This article was originally published by Drew Gerber via Authority Magazine.
“When it comes to being more authentic, you need to get really clear on your own vision, voice, message, and audience. You can’t authentically show up if you don’t know what that looks or feels like for you specifically. And it has a snowball effect — the more you show up consistently across contexts, the more confidence you have in that brand identity, and the more trust you build. Standing up for your values is the best way to stand out.”
From an objective standpoint, we are living in an unprecedented era of abundance. Yet so many of us are feeling unsatisfied. Why are we seemingly so insatiable? Do you feel that marketing has led to people feeling unsatisfied and not having enough in life? If so, what actions can marketers take to create a world where people feel that they have enough, and they are enough? Can we re-imagine what marketing looks like and how it makes people feel? In this interview series, we are talking to experts in marketing and branding to discuss how we might re-imagine marketing to make it more authentic, sustainable, and promote more satisfaction. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Ashlee Sang.
Ashlee Sang consults conscious and caring business owners so they can grow their impact and their revenue. Through Ashlee Sang Consulting and as host of the Purpose & Progress Podcast, she equips entrepreneurs to take confident, meaningful action in alignment with their values. She believes that business can feel and do good when it’s rooted in values and propelled by purpose.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to know how you got from “there to here.” Inspire us with your backstory!
Like so many people, I’m an accidental-turned-intentional entrepreneur. I started freelancing on the side when I was living and working in Senegal and when my husband and I were going through the green card process in preparation for a move to the States.
Even after we finally moved to the US and I got a communications job at a local nonprofit, I kept freelancing. I liked the variety, the challenge, and the extra income. And at the very beginning of 2019, I decided to take my business full-time.
My business has gone through many iterations since — from done-for-you copy and content to now consulting online service providers and social impact leaders on their values-aligned brand messaging and marketing strategy.
Most recently, I started a podcast because I wanted an outlet to highlight the anecdotes and advice of women I’ve met over the years. It’s a platform for us to share their path toward purpose and progress through entrepreneurship.
Can you please tell us about your typical day? What day-to-day structures do you have in place for you to experience a fulfilled life?
I have a young toddler, so she’s a huge focus of my day (and all night long). And being able to manage household responsibilities while also showing up for clients and growing my business is a big reason I’ve transitioned my offerings into strategic intensives. Not only do these containers allow me to put constraints on when I’m “on call,” but they also allow the same boundaries for my clients who may be managing chronic illness, rapid business growth, caregiving, or full-time travel.
My days really aren’t typical in any way, but I do keep weekly commitments to my newsletter list and my podcast (both of which are published on Tuesdays). I tend to have calls and facilitate workshops in the afternoons. And I spend a lot of time nurturing relationships, doing outreach to guest on podcasts or speak to communities, and creating content that’s useful, actionable, or motivating.
I get a sense of fulfillment when I feel I’ve contributed to something bigger than myself in that given day. Contribution is one of my core values and it energizes me to leave my mark in some way or spread the word on someone’s behalf.
What lessons would you share with yourself if you had the opportunity to meet your younger self?
Start sooner. I could have started video on social media sooner, started my podcast sooner, started pitching to speak sooner. My focus this year is on progress, which I view as an antidote to perfectionism. I’ve only recently let go of my tendency toward perfectionism. I finally see how chasing perfection is really just thinly-cloaked fear and how much it crushes momentum.
Most of the time, we fear we’re not enough, or people will judge us, or we won’t be able to justify how we show up. But that’s rarely the case. Most of the time, when the right people find you, they’re so thankful you put yourself out there and offered exactly what they needed to hear. And those people who don’t resonate with you just keep scrolling by.
Entrepreneurship, especially as an online service provider or a founder-forward brand, is an ever-evolving journey in personal development. I think the sooner we lean into that, the better off we are as business owners and as humans.
Ok, thank you for sharing that. Now let’s discuss marketing. To begin, can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority on marketing?
I equip conscious and caring online service providers, social impact startup founders, and nonprofit leaders to grow their impact and their revenue in alignment with their values. And my experience has been completely industry agnostic — running the gamut from a state representative’s re-election campaign and fintech startups to small-town food co-ops and ethical fashion.
I’ve honed my approach to values-aligned marketing through both the implementation and strategy sides. The way I leverage audiences and values has a direct link to both marketing and operations that many business owners haven’t considered, at least not holistically as an entire ecosystem.
And I bring a fresh perspective to marketing conversations because I come from the international development sector, found my way to social entrepreneurship via conscious consumerism, and have a background living and working abroad, which broadened my empathy and point of view.
For me, marketing comes down to clear and empathic communication that manifests through your values.
Throughout history, marketing has driven trade for humans. What role do you see that marketing has played in creating the human experience?
Living out your brand values is central to my approach to marketing and business. While values are “trending” as companies begin to recognize that consumers, team members, and funders demand more, I view values as an evergreen element to successful brands. Especially in the current climate, CEOs are needing to show up as humans first and let their values shine through to attract and retain audiences and talent. We’re in the midst of a universal re-imagining of how traditional “marketing” looks and feels.
But leading with values is more than slapping some vague words on an About Page and forgetting about them. It’s about using your brand values as a lens to validate decisions, create content, have tough conversations, and expand offers and audiences.
No matter the industry or the business model, buying decisions are always made by humans. You can feel a brand’s values throughout the entire customer and team experience. Marketing amplifies that experience when it’s aligned and shows gaping holes when it’s not.
Many 21st-century marketing professionals in a capitalistic society will discuss solving human “pain points” as a way to sell products, services, and other wares successfully. In your opinion or experience, has aggravating pain points led to more pain? Can you explain what you mean?
While I think it’s useful to know what your audience is struggling with and what solutions you can offer, I don’t think pain-point-focused messaging is necessary, or particularly helpful. Instead, I like to focus on the potential for positive change. The transformation you can promise. The vision you’re working toward for your customers, alongside your customers, or through your customers.
And again, coming back to the topic of values, when you lead with your values, your vision, and the audience you want to serve, your offers can morph and evolve without being hung up on specific pain points that manipulate people into feeling you’re their only option.
I think a positive approach to marketing is a lot more generative and much easier for people to spread the word about on your behalf. I’d rather create an army of advocates than be constantly seeking out people with problems. Yes, your business should offer some sort of solution or answer. But you don’t need to frame it in relation to pain in order to communicate a compelling case for why your offer matters.
Different cultures view trade/marketing differently. While some may focus on “pain-points” others may focus on “purpose-points”. How do other cultures differ in how they approach marketing? Please give examples or studies you may know about.
It seems that many traditionally “American” marketing tactics involve shame or pressing pain points, but we also see this in skin lightening ads around the world — making people feel bad about something based on cultural beauty standards that aren’t native to the groups companies are selling to.
On the other hand, with empathetic marketing, I come back to cultural relativism. I learned this principle in my anthropology classes in university. Each team, workplace, region, identity, etc. has its own big and small cultural norms. And while human pain points traverse cultural experiences, so does seeking purpose. If we’re able to tap into what makes “our people” tick — the ones who are the perfect fit for our offers, values, and mission — then we’re able to lean into their shared culture, goals, and characteristics, while ignoring any “best practices” that don’t align with our business philosophy or the way our customers want to engage with us.
Okay, fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview: It seems as if we have never stopped to question marketing. In your opinion, how can marketing professionals be more responsible for how their advertising shapes our human experience? Based on your experience and your area of expertise can you please share “Five Ways We Can Re-Imagine The Marketing Industry To Make It More Authentic, Sustainable, And Promote More Satisfaction”? Please share a story or an example for each if you can.
1 . When it comes to being more authentic, you need to get really clear on your own vision, voice, message, and audience. You can’t authentically show up if you don’t know what that looks or feels like for you specifically. And it has a snowball effect — the more you show up consistently across contexts, the more confidence you have in that brand identity, and the more trust you build. Standing up for your values is the best way to stand out.
2 . In terms of sustainable marketing, there are two interpretations of “sustainable” to consider — the longevity of your business and your environmental impact. To ensure longevity, you need something concrete to guide your marketing and operational decisions. For me, the thing to latch onto and jump off from are your clearly defined values. This gets your team and your customers all moving in the same direction, even as you navigate inevitable evolutions.
3 . When we think about the sustainability practices of our business, we need to remember that each dollar we spend is a vote for something. And these choices translate to “show not tell” marketing. So, it’s important to stay intentional about the partners you team up with and the brands you support and promote. Consider everything from what you send as client gifts and whether you purchase branded collateral to the causes you donate to and the people you hire. Every action has a consequence, especially on the larger scale of running a thriving business. There aren’t always perfect solutions, but you can at least use your values as a lens to make the most informed and aligned decision possible.
4 . With satisfaction, there’s both the internal and external element. Your brand boils down very simply to how people perceive you. And that perception is shaped from the inside-out, the top-down, and vice versa. Internally, feeling good about the direction of your business gets directly reflected in your marketing. It’s the energy you show up with, the conviction of your messaging, and the confidence and clarity you bring to your content. You can also create a positive team culture and workplace satisfaction when the behind-the-scenes conversations match the marketing messages you put out into the world.
5 . Creating external satisfaction through your marketing often comes down to some variation of integrity and trust. When companies make claims about the quality of their products, the causes they support, the customer experience they promise, but then they don’t deliver, savvy consumers have something to say about it. It can take a long time to build a reputation, but even the best public perception can be shattered through a single misalignment. We saw a lot of virtue signaling in 2020 and even now, each time a themed month (like Women’s History Month or Pride Month) rolls around. You can change your logo colors or make a social media post about your stance on a topic, but until you actively live out your values and back up those claims with action, there’s going to be a notable disconnect.
Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or resources that have inspired you about marketing differently?
I’m a huge Seth Godin fan via his daily newsletter, and I really enjoyed his book This Is Marketing. I also think Lean Impact offers great perspective on how to leverage a startup mindset with impact-oriented missions.
In terms of podcasts, I find them incredibly inspiring and helpful, and can highly recommend Jereshia Said, Making Good: Small Business Podcast, One Year From Now (not explicitly marketing related, but big on mindset, which plays into our ability to market and sell), among many others. The Copywriter Club was also a big resource to me when I first started my business.
And then in general, I really appreciate Jordan of Systems Saved Me and Lexi of Pretty Decent and the perspectives they offer regarding marketing and business growth.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement to reimagine marketing, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Focus on values-aligned visibility. Think about everything you can create and advocate for, rather than constantly standing against something. And aim for purposeful progress as you build a brand you’re proud to share.
Remember that there’s not a void on the other side of our marketing — there’s a person on the receiving end who’s seeking a perfect-fit solution. When we consider real humans who are making real decisions with their real hard-earned money, we can hopefully show up with more empathy. That empathy is a pathway to connecting on a human level, which not only makes the entire sales process feel better, but also much more effective.
So, here’s your word of encouragement to put yourself out there. Make — and spend — as much values-aligned money as possible. Because the more money we can generate as conscious and caring business owners, the more positive impact we can also generate. And that’s the goal.
What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?
Listen to the Purpose & Progress Podcast, where I share anecdotes and advice alongside ambitious, experienced women in business. And download my free Visionary’s Guide to Elevator Pitches to be able to talk to real people about what you do and why it matters, and get a glimpse into my approach to marketing.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
