We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Theresa Ashford. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Theresa below.

Alright, Theresa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I named my agency Ashford Media Group for a few different reasons. First, as a woman in her early 30s with no kids, I spent a lot of time over the last few years reshaping my idea of what it looks like to leave a legacy, children notwithstanding. Ashford Media Group is my legacy, and like Leo Burnett Worldwide (the agency), I dream that it outlives me. And secondly, my father was born a sharecropper in Mississippi; the idea of ownership associated with our last name was far-fetched, but now, because of his hard work and tenacity and the foundation he laid for me, our last name can be associated with ownership.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began my career in the music industry as the assistant to the Chairman and CEO of Epic Records, Antonio ‘LA’ Reid. After working with LA Reid and Epic Records, I spent five years at Sony Music Entertainment’s Legacy Recordings, where I developed my media relations skillset. I moved on from Legacy for yet another division of Sony Music, Red Music, where I helped develop and break acts across all genres for three years. While at Red Music, I was recruited by Machine Entertainment Group, a Chicago-based independent label. At Machine, I oversaw the marketing and communication efforts for the label. I developed and further catapulted the careers of G Herbo, Queen Key, Sonta, and the rest of the Machine Entertainment Group artist roster. I’ve now launched my own agency, Ashford Media Group, where my team and I offer various marketing and artist development services.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I first moved to Chicago after working with Machine Entertainment Group full-time for about a year, the rose-colored glasses came off, and I realized I was everyone’s best-kept secret. I decided to quit the role at Machine and start my own agency. I started Ashford Media Group in November of 2019, and the pandemic hit 4-months later … while things were very uneasy for a few months, I decided to expand my service offerings during that time. It was a considerable launching moment and growth point for my agency while the entire world was in shambles. God was looking out for me.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

When I first got to Chicago, I researched the market and figured out what my competitors offered and at what rates. In my first year or two, I undercut my competitor’s rates while providing more comprehensive and success-driven campaigns. From there, I just did great work, and the rest was history.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashfordmedia/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ashford-media-group/?viewAsMember=true
• Twitter: https://x.com/Ashford_Media

Image Credits
Courtesy Of Ashford Media Group