22 Questions with Ashton

We are very excited to introduce a very familiar LinkedIn-fluencer to our growing TwentyTwo team! A new face in the office means a new edition of 22 Questions with TwentyTwo - this time with none other than our new General Manager, Ashton Tuckerman. We caught up with Ashton to get the scoop and her words of wisdom for aspiring marketers looking to kickstart their career in the industry. 

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Get To Know Ashton

1. What is your job title at TwentyTwo?

I’m the General Manager at TwentyTwo!

2. Who or what inspired you to pursue the career that you have today?

It's interesting reflecting on it now, because I don't think I had this particular goal or career in mind when I started out. But my family, especially my mum, played a big role in shaping who I am today, pushing me to achieve a lot and to study a lot, which got me to where I am.

3. You’ve recently completed your MBA - congrats! What are the three biggest takeaways from your course?

Firstly, the power of your network and the connections that you make. Never underestimate it: a connection that you make today might open a door for you 10 years down the track. 

Secondly, the importance of taking an outsider's view when you're in a business. It's really easy to be very myopic and focused internally on what you're doing. But, it's really important to step outside and look at what's happening around you, what's happening in the landscape, what’s happening around our business, not just inside it.

Lastly, growth comes from discomfort. A big reason why I did my MBA was because I identified some gaps in my knowledge, specifically around financials, business acumen and operations management. I really wanted to bridge those gaps and they were definitely less comfortable areas for me to study, but I’ve grown a lot as a result.

4. Continual learning is one of your values - where did this mindset come from?

I think it comes from just being naturally curious. I'm always constantly wanting to know more and I think that continuous learning comes from that natural sense of curiosity.

5. If you could travel back to one specific point in time, when would it be? Why?

I'm probably more future-looking than retrospective! I think I would like to go back to high school, maybe in those senior years and just let myself know that all the hard work really pays off.

6. We hear you love collecting vinyls. What is your favourite vinyl and why?

You can blame my husband for that one! We have a very extensive vinyl record collection that is almost exclusively punk records, plus my much smaller personal collection. I have the entire discography of Skegss, including their early EPs, which are very rare and hard to get a hold of. They are my pride and joy!

‍7. You’re quite the LinkedIn celebrity – what inspired you to be active and involved on the platform?

During my undergrad at QUT, a guest speaker recommended having a LinkedIn profile as an online resume to help you connect and stand out. I went home and did exactly that, and 14 years later it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

8. It’s 10pm on a Friday night, what are you doing?

I’m most likely asleep! Otherwise I'd say my husband Mike and I are probably watching a movie, either just at home or at Palace Cinemas. 

‍9. If you were a lolly out of the Allen’s Party Mix, which would you be and why?

I always say I would be the pineapple because I'm from the Tropics, but also because I’m sweet and sometimes a little bit spiky.

‍10. What’s your guilty pleasure TV Show and why?

I love watching the Kardashians because I think it's so well made. It's just very aesthetic and very easy to watch. I've watched them for such a long time now and I think everyone has their own opinions on the Kardashians, but it’s definitely my guilty pleasure.

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11. Now on a serious note… what podcasts inspire you the most?

I’m not really an auditory learner, so I haven’t found a podcast that grabs my attention just yet. The only one I can get into is the SmartLess podcast. It’s a light, fun listen with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes, where they interview celebrities. I struggle to focus on podcasts, but this one’s been the exception! I love the silliness. 

Ashton and Twenty Two 

12. It’s your second month as TwentyTwo Digital’s General Manager. What are you most looking forward to in this role?

I’m looking forward to really elevating TwentyTwo. I've come into a company that's already in a strong position because of the things that we've done, the clients we work with, and the team we have. I'm really looking forward to taking it to a whole new level. I can see so much potential for growth and to take things from good to great. 

13. What drew you to TwentyTwo Digital as a place to work?

I've known Sarah through my professional network for a long time, even before Sarah founded TwentyTwo Digital. I've always connected with both Sarah and James on a personal level and share a lot of the same values. 

When the General Manager role came up, it felt like the perfect fit. My marketing experience, combined with the skills I’ve gained from my MBA, align well with the opportunity to help grow the business, while working alongside a team that’s committed to the journey.

14. Within your first 3 months, what do you hope to see achieved?

I have a clear 90-day plan and I’m nearly 60 days in, having achieved almost everything on my list so far! Among the milestones and targets for my first 90 days, I’ve made progress on new business generation and focusing on strengthening our current client relationships and ensuring all of our accounts are well taken care of.

‍15. What is one thing that surprised you about working at TwentyTwo?

The perks at TwentyTwo Digital really drew me in, like the 9-day fortnight and flexible hours. But, seeing how well TwentyTwo truly take care of their staff has been amazing! Perks like birthday celebrations, Friday Fun-Times and Pitch Fit Club. It’s rare to see a company offer so much while still getting great work done, and it’s a testament to the hard work that’s been put in to earn these perks.

‍16. Who would be your dream client to work with?

Oh! Guzman Y Gomez (if you're reading this, hit us up!)

‍17. You have a passion for working with small businesses - what draws you to them?

I really like growth challenges and I have a lot of experience working with startups. So, I'm used to working with very small budgets and I think when you achieve great things with very lean resources it's very satisfying. 

Once you can do that, you can justify the additional budget and resources to scale things up and that’s where the magic happens. I like the challenge of growing small businesses and just how important it is to those businesses. Every dollar means so much and I take that very seriously. 

‍18. In your opinion, what has been the most iconic TwentyTwo outing?

Instead of an outing, I’d say our internal Pitch Fit Club. The last one was wildly entertaining and the feedback from the team has been so positive. Last time there was a debate and we had very spicy topics worth discussing – it was just very funny and chaotic. But, it was amazing to see how everyone came together under pressure and were able to think on their feet. 

Ashton’s advice

19. If you could give advice to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her?

I would say hang in there: school is a very short amount of time, and once you head off to university, that’s it! But, I would probably advise her to consider moving straight down to Brisbane rather than starting to study in Far North Queensland – that’s when everything really started to happen for me. I would also let her know to think a little bigger and be a bit more adventurous! 

‍20. How do you motivate yourself when you're feeling stuck or unproductive?

If I’m stuck, I think the most important thing is to try and change my environment. Especially when marketing requires a lot of creative thinking, this can be very demanding. Don’t try to force things: going for a walk or taking a short break can act like a circuit breaker and get you back into it. 

‍21. What is a difficult mindset or habit you’ve had to overcome in order to be successful?

Probably perfectionism. It’s quite easy to fall into the mentality of having to get it right the first time round, but when you work for startups, you have to get over that quickly because speed is the most important thing. 

You really have to embrace the “done is better” mentality, and knowing that the final version is almost always an iterative process. So, I would suggest stepping away from a fixed mindset, and know that you won’t have all the pieces to complete the puzzle straight away. You just have to start trying to solve it and it will come together.

‍22. What is your best piece of advice for someone looking to enter the marketing industry?

I would go back right to the beginning around curiosity, and knowing that marketing changes so quickly. It changes constantly between new channels, customers, technology and search intentions. It’s important to always have that sense of curiosity and always wonder what’s happening, what’s new, and how can I leverage this? 

Fight against the “set and forget” mentality and shift towards an innovative mindset. Every step and every evolution shows you something new, and I think being open-minded and curious will keep pushing you forward. 

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We are so excited to have Ashton as a new addition to our team! With years of industry experience, her insights are nothing short of inspiring. If you're as motivated as we are by her advice, connect with her on LinkedIn to follow her journey. Have questions or want to know more? Get in touch!