Motto®’s Ashleigh Hansberger on why brand should be a leadership tool, not just a marketing function

2025 marks Motto®’s 20th anniversary. In these two decades, Motto®’s experience in branding, strategy, and creative leadership has provided them with unparalleled insights into what makes brands truly resonate. Along the way, Co-founders Ashleigh Hansberger and Sunny Bonnell have cultivated a wealth of knowledge, supported by the duo’s career as team leaders and big idea people, collaborating with 900+ clients in the tech and innovation space, including names such as Google, Microsoft, Klaviyo, Colliers, Goodnotes, Andela, Impel, Aptos, and Ivo. Hansberger speaks with us at a pivotal moment in the industry and shares her perspective on what companies should do to make their brand ready for the future. The key focus? Brand as a leadership tool.

“When a brand is treated as a leadership tool, it stops being a decoration and starts becoming direction.”

Ashleigh Hansberger
Co-founder

“Strategy isn’t just a business skill. It’s a leadership practice.”

Ashleigh Hansberger
Co-founder