After more than a decade as the chief medical correspondent for ABC News and Good Morning America, Dr. Jen Ashton decided to walk away.
Why? In June 2024, Dr. Ashton launched Ajenda, a women’s wellness company focused on women’s health, nutrition, and fitness.
Her path to building a thriving business didn’t start with a major product launch or a flashy marketing campaign. It started with content, distributed mostly by a platform she owned herself.
Creating a Direct Line to Her Audience
For years, Dr. Ashton spoke to millions of television viewers every day. But despite her wide reach, she didn’t own the relationship with her audience.
Every conversation was mediated through traditional media platforms and programs like GMA, and she had no direct way to connect with the people who trusted her medical expertise.
“Over the course of my career, people have told me that I’m their go-to resource for information and they appreciate my straight-up advice that separates fact from opinion,” Ashton said in an interview with Medical Marketing and Media back in 2024. “It feels like the natural next step to leverage my experience and credentials into a personalized newsletter that speaks to and educates women.”
In March of that year, Dr. Ashton launched Ajenda on beehiiv, her weekly newsletter. The timing was intentional, as she prepared to leave ABC and needed a way to maintain her connection with her audience independent of any network.
Building Trust Before Building a Product
For the next six months, Dr. Ashton focused her attention on creating value for her audience. She began documenting her own fitness and health journey as a 55-year-old woman.
Through frequent newsletter updates and post on Instagram, Dr. Ashton shared workouts, nutrition changes, and progress updates.
“Ajenda is my way of offering the same tools and insights that have worked for my patients, my viewers, and myself,” Ashton said on her website. “A space where expert advice, practical solutions, and community support come together to help you thrive.”
In just a few months, her beehiiv newsletter grew to over 150,000 subscribers. Open rates soared at 66%—more than three times the newsletter industry average.
Making Measurable Impact
Over 5,000 people joined Dr. Ashton’s first cohort, and the platform generated over $750,000 in total revenue within three months.
WIth beehiiv handling the technical backbone of analytics, deliverability, and subscriber management, Dr. Ashton could focus on content and community. Meanwhile, Rare Days provided the strategic,design, and software engineering support she needed to turn her ideas into a professional digital product.
In the future, Dr. Ashton has plans to expand Ajenda into a more comprehensive health and wellness platform. She also has new product lines in development.
Her journey from network television correspondent to independent creator/founder demonstrates that some of the strongest businesses start with relationships, not products, first.
Want to build your own audience-first business? Own the distribution to your subscribers by building a modern media company on beehiiv. Then, enlist Rare Days to handle design and operational support that keep you agile as a creator.
