LondonHouse Chicago

As Director of Sales and Marketing, I instill a culture of high performance by providing consistent opportunities for growth, acknowledgement, and a vision for success the team can trust and follow. Responsible for leading all property level sales and marketing initiatives. Achieved our goal of being the most followed hotel in Chicago on Instagram, streamlined sales strategies and processes resulting in a 76% growth in year over year awarded RFP value, and ranked #1 in conversion within a comp set of eleven similar hotels.

Director of Sales and Marketing

Influencer Advisory Council – IAC

Advisor and Board Member

HSMAI Chicago Chapter

Our mission is to be the leading source for sales and marketing information, knowledge, business development, and networking for professionals in tourism, travel, and hospitality. With a strong focus on education, HSMAI has become the industry champion in identifying and communicating trends in the hospitality industry while operating as a leading voice for both hospitality and sales and marketing management disciplines, as well as connecting its members with customers.

VP of Sponsorships

The Dow Hotel Company

Responsible for marked increases in business travel, convention, corporate group and airline segments. Developed sales strategies to increase revenue and cultivate new business sources through analysis of reports, client interface, leverage of electronic media, and developmental meetings with Sales staff.

Complex Assistant Director of Sales - Embassy Suites & Doubletree Chicago O'Hare

Liberty Machinery Co.

In my Marketing and Business Development role, I helped clients with the liquidation of surplus machinery and industrial equipment. I also assisted clients in the procurement of used machinery through sales from inventory or brokerage.

Marketing and Business Development

Argyle Cut Stone

As Co-Owner, I was involved in every facet of operation in this 3rd generation owned business. My responsibilities included all accounting duties, all human resources duties, purchasing, marketing, sales, contract negotiations, field measurements and machine operations.

Co-Owner

Clear Creek Stone Company, Inc.

As Vice President of Finance and Operations, I was involved in every facet of running this limestone fabrication business. Responsibilities included accounting, human resources, purchasing, sales, union contract negotiations, and land and asset deals.

Vice President Of Finance And Operations

Renaissance Hotels

As Director of Business Travel, I was responsible for all transient preferred accounts, as well as attaining new group business from Fortune 500 companies. Surpassed 2005's inaugural year transient budget by 8%. In 2006, increased average daily rate of Preferred Accounts by 11% over the previous year. Created a highly successful contest and blog with over 500 qualified followers.

Director of Business Travel, Chicago O'Hare

Hilton Chicago Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center

Responsible for all transient preferred accounts as well as attaining new group business in the automotive, chemical, insurance and energy markets. Increased negotiated account revenue by over 30% two years in a row. Established a Loyalty Rate for small companies that other hotels would not sign on, servicing an underserved market niche that increased sales and boosted average daily rate.

Global Account Manager

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Responsible for building partnerships with potential preferred accounts while developing relationships with existing clientele. Integral role in supplying additional leads to the group sales team. Successfully procured accounts with Ameritech and Boeing worth over $700,000 annually.

Business Travel Sales Manager, Hotel Allegro

After 8 years of being out of the hospitality industry, I walked into a travel agency to the exclamation, "Hey! You're the Bingo Guy!" An email marketing campaign to drive sales from 8 years prior confirmed three things: 

•	The Power of Storytelling
•	The Power of Personal Branding
•	I Needed a Cooler Nickname

If you're looking to:

•	Develop creative paths to success
•	Find opportunities hiding in plain sight
•	Communicate strategic alternatives

Then let's chat!

In a world spinning with possibilities, I believe it's the genuine relationships we forge that make it go round.  And when you apply a bespoke touch to business – tailoring your sales, marketing, and personal brand to resonate with each individual – that's where the magic happens. 

Things I love talking shop about:

•	Customer service that's relationship-focused
•	Critical thinking & problem solving that gets to the root of the problem
•	Storytelling - Ask me about that bingo contest
•	Digital marketing & social media - CHDM certified!
•	Creative ideas & content development

Away from work I love spending time with my family, creating art, playing golf, and rooting for the Cubs and Bears. Additionally, I support the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Please message me if you’d like to share your story or need help in reaching your goals.

Don Barnett

Is this a great book about hospitality?
Or the 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 book about hospitality?

If you’re in hotels, restaurants, or 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯, this book should be required reading. Twice.

A few of my favorite takeaways:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
A guest mentions they didn’t get to try a real New York hot dog. So the team 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 runs out to get one, plates it like fine dining, and delivers it tableside. It cost them $2. It bought them a 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵.

𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.
At Eleven Madison Park, “Dreamweavers” are team members whose job is to create magical, personalized moments for guests. Think human surprise & delight factory. Hospitality teams need fewer policies, more Dreamweavers.

𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 ≠ 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲. 
Service is giving someone what they asked for. Hospitality is making them feel seen. Big difference. Huge impact.

This book isn’t just for people in hotels or restaurants. It’s for anyone who wants to turn transactional moments into transformational ones.

Creative Solutions for Hospitality Success | Director of Sales & Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago | Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer

Most people look at this view from LondonHouse Chicago and see a postcard. I see… a flashback.

Not just because I once co-owned a limestone company (yes, really), but because I helped build part of this view. Sort of.

Before jumping back into hotel life, I spent 7 years co-owning a limestone fabrication/restoration business. One of our projects? The iconic Tribune Tower. We restored intricate limestone details like the lintel you see pictured (basically a very fancy, very heavy eyebrow for a window).

The experience taught me something I carry with me to this day: 
Whether you're restoring a landmark or running a sales team, if you're trusted with something important, treat it like it’ll be around forever. 

Because if you do it right, it just might be.

🎆 1 post. 1.2 million views.  And suddenly our NYE ticket sales aren't just strong, they're 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨. 💥
 
Our social media manager posted this organically. 
No paid ads. 
No gimmicks. 
Just a killer view, a well-dressed crowd, and a moment people 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 to be part of.
 
We're on the cusp of 2026 and there are still hotels not on social media.

At this point, it’s like they're refusing electricity because candlelight seems to suffice.
 
People can’t book what they can’t see.

🚨 Sales PSA: "Can I have 15 minutes of your time?"
My answer: You're hilarious.

You want 15 minutes of my day? Cold?
With a message that sounds like a chatbot with abandonment issues?

Let me share a few numbers with you:

• On average, I get 6 of these requests a day
• 6 x 15 minutes = 1.5 hours
• 1.5 hours x 5 days = 7.5 hours a week

Almost an entire workday.

Listen, I'm in Sales too. I get it. There are goals to make and bosses that give no breaks. But time is not free. In fact, it's my most valuable asset.

Instead of 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 for something, try 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 something. 
Insight 🕰️ Education 🕰️ Something funny

Earn the time before you try to book it.

"Do you have 200 tiny pins with your face on them?"
...Maybe?

These ridiculous pins were the result of something very real: 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺. The kind you earn by showing up, performing, landing new accounts, and launching wildly successful ideas like a client Bingo contest that people actually 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥.

So when I pitched another idea, “let’s make pins with my face on them," my boss said yes. Not because it was a good idea (it absolutely wasn’t), but because I’d built enough credibility to take a swing.

The result? A disturbing early-2000s mugshot immortalized on metal. 

And now one day, my children, their children, and their children's children will stumble across a drawer full of these and wonder how many paint chips their ancestor ate.

And who knows? Maybe one day, one of you will get one in the mail.

Performance + ideas + time = equity. 
Sometimes it pays off in promotions.
Sometimes it pays off in hundreds of unsettling souvenirs.

Dragging out the Christmas lights, ready to channel my inner Clark Griswold, and my daughter hits me with: “Dad, you’re 50. Maybe ladders aren’t your thing anymore?”
 
Fast forward to me, 20 feet up, gripping the gutter like it owes me money, thinking: “𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.”
 
This got me thinking that there’s wisdom in doing a pre-check before diving into 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. Ladders, projects, meetings, you name it.
 
Here’s my new rule-of-thumb:  

✅ Am I physically or mentally up to this?
✅ Is it fear or excitement I’m feeling?
✅ Should I ask for help?
✅ Is it still worth doing? (If it brings joy, hell yes.)
 
Whether you’re decking the halls or tackling a sales action plan, take inventory. Are you ready to do this?

In your feelings about an email?
Give me 30 seconds and I'll share my favorite communication hack...

Hotel Salespeople when that 7pm reception wants to set-up at noon and kill the ballroom for the whole day...

Sales is asking someone out on a date.
Marketing is why they say yes.

Social media is why they say yes.
Utilizing influencers is why they say yes.
Investing in your personal brand is why they say yes.

Reach out if you want to hear about some receipts.
Speaking of which, how you doin'?

What price do you put on stress? Drama? Boredom?
How about happiness? Work/life harmony?

Something to ask yourself when presented with a job opportunity. 
 
Compensation is the easy part. What's harder to put a value on is: 

🤔 The boss that trusts you. 
🤔 Opportunities for growth. 
🤔 An easy (or arduous) commute. 
🤔 The colleagues that have your back. Or not.
🤔 Does this new job represent progress in your career or a step backwards? 
 
There's a shift in perspective the older you get. Money is no longer the end all be all. You put a higher value on the things that enrich your life beyond the paycheck. 

What do you value beyond the paycheck?

You're on LinkedIn? It's Thanksgiving. Go eat. Go.

Hotel Sales PSA: Where the ______ are you? 
Here's a simple fix to make you more discoverable with potential clients... 
 
Way too often, I stumble upon a LinkedIn profile headline that reads, "Sales Manager, ___________ Hospitality Management". 
 
Great, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳?
Is your management company even in the same city as you?  
 
📍 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲.  
 
Update your headline, and while you're in there update your contact info with your work email instead of your personal email. 
 
"Efficiency is doing things right;  
Effectiveness is doing the right things." 
- Peter Drucker

Have you ever seen something so bad, it's good?
Probably not the best strategy for your hotel's marketing.
But wig caps? I'm hair for it.

Even though Halloween was over weeks ago, I saved this.

1. Because it makes me laugh. The model for this looks like she lost a bet.
2. To illustrate the importance of hiring the right people to market your business.

The hotel version of this I see most often are the "agencies" that will handle your social media at prices much lower than others. There's a reason for that:

• The content consists of pictures of the hotel pulled from the website, stock photos, and pictures of things to do in your city.
• ZERO video
• ZERO onsite content creation
• Little to no analytics

This is a strategy that just checks a box versus actually creating a community, staying top of mind, and driving bookings.

One size does not fit all. That only works with wig caps.

How do you know your reputation proceeds you?
Without searching, guessing or meeting, people say...
"Let's call ___________."

Not because you post motivational quotes in bold font.
It's because you have a reputation of:

💡 Solving Problems / Getting $%&@ Done 💡

That's the power of a strong personal brand. People trust you, they remember you, and they instinctively reach for their phone when a need arises.

Who is the first person you think of when you need a problem solved?

When you can directly attribute revenue and opportunities to your personal brand, this lyric resonates even more.

ivrygold

Your path to a better business and life starts here | Empowering and Equipping Entrepreneurial Women, who've experienced Trauma, Triggers, and Mental Health Challenges, to thrive in business and life.

ivrygold is now Inc. verified!

ivrygold works with Women & Survivors of Trauma who are current and aspiring business owners, turning vision and goals into long-term revenue growth through 1:1 and Mastermind Small Group Coaching.

We also help growing businesses during growth stage to plan and establish recruiting processes, employer branding and talent attraction strategies, and onboarding and training systems. 

Launch Business Bootcamp was put together to make launching your new passive stream of income or business idea simple. This step-by-step intensive 1:1 coaching experience will help you build the foundation of your Business, Brand, and Offer and Launch with confidence in just 3 working sessions.

The Womanpreneur Lab, our flagship program, was designed for Entrepreneur Women with Trauma and Triggers, to help them streamline their businesses and passion projects, setting them up with the right foundations to scale… All while keeping Mental Health top of mind 💙

Let’s work together and collaborate! Visit ivrygold.co to schedule a quick intro chat or email ashley@ivrygold.co




Revenue Growth Partner | Execution Strategy | Project Management | Marketing | Brand Strategy | Brand Marketing | Personal Brand | Fractional and Interim Employment Services | Business Mentor | AI Workshops | Marketing Workshops | Business Workshops | Community Mentorship

Founder, Consultant, Coach

Founder Mental Health Pledge

Founder Mental Health Pledge is an coalition of startup investors, founders, and leaders coming together to destigmatize and encourage mental healthcare for founders and the greater startup community as a business imperative. Visit FounderPledge.com to learn more and take the pledge.


________________________

Founders make countless sacrifices at the expense of their mental health.

They are more likely to suffer from:

2X Suicidal Thoughts & Depression 
10X Bipolar Disorder
3X Addiction
6X ADHD

My company, ivrygold's mission is Empowering and Equipping Women, with Trauma, Triggers, and Mental Health Challenges, to Thrive in Business and Life.

And rightfully so,

That's why I have committed to the "Founder Mental Health Pledge" - To make mental health a business priority.

Join me and 677 others in dedication to a better focus on Mental Health for Business Founders, leaders, and teams 💙

Member

WhiteFlag

As a WhiteFlag Ambassador, I am an advocate and voice for a unique and groundbreaking platform dedicated to fostering support, connection, and empathy within its community. 

WhiteFlag is a free, anonymous, peer-to-peer support app designed to offer a safe space for individuals seeking support, understanding, or simply a listening ear.

Learn more and join the community at https://www.whiteflagapp.com

Ambassador & Investor

Free Skin Co

This brand took a road of its own, going down a beautiful philanthropic path with high demand that was never expected 💙 Closed temporarily for rebrand — Will announce the relaunch when we’re there! 

Free Skin Co combines our founder, Ashley's, love and passion for skincare with clean ingredients that work for sensitive and acne-prone skin with her drive to improve the mental health.

Though our Self Care Packs for Survivors Program, 30% of all profits are donated to improving the mental health and healing process for survivors of child sexual abuse, sexual assault, trauma, and PTSD 💙

Founder

Protis Global

For over 25 years, Protis Global has been recognized as a leading global search firm in the Consumer Goods industry. Our years spent understanding the professional, personal and financial motivators for candidates allows us to deliver against the needs of Fortune 500’s and start-ups alike.

Key Industries Served:
Consumer Package Goods (CPG), Banking, Global Food & Beverage, Food Tech, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Adult Beverage, Cannabis, Hospitality, Media and Beauty

Director, Brand and Marketing

Portobello America

At Portobello America I was responsible for leading all aspects of brand positioning, product marketing and creative development. 
These responsibilities included creative strategy, development and execution of new product lines and special programs, planning and executing 2-3 annual brand events, development of department and project SOPs for cross-functional internal team and eternal vendors, lead product photography, videography and 3D rendering development, vendor onboarding and management, new client onboarding and more.
Assisted with development of website, digital product apps, and customer apps to enforce brand integrity and proper content strategy
Reported directly to the CEO.

Portobello America is a solutions-oriented innovator and leader in the tile industry. Portobello America is part of Portobello's internationalization strategy in the US based in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Brand and Marketing, North America

Robert Half

Recruiting Manager with Robert Half Finance & Accounting, the world’s first and largest specialized financial recruitment service. 

Full-desk recruiting role included high volume B2B cold calls for client job orders, as well as responsibility to source, interview and prep candidates for matched positions.

Recruiting Manager

Septic Maxx

I was hired with this company to lead the IT partner to develop an inbound marketing and EDI system to increase company revenue and productivity, and decrease payroll overhead.
I additionally spearheaded the company's brand overhaul: Rebranded all product packing, logo, website, social media, SEO and internal training to coincide with the new EDI and inbound leads project 
In this role I also oversaw all day-to-day operations of the business and was responsible for a complete branding overhaul for the company. 
Directly managed leadership team of 4 and oversaw 65+ employees 
Leadership development and mentoring of managers and department leads
Management of manufacturers and distributors to create and manage products for multiple lines and sister companies (residential telemarketing, retail, and commercial products)

Director, Marketing and Operations

Visionary Brand Management, Inc.

Tactical brand management for internal teams and external messaging for product and talent marketing, inbound marketing, social media and ad management, SEO development and monitoring, website design, graphic design for small-medium sized companies. Hubspot Inbound Certified agency. 

In this role I was responsible for managing a team of four, customer life-cycle management, defining and building brand guidelines and playbooks for clients, establishing KPIs and brand strategy, overseeing client account progression, project management, creative development and GTM execution over my team.   

ABOUT VISIONARY BRAND MANAGEMENT
Visionary Brand Management is a full service digital branding agency committed to providing a pleasurable & results-oriented experience for our clients. We were designed around creating marketing that people love.

Founder, Head of Brand Strategy & Marketing

Cydcor

The Brand Operations Manager (BOM) role was a concept I was lucky enough to assist in the development of. During my time as a Recruiting Manager, Social Media for business was just coming into existence and I started experimenting with building websites, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+, Twitter and blogs from a Talent Marketing perspective. It was so successful at our local office that I began to also assist our 30+ other franchise locations in the USA and assisted in the development of this new program for 300+ locations with the corporate office in California.

Brand Operations Manager

Award-winning and pace-setting recruiter. Responsible for making 100-150 cold and warm calls per day in order to recruit new employees for multiple sales locations throughout the country. Regular keynote speaker at national meetings/conferences with over 5000 attendees. Assisted in development and launch of innovative ATS used at hundreds of sales offices in North America. Creating, posting & managing job ads. Conducting in-person and telephone interviews, hiring new employees, and training new employees. Preparing teams for new location openings, office management, large-scale team management and leadership development training, payroll, social media management. Created and assisted in launch of new promotion structures and business opportunities for future employees.

Direct, face-to-face sales and marketing account manager. Worked with B2B customers, handling new account acquisitions, customer retention, and marketing. Trained new employees, conducted interviews, led meetings and business trips, and managed a team of 3. Promoted to Recruiter & HR Manager after exceeding sales goals and setting nationwide company records in the field.

B2B Account Manager

Empowering & Teaching Women and Trauma Survivors to transform passions & experiences → From triggers to 6+Fig business & career they love | Mental health first 💙 | Mastermind & 1:1 Coaching, Personal Brand, Skincare

My name is Ashley Pereira, and I am the woman talking about the things "you aren't supposed to talk about." Like Abuse, Assault, Trauma, Suicide Prevention, Mental Health, and Women’s Empowerment. 

As a survivor of abuse and failed suicide, my mission is to empower women and trauma survivors to elevate their confidence, achieve balance, and thrive in business and life. 

While I am an accomplished Brand and Marketing Leader by profession, helping new businesses to launch or enter the US market, expand their programs and solutions, align internal teams for better Buyer Experience, streamline for scalability, and lead CRM implementation,

I am also the . . .

▪️Founder of ivrygold — Coach to Entrepreneur Women & Survivors of Trauma 
▪️Co-founder and co-host of The Worthy Woman  
▪️Co-creator of Sell Me Your Story Workshop

I'm a little obsessed with my kids, enjoying life, laughing as much as possible, curiosity, and Business, Recruiting, Brand, and Marketing Strategy, with a heavy emphasis on Personal Brand and Mental Health, and the common skincare-obsessed chat.

__________________

To book me as a guest for a podcast, speaking engagement, or to work with me please email: hello@ashleypereira.me

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The Battle

Don Barnett

Ashley Pereira

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The Battle

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