rare blend of raw emotion and vital business wisdom.”

— Raki R. Phillips, Regional President, Accor; CEO & Middle East Businessperson of the Year 2023

“Ashley Mills transforms the pain of father absence into resilience, authenticity, and leadership, a role model for anyone seeking to break cycles and transcend struggle.”

— Gary R. Hayes, Jungian Psychoanalyst, Faculty Member at the International School of Analytical Psychology, Zürich

“Built Without a Blueprint carries both heart and tenacity, and shows how resilience becomes leadership.”

— Dr. Selina Neri, CEO, Dean & Co-Founder of the Institute for Future Readiness; Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2025

“A beautiful example of the treasures we find when we search our stories for wisdom. Ashley Mills has given us a guide for using the past to elevate the future, a wonderful gift.”

— Michael Stanford, D.Prof, Managing Director, Summit Leadership, and author of Leadership Transition: How Leaders Turn Chaos Into Growth

“Built Without a Blueprint is more than a memoir, it’s an invitation to see adversity not as limitation but as the foundation for leadership, resilience, and growth.”

— Johny Zakhem, Group Chief Financial Officer and Business Officer, Raffles & Fairmont Hotels

“Ashley Mills’ story is a powerful example of how determination and purpose can turn challenges into opportunities. His journey will inspire readers to pursue their goals with confidence and heart.”

— Iuliana Isarescu, Chief People Officer, Piaget, Richemont Group

“Reading Built Without a Blueprint, I felt inspired. Ashley Mills’ story of resilience and identity spoke directly to my own journey, offering not only hope but also practical insight on leadership, belonging, and growth.”

— Dr. Yusaf H. Akbar, Professor of Management and Strategy, Central European University, Vienna, Austria

 “As someone who knows what it means to push through limits on the track and in life, I found Built Without a Blueprint deeply moving, a testament to resilience, identity, and the strength it takes to succeed against the odds.”

— Mark Richardson OLY, Olympian, former World Champion 4x400m, and Senior Client Partner & EMEA Practice Lead, Korn Ferry

Author, speaker, and leadership advisor
Ashley Mills is a Senior Partner at Korn Ferry, the world’s leading executive search and leadership advisory firm. Born to a single mother in a working-class town in Yorkshire, Ashley went on to win a scholarship to a prestigious grammar school and has built a global career that has taken him to London, Paris, Geneva, Zurich and Dubai. He is based in Zurich and is part of the global leadership team of a leading business unit, advising multinational companies on senior leadership and organisational transformation.

Ashley holds an Executive MBA with a specialisation in Occupational Psychology, blending behavioural insight with real-world leadership practice. Alongside his corporate career, Ashley has spoken at universities, leadership forums and professional development events, focusing on themes of career growth, leadership and personal development.

Through Built Without a Blueprint, he is expanding that platform to include deeper conversations on race, fatherlessness, identity and social mobility, drawing from his lived experience and core mission.

Why I wrote Built Without A Blueprint