Ashley Costello
What I do at Virtual:
Today, I co-create with clients to plan and execute strategic initiatives, optimize board alignment, and enhance organizational structures to propel their organizations forward. My focus is on fostering innovation, prioritizing customer-centricity, and implementing effective problem-solving strategies to exceed customer expectations and achieve business objectives.
Years of experience:
17 years in strategy, sales enablement and commercial marketing
Past employment:
- Philips Healthcare
- Stackpole & Partners
- Tufts Health Plan
- OneSource (acquired by Dun & Bradstreet)
Education:
Bryant University – Communications and Marketing and MITdesignX – Certificate in Designing High Impact Solutions
Favorite client story:
When working with a client on a rebrand, we worked together on an out-of-the box integrated campaign launch that cut through the noise on a limited budget. It’s not every day that you get to convince a farmer to cut their corn field in the shape of a giant new logo as a teaser for a brand relaunch and later used as a corn maze for a community event. It was a wonderful experience seeing this customer create awareness, engage in their community and drive membership in a highly saturated commodity category. This smaller player in the market made quite the impact against the bigger brands in the market.
Hidden talent:
80’s dance moves
What I do for fun:
Spend time outdoors with my husband and daughters (Emilia & Madelyn), yoga, snowboarding, hiking, biking and cooking
I can’t live without:
My morning walks
Important life lesson:
‘a journey of thousand miles begins with a single step’ Don’t be afraid to take that first step whatever that might look like.
Key to success:
Build deep empathy with people you’re designing for
Favorite Movie, Book, Food, Music:
- Movie: Rudy
- Book: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
- Food: Oysters – I keep a document that rates every kind that I’ve tried
- Band: The Band – Going to the midnight ramble at Levon Helm’s barn in Woodstock, New York was one of my favorite music experiences.
- Song: Signed, sealed, delivered – Stevie Wonder