“How do you lead effectively when you've never been taught how to lead? What happens when you're promoted to manager, but no one explains what that actually means?"

These are the questions that drove Kerry Cicero to write "It's Simple But Not Easy: A Leadership Guide for New Managers and Struggling Leaders." In this powerful episode, Kerry shares how losing her mother at 16 and growing up with six brothers in a chaotic household taught her the resilience and empathy that would later define her leadership style.

In this candid conversation, Ashley Kent, founder and CEO of Clear Star Creative, shares the raw reality of entrepreneurship—from the highs of working with venture-backed health tech startups to the brutal lows that nearly made her "burn it all to the ground."

Ashley's boutique marketing agency specializes in helping early-stage companies navigate two critical inflection points: validating their go-to-market strategy and transitioning beyond founder-led sales to build scalable growth systems. But her real expertise lies in understanding what separates businesses that can scale from those forever dependent on their founder's personal relationships.