Meet Ashlyn Leon

We were lucky to catch up with Ashlyn Leon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashlyn, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

Whenever I share the story of my career, I often “joke” that the two years I spent working for Kris Jenner were more important than fashion school, but in truth, they were. That experience set a foundation for my work ethic that I doubt I would have developed anywhere else. It taught me the value of being resourceful, responsive, and prepared for anything.

Jen Atkin recently shared one of Kris Jenner’s quotes that I remember internalizing years ago: “If someone says no, then you’re talking to the wrong person.” That mindset shaped how I approached work from the very beginning. It is a reminder that persistence and creativity go hand in hand. Work ethic to me isn’t just about putting in hours, it’s about caring deeply, showing up consistently, and finding solutions when the easy answer would have been to quit.

https://www.elle.com/beauty/hair/a65210048/jen-atkin-ouai-career-interview-2025/

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My love for photography started in middle school. I was the girl who always had a camera in hand, making sure my friends felt good about the photos I shared. There’s nothing better than when someone actually loves how they look in a shot- especially on film, where you have to wait for the payoff. That mix of instinct and timing is what made me fall in love with it, and it still shapes how I create today. When I moved to Los Angeles right as the influencer economy was taking off, that eye for photography became even more valuable. Suddenly, photos weren’t just about looking good, they were about telling a story that felt authentic to both the brand and the talent.

That same storytelling instinct carries into my project management work. Partnering with out-of-the-box creatives like Erica Domesek (@PSIMadeThis)and Wally Hasselbring, I’ve helped bring experiential campaigns and high-touch gifting moments to life in ways that maximize earned media value. Our favorite line is: “We’re not in the business of creating fancy trash.” Creators are always looking for things to shoot, so by keeping the recipient list limited and highly curated, we make the experience feel special and ensure the content is something they actually want to create and share.
Those projects taught me how to juggle hundreds of moving parts, build in buffer time for inevitable curveballs, and keep communication clear with 100+ people during delivery week. After 12+ years in Los Angeles, I’ve learned that no two projects are the same, but that is what I love most. Every challenge adds to the toolkit I carry into the next one.

These days, I run Ashlyn Leon Creative, where I consult on influencer partnerships, content production, and brand storytelling. Recently I’ve also been collaborating with the team at CLTR Lab, which has been such a refreshing change after running solo for the past two years. At the heart of it, I love building campaigns and partnerships that feel genuinely aligned, where both the talent and the brand shine naturally and the end result resonates with audiences.
The best way to connect with me is through my website, ashlynleoncreative.com, or on LinkedIn.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

For me, the three qualities that have been the most impactful are adaptability, instinct, and genuine care.
Adaptability has been crucial because no two projects are ever the same. Starting my career at 19 in Los Angeles and later working across talent, brand, and agency roles, I learned how to pivot quickly while keeping the bigger picture in mind.

The second is trusting your instincts. I have always been equal parts left brain and right brain, which means I can see both the creative vision and the operational realities of a campaign. I trust my taste, and I am not afraid to speak up in a room, even if it is just to flag a concern. In my opinion, the bigger risk isn’t sharing a thought that doesn’t land, it’s staying quiet and watching a multimillion-dollar campaign fall flat or backfire publicly. We have all seen how fast the media will amplify those moments. The best safeguard against that is creating environments where team members feel safe to speak up, because that is when the best ideas and the best protection surface.

Finally, genuine care. With Cara Santana, for example, we developed a clothing line for Kohl’s that went on to break internal records, something previously only done with mega-household names. Coming from the traditional world of high-beauty and fashion, that partnership might not have made sense to everyone at first. But for Cara and me, both originally from Texas, Kohl’s was an integral part of our childhoods. The opportunity to bring bold, fashion-forward closet staples to everyone, with every piece in the Cara Santana Collection available for under $100, felt truly authentic. The collection was designed for everyBODY, and the success reflected that connection.

That win was not just exciting for Cara; I cared about it as if it were my own. I bring that level of passion and enthusiasm to every project. When the people supporting a campaign care that deeply, it shows in the results.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

This past year, my biggest area of growth has been leaning into confidence, trusting my perspective and the value of my experience. Running my own consultancy gave me the freedom to take on exciting projects, but it also forced me to step up as a decision-maker. I have gotten better at knowing when to follow my instincts, when to gather more input, and how to balance creative vision with operational realities.
It has also reinforced something I have believed since the start of my career: creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up is a company’s greatest asset. When team members know their opinions are valued, you avoid blind spots and uncover the ideas that push work from good to great. That lesson has made me both a better partner to brands and a stronger leader on teams.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Cara Santana in Apt 9 x Kohl’s with Nancy Santana: Lawyer & Proud Mom, Elle Valera: Opera Singer, Model, & Influencer, Amanda Gullickson: Model & Influencer, Najwa Zebian: Activist, Author, Speaker, Steph Shepherd: Entrepreneur & Activist, Lily Oakes: Singer/Songwriter, Victoria Villarroel: Influencer & Model, Candice Nikeia: Content Creator
PHOTOGRAPHER: MIKE ROSENTHAL

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