Michael Ashley

As founder of Radi8, I see how many small business owners dislike posting but know they must stay visible. Today Radi8 introduced CMO Agent, an AI agent that builds your digital marketing strategy, coordinates content creation, and schedules posts. It turns marketing from a time sink into a reliable system so you can stay engaged without extra hours. See for yourself at https://www.radi8.com #smallbusiness …more

The objection I keep hearing about startup marketing, and why I still disagree Common pushback: “You cannot start marketing until the go-to-market is nailed.” That mindset keeps early-career professionals waiting instead of building skills that prove them. After 20 years working with startups, I use a simple alternative: treat early marketing as a learning engine. Three practical moves: 1) Run a 2–4 week micro-project tied to one customer hypothesis. 2) Run two low-cost channel tests and capture outcomes. 3) Document a one-page case study that shows insight and decisions. These deliver portfolio-ready work, mentorship opportunities, and clear next steps into product, operations, or startup roles. Send me a message if you want a one-page template or to talk through an idea. Ask me about Radi8 if you want help automating this into ongoing content. …more

As founder and CEO of Radi8, I often get asked whether Radi8 replaces a professional marketing team. The short answer is no. Radi8 is not a substitute for experienced marketers; it’s a practical, time-saving way to automate routine marketing tasks. If you hate social media or don’t have time to post, Radi8 can automate a month of posts and keep your messaging consistent while you run the business. Want a quick assessment? Send me a message to schedule a free marketing audit. https://www.radi8.com …more

If you’re rethinking startup mentorship and founder coaching, here’s the next step I recommend. Shift from passive learning to a mentor-led, hands-on project that proves you can move outcomes. Practical framework: 1) Pick a specific user problem and one measurable outcome. 2) Ship an MVP in 4 weeks that tests a single hypothesis. 3) Pair with a founder/operator to run the experiment and iterate. Want a short template and a mentor match for a 4-week project? Send me a message. …more

Santa Cruz Works New Tech on April 1 at Chaminade includes a rare Steve Jobs appearance for Apple’s 50th anniversary. ;-) If you plan on going, send me a message. 7:00 pm - Company presentations, plus 2 more to be announced soon Bandit Systems: Security should stop problems before they become expensive headaches. Bandit Systems’ RealTime Remote Guard Service uses AI video analytics, cameras, patented audio systems, and trained operators to resolve 98% of crime and trespassing incidents in under 60 seconds. Cora Nexus AI: Customer Success agents that actually do the manual work to serve and grow your customers. So your teams can focus on the human, relationship-driven work to drive growth. mimofit: mimofit is building a home-based training system for people with Parkinson’s and related conditions. By combining adaptive exercise, neuroplasticity research, and simple at-home use, the company aims to make meaningful therapy more accessible and more consistent. Subsense: Subsense is developing a non-surgical, minimally invasive brain-computer interface that uses biocompatible nanoparticles and a wearable headset to read and write neural signals. Starting with neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and epilepsy, the company aims to build a scalable platform for future human-AI interaction, communication, and cognitive enhancement. The Hidden Singing Superpower: Fresh from UCSC Grad Slam 2026, Matt Evans explores a fascinating question: why does music remain so durable in memory even as other memories fade? His work looks at the surprising accuracy of internal musical recall and what that reveals about the brain. Vispo AI: Vispo helps founders manage the legal foundations of a startup without drowning in paperwork or legal bills. Its AI-powered platform guides users through incorporation, SAFE financing, and compliance, acting like a legal co-pilot built specifically for early-stage companies. https://www.santacruzworks.org/news/santa-cruz-works-new-tech-april-2026 …more

The framework I use to help founders and early-stage startups make progress on marketing strategies. 1) Target outcome: pick one measurable user action and a 30 to 60 day deadline. 2) Customer evidence: run 10 targeted conversations to validate the offer and surface objections. 3) Channel tests: run three focused experiments with the same offer, track cost per acquisition and conversion steps. 4) Systemize: codify the winning sequence into a weekly playbook and handoff checklist. I use this with early-stage teams to turn uncertainty into repeatable demand. If you want a 20-minute review to map this to your launch, send me a message. #startups …more

Joby’s piloted electric flight across the Bay makes near-term commercial service feel real. For Santa Cruz and similar cities, founders should treat vertiports as new urban infrastructure, not a niche product. If you are a founder working on urban air mobility or local pilots, send me a message to compare notes and introductions. #urbanairmobility https://www.santacruzworks.org/news/joby-lifts-off-and-santa-cruz-looks-up …more

I’m running another Digital Marketing Internship program this summer (starts in May; 6 or 12 week micro-projects). Send me a message. #internship …more

The future is about your brand, not your resume. About 37% of the US workforce already works independently. They get hired for a clear brand promise, a simple value proposition, and concrete proof points rather than a sequence of interviews. AI is not taking your job, it’s accelerating this shift. I built Radi8 to help you get to freedom faster. https://www.radi8.com …more

Marketers are hitting an AI content wall. Feeds are full of generic, unoriginal posts and attention is eroding. The only way to break through is deep brand context. I’ve been building a comprehensive brand context engine into Radi8 to make sure the content you create is authentic and aligned with your actual brand. I’m running pilots with small marketing teams right now. If you’re interested in boosting your content marketing outcomes, send me a message. #contentstrategy …more

Here's a little clip from my Radi8 pitch at the March 4th New Tech Meetup in Santa Cruz. I always tell founders to beware the demo demons, doing a demo that quickly shows the unique value of your innovation is HARD... I admit my demo fell short, but I learned a lot from the experience. And that's what matters most: Get out into the world. Learn and do it again. What do you think I can do to make my pitch better? Radi8 is a Social Media Command Center that helps marketers create, schedule, and post content easily. Plus, new features for employee advocacy, content discovery, and AI assisted posting, make Radi8 the most powerful social media marketing platform available. If you want to pilot Radi8 in your marketing team, let me know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC376aW8Nec&t=204s …more

I’m inspired by SOL Café’s model that trains neurodiverse teens and young adults and creates pathways to independence in the community and workforce. From launching inclusive programs, I learned three practical steps: co-design training with participants and families; define clear, task-based roles with supervisor supports; partner with local employers to pilot and refine pathways. If you are building or piloting similar programs, send me a message to compare notes and explore partnerships. #inclusion https://www.santacruzworks.org/news/sol-cafe-creates-job-pathways-for-neurodiverse-talent …more