Meet Trailblazer Ashley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Knotek.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ashley. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m a small town girl with a love of pizza, nature, and anything goofy. I’ve been fortunate enough to move all over the US, starting in Seattle WA, then bopping to Burlington VT where I worked for Jake Carpenter at Burton Snowboards. After a few years there, I packed up and moved to Bend, Oregon, where I ran the Digital Marketing team at a local brewery.

Currently, I am heading up the marketing department at a local company here in Denver, but my real passion is pizza. Yep. Pizza. My partner and I started a silly Instagram handle a few years ago, @outsidepizza. We wanted to find a way to celebrate our joint love of all things pizza, while also calling attention to the outdoors and how incredibly fortunate we are to live on such a beautiful planet. Right now it’s just a digital presence, but eventually we will make it into a mobile kitchen. Serving nature lovers delicious pizza in all our favorite outdoor areas. It will have a strong emphasis on sustainability, eating local, and being a good person to our planet.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think everyone has hardships and difficult moments. The biggest hurdle for me was choosing to leave High School to join the workforce at an early age. This meant no college, and potentially missing out on a lot of life experiences. This has added an extra step to a lot of my interview experiences. I will always have to prove a little more than a typical candidate with a degree. It’s been hard, but I also wouldn’t change a thing. I think experience is tremendously important, and a solid portfolio of work speaks volumes.

If I had to give any young women advice, it would be to be informed. Weigh all your options. School, No School, Community College vs University, etc. Take some time before jumping in to really figure out what you want to do.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I wear a lot of hats, and I am proud of each one! Currently, I run the marketing department of a local brand here in Denver, but on the side I take on freelance content planning and creation. Earlier this year, I did a shoot for Bierstadt Lagerhaus. I shot all the photos they use for their POS system and in store signage. I always love enjoying a pils while looking at my photography. The brand my partner and I created, @outsidepizza, also specializes in creating some fun out of the box content for different companies. Last Winter, we went to Europe and shot some photos for Brooklyn Brewery. It was promoting a pizza tour they were doing. Can’t go wrong with pizza and beer, right?

I think something that sets me apart has got to be my versatility. It’s now expected for marketers to do everything and be good at it. Photography, SEO mapping, financial forecasting… You gotta do it all, and I honestly enjoy it. Never a slow day in the marketing world these days!

Which women have inspired you in your life?
I’ve always been very inspired by ladies in the music industry. Emily Haines from Metric has been writing songs about female sexuality and empowerment for years. When I was in early twenties, I remember listening to her on the metro and just being floored. Girls can talk about having sex publicly? What? This rules.

Another one is Emma Mccllory. She’s the CEO of Wildfang, an insane women-owned and ran apparel brand based in Portland, Oregon. They have been changing the game for women for years now. They created the ultra famous Wild Feminist tee. I love what Emma and the company stand for. They are never afraid to stick their neck out for human rights. Go check out their Instagram. It’s impossible to not feel inspired by their voice and messaging.

Contact Info:

• Email: ashknotek@gmail.com
• Instagram: @outsidepizza @ash.tek

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