Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlee Mello. She shared her story with us below:
Ashlee started in production without knowing she was in production. One of her first jobs as a teenager was for the iconic Americana retailer, Gap. There, she thrived on helping others achieve their personal style, as well as creating trend forecasts and product stylings for her entire central Florida district. It came naturally to her, and when Gap invited her to help curate and host a special event for MTV’s Video Music Awards in Miami one year, she realized she was good at what she loved doing. However, it wasn’t until at a photo shoot that she realized that styling was an actual career path and shifted her efforts from the fashion merchandising side of business into the world of fashion styling.
Under the mentorship of Emmy award-winning stylist Rebecca Weinberg, Ashlee cultivated over a decade of expertise in wardrobe styling, film, and commercial work. Joining the Amazon.com/Fashion launch team, she played a pivotal role in setting industry standards for on-figure apparel imaging, contributing to the creation of the world’s largest fashion photo and video imaging studio in Brooklyn, NY.
Recognizing the need for a hybrid role that seamlessly blended creative vision with operational efficiency, Ashlee transitioned into production at Amazon. In this role, she led the planning and asset development for multiple high-volume image-capturing sets daily implementing process improvements that resulted in nearly $2M in cost savings for the imaging studio.
Post-Amazon, Ashlee returned to freelancing where she began to identify the necessity for meticulous production planning in the creative space. Her desire to create healthy environments for creativity to blossom without compromising production logistics and her client’s budgets motivated her to launch her own media production company, Day Twosday, who prides itself on being a ‘creative concept to media asset’ full production studio that delivers compelling storytelling and selling media assets without compromising her client’s bottom line. Her clients typically see a 150% increase in content engagement and significant increases in their marketing and sales funnels and long-term customer base. Her client portfolio ranges from local Cincinnati startups to international, multi-billion-dollar corporations.
In addition to her own company, Ashlee continues to freelance as a seasoned producer, writer, and director in the film, commercial, and corporate video space for other large production houses and film projects.
In 2023, her company’s first full-length independent feature film was released nationwide in theaters while she has continued developing impactful media content for her commercial clients. Her first documentary short, yet to be released to the public, has already won her best female director and best documentary in the film festival circuit.
Ashlee’s secret sauce is the ability to deliver versatile, high-quality media assets on time and on budget without compromising the creative concept while empowering her team to run hard in their creative giftings.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In 2013, Ashlee was in NYC after attending NYFW for Fall 2014. She was hit and run over by a delivery truck where her legs were crushed, and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever walk again. It was during this time that she fell in love with directing and producing and was able to pursue that portion of her career.
It wasn’t easy being a female or a minority in the production space, but her care, concern, and unique perspective for others has set her apart in being an empathetic storyteller and excellent hype man for other creative visionaries because life is too short to not try.
We’ve been impressed with Day Twosday Productions, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Day Twosday is a boutique media production agency – which means we also say no to some clients, not because we don’t want to work with you, but because our approach is very relational and sometimes, we aren’t the best fit for the scope of your project. In order for us what we love to do, we actually take the time to get to know you, your team, your product and hear your goals. We’re so proud of the fact that every client we’ve ever worked with, we can genuinely call friend by the end of our project together. From being invited to family parties, weddings, and more, our relationships with our clients are authentic. We offer everything from social media content and strategy to national/international commercial campaigns.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My tribe of fellow creatives is vast, and I am so grateful for that. They have poured into me, encouraged me, and helped me see beyond my own shortcomings on more occasions than I can count. Cincinnati is a thriving art and creative community, and while there are too many to name most of them know exactly who they are. A handful of us even have bestie bracelets to remember that we were born to create and cultivate beauty in the world around us. Obviously, Rebecca Weinberg for taking a chance on me as a young stylist played a huge role in propelling my styling career forward, and I am forever grateful for that – but it’s my creative here in Cincinnati that have really kept me focused and blooming.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.daytwosday.com, http://www.heyashleemello.com
- Instagram: @heyashleemello, @daytwosday
- Facebook: @heyashleemello, @daytwosday
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleemello/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/day-twosday?trk=public_profile_topcard-current-company
Image Credits
Lost Keys Media
Micah Simms
