Today we're interviewing a creator and friend of espresso, Ashleigh Warren. This is part of our series to highlight creator, what they do, their creative process and workflow.
Hopefully you find something of interest you can add to how you work!
What do you do, and what originally inspired you to do what you do?
I'm a social media marketing strategist and founder of So Social. I help creators and brands turn their connections into impressive profits. I have earned my clients over $160M through DTC media buying and brand partnerships.
My initial inspiration started ten years ago, working as a media buyer for an agency. I became obsessed with the correlation between UGC creative and significant ROAS (return on ad spend).
I kept having all of these ideas about what I would do if I was in charge and eventually started to freelance, which then turned into my own agency.
I got to know the power of influencer marketing and creator creativity up close and have had the pleasure of working with thousands of micro-influencers and some of the biggest creators, brands and music artists in the world.
If you could choose anywhere in the world to work from, where would it be and why?
If I could choose anywhere in the world to work from, it would be beachfront in Cabo San Lucas. It has always been where I find the most inspiration and rejuvenation as an entrepreneur. I try to go at least once a year.
What excites you most about innovation in interactive technology?
The most exciting part about innovation in interactive technology is its limitless potential to enhance our connections and experiences. It's fascinating to integrate these advancements into marketing strategies, creating more engaging, personalized, and memorable campaigns that feel human because, in many ways they are. This not only benefits my clients but also enriches the digital ecosystem as a whole.
Tell us about what makes for a good experience when you’re on task and focused on work.
A good experience while working is all about being in a zone where creativity meets efficiency. For me, it's having a clear goal for the time slot I’ve allowed it on my calendar, an inspiring workspace (whatever that means to me that day), and the freedom to experiment and innovate. When I'm focused, my mind becomes a hub of ideas, sometimes overwhelmingly so, so the satisfaction of seeing these ideas come to life is unparalleled.
What is your work-from-anywhere toolkit in terms of products and software?
My work-from-anywhere toolkit in terms of products and software hands-down begins with my laptop and my Espresso Display. If I have those two things, I feel capable of not only completing my day-to-day tasks efficiently, but also free to dream bigger for my business.
From a productive perspective, then follows my portable MacBook charger and phone charger, supporting cables, my Beats, Apple Watch, my mic, and the tripod that fits into my backpack. You’ll find those with me on any given day.
From a software perspective, I live off of Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, Monday, Meta, TikTok and Google Ads dashboards, Canva, CapCut, and Beehive. I write a daily free newsletter specific to each major creator niche. I offer brand partnership opportunities, marketing tips, and social strategies to boost their income, following, and brand presence. Check it out: creatorsnewsletter.com
What is your biggest goal in your chosen path?
My biggest goal is to help one million content creators increase their income, personal peace, following and brand in a way that works for their lifestyle and passions.
What draws you to keep doing what you do?
I love the challenge of the ever-evolving social media landscape. The joy of helping clients achieve their dreams, seeing them succeed, and knowing I played a part in that success – it's incredibly fulfilling.
I really find deep inspiration from the creative community at large as well. It truly keeps me spiritually inspired and motivated to live out my purpose: Use my expertise to help creators excel in every area of their lives.
Plus, I haven’t hit my goal yet! :)
What are your biggest day-to-day challenges, and how do you overcome them?
My biggest day-to-day challenge is accepting that my human limitations will always be at war with my creative energy.
I overcome these challenges by reminding myself that if a business idea or creative concept came to me, the only thing I can do at this moment is to be grateful that it did, open my calendar, and pick a day one week out, a month out, even 12 months out depending on the bandwidth it requires and create an event named: “Work through X Idea”.
I detail notes on what creative inspiration came to me in that moment in the calendar description, and then I leave it and get back to focusing on what I need to get done now.
How would you describe “flow state,” and how do you achieve it?
Flow state, to me, is when time flies because you're so engrossed in what you're doing, that I’m bummed that I need to stop.
I’ve learned the importance of work and mental and physical health balance the hard way. I have personally endured the negative effects that can happen when healthy work boundaries aren’t in place.
I achieve my flow state, typically by putting my noise-canceling headphones on. I often don’t listen to anything. I use it to drown out any noise, so all that’s left are my thoughts. In my mind, I begin to talk through what I’m doing, and how I’m doing it. I get that all onto a messy Google Doc that I organize as clarity comes to me.
At that moment, it's like the world fades away, and I’m riding the best natural high money cannot buy. All that's left is the passion for my work and the creative delivery of it, the faith that it will be successful from a financial, and brand perspective and the satisfaction of making a difference.
How many locations do you work from in any given week, month or year?
In a week, 1-2 locations. I typically work from my home office and local coffee shops.
In a month, 3-4 locations. I feel like I find myself on a plane monthly at this rate.
In a year, easily 50+ locations.
If you could choose anywhere in the world to work from, where would it be and why?
If I could choose anywhere in the world to work from, it would be beachfront in Cabo San Lucas. It has always been where I find the most inspiration and rejuvenation as an entrepreneur. I try to go at least once a year.
What excites you most about innovation in interactive technology?
The most exciting part about innovation in interactive technology is its limitless potential to enhance our connections and experiences. It's fascinating to integrate these advancements into marketing strategies, creating more engaging, personalized, and memorable campaigns that feel human because, in many ways they are. This not only benefits my clients but also enriches the digital ecosystem as a whole.
Tell us about what makes for a good experience when you’re on task and focused on work.
A good experience while working is all about being in a zone where creativity meets efficiency. For me, it's having a clear goal for the time slot I’ve allowed it on my calendar, an inspiring workspace (whatever that means to me that day), and the freedom to experiment and innovate.
When I'm focused, my mind becomes a hub of ideas, sometimes overwhelmingly so, so the satisfaction of seeing these ideas come to life is unparalleled.
What is your work-from-anywhere toolkit in terms of products and software?
My work-from-anywhere toolkit in terms of products and software hands-down begins with my laptop and my Espresso Display. If I have those two things, I feel capable of not only completing my day-to-day tasks efficiently, but also free to dream bigger for my business.
From a productive perspective, then follows my portable MacBook charger and phone charger, supporting cables, my Beats, Apple Watch, my mic, and the tripod that fits into my backpack. You’ll find those with me on any given day.
From a software perspective, I live off of Google Workspace, Slack, Notion, Monday, Meta, TikTok and Google Ads dashboards, Canva, CapCut, and Beehive. I write a daily free newsletter specific to each major creator niche. I offer brand partnership opportunities, marketing tips, and social strategies to boost their income, following, and brand presence.
Check it out: creatorsnewsletter.com
