Rural American roots run deep, even when an individual no longer lives and works here. In this episode of OUTdrive, I visit with John Ashford, co-founder, Chairman and CEO of The Hawthorn Group L.C. The Hawthorne Group is an international public affairs and public relations firm that John co-founded in 1992.

John grew up in Marshall, Missouri and was enamored with politics at a young age. He first appeared on the political scene in Missouri and went on to work for members of the US House and Senate. He later spent a decade with legendary political consultant Matt Reese and gained experience through hundreds of successful political and corporate campaigns. He now leverages years of experience to provide senior counsel to Hawthorne clients across the country and around the world.

Tune in to this episode of OUTdrive as John shares his path from rural America to international affairs and the things he's learned along the way.

What you'll learn:

• John's experiences in state and federal government affairs and what he's learned along the way
• How John made his way to Washington DC after growing up in a rural Missouri town
• Behind the scenes of the international public relations and affairs industry
• Stories and history of politics and communications from John's perspective
• The importance of hard work and how "Hard work makes life easier."
• Grassroots marketing and the role it plays in John's work
• The importance of relationships, networking and word of mouth
• More from John about growing up in rural America and discovering a love of politics at a young age