Meet Ashleigh Kaspszak | Marketing & Operations

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashleigh Kaspszak and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashleigh, we’d love to hear more about your end-goal, professionally.
EYEThread has provided strategy and support to small businesses in California for over 15 years. Business is good, but I remain restless to continue toward an end goal that is ever more present in my mind — the need to support more small business collectively, and at a vastly greater scale.

Small businesses maintain stability through the support of their neighbors. This permeates into the local economy acting as a life source. I think if small business is healthy, we’re all healthy 🙂 And not just in my neighborhood, but everywhere.

I started my first business at nine, which was made possible by the support of other small businesses in my neighborhood. As I grew up and traveled I noticed small businesses are what “brands” a city, neighborhood, town — and I wanted to be apart of that. It became apparent over my career that the small business ecosystem depended upon affordable, competent operations and creative marketing tactics. So the team at EYE Thread and I have, and will continue to gain the experience and education necessary to elevate small businesses.

I’ve been lucky to learn from many talented, intuitive leaders over my career. EYE Thread has a mentorship based extension, the Express Your Existence project — an incubator for aspiring marketing and design professionals. We are excited to take our project international in 2024! The end goal is to provide operations and marketing support to small businesses around the world so more businesses have a chance to join the global economy.

By the end of my career, ha — whenever that is, retirement isn’t what I think about, I may be in the classroom more… hopefully NEVER as an “armchair researcher” but as a resource to save students time, money and stress as they take their own path into the beautiful world of small business.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Over the last year or so I’ve begun to converge my two passions — working as a Creative Director (marketing strategies, photo shoots, advertorials, graphic art, etc) and my love of the water. I grew up body surfing Santa Monica beach and since then I’ve added competitive swimming, scuba and free diving to the list. I am merging these world and preparing g for more underwater “sets” in the future 🙂

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best day “off” in LA.. ? Oooh fun stuff!

First, I’d grab Donut King (on Lincoln) and hit Tower 26 for a morning body surf.

Then I’d go by Holy Guacamole (on Main) for a super burrito before heading to Burke Williams (4th st) for a facial.

By the afternoon I’d head toward the Rainbow Room (sunset) for drinks before dinner.

LA = Great Food BUT If I am in or near downtown, I can’t pass up Dona Inez

After dinner I’d get to a show at The Greek, Wiltern, Belasco, etc. Food feeds my body, but music feeds my soul 🙂

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
During the pandemic so many of our lives changed indefinitely. It’s by the grace of these businesses I too still have one to call my own:

Alamitos Boat Works
Ayala Sewers
Aquatica Freediving
Chinchillamusic
Essage Massage
John Bates
Liantus
Maegan Amanda
MKS Specialty Finishes
NOMS
Nuclear Carnival
PhotoJenic Art
Play Drums LA
Robin Vega Pictures
Santa Monica Observer
William J Jennings

Website: EYEThread.com

Image Credits
Robin Vega (photographer of my picture) The others were taken from personal collection or internet press from runway event