A Letter from Kat Fergerson on Joining Ashby

I watched Ashby come onto the HR tech scene out of nowhere. It was 2022, the market was starting to withdraw from hiring — and bam! Ashby hit the scene with momentum. They were: 

• thoughtful about culture (see Thoughtful Communication practices and using Operating Principles instead of values)
• had a highly differentiated product
• had a vision and founding story that resonated
• genuine brand fans

As head of marketing for a DEI tech company at the time, I watched them gain traction in the marketplace. We soon had overlapping customers, and it made sense to explore a more strategic partnership. Our meet cute: Transform 2023 (shout out to Samara Jaffe and team!). We strategized on integrations, mapped out event opportunities, and have been close partners ever since.

When the opportunity came up to work together more directly, it was an easy yes. Soon after, I joined as Head of Partnerships. 

While I have a relatively unconventional partnerships background as a previous head of marketing, I’ve worked with some of the best brands in the world to launch and scale their programs. And that’s the exciting opportunity here. From launching new revenue streams through digital innovation at adidas, to building Bird’s partner ecosystem marketing programs, to scaling Mathison’s Equity Index, I feel uniquely positioned for this new opportunity with Ashby.

Why I’m Excited About Ashby: The Hiring Excellence Opportunity

Ashby has an impressive foundation:

Clear Founding Vision

Benji and Abhik’s firsthand experiences with the limitations of traditional hiring processes and their drive to innovate resonates deeply with me. They've built something that not only addresses their pain points but also elevates the hiring experience significantly.

Exceptional Product

Ashby's product isn't just functional – it’s setting the standard. Its ability to generate genuine enthusiasm from customers is indicative of its value and potential.

Commitment to Talent Leaders

Talent leaders are historically underserved and Ashby’s mission addresses that gap. They’re also committed to supporting the wider RecOps community who’ve been hit especially hard by layoffs (1 in 2 recruiting professionals have been laid off).

Through the hundreds of conversations I’ve already had with people leaders about how to build inclusive hiring practices, capture accurate reporting, and get a seat at the table for their Talent initiatives, I see a huge opportunity for Ashby to be the platform that operationalizes what hiring should be.

What I’ll Be Focusing On: Partnerships at Ashby

My goal is to build a best-in-class partnership program that accelerates Ashby’s growth and amplifies our impact across the TA community. Partnerships is a gigantic discipline. There are about a hundred different ways I could run with this. To start, I’ll be focused on:

1. Making it incredibly easy to recommend Ashby: This includes providing outsized value to startups in order to become the default ATS recommended by VCs & Accelerators.
2. Helping experts close (and renew!) business: This means enabling the growing ecosystem of consultants, recruitment agencies, and fractional talent leaders with the tools, benefits, and resources to be successful Ashby implementers.
3. Giving our customers access to the tech stack they need: This includes expanding our integration ecosystem and investing in strategic partnerships.

As I step into this role, I’m excited about the possibilities ahead. A lot of you will likely hear from me in the coming weeks as I look to deepen existing relationships and build new ones in the broader recruiting and talent communities.

I’d love to hear from you if you're a:

• VC/Accelerator and interested in being part of our VC program
• consultant, recruiting agency, or fractional talent advisor interested in our referral program
• leader in the HR tech space interested in building best-in-class, mutually beneficial technical integrations

I have to give a huge thank you to the team, especially Harriet, Shannon, Lindsay, and Benji, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to an incredible mission and company.

Onwards,

Kat

P.S. LinkedIn connections are welcome!