Ashley O'Brien
Growth Expert
Location
Kennebunk, United States
Toptal Member Since
May 11, 2022
Ashley brings over twelve years of corporate operations, strategy, finance, marketing, and advisory experience and ten years of nonprofit events, marketing, and strategic development experience. As a corporate strategy and operations visionary and integrator, she brings expertise in strategic growth driver identification and implementation, brand building, organizational effectiveness, efficiency, change management, process improvement, project management, data analysis, and culture building.
Ashley is available for hire
Hire AshleyCareer Highlights
Strategic Development and Marketing Manager
New York Choral Society
Internal Audit and Sales Finance Consultant
Pernod Ricard
Education
Bachelor's Degree
Wellesley College
Software Expertise
Microsoft ExcelOther Expertise
Best PracticesBrand BuildingChange ManagementConsultingCritical AnalysisProduct SalesStrategyWork Experience
2018 - 2021
Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Hote Decor
- Founded a market disruptor web-based startup that focused on meeting the DIY event host's product, vendor, and creative needs.
- Conducted all aspects of business development, including market research, financial analysis, business planning, setup of legal entity and tax structures, recruitment of talent, and brand development.
- Built and managed a team of web developers, a CTO, and strategic and legal advisors to form the back-end limited liability company (LLC) and develop hotedecor.com.
Focus areas: Brand Building, Startups, Marketing, Business Planning, Web Design, Web Development, Consumer Trends, Merchandising, Financial Analysis, Team Building, Growth Strategy, Profitability Analysis, Business Strategy, Business Models, Competitive Strategy, B2C, Go-to-market Strategy, B2B Partnerships, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Market Research, Sales Strategy, eCommerce, Product Strategy, Consumer Products, Strategic Planning, Presentations, Retail & Wholesale
2013 - 2018
Strategic Development and Marketing Manager
New York Choral Society
- Managed social media, print, PR, email, and web marketing initiatives to develop the NYCHORAL brand, engage and broaden the audience base, and drive $600,000 in ticket sales at venues like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madison Square Garden.
- Reimagined the annual fundraising gala, introduced a yearly holiday caroling fundraiser, and created a tiered membership program to gather $300,000.
- Partnered with the board leadership to transform the management board and board of directors of a 50-year-old 180-person symphonic choir to support the organization's new direction, rebranding, and a recently-hired executive director.
Focus areas: Fundraising, Event Planning, Event Marketing, Development, Strategy, Brand Building, Performance, Public Speaking, Organizational Design, Google Ads, Email Marketing, Social Media, Growth Strategy, Profitability Analysis, Business Models, Competitive Strategy, B2C, Go-to-market Strategy, B2B Partnerships, Project Management, Process Improvement, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Management Consulting, Market Research, Sales Strategy, eCommerce, Product Strategy, Business Transformation, Executive Presentations, Strategic Planning, Presentations
2013 - 2018
Internal Audit and Sales Finance Consultant
Pernod Ricard
- Led a growth strategy and control-based consulting projects across sales, product marketing, finance, operations, IT, legal, and human resources to advance and implement strategic priorities, vision, values, and culture of a $2.6 billion brand owner.
- Conducted a top-to-bottom restructuring of the FP&A organization, including reviewing processes, remapping ways of working, overhauling the reporting process and KPIs, and retraining approximately 125 impacted employees across nine teams.
- Established internal controls and a risk management matrix to account for both internal and external risks that could prevent the organization from reaching its objectives. Enabled improved forecasting and monitoring of these risks.
Focus areas: Strategy, Risk Management, Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Project Review, Best Practices, Process Design, Process Mapping, Operational Modeling, Controls, Consulting, Scope of Work, Organizational Design, Growth Strategy, Profitability Analysis, Business Strategy, SaaS, Business Models, Competitive Strategy, B2C, B2B, Go-to-market Strategy, B2B Partnerships, Project Management, Process Improvement, Process Optimization, Business Process Optimization, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Management Consulting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Financial Modeling, Forecasting, Market Research, Sales Strategy, eCommerce, Product Strategy, Consumer Products, Business Transformation, Corporate, Executive Presentations, Strategic Planning, Presentations, Retail & Wholesale
2011 - 2013
Strategic Pricing and Promotion Manager
Ann Inc., Ann Taylor, and LOFT
- Created pricing strategies using consumer insights and historical performance analytics to increase gross margins, support sales, and manage inventory for 770+ stores and two eCommerce sites to help the brand reach a goal of $1 billion in net sales.
- Established and implemented best practices for cross-functional team integration, onboarding programs, and training guides for all new pricing teams across LOFT, Ann Taylor, and outlet store brands to enable the company's international expansion.
- Partnered with SAP to develop tools to capture meaningful pricing data, create QA environments, and enable automated pricing at the point of sale.
Focus areas: Competitor Analysis & Profiling, Pricing, Marketing, Microsoft Excel, Merchandising, Planning, QA Testing, SAP Implementation, Change Management, Profitability Analysis, Business Strategy, SaaS, Competitive Strategy, B2C, Go-to-market Strategy, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Revenue & Expense Projections, Financial Modeling, Forecasting, Market Research, Sales Strategy, eCommerce, Product Strategy, Consumer Products, Business Transformation, Corporate, Executive Presentations, Strategic Planning, Retail & Wholesale
2010 - 2011
Strategy and Business Operations Manager
SpeakLike, Inc.
- Acted as a key contributor to the development of a tiered merit-based translator incentive program, proactive recruitment approach, and more efficient onboarding system that produced a translator community that rivaled competition.
- Conducted business and industry data analysis to generate project management guidelines and a long-range strategy.
- Provided legal research and presentations to prepare for and improve contract negotiations.
Focus areas: Startups, Business Operations, Strategy, Contract Drafting, Big Data, Excel Modeling, Data Analysis, Recruiting, Onboarding, Legal Research, Growth Strategy, Business Strategy, Competitive Strategy, B2C, Business Analysis, Large-scale Projects, Market Research, Sales Strategy, Business Transformation, Strategic Planning
2006 - 2010
Associate
Morgan Stanley
- Managed the client relationships for $4 billion of managed assets and performed analysis to identify additional marketing and sales opportunities as a Series 7 and Series 66 registered advisory.
- Specialized in working with high net worth individuals interested in initial public offerings (IPOs), family offices and charitable organizations, and business owners of startups and high-growth companies.
- Acted as a cash management and foreign currency specialist for international private companies and startup organizations.
Focus areas: Wealth Management, Client Services, Financial Advisory, Sales, Investment Ideas, Financial Investment Structuring, Profitability Analysis, Competitive Strategy, B2C, Business Analysis, Financial Modeling, Market Research, Sales Strategy, Corporate
Education
2002 - 2006
Bachelor's Degree in Economics
Wellesley College - Wellesley, MA, United States