Power Women: Ashley Richards of E Squared Marketing On How To Successfully Navigate Work, Love and Life As A Powerful Woman

An Interview With Ming Zhao

Have FUN. Don’t get too busy that you aren’t living. We take breaks and surprise the kids with something fun, like a midweek staycation, or even just taking a walk outside with them. It is a great reminder to see and experience all the joys in the world, and never take for granted what I get to do and why I do it.

How does a successful, strong, and powerful woman navigate work, employee relationships, love, and life in a world that still feels uncomfortable with strong women? In this interview series, called “Power Women” we are talking to accomplished women leaders who share their stories and experiences navigating work, love and life as a powerful woman.

As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ashley Richards.

Ashley Richards is a dynamic and versatile marketing executive with 15 years of experience executing digital strategies to totally transform businesses. Her past clients include large Fortune 500 companies, fitness facilities, physical therapy offices, and large shopping centers. Ashley’s extensive experience — combined with her passion for marketing — allow her to bring her clients tremendous success in the online world.

In 2017, Ashley launched E Squared Marketing to provide creative digital solutions and heightened value to small to medium-sized businesses. Whatever your needs, Ashley and her team provide a fresh perspective and creative yet pragmatic leadership to lead your business to success.

Ashley is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and when she’s not working, you can find this Arizona native enjoying hikes with her husband of 10 years, Brandon, and their two adorable children, Ellie and Eli.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

Ah yes, my childhood. As much as I wish I could tell you it was all butterflies and sunshine, it really wasn’t and, truthfully, I am grateful for exactly how it unfolded as it has helped me become the woman I am today. I am born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and I am the youngest of three girls. My parents had a broken marriage built on infidelity and alcoholism, which led to their nasty divorce when I was 3 years old, so I grew up quickly due to those circumstances. My entrepreneurial mindset kicked in at a young age with lemonade stands, babysitting, and cleaning my mom’s hair salon. The thought of working hard and earning money really resonated with me. When I was 17 years old, I moved out, as I wanted to get away from that toxic home life, and I kicked my work ethic into high gear. I was a workaholic in the real estate world, first starting in the title industry and then moving into commercial real estate, quickly becoming one of the youngest account managers in the company, closing $3-$5 million deals across the nation. My drive to succeed was certainly created from my childhood experiences. After the real estate market crash in 2008, I was laid off. It was a devastating time for me but I quickly adjusted my plan, dusted myself off, and started again. This wasn’t a new concept for me — I had started over when I was 17 and I knew I could do it again. This time I decided to head back to school and get that college degree I had always longed for. I took a huge pay cut and worked at the college I was attending just so that I could get my degree for free. I told my boss at the time that my last day of school would be my last day of employment there, as I was not meant to work in the corporate world — and I held my promise. I received my bachelor’s degree in business marketing and celebrated by resigning from the company that same day. From there, I launched into my marketing career, combining my experiences in the real estate world and my love for the digital world.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

After graduating with my degree and working for a company as their Marketing Director, I got pregnant with my first child! It was a dream come true as my husband and I struggled to conceive for a few years leading up to our miracle pregnancy. Once my daughter arrived after a tough pregnancy, I was faced with the heart-wrenching decision that all mothers face: Would I become a stay-at-home mother or give up the career I loved so very much? I wrestled with this decision for weeks, as it took over my daily thoughts while on maternity leave, and the reality is this is something almost all women are faced with when they become a mom. Finally, after MANY sleepless nights wrestling with both of my options, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to do both and felt strongly that if I worked hard — and efficiently — I could do both well. I resigned from my job and started my own marketing consulting business. Shortly after my consulting launch, I got pregnant with my second child. After his birth, and many referrals later, it was time to take my consulting business to the next level and create an entity, so E Squared was born (named after my two kids: Ellie and Eli). After launching my business, I made a promise to myself to build the culture and community of my team around the principles that helped me start it all: motherhood. Six years later and here we are. E Squared is thriving, growing, and empowering working mothers across the nation. We have 20 amazing team members, all women, and most are working mothers who enjoy working from home with flexible hours but are also committed to learning and growing professionally. We currently serve over 50 clients across the nation with their social media content strategies, page management, influencer partnerships, e-blasts, and text message campaigns. My go-to motto has become, “If you want it done right and you want it done well, ask a mother to do it.”

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

As much as I have a passion for the digital marketing world, I never knew I would find an even greater love with mentoring working mothers. A wonderful woman on my team was a stay-at-home mom for several years and she was also an acquaintance of mine prior to working for me. I would follow her Instagram stories as she took her kids to the park, made delicious dinners, all while documenting her life at home with the kids. I was looking for part-time help so I decided to reach out to her and was immediately greeted with an enthusiastic YES! So, I trained her and brought her on board. She was new to the marketing world, previously having worked in retail prior to getting married and having her children, but she was motivated, excited, and thrilled to focus on her career while still maintaining the flexibility needed for her young kids. For years now, she has been asking questions, learning, growing, and making mistakes then correcting and learning from them. Throughout it all, I have seen her confidence skyrocket and her relationship with her husband and kids become more enriched. She has created big dreams and incredible goals for herself within our company. Was she ready when I asked her? Probably not. Did she take a chance, keep an open mind, and was ready to work hard? Absolutely. And now, she is on my leadership team spearheading some of the largest clients we have in our portfolio. Proud and grateful is an understatement. Don’t ever forget you can do hard things if you really want to.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Confidence. When you walk into a meeting (or log in to one online), bring the excitement and confidence. Your meeting attendees feed off your energy, so be prepared to bring it. We’ve been told from our clients how much they love meeting with us because we bring a certain bright energy to the table — and I know that has helped us land more deals than I can count.

Humility. As a business owner, you grow, fail, and learn, then do it all over again. I am grateful for the challenges and the failures, as we never make the same mistake twice, and it has helped us streamline our processes and deliverables year after year as we continue to grow. Stay humble and remember you are human. Mistakes will happen — and when they do — own them, correct them, and move on. I also make sure we stay in our lane. We are the experts in our arena but will be the first to admit if we don’t know an answer to a client or team member’s question. Staying humble and honest in your area of expertise is critical.

Generosity. I try my best to always lead with a kind and generous heart. My clients work SO hard and my team works their butts off so I try to reward, encourage, and love on all of them as much as I can. It may be a simple card in the mail to thank them or a surprise gift delivered to their door. Small but meaningful words of gratitude and appreciation go a long way. I always want our clients and my team to know how appreciative I am for all that they do!

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. The premise of this series assumes that our society still feels uncomfortable with strong women. Why do you think this is so?

I often feel that strong women are misunderstood as weak, passive individuals who are looking to men to lead them. In reality, strong women — especially strong mothers — are the complete opposite. We want to feel inspired, motivated, supported, and heard. If a woman has those things, she is set up for success. For me, my husband has not only been my biggest fan but has always been extremely involved at home, which allows me to continue to fulfill my goals as a business owner. He doesn’t care who the breadwinner is or who makes dinner. We both contribute equally to our home as well as our bank account.

Without saying any names, can you share a story from your own experience that illustrates this idea?

Unfortunately, I have many stories that I could share but one really stands out. I was in a client meeting with several high-level executives, mostly men, and we were diving into strategies and marketing concepts for the company, and ready to make some big decisions. Every time I would chime in and provide insight from a digital marketing perspective, the CEO would reply, “Thanks, hon, we will note that and consider it” and move on as if my feedback was not relevant. It became clear that they were not an ideal client for my firm, as we focus on partnering with open-minded, collaborative brands that are willing to get insights and feedback on all areas of marketing. I respectfully let him finish the meeting and spoke to him afterward and let him know we were not the right marketing partner for them. I stand strongly in the person I am and the organization that I run and will not jeopardize our culture or talents on clients that just don’t make sense.

What should a powerful woman do in a context where she feels that people are uneasy around her?

I would encourage her to speak up, but keep it professional, and let it be known that she not only has a seat at the table, but she helped build the very table where everyone is seated. I would also encourage her to speak with confidence to let everyone know that she means business.

What do we need to do as a society to change the unease around powerful women?

Encourage and empower them versus trying to fight them. There is room for success for everyone if they want it, no matter their gender. My favorite thing about my career now is the ability to empower my amazing team of working women and ensure that they know they can work hard and still be an amazing mother. We don’t have to do one or the other because that is what society wants but, rather, build the motivation and confidence to have it all.

In my own experience, I have observed that often women have to endure ridiculous or uncomfortable situations to achieve success that men don’t have to endure. Do you have a story like this from your own experience? Can you share it with us?

I don’t have a specific scenario regarding men, but I do have one regarding women. When I first started my business, I was faced by a few women in my life who really believed that women belong at home while the men worked and provided financially for their families. When I told them I was starting my own marketing agency I was slapped with comments like, “Wow, I am so sorry you have to go back to work” or “Oh really? Already? You have a baby at home!” It was so discouraging. Some women choose to become a stay-at-home parent. Some go back to work to provide for their families. Some professions do not have the ability to work from home. Whatever decision a mother makes, it was a hard one. Let’s love and support everyone’s decisions and not be so quick to judge.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women leaders that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Expectations, especially as a working mother. The saying goes, “People expect you to parent like you don’t work, and work as if you don’t parent,” and it is so very true. When I first started my agency and was also a mom with two young kids at home, I was constantly concerned they would hear my kids in the background and not take me as a serious business owner/expert. Now, I am leading a team of 20 amazing working mothers and I lead with our culture and who we are with every client. We are not an 8–5 agency, but neither is social media, so our schedule aligns perfectly with the industry. We work hard, and often, but we work with flexibility to also prioritize our family and children’s needs. I promise, you will get higher quality work, happier staff, and better results when your employees know that you care about their families.

Let’s now shift our discussion to a slightly different direction. This is a question that nearly everyone with a job has to contend with. Was it difficult to fit your personal and family life into your business and career? For the benefit of our readers, can you articulate precisely what the struggle was?

Absolutely, and it still is! Working from home certainly has its perks, however, it can be challenging to turn work “off” and focus on mom/family mode. In the beginning, I was fighting this work/life balance constantly, trying to log off at 5 pm and be present with my kids, and I quickly realized that stressing about the balance was wasting even more time.

What was a tipping point that helped you achieve a greater balance or greater equilibrium between your work life and personal life? What did you do to reach this equilibrium?

I was striving so much for perfection, giving my all to both, and it was just not realistic. I stopped fighting for that perfect balance and settled on harmony instead. Some days, business takes priority, and others, I am rocking the mom-and-wife life. I set goals and boundaries to give each part of my life what it needs to feel fulfilled so by the end of the week, I know I poured into both and that helps me stay confident in my choices.

I work in the beauty tech industry, so I am very interested to hear your philosophy or perspective about beauty. In your role as a powerful woman and leader, how much of an emphasis do you place on your appearance? Do you see beauty as something that is superficial, or is it something that has inherent value for a leader in a public context? Can you explain what you mean?

Such a great question! I am not trendsetter by any means but the days that I get dressed and do my hair and makeup are always the days when I feel the most confident. I do not think you need to be glammed up from head to toe every day but getting dressed and feeling put-together really amps up your self-confidence and you’ll glow from within.

How is this similar or different for men?

I feel men are the same way to some degree. When my husband gets dressed up, I can tell by his walk and his talk that he is feeling more confident. He knows he looks good!

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Powerful Woman?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Stop caring what other people think. I know this is easier said than done but stay out of the drama and opinions of others. I shared earlier the negative feedback I received from some fellow moms on the thought of me starting my own business, and still at times I am faced with drama from friends, family, or colleagues. Although it is sometimes unavoidable, try to stay out of it all. You are wasting precious time and energy by worrying about things outside of your control so I encourage you to shake it off and spend that time on something that will benefit your life, your career, or your business.
2. Don’t quit, just adjust. As a business owner, it is all about the adjustments. My industry is fast-paced and constantly changing. We continue to adjust and evolve as the market does, and continue to provide the latest marketing services to our clients. Quitting is not an option, just #pivot and get moving.
3. Give up the time sucks. We all have the same 24 hours in a day, so are you making the most out of them? I cut out all the time sucks in my life because, really, they did not bring me joy anyways. I don’t watch movies or TV shows. For down time, I like to take a warm bath, read a good book, and spend time with my family and friends.
4. Expect the best but prepare for the worst. I am the “What if?” gal on the team and it has certainly helped level up our talent and strategies when it comes to marketing. You always want the best but as you become a leader, you NEED to prepare for the worst.
5. Have FUN. Don’t get too busy that you aren’t living. We take breaks and surprise the kids with something fun, like a midweek staycation, or even just taking a walk outside with them. It is a great reminder to see and experience all the joys in the world, and never take for granted what I get to do and why I do it.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

I would have to say Jessica Alba. This dynamic working mom also founded a business while having a baby on her hip, and that is something I admire so much. Meeting women who have tackled the working mom life before me is always inspiring and I am grateful to have a few incredible mentors who have paved the way.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.

About The Interviewer: Ming Zhao is an immigrant, third-generation entrepreneur, and mother whose daughter, Ember, is the same age as her company, PROVEN Skincare. PROVEN applies Artificial Intelligence and data to create personalized skincare products. The Stanford scientist team at PROVEN create customized skincare systems for individuals based on more than 47 factors about them, including their gene expression, external lifestyle, environment, and skin concerns. PROVEN is the winner of MIT’s AI Technology of the Year award. Check out PROVEN at www.provenskincare.com