Ashton Stanworth - JDM Impressions

Working remotely, like we do at JDM, doesn’t mean being disconnected from colleagues. As part of our culture-building initiative, and to introduce the digital marketing world to our awesome team members, we regularly peel back the curtain on the lives of JDMers. This week, we’ll get to know Content Marketing Manager, Ashton Stanworth!

Name: Ashton Stanworth
Position: Content Marketing Manager
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

When did you begin working at JDM?
Sept 2021

How did you know JDM was the right fit for you?
When looking for a new job, I was looking for somewhere I could grow my career and learn new skills. JDM worked with industries I hadn’t had an opportunity to work in yet and had plenty of potential for growth. They also valued work-life balance which was important to me as a working mom.

What’s your favorite part of the workday?
My favorite part of the workday is when I get to brainstorm and ideate for my clients. Whether it’s new content ideas, exploring creative solutions, or collaborating with colleagues to discuss new strategies, I feel truly energized.

What’s the most gratifying part of working with your clients?
As a content marketer, the most gratifying part of working with clients is seeing the impact my work has on their business. When I receive positive feedback from clients about how the content I've created has helped them achieve their goals, whether it's increased website traffic, higher engagement, or improved conversions, it's incredibly rewarding. Knowing that my efforts have made a tangible difference in their success fuels my passion for what I do.

In a remote company, how do you stay connected with your team?
I try to make the initiative to reach out to those I work closely with to make sure everything is going smoothly on their end of the account and see where I can help. This is typically via slack.

What three words would you use to describe the JDM culture?
Supportive, laid-back, and growing!

What's something you love about JDM?
I love being able to work when and how it works for me. As a mom with 3 young children at home, I’m able to spend time with them and watch them grow without sacrificing a career. They won’t be home forever! I’m able to work while they sleep or play independently, but I can still take them to the park or help in preschool during the day.

Can you recall a time when JDM challenged you, and how we supported you through that time?
JDM challenges me every day! As the first content marketing manager, I have had to create many processes from scratch and adapt as the department has evolved. I think the most challenging time was immediately after I started and was given the very first content client at JDM. We had to figure out what strategy and execution on content clients would look like while onboarding myself into the company and this business as a JDM client. I worked closely with Adam, the Head of SEO and Content, on this one and it set up a good foundation for future JDM content clients.

What’s the best thing you’ve done with your unlimited PTO?
We took our boys to Hawaii in the winter with our entire family (grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins) for a week. We got to relax at the beach without worrying about work. My dino obsessed kids got to go to “Jurassic World” (Kualoa Ranch) too. They had the best time and talk about it all the time still. I’m glad I was able to make those memories with my family and not worry about work.

What's something you love about the marketing industry?
Digital marketing is constantly evolving, and there's always something new to learn and explore. It challenges me to stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and consumer behaviors. The ability to adapt and be creative in finding innovative solutions to reach and engage target audiences is what keeps me passionate about marketing.

What do you think has been the most interesting change in the marketing industry or in your channel this year?
Google acknowledging that AI generated content isn’t bad. It really changed how everyone saw AI in the digital marketing space and how you create genuine, unique content in a world that is now filled with AI generated content.

What are the names and ages of your kids (or furbabies)? (please add pictures)
C - 5
W - 5
T - 2

What's something you've implemented or tested, and what was the outcome?
Along the lines of AI and its role within content marketing, I’ve tested out capabilities of platforms like ChatGPT to see if it can be used to improve any of our content production process. I’ve found that it can be great for getting you started when you’re brainstorming and strategizing and can help to learn topics a little quicker, but it shouldn’t be used to create content on its own.

What’s a project that you’ve worked on that you’ve really enjoyed?
My first client is still probably my favorite project to have worked on. It was challenging creating a completely new process in real time. The client was also a brand new company that didn’t have a set brand tone yet, which made things difficult as we were learning their brand with them. It was also fun to be able to try new things and ways of presenting strategy since we didn’t have anything set in stone yet. They were really open to all our tactics as well, which allowed us to be as creative as we wanted and we could try out as many mediums of content as possible to find out what was right.