Speaker Bio
Born and raised in Vancouver, Ashley Freeborn built Smash + Tess with her mother after recognizing an unfilled niche in the fashion industry for comfortable and stylish loungewear. Deciding to fill that void with affordable, stylish, comfortable loungewear, she attended the summer fashion program at Conde Nast in London, UK. As CEO, Ashley oversees everything from design to financial planning, to dreaming up fun and creative marketing campaigns. Under her direction, S+T has grown exponentially in revenue and transnationally in market share and public notoriety. It is famous for its celebrity collaborations with the likes of Hilary Duff, Paula Abdul, Jillian Harris, and Sarah Nicole Landry aka The Birds Papaya, and is best known for leading the Romper Revolution- a movement that was born out of clothing that celebrates femininity, strength, style, and comfort in women of all shapes and sizes.
Ashley was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, which recognizes the most outstanding leaders in the country. She was also Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40, and StartUp Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a published author of a children’s book and has been cited in hundreds of media publications including Vogue, People Magazine, The Globe and Mail, among many others. Ashley is a celebrated presenter, touring North America to speak on topics including building a successful brand, e-commerce and D2C sales, authentic collaborations, and social media strategy. She’s known for her humour, positivity, and candid delivery as she tackles her topics, engaging her audience through personal anecdotes, thought provoking questions, and high energy discussions.
Speaker Topics
A shift in perspective can catalyze meaningful change. Diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, it was clear that my path had been altered, but my goals would not be. Battling life-altering obstacles activates the most profound creativity- in my case, creativity that led me to build a multi-million-dollar brand that sparked a Romper Revolution, disrupted the elitist fashion industry, all through authentic community building, empowerment, and inclusivity.
- Opportunities and obstacles business owners face in 2025
- The power of organic growth- building a sticky brand
- A customer centric approach- harnessing customer feedback and creating products with impact
- Building relationships in a digital world- creating an online community and collaborating with top influencers and celebs
- Authentic Social Media strategies
- Women in Leadership- the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in decision marking roles
- Meaningful mentorship- why it’s important for women entrepreneurs to learn from one another
- Transitioning through careers- professional development
Featured Video
Videos
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