We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Pintaric recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

While success looks different for everyone, I have identified three core elements I believe are essential for success.

The first core element of success is to understand the “why” behind your business, or why you do what you do. This is your business purpose, its reason for existing. And while I love marketing so much that friends and family tease me about it, I actually stumbled into marketing through other work. My background is in education, and I enjoyed teaching because I loved seeing that lightbulb go off for students after helping them understand a tough concept. I was eventually drawn to marketing because it’s strategic and requires knowledge and insight into both people and information. I find it energizing to bring all of these elements together to see those light bulbs go on for my clients.

Even though I have passion for my work, I had to dig a bit deeper to find my business purpose. I did some reflection and examined those moments where my love for my work, my values, and the people and things that energize me overlapped. Once I understood where those circles converged, I had my own Venn diagram that described why I run my business the way that I do, which is helping other businesses become their best selves through marketing. This process took time and experience, but it was enlightening to realize that marketing, teaching, and helping others made up the “why” behind my business.

The second component of success is to figure out what success looks like for you. For most of my life, I pursued a version of success that was defined by others. I thought success meant prestige, like being a highly visible CEO at the helm of a seven-figure business. There was a part of me that did want that, but as I have progressed and evolved in my life, I’ve come to realize that it’s far more satisfying to have the power to embrace what success looks like for you personally. That could mean having more time to travel or to raise a family, or honing a specific skill, or living according to your values even if it means less money or recognition.

The third element of success is understanding that nobody gets anywhere on their own. Building and running a business is a “two steps forward, one step back” process, and you will need others in different ways as you walk that journey. Having people who can remind you of what success looks like for you makes that journey more fulfilling and possible. It’s energizing to work with people who are better than you at certain skills, because when you pull them into your business in a strategic and intentional way, you’re able to give them opportunities to use their gifts, better your business, and ultimately help your clients succeed. Working collaboratively like this creates momentum and people can sense that energy. Studies have shown that we are the most fulfilled when we’re giving and doing for others, and I have found this to be true. I wouldn’t be where I am without the help of others.

Ashley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Clarion Blue evolved from a desire to combine two of my favorite things: marketing research and strategy, and helping other people. After 15 years in sales and marketing, including a director role at a nonprofit, I struck out on my own to seek better work/life balance. I loved being there for my kids but I also still needed my marketing fix, so I volunteered for a local school district foundation.

From there, I started connecting with others in the nonprofit and business worlds. Time and again I heard stories about organizations that needed marketing help but couldn’t find it due to constraints including budget, staff, and knowledge. I also began meeting fellow marketing professionals who were equally as passionate about doing great work for their clients.

With the encouragement of these colleagues and my amazing husband, I decided to become a marketing consultant. Through word of mouth, I had clients before I had a brand or a website. That’s not something I recommend, but I definitely learned a lot by hitting the ground running! In 2022, I rebranded as Clarion Blue, a labor of love after an adventure in solopreneurship.

As the founder and chief marketing strategist, I relish client work where I get a bird’s eye view of all the moving parts of a brand, while simultaneously delving deep into market research, data gathering, and analysis to develop strategic marketing plans. The lightbulb moment when everything connects for a client is deeply rewarding. And having a wonderful collaborative team of skilled marketing professionals who can bring these strategies to life is what ties it all together.

At Clarion Blue, we believe the fastest way your business can make a greater impact is through better marketing centered around your audience with a clear message that resonates. Our team of highly specialized marketing professionals love helping clients understand their audience so they can cut through the noise and create an irresistible message their customers can’t refuse. Clarion Blue helps brands gain marketing wins by applying the same tools and techniques the big brands use to get a competitive edge (checkout our audience report page on our website and think: Apple, IBM, and Deloitte). Our proprietary research methods allow us to build and implement winning strategies to get you the results you need: A brilliant brand message with clear results.

We value strategic marketing, excellence, and going “all in” for our clients. And we’re passionate about benefiting the world—in ways profound or small—through your products, people, and profits. If you’re as invested in your people and products as you are in your own success, then you’ve found the right marketing partner! We also collaborate with creative teams to fill in the gaps, whether it’s as Clarion Blue or your behind-the-scenes, white-labeled team.

No matter what kind of creative business you run, our talented team of niche experts will bring value, clarity, and enthusiasm to get the marketing results you want.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Natural referrals from existing relationships are my best source of new clients. So many people dread networking, but there is transactional networking and there is intentional networking where you take a sincere interest in people, their lives and their businesses. The popular method of making referrals for percentages or payments have actually been my worst client experiences. In contrast, my best business leads and successes have come from having an abundance mindset with the people I work with—the freelancers, the friends, the consultants, the clients and the other businesses.

I think of an abundance mindset as operating from a principle of collaboration and mutual success instead of fear or scarcity. There is enough work out there for everyone, and I don’t have to be a special unicorn to be successful. If we’re working to elevate each other, then the best person for a project will get the job.

When it comes to making referrals, I think it’s helpful to remember that every lead we get is not the only opportunity we’re ever going to have. When I show the people in my circle that I genuinely care about our mutual success, it creates a natural connection that leads to authentically referred business. And when you show up for others in this way, people who share the same values of caring for and about each other will think of you when the right project comes up.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.clarion-blue.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarionblue/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarionblue
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clarion-blue/

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