Fortune's Path Podcast

Ashley Kent: Balancing Life and Business

Episode Summary

In this episode, host Tom Noser interviews Ashley Kent, founder and CEO of Clearstart, a boutique marketing growth agency specializing in venture-backed health tech companies. They discuss the challenges and joys of running a business with 15 employees while raising two young children, the evolution of marketing strategies in venture-backed businesses, and the impact of AI on marketing practices. Ashley shares insights on transitioning from founder-led sales to scalable systems, building repeatable marketing strategies, and the importance of maintaining strong client relationships amidst rapid growth. She also reflects on personal growth and resilience during tough times, providing inspiration for fellow entrepreneurs.

Episode Notes

Ashley Kent - Founder & CEO of Clear Star Creative, a boutique marketing growth agency specializing in venture-backed health tech companies

Key Topics Discussed

Building a Sustainable Business and Life Balance

• Managing a 15-employee company while raising two young children (ages 4 and 6)
• Finding joy in simple pleasures: working out, good food, and family time
• The reality of being a working mom in a small community where she's often in the minority

What Clear Star Creative Does

• Boutique marketing/growth agency focused on venture-backed health tech startups
• Two main service phases:
  • "Crawl Phase": Helping companies validate their target audience and go-to-market strategy
  • "Walk Phase": Building scalable marketing and sales systems beyond founder-led sales

The Evolution of Venture Capital

• Shift from investing in "dreams and ideas" (2015-2020) to requiring tangible results
• VCs now demand sustainable, repeatable business models rather than relying on individual founders
• Importance of building "moats" and differentiation in crowded markets

Marketing Philosophy

• Three ways CEOs typically view marketing:
  1. Core revenue driver
  2. Sales enablement ("make things look pretty")
  3. Brand awareness generator
• Focus on impacting business outcomes, not just creating content
• Taking a whole customer lifecycle approach from acquisition to renewal

AI's Role in Marketing

• Using AI as an efficiency tool, not a replacement for human relationships
• Current tech stack includes ChatGPT for ideation and image generation, AI note-taking tools
• Emphasis on maintaining human oversight and the relationship-driven nature of business

The Transition from Founder-Led Sales

• Common challenge for companies in the $10-50M range
• Difference between lifestyle businesses and venture-scalable companies
• Building repeatable systems that don't depend on the founder's personal relationships

Product-Led Growth in Healthcare

• Healthcare traditionally being sales-led but slowly adopting PLG approaches
• The complexity of implementing PLG - requires buttoned-up systems and user experience
• Warning about pulling product resources away from core development

Recent Business Challenges

Ashley candidly shared experiencing her "hardest six months ever":

• Lost entire core team within two weeks
• Lost major clients within two months
• Had to rebuild while maintaining operations and caring for family
• Learning to balance investment in clients' success with her own company's needs

Hiring and Team Management

• Focus on behavioral interviews and work ethic assessment
• 90-day probationary period to ensure good fit
• Emphasis on preventing burnout in high-paced startup/agency environment
• Importance of setting clear expectations and boundaries

Parenting and Business

• Exposing her daughter to the business world and strong working women
• Balancing being present for family while running a demanding business
• Teaching children about the value of hard work and financial independence

Key Quotes

"I'm in the people business. We are in the services business where we are building relationships."

"If we turned [marketing] off tomorrow, would it really impact our business? Probably not... We have to make sure that we are impacting the business in every single thing we're doing."

"The strategic person climbs to the top of the ladder, looks over the trees and says, 'guys, we're in the wrong forest.'"

"Don't let the facade fool you. It is hard as hell to do this and it will push you in every single capacity."

Resources Mentioned

• Clay (AI-enabled sales outreach tool)
• Apollo (sales outreach platform)
• ChatGPT (AI for ideation and content)
• Clear Star Creative website

Episode Takeaways

1. Focus over busy work: Strategic thinking means identifying the one thing that will truly move the needle
2. Relationships drive business: Especially in B2B services, human connections remain irreplaceable
3. Transparency builds trust: Being honest about capabilities and limitations creates stronger client relationships
4. Systems enable scale: Moving beyond founder-dependent operations requires intentional system building
5. Resilience through adversity: Even successful entrepreneurs face major setbacks - persistence and support systems are crucial

Fortune's Path podcast helps service and technology businesses address root causes that prevent rapid growth. Music and editing by Ted Noser.