A letter from the owner: Ashley Knepper.
After much thought and consideration, I have made the decision to close Reed & Associates Marketing at the end of the calendar year.
Like it has been for many businesses, the past 18 months have been tremendously challenging for us. As an organization, we fought hard to successfully maintain 100% of our jobs while growing our client list during the pandemic. But as we regained our footing, new and unexpected challenges continued to arise.
Even before the pandemic, as an entrepreneur so engrained in the day-to-day operations of my business, I struggled to achieve a comfortable work-life balance for myself since becoming a mother.
When we started our family over 5 years ago, my responsibilities grew, and my sensibilities shifted. Naturally the time I was able to dedicate to R&A was impacted. I have been working ever since to regain my balance.
The sense of responsibility I feel to be a strong leader at the helm of R&A has been pulling me in one direction, and my responsibilities to my family and my role of nurturing and raising good humans is pulling me in another. Tipping the scales, I am expecting my third child, our first baby girl, in early 2022.
So as a result, the mounting demands of both the company and my personal life, have surpassed my threshold, fueling the decision to shift my focus from work to family.
I still believe ‘we can do it all’, but now, I better understand without the proper infrastructure or boundaries in place, it comes at a price that you have to be willing to pay. For me, the price became too great with no long-term solutions in sight, so the decision while difficult, became very clear. This does not change my love for my career and the entrepreneurial spirit that is still alive and well within me. It is simply a time for change and reinvention – a new chapter. I know I am not alone in this struggle, so I hope my story inspires others to take steps toward taking control of their balance.
I am glad to say, because the company has regained financially stability since the pandemic, we are in a position to close our doors in a controlled manner, allowing our team, vendor partners, and clients to comfortably transition. In addition to providing months notice, we developed a career transition program in support of the talented members of R&A, and a robust off-boarding plan for our primary vendor partners and all clients. I understand this decision impacts many and I remain committed to doing well by all involved.
I am incredibly proud of R&A, the work we have done and the love we have poured into our community. Our team finds satisfaction knowing our efforts have made positive impact on many small businesses and non-profits alike. Closing our doors does not change the fact that R&A is a collective of capable, collaborative, and passionate individuals. We take pride in doing great work and our clients can continue to expect the same level of commitment to excellence throughout this transition.
I have so much gratitude for everyone who believed in the R&A mission and chose to be part of our story. Thank you to the amazing professionals who have shared their talents and entrusted their careers with me behind the teal doors since 2008. Thank you to our clients, many of which have been with us for over a decade, for trusting us with your brands. The kindness, understanding and appreciation displayed by everyone in light of this news, has been remarkable and so appreciated. No gift has been greater in my entrepreneurial journey than the people I have met along the way.
With immense gratitude,
Ashley Knepper
