AlsoAshley Holly McEachern has been a part of the Skyfall Blue team since the company launched over seven years ago. She is the ‘jill-of-all-trades’ on our team, in her role as a marketing director, she’s doing everything from client management, to social media strategy, to copywriting, to internal marketing to team-building. Get to know Ashley below:
What is your educational background?
I have a Master’s Degree in International Relations from York University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences from University of Ottawa, a Certificate in Project Management from Royal Roads University, and to balance it all out, over 500 hours of education as a Yoga Teacher (RYT).
What were your last two jobs?
I have been working as a yoga teacher and yoga teacher trainer for the last ten years. Moreover, I work as a freelance copywriter for another really inspirational company called Core Essence alongside my job at Skyfall Blue.
What do you love about social media marketing?
It gets my creative juices flowing. As a kid, I wanted to be an “advertising account executive” and always dreamt of sitting at a big boardroom table, surrounded by big thinkers, scheming and dreaming up unique and transformational advertising campaigns for companies. I’m obsessed with listening to the @CBC podcast Under the Influence and love all the cool stories about marketing. Alas, I also thoroughly enjoy wearing my yoga pants, so working remotely at my kitchen table rather than a big corporate boardroom table to dream up these ideas has proven the perfect balance for me!
What do you hate about social media marketing?
I actually think it is addictive and often liken it to cigarettes. Also, I believe a public health crisis will be called within the next ten years and we will be regulated on our social media use. I try to teach my clients, myself, and my son (he’s 2 and amazing) to self-regulate their time online. and I really appreciate the policy changes these companies are making to acknowledge and manage this.
What is one thing you know about social media marketing that other people probably don’t know?
You’ll have to hire me to tell you that… ?
What is your role at Skyfall Blue?
Literally everything. Fadi and I have been working together for over a decade. I met him while working as a receptionist at an organic spa he ran when I was in university! We understand how to work together, how to be honest with one another, and how to calm one another down when we get too excited about a project. As a result, sometimes I feel like I run this company – and act like it too ? I do everything – copywriting, strategic development, blogging, social media campaigns, social media marketing and implementation, grant writing, proposals, pitching, sales… EXCEPT DESIGN. I am not good at graphic design.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love our team. They are like a second family to me. Many of us have kids around the same age, so we are all very understanding if there is a screaming toddler in the background of a call. I wish all companies were this compassionate to the ups and downs of parenthood.
What is the toughest part of your job?
Getting offline (the addiction is real!). I get so excited about our clients and so personally connected that I want to do everything for them all the time. It is hard to pull back and disconnect. Teaching yoga serves as a remarkable and necessary balance to my work here.
Tell us about the most inspirational client story you have had on the job at Skyfall Blue:
There are so many! Alas, the most inspirational client is a charity website that we built, called Help Heal Humanity. While I had worked with this client prior to our involvement as Skyfall Blue, it was really the work in designing and writing their website that got me totally involved with them. Now I sit on their Board of Directors, run their social media, and help them build schools around the world. My heart is full.
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