Kristen Ashley met Mitchell Tenpenny on Nov. 10, 2015—and that inspired the Trussville, Ala., native to name her company 11/10 Management. A lot of ground has been covered since the Belmont grad was hired by Riser House’s Jennifer Johnson. Beyond meeting the artist who changed her life, she was part of the team that helped the “Drunk Me” and “Alcohol You Later” star release two EPs before teaming with Columbia Nashville for his Telling All My Secrets debut.

Believing that “fans want new music frequently” allowed Ashley—now partnered with Haley McLemore at Red Light—not only to give Tenpenny autonomy, it also led her to client Kenton Bryant. “With how critical playlisting is these days, the sky is the limit,” she offers. “When I heard Kenton on an Apple Music playlist, I had no idea who he was and became a fan.”

How has breaking artists changed?

Being strategic with when and what we release to keep the fans’ attention. It’s important to have music coming out regularly, so we’ve made releasing new music a priority, with several collaborations in the works. Historically, you get a record deal and go to radio. Presently, artists are utilizing the DSPs, SiriusXM, social media and YouTube, as well as terrestrial radio and touring. Find the best path and go full force. It’s amazing when forces come together, but it’s not the only path now. To see Mitchell being streamed heavily in the U.K., Australia and Japan, even though he’s never visited those countries before is something we’ve not been able to accomplish in our genre, and those fans are vital.

Best lesson learned?

There’s always a solution to any problem.