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She Leads with Carly
A weekly series with powerful leaders from all industries! Learn what it takes to rise to the top. We chat about everything from childhood to where they are today – and all the messiness in between.
She Leads with Carly
Side Projects Don't Work, Quit Your Job | Ashley Thompson (Founder/CEO, Mush)
Ashley Thompson is the co-founder and CEO of Mush, the ready-to-eat overnight oats brand redefining breakfast. After earning a degree in math and economics from Columbia, Ashley began her career as a trader at Goldman Sachs. But after three years on Wall Street, she left finance behind to chase a bigger mission: building Mush. Since then, she’s grown Mush into a multimillion-dollar brand with nationwide distribution. Along the way, she pitched Mush on Shark Tank and landed a deal with Mark Cuban. Through relentless focus, getting early consumer feedback, and her personal connection to wellbeing, Ashely has built a category-defining brand.
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Referenced:
- Columbia University: https://www.columbia.edu
- Goldman Sachs: https://www.goldmansachs.com
- Mark Cuban: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-cuban-06a0751b
- Mush: https://www.eatmush.com
- Publix: https://www.publix.com
Timestamps:
(2:57) Ashley’s childhood
(6:54) The surprising childhood creations
(9:54) How mental health influenced the journey
(17:16) The early years at Goldman Sachs
(25:41) Why overnight oats?
(29:39) It’s important to quit
(34:35) What drew Ashley to San Diego
(36:59) Getting early consumer feedback
(39:05) Adapting to entrepreneurship
(43:37) Winning Whole Foods
(48:15) The story of Shark Tank
(52:01) Insights into the CPG industry