Ask Ashley

Ashley Russo
  • 4.2 (5)
  • Entrepreneurship

In Ask Ashley, Founder, Thoughtleader and award-winning media personality Ashley Russo sits down with leaders who bring purpose and humanity to business. Each episode explores how people navigate uncertainty, lead with empathy, and create meaningful change in their organizations and lives. Listeners gain practical insights on resilience, leadership, and financially confident decision-making amid disruption. This podcast is brought to you by Ask Ashley. If you’re interested in building a confident, purpose-driven wealth plan, reach out to Ashley at ashley.russo@nm.com.

  1. 2d ago

    Steven Holt: Keeping the Human Experience at the Center

    Empathy and business results pull in the same direction, and Steven Holt has spent his career proving it. Steven is a Human Resources Business Partner at Apple whose path ran through Google DeepMind, Tesla, Archer Aviation and Uber, and started with a year each in Ukraine and Moldova at 18. He lost his father to brain cancer at five, grew up in a single parent home of four kids, and now works alongside AI while guarding what makes people human. He talks with Ashley Russo about all of it. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Ask Ashley 00:59 Steven's start in Ukraine and Moldova 02:23 A stroke of luck: seven and a half years at Google 04:19 Tesla, Archer Aviation, Uber, and joining Apple 05:38 Why move through so many companies 07:23 Growing up in the Valley in a single parent home 10:16 Holding empathy alongside revenue goals 13:11 Using AI without losing your own thinking 17:45 Keeping the employee experience real 20:26 Team Human and the human experience 23:40 Staying grounded through hard things 27:32 What he would say to his younger self You can follow Steven Holt here: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-j-holt/

    Steven Holt: Keeping the Human Experience at the Center

  2. Sep 11

    Why Jennifer Fields Creates Conflict on Purpose

    Grace at work gets read as weakness, and Jennifer Fields makes the opposite case: extending it takes more courage than bringing the hammer down, and it serves the bottom line. Jennifer Fields is Chief Delivery Officer at Acklen Avenue, where she leads an international team. She started as a software developer after a computer science advisor, Barbara Doyle, talked her out of pre-med and into one class. She talks with Ashley Russo about building trust so people tell you the truth, rewarding dissent, and why the investment you make in people is the only thing that lasts. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Ask Ashley 00:43 Meeting Jennifer Fields 01:21 From pre-med to software 04:07 Being the only woman in the room 06:15 Changing the dress code at 21 07:37 Building culture with trust and empathy 09:46 Bias, triggers and pushing past them 10:35 Rewarding dissent and divergent views 12:46 Creating conflict on purpose 15:12 Community without segmentation 20:17 Why grace serves the bottom line 22:15 Retention and people who come back 24:24 How Jennifer fills her own cup 26:53 Advice to her younger self 28:38 Valuing people over the profit they bring You can follow Jennifer Fields here: LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/jennifer-fields-0b40aa4 Learn more about Acklen Avenue: Website - https://acklenavenue.com

    Why Jennifer Fields Creates Conflict on Purpose

  3. Sep 4

    How CallRail's Nakita Duffus Builds Belonging at Work

    Nakita Duffus wants everyone who touches a product or walks into a room to leave feeling capable. Growing up in a Jamaican household in New York as the older sibling to her brother David, who had down syndrome, she learned to advocate early, and she carries that into her work today. Nakita is a Support Specialist at CallRail, a UX practitioner, and lead of the divergent minds ERG. She talks with Ashley Russo about neurodiversity at work, building community across employee resource groups, using AI to automate small tasks while keeping humans for the vision, and the advice she would give her younger self. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Ask Ashley 00:43 Meet Nakita Duffus 01:08 Growing up as an advocate for her brother David 03:36 A problem solving mindset from an early age 04:35 How advocacy shaped her move into tech 05:56 The customer call that stayed with her 06:56 Leading the divergent minds ERG at CallRail 08:58 Serving employees at the intersections 10:22 Intentionality over budget in ERG events 11:15 The Mental Health Awareness Month panel 12:32 Building trust and preventing knowledge silos 14:52 Helping people show up as their authentic selves 17:00 AI, human capital, and using AI for the boring stuff 19:15 Moving fast and informed at the same time 20:24 The influence of her brother and her mom 21:48 Self-care, mental health, and making a sandwich 23:49 Blending personal passions with professional life 25:16 What she would tell her younger self 26:17 Closing thoughts You can follow Nakita Duffus here: LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/nakita-duffus-446244197 Learn more about CallRail: Website - https://callrail.com

    How CallRail's Nakita Duffus Builds Belonging at Work

  4. Aug 28

    Layoffs, AI, and Respect: A Conversation with Shashank Bhushan

    Skills now depreciate in weeks, and the AI revolution is reshaping work faster than any industrial shift before it. Shashank Bhushan, Head HR, Americas & Global People Partner at Amagi, has spent over 25 years in HR and business, moving through nine cities and two continents, and once stepped from leading HR to running an operation as CEO. He talks with Ashley Russo about handling layoffs with respect, anchoring diversity in values, building learning by osmosis, and mapping career paths with AI. His steady, people first perspective is worth your time. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Ask Ashley 00:54 Meet Shashank Bhushan 01:23 The book on his desk right now 01:44 What drew him to technology during Y2K 02:59 Career turning points and becoming a CEO 04:30 The fifth industrial revolution and the future of work 07:13 Layoffs, and why it is not about you 10:25 The human and family behind an employee ID 11:57 Leading through diversity and inclusion 13:33 Learning by osmosis and the book club experiment 16:36 Building community and social groups at work 19:13 Upskilling people from point A to point B 21:37 Where his steadiness comes from 22:20 The soft skill leaders need most 23:31 Fixing how organizations communicate 25:04 Advice to his younger self You can follow Shashank Bhushan here: LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/bhushanshashank Learn more about Amagi: Website - https://amagi.com

    Layoffs, AI, and Respect: A Conversation with Shashank Bhushan

  5. Aug 21

    Self-Care, Sour Candy, and Showing Up: Destiny Young

    Moving fast can get you to the wrong answer faster. Destiny Young makes that case from her own marathon training, and applies it to how leaders support people through constant AI-driven change. Destiny is Senior Manager, Experience Quality Programs at ActiveCampaign and co-chair of Women of AC. She talks with Ashley Russo about a career that ran from graphic design at a potato chip company to 911 dispatch to leadership in tech, and what that path taught her about empathy, self-care, and helping employees use their voice. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and show intro 00:43 Meet Destiny Young 02:25 A nontraditional career path 06:07 Formative mentors and command presence 10:24 Building connection in a remote company 12:41 Supporting teams through constant change 15:03 Advocating for women in the workplace 18:01 Well-being and AC's employee resources 21:16 Self-care hacks and the sour candy trick 23:34 Therapy, self-awareness, and professional growth 25:18 One shift for business leaders: moving fast vs moving well 28:47 Advice to her younger self 30:53 Closing thanks You can follow Destiny Young here: LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/destiny-young-24b6a373 Learn more about ActiveCampaign: Website - https://activecampaign.com

    Self-Care, Sour Candy, and Showing Up: Destiny Young

  6. Aug 14

    Amber Master on Building High-Performing Remote Teams

    People operations does not own a company's culture. Amber Master, Director of People Operations at Freestar, argues the people who show up each day create it, and her job is to equip them. She traces a path from running eight campus coffee stores at ASU to leading a global, remote first team, and shares how a Jedi Council, a Bulgarian friendship bracelet mailed worldwide, and a no blame, forward focus keep connection alive. She also makes the case that AI can free people to contribute in more human ways. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Ask Ashley 00:43 Meet Amber Master, Freestar 01:11 From a campus Starbucks to people operations 03:18 Coffee habits and simple choices 04:06 Existing to be a contributor 05:34 Where Amber learns leadership: books and podcasts 06:47 The Jedi Council and authentic culture 08:47 Building connection in a global remote team 12:08 AI: opportunities, fears, and human contribution 15:35 Scaling inclusion and intentional moments 17:12 Psychological safety and a no blame culture 19:20 Staying grounded: walking and quiet space 21:11 The pause button on social media 22:24 Accelerating equality and access 23:26 Advice to her younger self on being unique You can follow Amber Master here: LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/ambermaster Learn more about Freestar: Website - https://freestar.com

    Amber Master on Building High-Performing Remote Teams

  7. Aug 7

    Do You Belong? Stephanie Hernandez on Navigating Imposter Syndrome

    In this empowering episode of *Ask Ashley*, host Ashley Russo welcomes Stephanie Hernandez, a dedicated advocate for employee experience and belonging, currently based in Phoenix, Arizona. Stephanie shares her journey from her humble beginnings in El Paso, Texas, to becoming a first-generation college graduate and influential leader in her field. She discusses the challenges she faced while navigating issues of identity and belonging, particularly during her transition from a supportive community to a predominantly different environment in college. Stephanie delves into her passion for advocacy, discussing how her experiences have shaped her commitment to fostering connections and support for underrepresented voices in the workplace. She emphasizes the importance of creating spaces where individuals can be their authentic selves, highlighting her belief that belonging is a fundamental human need. As a mother and a professional, Stephanie also shares her insights on balancing personal well-being with the responsibilities of raising a family and building wealth, ultimately aiming to model self-care and resilience for her children. (00:01) - - Introduction to Ask Ashley Podcast (00:30) - - Meet Stephanie Hernandez (01:07) - - Stephanie's Background and Early Life (02:43) - - Moving and Experiencing Difference (05:00) - - First in Family to Attend College (06:38) - - Balancing Family Responsibilities (09:06) - - Guilt of Leaving Family for College (10:41) - - The Role of Therapy in College (12:00) - - Giving Back During College (13:51) - - Understanding Advocacy in Daily Life (16:36) - - Creating a Space of Belonging (19:10) - - The Importance of Belonging (21:17) - - Wealth Building Mindset (24:25) - - Balancing Wealth and Happiness (27:41) - - Self-Care and Modeling for Kids (30:46) - - Advice to Younger Self (35:56) - - Closing Thoughts and Reflections belonging, advocacy, employee experience, imposter syndrome, diversity, first-generation, community building, self-care, wealth creation, mentorship

    Do You Belong? Stephanie Hernandez on Navigating Imposter Syndrome

  8. Jul 31

    Mental Health Matters: KK Mayo on Supporting Employees in the Workplace

    In this episode of *Ask Ashley*, host Ashley Russo sits down with the dynamic KK Mayo, a leader in people operations at Ava Labs, Inc. With a career that began in civil engineering and transitioned into the tech space, KK's journey is anything but conventional. Over the past decade, she has harnessed her passion for people and operations to foster inclusive workplace cultures and drive organizational efficiency. As she shares her insights, listeners will be fascinated by how mentorship, curiosity, and a commitment to mental health can transform not just individual careers, but entire teams. KK delves into the importance of feedback in shaping workplace initiatives, emphasizing that understanding employee needs is crucial for creating an engaging environment. She also highlights her innovative approaches to promoting mental well-being, including the launch of a global mental health support app at Ava Labs. As the conversation unfolds, listeners are invited to reflect on their own career paths and the value of embracing change, curiosity, and community support in their professional journeys. (00:00) - - Introduction to Ask Ashley Podcast (00:32) - - Meet KK Mayo from Ava Labs (01:23) - - KK’s Unconventional Career Path (05:00) - - The Role of Mentorship in Career (09:15) - - Unexpected Lessons in Tech (12:30) - - Navigating Diversity and Inclusion (16:45) - - Importance of Employee Feedback (20:30) - - Launching Mental Health Support Benefits (24:00) - - Balancing Personal and Professional Life (27:15) - - Impact of Family on Leadership Style (31:00) - - Creative Pursuits and Inspirations (34:45) - - The Importance of Curiosity in Leadership (38:00) - - Measuring Success in Inclusivity (41:30) - - Unlimited Resources for New Initiatives (44:00) - - Thoughts on Pausing AI Growth (48:00) - - Advice to Younger Self about Change (51:00) - - Closing Thoughts and Farewell leadership, mentorship, diversity, inclusion, workplace culture, feedback, mental health, web 3, employee engagement, curiosity

    Mental Health Matters: KK Mayo on Supporting Employees in the Workplace
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Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

In Ask Ashley, Founder, Thoughtleader and award-winning media personality Ashley Russo sits down with leaders who bring purpose and humanity to business. Each episode explores how people navigate uncertainty, lead with empathy, and create meaningful change in their organizations and lives. Listeners gain practical insights on resilience, leadership, and financially confident decision-making amid disruption. This podcast is brought to you by Ask Ashley. If you’re interested in building a confident, purpose-driven wealth plan, reach out to Ashley at ashley.russo@nm.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Russo
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    2025 © Russo Wealth Management
  • Show Website
    Ask Ashley