Ashley Jefferson

Product Manager • User Researcher • Business Intelligence Analyst • Jersey City, NJ, US

Product Management

Business Strategy

Market Research

Available for hire fromNegotiable

Contracts

Digital Product Leader and Strategist | Connecting Dots and People

Experienced Product Leader and Strategist with 8+ years of experience. I help businesses find viable opportunities, assess product-market fit, and launch with confidence. With my rare ability to connect dots, present insights, and bring people together, I can guide your venture to success. I enjoy building digital experiences especially in the FinTech, Travel, & Health & Wellness spaces. Let's collaborate!

Projects

Wealth Plan - JP Morgan Chase

Digital money coach that empowers people to take control of all aspects of their financial lives.

Kenvue (formerly a Johnson & Johnson company)

Steered Kenvue's journey into women's health, navigating the complexities of menopause care and the challenges of being a newcomer in the space.See More

Work History

CEO & Fractional Leader

Ashley Grace ConsultancyApr 2023 - Present • 1 yr 7 mosAshley Grace Consultancy empowers founders with focus & foundation for ventures. Advises on go-to-market, pricing, channels; conducts research for informed product decisions & customer satisfaction. Here is an example of the work we do: Introduction: A driven founder envisioned a fitness app powered by AI. The goal was not only assessing the idea's feasibility but distinguishing it in a saturated market. Challenges: Idea Realization: The ambition was blending fitness with AI, but how? Market Trends: Recognizing evolving fitness inclinations was vital to gauge the idea's relevance. User Perception & Spending: Understanding users' fitness views and investment habits was crucial. Competition: Identifying gaps in the market would help position this new venture uniquely. Approach: Customer Profiling: I explored potential users and the current solutions they lean on. Behavioral Analysis: Investigating users' fitness habits and tech openness yielded rich insights. Expert Feedback: I garnered insights from fitness experts about tech integration in the sector. AI Exploration: Studied existing AI roles in fitness, sharpening the innovation vision. User Research: Post analysis, hands-on user studies refined our understanding of market needs. Insightful Planning: The gathered data honed the project's direction, clarified user expectations, and suggested MVP elements. Contributions: Market Entry Insight: I provided strategies for market introduction, ideal pricing, and distribution for enhanced visibility. Data-Informed Choices: Our deep dive into market and user insights shaped a user-centric experience. Conclusion: By combining thorough market analysis, user insights, and a grasp of fitness tech, I steered the founder from a raw concept to a solid product blueprint. This highlights the significance of meticulous research and a user-focused mindset in shaping products.

Senior Product Manager

JP Morgan ChaseNov 2020 - May 2023 • 2 yrs 7 mosIntroduction: JP Morgan Chase aimed to revolutionize personal financial management by providing a digital money coach for its customers. Challenges: Vision: The bank had a strategic vision, but lacked clarity on design, features, and functionalities. Assumptions: Not all strategic assumptions were clear, potentially affecting product launch and success. Decision-making: The team struggled with making informed decisions and prioritizing features. Approach: Customer Analysis: Conducted extensive research on the industry and target customers. Strategy Refinement: Utilized both qualitative and quantitative data to refine strategy. Solution Design: Used research insights to design solutions addressing real-world customer challenges. Prioritization: Directed the team in prioritizing essential features for the envisioned product. Strategic Adaptation: Led strategic changes based on evolving challenges and market conditions. Outcomes: Launch: Developed "Wealth Plan", a personal finance dashboard with tools for spending, budgeting, and liquidity monitoring. Recognition: The product received industry attention and award nominations. Rollout: Successfully piloted internally with 12,000 participants and externally reached 55 million clients. Performance: Improved dashboard load times by 15%, enhancing user experience. Leadership: Led a multifunctional team, overseeing product development and identifying growth opportunities. Conclusion: Emphasizing a customer-focused approach and data utilization, I helped JP Morgan Chase achieve their vision for Wealth Plan, highlighting the significance of integrating strategy with actionable insights in digital products.

Consultant

Kenvue (formerly a Johnson & Johnson company)Sep 2022 - Jan 2023 • 5 mosIntroduction: With the division of Johnson & Johnson's businesses, Kenvue was born, inheriting its consumer brands. Venturing into the less-explored domain of women's health, particularly menopause, Kenvue aimed to carve its niche. The challenge was to build credibility in this new realm, especially on a topic as nuanced and often sidestepped as menopause. Challenges: Uncharted Waters: Kenvue, a newcomer to menopause care, had to earn trust without leaning on the Johnson & Johnson legacy. Sensitive Subject: Menopause, frequently sidelined in medical discourse, demanded an empathetic approach to address women's genuine concerns. Lack of Direction: While research was abundant, a cohesive strategy to mold this into a distinct product was missing. Approach (developed during a 4-month NYU MBA Program study): Literature Exploration: Delved into existing studies to truly understand the complexities of menopause. Market Scrutiny: Investigated the competitive landscape to discern Kenvue's potential standing. Empathy-Driven Research: Engaged with the target audience to discern their views, necessities, and hurdles related to menopause. Strategic Recommendations: Transformed research into actionable insights, notably proposing specialized menopause training for medical professionals. Outcomes: Recognition: Our project's impact was highlighted when we were invited to present our insights to Johnson & Johnson's divisional CEO. Educational Push: Kenvue championed the idea of furnishing doctors with dedicated menopause education, addressing a vital knowledge void. Community Roots: Our efforts set the stage for Kenvue to cultivate a community centered on comprehensive menopause care. Conclusion: Recognizing the intricacies and sensitivities linked with menopause, a bespoke strategy was devised for Kenvue. This not only stamped their credibility in the field but also set them on a path to pioneer in women's health, tackling long-existent care and educational gaps.

Product Manager

Prudential FinancialJul 2014 - Nov 2020 • 6 yrs 5 mosThis focuses on my time at Prudential in Product (2018-2020). My time before Product was in Corporate Finance. Introduction: Prudential Financial aimed to transition from its traditional B2B roots to become a direct-to-consumer digital leader. Challenges: Organizational Shift: Prudential's new unit sought to establish a digital presence for consumer interactions. Strategy Execution: Translating strategy into actions had obstacles. Assumptions & Decision-making: Untapped assumptions posed risks, and critical decisions required a deeper consumer insight. Integration: The challenge was integrating the digital platform into the broader ecosystem and using the right metrics. User Experience: Balancing client needs, from opening accounts to seeking digital guidance, was crucial. Approach: Customer Analysis: I defined target customers and conducted industry research. Data-Driven Strategy: Utilized data to determine product direction. Stakeholder Collaboration: Ensured alignment between stakeholders and customer objectives. Customer Journey Mapping: Outlined the entire customer interaction process. Agile Delivery: Collaborated for strategic changes, ensured regulatory compliance, and led an Agile team. Outcomes: LINK: A significant step in Prudential's digital consumer engagement journey. Strategic Adjustments: Maintained project timelines despite changes. Regulatory Adherence: Collaborated with legal teams, ensuring compliance with Regulation Best Interest. Performance Metrics: Account openings increased by 31%, lead generation by 15%, and customer conversion rates by 23%. Team Leadership: Led a team in creating Prudential's innovative digital planning experience. Enhanced Communication: Established a communication strategy, ensuring customers received timely updates. Conclusion: I helped Prudential Financial transition from B2B to a direct-to-consumer digital model, emphasizing customer needs, stakeholder collaboration, and data-driven decisions.

Education

Seton Hall University

Bachelor's, Business (Finance & Technology)Aug 2011 - May 2015

New York University

MBA, EntrepreneurshipSep 2020 - May 2023

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