What’s beyond referrals?

Would you invest $708/year to land a $5,000 project?

How about a $22,500 project that led to subsequent 1-offs?

Or better yet… an $88,000 retainer that more than doubled in a 3 year span?

I would. And my client did. 

Being able to contact 1K+ prospects a month without having to carve out time each week to hunker down and copy/paste (with some edits) into oblivion is a real treat. 

And as part of those 1K+ prospects, it’s possible to send an unlimited amount of emails without ever having to schedule yourself reminders to follow up. Ok, unlimited would be super annoying, but you get the gist. 

This isn’t AI. This is my beloved email marketing platform I’ve used for the last 4 years. And although many of my sales for clients come from WOM, direct referrals, and networking, I get a handful each year by revisiting my campaign and tweaking it to the season. I call it “the machine” and once customized to your goals and voice (!!!), it’s golden. 

Best part? There’s no unsubscribe button. Because if you take the time to craft a genuine and sincere message, it looks like you sent it directly from your gmail or outlook account. How cool is that?

Now until the end of the year, I will be hosting complimentary 1-on-1 sessions showing you how to use my fav platform for sending cold outreach emails so you can spend more time focusing on what you do best. 

With a free trial I’ll show you how it works and why you shouldn’t sleep on getting started NOW to gather and prime your targets, prior to the New Year. 

If you’d like to set up a complimentary session with me, just holler.

To staying top of mind!
-Ashley

PS: The numbers I used above were based off one client’s OG membership at $59/month for 12 months. This is a long-lead strategy – not a quick fix. 

PPS: Why free? Because why not. Sales doesn’t have to be scary. And if you want my help beyond this session, we can see if that make sense. If not, and in the spirit of *NSYNC, there are no strings attached.

don’t forget to archive me.

What’s your business party trick? Here’s one that will save your time & your sanity.

According to Hubspot: Inbox zero is the process of labeling, triaging, and organizing your email inbox with a system that allows you to reach and maintain zero unread emails awaiting reply in your inbox.

So you’re telling me that one has to spend a bunch of time making folders and creating more tags, in order to move messages (that need action further) out of view? Ok, nope.

Forget that mess above and hang with me. 

My method:

Email comes in.

Email is read.

📧 If email requires action: keep it in your inbox as a pesky reminder to DEAL WITH IT.

📧 If email has contents to be saved: download the assets and save to your prefered cloud storage system (please don’t leave it on your desktop - I believe in desktop zero too). Reply to the email “received” & ARCHIVE IT. Confirming receipt goes a long way in helping other’s sanity and prevents another email hitting your inbox saying “did you get my last email?" 🤢

📧 If email has tasks that need to be created for yourself or team view: Pop it into your Asana, Trello, etc. Then ARCHIVE IT.

📧 If email requires no action: You know what to do. ARCHIVE IT.

That’s it!

Remember: you can always go to your “Archive” messages and search for XYZ client, email, date, event, etc.

Every second you spend moving each email into a cutesy folder or trying to remember what each color-coded tag is for, is just another second you waste on a system that wasn’t designed to be like Gdrive or Dropbox.

Helpful? Shoot me a reply –– or better yet, just ARCHIVE this message (or in this case “tab”).

Your sow is not the pitch.

Back in 2013 when I entered the creative industry, I was hired at a boutique branding & design agency in Hollywood. This is where I first learned how to develop a proposal for potential clients.

The “standard” was 3+ pages, filled with flowery language of what we were going to create, timelines, hourly rates tied to individuals, images, & reasons as to why they should hire us. It wasn’t until the last page of the proposal where the straight-forward SOW actually lived with a signature slot. Completely buried if you ask me.

Over the years, I learned that these proposals I had been creating were a total time suck and had zero benefit to earning the trust of the client. After working with various companies globally, I discovered that the long-winded proposal days were inefficient – and in many ways lazy.

The secret sauce?

I save my pitch, questions, and negotiating for Zooms, phone calls, and emails. Only once the decision maker and I agree on a SOW do I send over the official document — or as I call it a “Deal Memo.” That’s when I know it’s likely a real deal.

Sure, the company may need to copy/paste it into their fancy schmancy corporate MSA with all the legal stuff… but by no means should your SOW/Deal Memo be your company’s pitch.

Here’s a template of mine for you to peek.

So the next time you get all pumped up to put together a SOW for a client, be sure you’ve already verbally agreed to the goals, workflow, budget, and terms prior to sending it over. Otherwise, you’re asking this document to do the selling for you. I know you’re better than that.

To being efficient & straight-forward!
-Ashley

“no” is a long term game.

Potential clients say “no,” “not now,” or “not yet” to us all the time.

But, how often do we respectfully offer it right back?

Not often enough. We’re told time and time again to not accept “no” as an answer.

Unpopular opinion: I’m not opposed to the word “no” or any of its varieties. 🤷‍♀️

…

Last week, I was introduced to a boutique branding & design agency in Los Angeles by a close client/friend. They were eager to learn more about my sales process and how I could be their salesperson going forward.

I discovered within the first 30 minutes of the call that they were not ready to activate me. Any salesperson would be caught in an up-hill battle – struggling to convey what the company excelled in and what unique skill sets they brought to the table. The sales messaging and materials were not in-sync.

Knowing that this is super common for creative agencies – as they are so focused on the client’s creative that they forget to work on themselves – I had to tell them “not now” and dig deeper with them.

We extended the call another hour to discuss what was necessary before starting any sales outreach:

• Determining their positioning in the industry

• Getting clear on their target audience

• Defining their favorite types of projects

• Identifying projects they’d refuse to take on (equally important!)

• Knowing their self-worth & express it boldly

• Expressing all the above in their marketing/sales materials (visually & verbally)

So rather than diving into sales, the month of May is tackling just that! I’m leading discovery sessions so we can get clear on the above and develop key sales tools for the future. Then later this month, we can resume the initial salesperson conversation.

🔑: If I would have activated the client as-is, I’d likely be frustrated with my work, and they’d likely be frustrated with my results. That’s a total waste of time and investment. After this discovery phase, whether the client hires me or someone else as their salesperson (hey, no ego here!), I’ll know that they are much better positioned for success. And if it is me leading the charge, I’ll be that much more excited to see our hard work paying off in the long game.

To confidently saying “no,” “not now,” or “not yet,”

(no subject)

[👆that subject line is intentional. The below Golden Nugget was sent via email — get them by staying in the loop!]

+++

You’re now in the loop with one of my favorite communication tactics. 🤓

Anytime I find myself stuck in a 1-sided communication vacuum, I’ll go ahead create a new message with “no subject” (literally, blank).

The message inside is something along the lines of this:

Hi [insert name],

I haven’t heard back from you regarding [insert thing you were discussing]. I’m thinking [said thing above] isn’t a priority at the moment – and I surely don’t want to hit the pain-in-the-butt threshold. Please contact me if I can help you in the future.

Thank you,
-Ashley

Why no subject? Because no one does it. 😆 It stands out in your inbox.

Why a fresh thread? Because it takes out the previous check ins. It eliminates the guilt that they have not responded.

Why this tone of message? It’s a bit silly mentioning you don’t want to be a pain-in-the-butt. Then it packs a punch implying you won’t be reaching out again.

What’s the result? 9 times out of 10, I get a response. 💥

• If it’s a “no,” great – no & next is my favorite! No need to waste anyone’s time.

• If it’s a “yes” it’s usually because they got busy and we can pick back up or we can set a date to reconvene in the future.

That’s it!

What’s your go-to move when stuck in a communication vacuum? I’d love to hear it. 💡

And if you try the “no subject” move, let me know how it worked out for you.

Here’s to efficiency!

smacked agency syndrome.

The day came. It had been almost a decade since I entertained a RFP. Seeing it in my inbox, I archived it. But later that day went back to revisit it.

Even though the team I was supporting had won a previous RFP with them, I had a sour taste in my mouth.

I felt smacked. So I’m now coining this as “Smacked Agency Syndrome.” It is a real thing and often a telltale sign you’re in for it when invited to join the ✨ magical journey ✨ of the RFP.

But even knowing this familiar ick feeling, I hoped that things had maybe changed since my last RFP experience.

Spoiler alert: RFPs still suck.

• The reviewing client spends a boatload on the process. Hence taking away from budget that could be utilized on said “creative project.” You can see that hefty report via ANA/4’As here as a free download - lots of nerdy stuff in there 🤓 : https://www.aaaa.org/cost-of-the-pitch-surprising-insights-that-may-make-you-rethink-the-process

• It’s a time suck. You spend all the time following blueprints and rules without having the hard conversations in-person or over Zoom to get to the real WHYs. 

• There’s too much red tape. There’s always a disconnect with legal and the creative team that’s pushing out the RFP. What may seem one way, most certainly always comes with a surprise change that never benefits the bidding agency (you!). 

• Endless disruptions in staffing. “Oh yeah, let’s go get to work for free for the chance to win this bid. I’ll put off my paying client’s task and get to it later.” Cue: sHinY oBjEcT SynDrOme (yes, I love coining syndromes LOL.)

• It’s a mental f***ery. Aside from coming up with your really cool idea, you spend a good chuck of your time thinking about how you will beat the competitive agencies and get wrapped up in the idea of competing on price. YUCK. Plus, don’t forget, you always sign something saying the idea is no longer yours once pitched — the reviewing client can take your idea (that was too much $$$) and get the cheaper bidding agency to do it. How lovely is that? 

And to make it even more interesting…we won.

• But here’s the kicker, winning is not even a guarantee. 😆 Months(!) later, there’s still no working agreement. Legal has made changes company-wide that would remove a chunk of the team’s responsibility making the pricing all goofed up since it was based on the full effort. And the team’s transparent payment terms, discussed prior to engaging in the RFP process, we’re considered null and void. 🙃 It’s practically back at square one. 

Y’all, your IDEAS are worth GOLD. Stop giving them away for free or even a small pitch fee. Stop getting “smacked” around.

Instead, push to have MEANINGFUL conversations with people who are looking for PARTNERS - not vendors. You didn’t earn your caché touting a vendor title. Frankly you’ve likely never identified yourself as one either.

Here’s to ending the cycle of SAS!
 -Ashley

Important Note: I recognize that avoiding RFPs is sometimes not possible in government and other miscellaneous industries. But when it comes to entertainment and/or brands, there’s almost always a workaround. How do I know this? That same mega corp who sent the RFP above to my client… has an OTHER division that works with my OTHER client – we’ve never had an issue. My OTHER client has a 1MM+ all-in retainer and the payment terms are NET-30, advanced billing. Meaning my client gets paid at the top of each quarter so they have the cash on hand to do all the work. Things are not always what they seem or are demanded to be. Stay vigilant. 🫡

A plunging wave.

Ah, ‘tis the season where it feels like you can’t grab anyone’s attention.

And rightfully so – the sun is sunning, the beaches are wading, and the kids are looking for all the activities to soak up. Hey, us “big kids” are too. 😉

For years, I’d freak out every December when biz felt slow. And ever since 2020, I’ve now thrown summer season into the mix. Work culture has shifted to honoring these seasons for good reason.

So, how can you take advantage?

Rather than scrambling to do more and banging your head against the wall trying to be mOrE cReaTiVe, take this time to get outside, try something new, reconnect with others, and put on your strategic thinking cap.

The only way to go back up the wave is to revel in the crash and rebuild. 🌊

Wishing you a fun ride on the come up!
-Ashley

it starts with us.

[This is a long one. I debated sharing it, but I believe it takes a village. Bookmark and come back if you’re in a hurry. Or during Sunday NFL commercials 😉]

Do you get a pit in your stomach when a client says their payment terms are Net-60, or even gasp Net-90?

Let me share this little story…

A client of mine this 2021 year spent over 250K working with my team (not paid directly to us, but in total for the initiative).

When we first put together our agreement in early 2021, the terms I provided were Net-30. All my clients are either PIF in advance or Net-30. Sadly, this was a no-go for them as their company terms are Net-60 (read: large conglomerate with a lot of red tape).

I reallllly wanted the client so proposed 50% on start (Net-60) and 50% on completion per project outlined (Net-60). Plus a +10% interest fee on the total. We agreed and proceeded.

Over the course of the year, they turned out to be one of the highest paying clients. Our recommendations were based off true benchmarks and realistic ideas. But the client pushed to do more, and with the paychecks coming in, it was hard to say no. I’d guess the client blew 50K of that 250K total spend due to unnecessary requests.

Fast forward to last week. The client, his finance guy, and my colleague all hopped on Zoom as we needed approval on our 2022 rates. The client wanted me to go line by line and explain each increase or decrease. I stopped him at the pass.

ME: “Naturally, some things went up due to demand and inflation. We haven’t raised our rates in a few years. Ironically some things went down, too. But I have to ensure my team is compensated for their time and value.

*the things that went down we’re actually things that their team did the most of. So I would have never thought there’d be a problem. It was pretty much a wash. 🙃

CLIENT: “I see… “

FINANCE GUY: “Also I want to add that no other vendor is bothered by the Net-60, it’s pretty standard. And the +10% addition wouldn’t fly again in 2022.”

Gulp. Long pause.

ME: “What are you proposing?”

FINANCE GUY: “To add to that, we also only do payments PIF Net-60 upon completion. Never 50% upon commencement.”

I said nothing.

Then he backtracked a bit.

ME: “I understand this is a fundamental difference of process, but we can not be any company’s bank or lender. We’re a small team that’s stellar at what we do. We understand if it’s a total deal breaker and can’t proceed – no harm no foul.”

Both teams continued to discuss how the payment terms were the elephant in the room that needed to be addressed before engaging further. So I shared that after the call, we’d discuss internally and find a way to meet in the middle.

After an internal regroup, here’s where we landed. Below is a copy of my email (with names removed to protect the innocent). Feel free to steal any language for yourself. And between me and you, I think this counter was generous:

Hi [main contact] and team! Thanks for today’s regroup call.

To get settled up on the elephant in the room (re: rate card & terms), I spoke with the team and here’s where we’re at...

We understand that Net-60 is non-negotiable with your team. We also understand that the 10% add on per project due to the delayed payment is not favored per [company]’s accounting. However, as a small team, we can not be any company’s lender. We’re too small to do so.

To meet in the middle, we’ve accepted the Net-60 terms with 50% upon start, 50% upon completion & baked in 5% into the fees (rather than being an additional line item at 10%).

See [company]’s 2021-22 revised rate card attached. Please let me know if you have any questions.

We’re confident that if you trust our initial recommendations and we get in a good flow of getting the work in advance, budget won’t be an issue. [insert detailed example of how they blew money]. We pride ourselves on being selective.

If this is approved, kindly sign and return.

We’re ready to get rolling as the projects come through and hope that this middle ground proves fruitful for both teams in the New Year.

Thank you!
-Ashley

The reponse? Don’t know yet. 😆

But what I do know is that us small creative folks, shops, and teams can’t sit wayside and let the big dogs (who need us!) dictate how we work.

And if the client doesn’t come back for 2022, that’s OK. We just opened up more space for clients who value our pricing/recommendations. I wrote about “welcoming space” previously here.

Silver lining: 1 client this week (who is a dream to work with) is upping their renewal as we speak. And 2 brand new clients are in the process of onboarding. 🙏

🔑Remember friends…we’re not lenders. We’re not a bank. We’re strategists, creatives, and heros without a cape, providing a service that matters. It’s up to US to draw the line on what’s acceptable and stand by what we deserve.

Here’s to sticking to your guns!
-Ashley

🔥UPDATE 12/14/21: Client accepted the counter-offer 😉

A kick in the pants.

Imposter syndrome runs deep and wide, y’all. I too find myself at times in the swirl. 😵‍💫

This week I had an overdue chat with my pal Masha at Omnific Collective (thanks for staying on me, lady!) It was the gentle push I needed to stay accountable — even if she didn’t realize it.

Some reminders I’m taking to heart (some realized post-chat driving home from Target 😆):

🖤 We’re all doing life for the first time. Give yourself grace if you don’t have it all figured out yet.

🖤 Discomfort is the greatest preparation tool. Resilience is an unreachable trait. You gotta live (through) a mess to acquire it.

🖤 We’re all in an echo chamber of what we SHOULD be doing. But that’s just it. An echo. Your gut it louder.

🖤 The only way to find out what works, is to fail… religiously.

🖤 Putting yourself out there is a hard one. Mostly because we fear looking weak by asking for help, when in fact it’s a sign of self-awareness and maturity.

🖤 Help isn’t always transactional. Sometimes it’s grabbing a bit of “ah-ha” or hope from something someone shared.

🖤 Keep sharing, questioning, and trying new.

This said, I encourage you to reach out to a person in your network and schedule a no-pressure, no-ask, catch up. Hell, go rogue and do a old school phone call with no video. Grab a snack and kick back. You never know what insight, support, and/or kick in the pants you might give/get. 👊🏼

And if that sounds daunting / you’re struggling to break the ice with someone, I’m happy to be your test subject. I’ll bring the coffee, water, wine or all three. 🙃

To putting yourself out there!
-Ashley

The “no a$$hole” rule.

First off, pardon my french. This was the title of a book penned by a Stanford professor Robert I. Sutton (here).

Back in the day when I first started working with Brave Dog (hi guys! 👋), the partners let me in on their golden rule. They told me that there was a “no a$$hole rule” policy — meaning that if someone was being one, you call them out. Including them.

This sentiment stuck with me over the years. Almost like a secret playing card. Welp, spoiler alert. I finally had to use it on a new client I had engaged at the beginning of February.

To be fair, I didn’t listen to my gut during the exchange of calls and emails before making it official. I was blinded by the excitement to offer my expertise in business development/sales via a whole new industry (a total 180º from brands and entertainment — mergers & acquisitions). Not to mention the commission structure looked mighty fine.

But was it worth it?

⛳️ Red Flag #1: Our initial exchanges.

If you know me personally or follow my IG, you might know that one of my furry babies Nugget was diagnosed with diabetes in October. This requires a morning and night routine at the same time every day: 9:30AM and 9:30PM. Oh yeah, super fun for someone in their 30’s to have a cat curfew.

The M&A client was on the East Coast. When I shared with him my availability for new sales calls was (Pacific) 8AM-9:30AM and then 10AM-beyond, he flat out said this was a “flaw.” A thirty minute window and time zone difference was a “flaw” to him. He pursued ME! Not the other way around. I work with teams across the globe and this has never been an issue. Against my greater judgement, I explained my situation to him (looking back, yuck!), he agreed to make it work, and we proceeded. But if you’re wondering, it wasn’t the last time during those 2 weeks that I had to hear about it.

⛳️ Red Flag #2: He appointed me lead on a 12-month retainer that already expired.

This retainer client seemed like a complete doll. But the M&A team took on this below-normal-budget retainer and had seemingly failed at providing a buyer. My monthly cut would be equivalent to a Trader Joes trip, and I was expected to bring it home. Sure, I believe you have to do some grunt work in any new industry to learn the ropes and be comfortable during client interactions, but this seemed like a total dead end because I wasn’t sure that my client was actually the best fit for them.

It was even more apparent when I started speaking with the client over email. Her description of the business was not at all highlighted in the 10 page CIM (Confidential Information Memorandum a.k.a: a lengthy 10 page report). He wanted me to curate a new industry list of prospects. I was just getting my feet wet. How did he miss this after 12 months of conversations?

⛳️ Red Flag #3: He talked to a potential client like they were scum.

I offered to edit copy for the client’s weekly Sunday email blasts. The signature at the bottom was mine (he asked if I wanted it to be penned by me so I could receive the direct replies). However when my client sent it out, the sender email was incorrect. It looked unprofessional and confusing for anyone reading.

In the email was a link to a quiz created by MIT grads that would allow the business owner to learn more about the status of their company financials and what improvements it needed in order to be sold. The result was a 3 page report and it was free. I love a good lead magnet.

However, my client decided to respond to one of the prospects who completed the assessment before I had a chance to Monday morning east coast time — while I was sleeping. He said their business was “dreadful" among a few other nasty things. Mind you, my full name is still penned on this message. When I got to it in the morning, I was horrified! And so was the potential client. He wrote back a super nasty email to my client calling him a used car salesman. I got a big LOL from that.

What happened next?

I’m sure you can guess. At 7AM Pacific… I pulled out that “no asshole rule” card I had been hiding deep down. I fired him.

Morning [client] – I have been sitting on this a few days and haven't been able to find resolve. To cut it quick, I'm not confident [M&A company] is for me.

The icing on the cake was the email to the potential client. I was aghast reading it. Reminded me of how I felt reading your email about my schedule "flaw."

I am not sure our communication styles are in line and with that, I want to wish you and the team the best of luck in finding the right person to support you go forward.

This isn't the result I was hoping for. I am not a quitter. Frankly I was really excited to take my talents and expand them to a new place. But the communication I've witnessed and requests over the last two weeks don't seem like a fit for me.

Attached is a zip file of all the documents you've shared with me / I've created. If you want to update any passwords you've shared, feel free to do so.

-Ashley

So I didn’t call him an a$$hole directly, but I did drop him with grace — even if it was 2 weeks too late.

🔑 If you find yourself in a similar situation, I encourage you to ask yourself “is this person/team going to increase or diminish my reputation?” Because at the end of the day… money can’t rebuild that for you.

To eliminating the a$$holes!

i’ll likely get flack for this.

I love automations. I have them set up for new client outreach, for marketing, for my house air-fresheners, and beyond. They make life real smooth.

But there is a time and place for automations.

Nothing turns me off more than when someone sends me their calendar booking link.

I’m not talking about scheduling a vet appointment, a Task Rabbit, or an out-of-the-box digital service (ie: FB ads manager expert), I’m talking about a potential client who you aim to have a long-term biz relationship with. A significant investment is likely to be made.

To me, grazing over this highly simple and personal step is a missed opportunity. That manual step might be old-fashioned to some, but it’s that super small real connection, that supports a growing relationship.

So while you’re saving all those extra seconds/minutes/hours with automations made of pure gold, be sure to save some time for real moments of service. Both ends deserve it.

To being human!

“Mining” your own business.

I’ve been MIA the later half of this year minding & mining my own business. 🤓 While my share-worthy golden nuggets are brewing, here’s a quick one that may boost your business development goals.

—

Life has a funny way of coming full circle. From staying up late submitting entries at my first gig in Hollywood, to helping other teams level up their award strategy at Brave Dog, to now being on my first official judging panel… I’m excited to share that I’ll be serving as a judge at the 16th annual Shorty Awards! 🐳🏆

So you might be thinking… WTF who cares about awards?! I dissected the “glitz & glamour” of it all awhile back here. Trust it’s worth a scan if you’ve created some awesome creative this year (or plan to in 2024!) and want to leverage it to win the hearts of new clients.

If you’ve got some stellar digital storytelling work, I’d love to see it at the Shortys! You can find the categories here. And if you need help leveraging those wins, in and beyond the moment, just holler.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & New Year filled with gold!
-Ashley

Change & Change.

Both are constant.
Both are possible at the same time.
Both can be opposing one another and still a reality (thx, quantum physics).

Last week I had two sales calls with their respective team leads. Both scenarios played out the same, so let’s dive into one.

The company is looking to rebrand their parent company and reconfigure their hierarchy due to a recent acquisition, in order to create a cohesive internal and external presence in the industry.

It may sound simple, but there’s too many unknowns that the team couldn’t answer. I won’t bore you with those. Let’s keep moving…

• Was I speaking with the decision maker? Sort of.

• Is there a deadline? Tossed out the idea of 6 mos.

• Are they interviewing other agencies? Yup, we’re 1 of 4. Two of the companies promised bids by June 30th.

• Big one, is there a Budget? “we don’t know and it’s likely small.”

Here’s the thing… the project at this stage isn’t real. I actually giggled on the line when the team asked for a SOW. Without the above questions answered, a SOW can’t be created – there’s too many unknowns.

So how do you still keep your hat in the ring without laboring over unknown answers and pretending to be something you’re not?

Change the expectation.

Wrapping up the call, I shared with the potential client that a full blown SOW was not possible at this stage given what we had, however (positive spin!) I wanted to be respectful of their time and my team’s. My idea was to put together phase-by-phase “buckets” of what one could expect at different price ranges (think: good, better, best). ie: GOOD Discovery, BEST strategy, BETTER design. She loved the idea and appreciated the honesty.

Rather than put together my infamous 1 page deal memo (grab it here if you’d like!), I created with the help of my team a collaborative google sheet with said “buckets” to imply that it was a starting place for our future collaboration.

We did get confirmation of receipt and that they were in the process of hiring a new creative lead who would need to review our share. #progress. But whether or not the team chooses to move forward with us, here’s why this is a win:

• We educated: without knowing the budget (change), a true SOW was not possible. Any team now that sends them a straightforward bid is doing themselves a disservice and will likely find themselves in revision hell. The potential client will also now have small reservations on how legit the other agencies are.

• We protected our space: by setting a new expectation (change, again), we didn’t waste time and resources on trying to beat another agency, but instead focused on the challenge at hand. Leading with good intentions and questioning everything is key.

To change & change!
-Ashley

P.S.: if you starting singing the Lyfe Jennings 2008 hit Never Never Land when seeing the subject line, did we just become besties? 😆

the day i stopped faking it.

The process of defining my lane was an easy task to avoid.

Not knowing where to start when I first became a solopreneur, I woke up every day and asked, “how can I help?”

That simple question, was the gateway. It might be the most powerful yet confusing question I’ve continued to ask. It allowed me to experiment my various skill sets in different environments. It’s connected me to people I never thought I’d have the opportunity to collaborate with.

For years I OWNED that question. I probably could have put it in my IG bio, email signature, and LI summary and thought “YES this is great! I am SO helpful!”

But what’s the risk in overextending this question? What’s the result that people don’t often talk about?

The simple “how can I help?” became a catalyst to a bigger problem.

The longer I put off defining my lane, my future became my today, and then I was stuck asking myself “WTF is happening?” Do I even enjoy what I am doing right now? Am I really giving my clients the best part of me?

As 2021 was coming to a close, I was completely and mentally drained by my efforts. I was so clouded (more or less hiding) behind asking this question every day instead of identifying and harnessing my innate superpower.

When I went away to reinvent myself… I paused all client engagements except one (there’s a reason for that) and went into pure hibernation mode on all other ways of “helping.”

I emerged with with my thing that brought me the most joy all along: rainmaking for teams/brands I believe in. 🎉

Announcing this in July was the day I stopped faking it. It was scary but necessary. When asked to do something that isn’t in this lane, I confidently say “No, but I can help with…”

Looking back, those 6 years brought to light the projects/scenarios I DON’T like helping with. And trust me, that’s not a bad thing at all. It’s immensely valuable and will be my fire that keeps me on track going forward. 

To scaling back & looking inward!

it’s that simple.

Did ya know… the average sales person sends 3 emails to a cold prospect?

Pro tip: If it doesn’t interest you, unsubscribe (if applicable) or just reply back with something as simple as “no thanks.”

It’s saves you time deleting these future messages, doesn’t clutter your inbox, AND is just the kind thing to do. 

That’s it. That’s this month’s golden nugget. 😆

Here’s to a clutter-free weekend!

Taking the leap.

Helloooo from the other sideeeeee 😆

Hi ya from St. Petersburg, FL — the Sunshine City in the Sunshine State. It really is true as my fiancé and I have already joked how it only rains when the Tampa Bay Lightening are about to play at 8PM in the Stanley Cup (better luck next year, boys! ⚡️).

The past month here in St. Pete has been an absolute whirlwind. Now that we’re pseudo-settled, I wanted to share some of the key takeaways for anyone considering an uproot and transfer to new (& hopefully sunnier) pastures.

Note: I understand that not everyone has the flexibility and timeframe we had to make this happen. It was something we spoke into existence for a long time and are beyond thankful to both work virtually.

Without a doubt, it will be more expensive than you think.

I am a planner, tried and true. I had check lists for months, weeks, and days out. Whatever you think the all-in move is going to cost — it will be more than that. Our first trip to Target to get essentials (read: Toilet paper, Soap, Towels, etc. was $500 and we had to go back the next day for stuff we forgot 😂.) Thankfully, we found ways to justify or breakeven along the way. ie: turned in my car lease and got a check from the dealership that paid for a majority of the moving truck expense. Sold off/gave furniture to friends. It’s MUCH less expensive to offload and buy new. I give an example below.

From the onset, let people in on your adventure.

From a biz stand point, start letting people know of your adventure before it happens. Just like going OOO on vacation, if you’re up front about your schedule, everyone around you will be more understanding of your situation. It puts less stress on you and the relationships. It also means putting in the extra time and effort on the front end to ensure all loose ends are tied up before ✌️’ing out.

Purging is good for the soul.

And for improving the above moving truck expenses. Did ya know that adding the square foot of a desk would have been 3x the amount that we paid for it in the first place? Whoa. We went a couple rounds with the moving company to ensure our quote was as accurate as possible. Start small and start early. Pick a room and little by little purge things that you won’t even remember are gone when you get to where you’re going. Give to friends, neighbors, NextDoor, and my favorite Goodwill. Be sure to contact your tax advisor as they can help you navigate these tax deductions. If you’re looking for someone who can handle your biz across the country, here’s my guy Mauro in Glendale, CA.

Your expectations need to be flexible.

Like anything in life, have high hopes but be willing to go with the flow. I know from my project managing days that the ideal timeline still needs a buffer — life happens. Same goes with the trek to your destination. For us, it was 5 days on the road (CA > AZ > NM > TX > MS > AL > FL) with two cats. Although we didn’t get to do all the sightseeing most road warriors would do along the way, we did find ways to seek adventure with our furries included. And of course, mom and dad had the evenings out once the kitties were snuggled in the hotel. #bucketlist

Document EVERYTHING.

We were warned that some moving companies gouge you. Welp, along the way I recorded everything and threw it into a Google Drive folder. Photos, documents, emails, and texts. It proved to be helpful. Many less-than-acceptable things happened and we were without our stuff for 2+ weeks (luckily nothing was broken!). For example, we were promised that any furniture taken apart would be assembled back together. We shipped our bed frame and when it arrived, the parts were missing. And the drop off crew said that they were not licensed to assemble it. Had to trash it since we’re not Home Depot gurus. With some major followup and pushback, we were reimbursed for the bed debacle.

Was the adventure worth it? 1000%. Would I want to do cross country again? Ha, my new motto is “never say never,” but for now… TALOOP digs will be in St. Pete — come visit!

To ☀️ days!

P.S.: Considering a big move yourself? First off, congrats! Moving is stepping outside of your comfort zone and I am all about that. For reference, I’ve moved 16+ times across 3 states. 5 times during my California residency. When I moved to CA after college, I had just 2 suitcases. It’s a ride no matter how you slice it. Happy to give you a pep talk and some tips. Just holler! 🥰

The power of personality.

Some say, you are who you hang around with. Ok, maybe that was just my mom, but the older I get, the more true that statement becomes. 

Same goes for business. Thankfully, there’s so many different personalities and work-styles out there, that it is possible to find your match. 

For example, about 5 years ago I met with a client in their West LA office. I’ll remove the name to protect the innocent. The meeting went off without a hitch. However, post-meeting, they asked us to respond to a RFP that was muddled with hourly rates and team members who would be on the account. Seemingly taking away from the WHY and the HOW we were going to make their life more seamless and efficient.

Looking back, I wouldn’t even entertain this type of request. 

But alas, we did it. Sent over that 5+ page proposal (big yuck — quick refresher on why those don’t work here.) and then our main point of contact went missing. Welp, after a quick search on LinkedIn, she was let go. 

A year later… similar scenario. Got called in to present, did a big ‘ol refreshed proposal, and he too was let go. Then I was chased to come back as a new person was hired in their place. You know what happened next… 🤮

Since then, it’s been a big joke with my client that if THAT company were to call again, we would just send them over one of the 3 proposals we had already shared and tell them to “pick one.” 😆

So guess what happened next? I got pinged by a NEW contact at THAT company back in March. I got a good giggle when it came into my inbox. But this time, the personality of the guy jumped off the paper and one of my good entertainment connects recommended us to him by name. I was intrigued…

This time, we did Zoom (like every other meeting these days). And rather than jumping to do a proposal for them, I started off the call sharing our past experience with pitching and how my client wasn’t in a place to be doing rounds again. Let’s be real, it’s me. I wasn’t having it. Ha!

To my surprise, the client claimed he read my “no asshole rule” article and assured me this wasn’t him. He had me. It also helped that he’d been at the company for over a year so I was confident this wasn’t a fly by night contact. #littlewin

The result… they are now a client. There was no big proposal. Just a 1-page deal memo we worked out over a Zoom conversation. Did I also mention there was no scoffing at Net-30? 🥳

Sure, we’re going through the legal schmegal onboarding and red-tape on the backend, but this time it’s worth going through the motions because him and his team are a REAL pleasure to work alongside.

🔑 Power of personality people. Be forthright. Be genuine. Don’t write off a company because of a particular person. Hold your standards and be patient. Sometimes the right contact comes along and it changes everything. 

To finding your match!

You’re more than a zip code.

If you would have asked me a decade ago where I’d be now, I likely would have said a top executive at a creative agency/firm. 

I also would have likely went to my grave saying that it could only work out that way if I was in Los Angeles, CA (NYC too, but this girl can’t handle the snow and all that comes with it 😆). 

Funny how life works out the way it does. 

In just over a month, I’ll no longer have that zip code that I believed for so long was imperative to my success. 

But how did I finally get to this place of feeling secure that my plans didn’t work out in any way that I had imagined?

Like many, 2020-2021 was one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. My fiancé and I took a step back to identify our blessings, yet also see where there might be room to grow. The world is such a big place to only stay put because of familiarity and convenience. 

For me personally and professionally, I was finally able to admit that California wasn’t the end all – for a number of reasons. And if you follow me regularly, I am SO thrilled to rid CA income tax and the daily receipts that are starting to resemble CVS (IYKYK!) 🤣. 

Although I am beyond thankful I got my career start here, met my fiancé, and all my wonderful friends who I now call family, it was time for a change. 2021 specifically felt like some sort of a “breakup” with my first love: California. I wanted to live here from the moment I said goodbye to the shores of Santa Barbara in 2007, but those feelings were fleeting as each day passed. 

Now 33 years young, I know to “never say never.” I am opportunistic that the world now supports any hard worker regardless of zip code. We’re limitless.

So where to now?

Welp, it’s officially official. After a 11+ years calling California my home, my SoCal native unicorn and I are making moves back to my home state, but in a completely new area to us both — St. Petersburg, FL! 

That’s right — TALOOP will be reincorporating in the Sunshine State come June.

We’re feeling a wave of emotions, but know that staying put doesn’t change our circumstances or bring new opportunity. Moving forward on our journey, even if unknown, will only bring new adventures together. 

I’m hopeful that when I look back on this note in another 10 years, I’ll be proud to say that the goal was simply welcoming the space to grow – within myself, within my relationship, and within my business. 

To never saying never! 

I caught the ick.

But, there was a positive takeaway…

Welp, the last time I got sick was back late 2019/early 2020 – a 2 month stint prior to Covid tests and antibody checks. Pretty sure I had the ‘Rona.

Fast forward 2 years, a glorious 24 months sick-free later, I got the ick early January – seemingly like everyone else did. Now, I’m unsure if was ‘Rona or just a good ‘ol fashion cold (yes, those are still real!), but I was down and out for 2 weeks. So I stayed home, ate the soup, made the witchy tea, and did the right thing by resting.

In the midst of all this, I had to email potential clients to cancel scheduled Zoom calls. And I had to check on current clients who I thought were waiting on me. Bad timing, right? The beginning of the year is the time everyone is hungry at their desks to chalk things off the to-do list and start new initiatives.

Rather than getting standard “feel better soon messages, let’s reschedule",” I was ghosted. This. Never. Happens. To. Me. But I stayed focused on mending so I could come back full force. I didn’t even write my monthly email – did ya miss me? 😉

Truth be told, we’re now in February and business is BONKERS. Everyone I know was either sick, waiting on a superior for approval who was out sick, or had to postpone the “heady” budget planning meeting when everyone was done being sick.

🔑 The lesson here? Sometimes it’s not about you. And if I am being a straight shooter… it’s almost always NEVER about you. #sorrynotsorry

The next time you feel like you’re being ghosted, don’t freak out. Take a deep breath. Send a message letting them know that you’re thinking about them and you’ll follow up in a couple of weeks. Stay persistent, but also stay human.

We’ve all got some sort of “ick” we might be dealing with that moment the message hits the inbox. But carrying that defeated feeling to your next call or meeting won’t serve you or your clients. Remember that.

Here’s to not getting bent outta shape!

overcoming network terror.

Networking events and conferences make some people cringe. But even as a sales-focused professional who’s an “extroverted introvert” (say that five times fast!), I often cringe at them too. 😖

How do you get over the hump to make networking events pleasant and full of meaningful interactions? After all, networking is just people.

With the world opening back up and company holiday parties, award shows, and happy hours landing on your calendar… I thought I’d resurface this little cheat sheet for your next event outing.

Here a few of my go-to methods that set me at ease and also make the experience worth getting out of sweatpants for 😅...

📌1. Work the schedule to your favor

I find it most helpful to view the schedule of the event or conference in advance, and highlight the top events that interest me. It’s so much easier to attend seminars and be around people who have similar interest as yourself — and makes for a much smoother conversation. Plus, with a schedule in place, you won’t be running around manic, trying to attend everything.

Once you’ve identified a few key events, if it’s possible, see who’s attending that may be a beneficial connect. Pro Tip: Don’t aim for overcrowded rooms (unless there is someone there you are dying to meet). Instead, pick smaller sessions for a greater chance at 1-on-1 conversations without shouting over a huge crowd.

📌2. Be unforgettable

If you’ve identified a particular contact you want to speak with, make sure you spend a couple minutes doing your research. A quick LinkedIn browse and Facebook peek may be all you need to find some commonality. Rather than leading with “Hi, I’m Ashley and I’m from X,” I find that people remember our brief interactions if I lead with something I learned about them. Example: “Andrew, I know you’re slammed, but I heard through the grapevine that you know Sam. We worked together at X — what a great guy. I just had to meet you as well!” Or, “Your campaign for XYZ was awesome — I actually bought the product for my mom and it’s great to hear that your team did that campaign.” You’ll usually get some great banter about how awesome Sam is or how much they loved the product too. At this point, you’ve eased the conversation and don’t look like a networking shark on a mission.

📌3. A strong handshake matters

I can’t count the amount of times I’ve received a “dead fish” handshake from both men and women. If you’ve taken the time to walk up to them, make it count. Body language is so important. Starting off with a nice firm handshake is the key to building your own confidence (even if you’re shaking on the inside) and getting the conversation off the ground. Then, you can always hand sanitize later 😉.

📌4. If the conversation isn’t flowing, don’t force it

The best working relationships are built on people that vibe well together. When you work with people you enjoy, you’ll naturally do better work. If the conversation feels like you’re pulling teeth, let the person know how much you appreciated their time, but that you have to cut it short to head to whatever your next appointment might be. Thankfully, with conferences, there is so much going on that cutting loose isn’t awkward for either party.

📌5. Keep your business card in your pocket

Not visible in your hand. I’ve seen this happen time and time again, especially at seminars where people rush the stage to speak with a panelist. Instead, refer to step 2: Be unforgettable. You have a better chance at them offering you their business card or gasp you exchange a text message right then and there — which is the ultimate slam dunk.

📌6. The bar is your friend

And so is self-control. There is a reason that people gravitate here — they want to take the edge off. But instead of seeing this as a place to drink your fears away, channel that energy, and see this opportunity as a way to help someone feel at ease.

Sure, in this situation you’re not equipped with research, but it’s a greater opportunity to start a conversation about something outside of work. Maybe you both ordered the same drink, or maybe you like their shoes. Simple things can be the catalyst to an awesome conversation. At a Promax Christmas event a couple years back, I ended up having an hour-long conversation with someone after discovering we’re both Croatian and loved cabbage dishes. Neither of us even knew where the other person worked until the end of the conversation! Sounds silly, but it was memorable.

📌7. Use your manners

Growing up, there wasn’t a day that I brought a friend over and my mom didn’t offer to make us lemonade or coffee (when we were older), or whip us up a quick snack. That hospitality always made an impression. I attribute that hospitality to my strong Croatian roots, and utilizing that hospitality in my interactions is ones of the best life-lessons I’ve learned. People love hospitality, even when it’s not in the confines of your own home. Offer to grab someone a coffee or a water. A little gesture like this goes a long way.

📌8. Thank you’s (and thank you cards) are very much still a thing

I have a rule to always send an email “thank you” within a five hours of meeting someone. That may sound a little obsessive, but it’s my way of ensuring the person that our conversation was meaningful.

But if you want to go one step further, consider this: In a digital world, it’s such a treat to receive a handwritten note. Many times, the other person will be so impressed by the gesture that they’ll keep it on their desk. And this, my friends, keeps you top of mind!

I’d love to hear some of your best networking tips! Drop me a line 🤓

Here’s to overcoming terror and making networking fun again!