What's your movement?
One day, I was a senior in high school with the mindset, “Let’s try starting a business and see what happens.” I ditched what my peers were doing—skipping the typical one, two, or even three jobs people often get before launching their own business—and dove headfirst into the business world. The result? Ashton Jo Marketing was born.
I saw a gap in small businesses from my Seneca OH CEO experience. I was immediately impacted by taking tours and listening to local business owners’ stories. Before the program, I wanted to escape Seneca County and start my career elsewhere. However, I never thought it was possible in Tiffin, OH, until I learned it was. The gap I filled with Ashton Jo Marketing was that I wanted others to know the stories of this local business through the power of storytelling. To leverage this thought, I started my company specializing in social media, brand management, and photography.
When some struggled to grasp the mission of the Seneca OH CEO program, it was clear to me. The program aimed to immerse students in exceptional experiences with local business leaders and teach them how to run a business—at just 18 years old. Seneca OH CEO didn’t just teach me how to run a business; it transformed my life forever.
The impact of this program consumes me with gratitude. Running Ashton Jo Marketing is my top priority, but the mission of the nationwide entrepreneurial program at Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship is right behind it. Over the past two and a half years, my gratitude has grown more profound, and I’ve also looked for ways to connect with more than 6,000 alums across the country who share this transformative experience.
While thinking about this, I realized that many other alums feel the same way. I believe in two things: you have to be uncomfortable to be comfortable, and you should always take the leap. To start 2025, I decided to leap.
Today, I am thrilled to serve as the Alumni Coordinator for Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship under Austin Brooks‘ leadership, alongside my role as the host of their Fearless Founders podcast. While I’ve experienced the program’s impact firsthand, I now get to work behind the scenes to amplify that impact. I’m proud to be an alum of this mission and even more proud to be part of a team dedicated to inspiring juniors and seniors in high school every day.
This isn’t just a program; it’s a movement. And I’m in.
What’s your movement? Why should I get behind it?
Here’s why you can get behind Midland Institute: we are builders and supporters of young entrepreneurs nationwide. We equip students with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to shape their futures. Too often, we hear people say, “I wish I’d started sooner,” or “I wish I’d known this before.” Midland Institute is changing that narrative. We are shaping the business leaders of tomorrow, starting today.
This is the difference we’re making. And I’m proud to play a small part in it.