Ashley is the Founder of Clear Start Creative. Joining a startup as the first hire, she had the opportunity to experience first-hand what it is like to build a company from the ground up and how frustrating it can be to try and run a company while also trying to do a million things well.

She launched Clear Start Creative in March 2018 as a creative solution for smaller teams that need additional help reaching their marketing and sales goals. Since then, Ashley has helped over 15 companies with their branding and digital marketing needs by developing and launching integrated marketing strategies unique to each business and their goals.

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Key Highlights:

[00:01 - 06:19] The Power of Networking - Start-ups and Marketing

• Ashley Kent's first job out of college was working on a coffee networking deal, and she met Brian through this experience.
• She got hired on the spot and started working on product design, sales, and accounting.
• She saw a hole in the market for marketing help for small teams and decided to start her own company.

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[06:20 - 23:15] Marketing to Develop Trust and Promote Collaboration

• In tackling investor communications, there is a need to navigate with their marketing.
• Providing marketing for clients is a two-way street - if clients are not willing to put in the same amount of effort, then they will not see the same results.
• Brian and Ashley discuss how to succeed in the investment space, where marketing is not the only factor that is important. 
• Recognize the importance of building a personal brand and developing trust with clients.
• Spend a significant amount of time and effort on building content that is valuable to your target audience.

[23:16 - 42:48] Offering Value in the Aims of Better Customer Experience

• Content marketing is extremely powerful and can be used to improve the investor community, start a website, and have a monthly newsletter.
• To be successful in marketing, you must humanize yourself and provide value to your end client.
• There is an opportunity for anyone to start their own business, as long as they have a good idea and are willing to put in the work.
• Be willing to be "bothered" by your clients and provide feedback on what is not working.
• Marketing is not just sales, and vice versa; they work closely together.

 [42:47 - 46:51] Closing Segment

Hiring the right people is key. Marketing and Sales must work hand-in-hand.

Key Quotes:

“In order for us [the client and the marketing business] to both be successful, I need for you to put in as much as we're putting in because so many people think that marketing can just be this magic bullet… If you guys aren't bought into it and aren't playing your part, you're not going to see the return on that. - Ashley Kent

“If you can hold true to your character, your personality comes through in what you do, then it's not going to come across as cheesy or in your face or pushy. It's going to come across as valuable.” - Ashley Kent

Connect with Ashley:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-kent-7b50a9a0/ 

Connect with me on LinkedIn!

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