RevGenius Member Spotlight: Ashley Levesque

Ashley is such a compassionate, kind, and reliable person. If you ask something of her, she’ll exceed your expectations and deliver it quickly.

We’ve been so fortunate to have Ashley as one of the hosts of The Revenue Podcast—she has terrific energy over the airwaves and brings an infectious energy to the pod.

She’s also extremely active in the community. Constantly giving and asking for advice, sharing her experiences, and asking thought-provoking questions that engage the members.

We’re so grateful for her contributions over the last several months and are so excited to wrap up 2020 with such a wonderful person to spotlight.

Below is our interview with Ashley Levesque:

Introduce yourself to our audience. Tell us who you are and what you are currently focused on.

I’m the Director of Marketing at Demio, a seamless, browser-based webinar platform built for marketers. Having always been on a small marketing team, I’m particularly passionate about helping other marketers reach their goals, even on limited budgets and resources. At Demio, we’ve built a company designed to make marketers’ lives easier and happier – and I spend all of my time there thinking about how I can support that vision.

How did your journey lead you to be Director of Marketing at Demio?

I always say ‘yes’ to new opportunities, new challenges – even if I don’t yet know the pathway to get there. Thus far, my career has been a repetition of me asking for more responsibility, learning what that means, and executing it.

I also have a Master’s degree in Musical Theater, which allows me to have some rooted experience in people’s behavior and a unique curiosity about why people are the way they are. Performing on stage is all about creating a relationship with your fellow actors and audience in order to tell a story – that’s really all Marketing is as well.

I like to remain curious and open to new ideas and new pathways – if for no other reason than by doing so; it brings me more opportunities to connect with other people.

How did you get into meditation and yoga?

My first yoga class was in graduate school – it was specific to performers (musicians and actors) and was a part of my curriculum. It did wonders for my stress level in school, but it also made me a better performer.

As an actor, you’re trained to spend a lot of time thinking about other people – memorizing lines in relation to other actors on stage, learning when you enter and exit based on cues from other people. But when you begin to spend some time focused on yourself – your breath, your awareness – you have an opportunity to practice the foundation that makes it all possible—patience, discipline, mindfulness.

You strengthen what you practice.

And I found that I wanted more of these foundational elements to show up in my life and my work. So I practiced all the time. I became a certified yoga teacher in 2012 and spent many years teaching individuals and groups how the practice of yoga and meditation can impact their lives for the better.

What advice do you have for people looking to become a marketing leader?

Get curious, make the ask, and get a community. Jump in and start learning. There’s no shortage of (free) information out there that can hone your skills and elevate your opportunity to lead. Get curious, be hungry, and start learning.

Then start applying what you’re learning to your work. Test it out, experiment with it, throw it out and start again. Marketing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Marketing happens with your audience. Don’t get fooled into thinking you can read every resource in the world and not apply it.

Then, you have to make the ask. Don’t wait for the stars to shine upon you and grant you what you think you deserve. Step up to it. Organize a plan, present it to leadership, and then figure out how to execute it. Earn your right to the table.

Also – don’t forget that to be a marketing leader, you need more than marketing skills. Start investing NOW in leadership skills. Take classes, get a leadership coach, ask about professional development opportunities at your organization.

Leading people is harder than marketing.

And last – find a community. Communities provide an opportunity not only to level up your skillset but to broaden your understanding of your market, learn from industry leaders, and get your burning questions answered. Again, marketing doesn’t’ happen in a vacuum.

What gets you out of bed every morning?

People. I love people.

More than anything, I want to see other humans fall in love, laugh with each other, learn from each other, help each other, and thrive together.

Marketing doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and neither does life. We are here together, and we are meant to be here together. We have a responsibility to each other and an opportunity to lift each other up.

What would you say your personal superpower is?

Vulnerability. I practice it every day. I’m also a curious, empathetic, energetic, driven, ambitious female who prefers to lead by influence than authority. I think that’s pretty powerful.

Why should other marketing professionals join RevGenius?

Marketing professionals have a responsibility to experiment, grow, and talk to their customers. RevGenius provides that and more. It is a community rich with incredible leaders who want nothing more than to share ideas and support one another.

I’ve had RevGenius members spend hours with me listening to pitches, talking through lead generation funnels, answering questions, and brainstorming new campaigns. They are your extended team – use them!