“Curiosity. Variety. Drive.” That’s how iSchool alumna Ashley Rutstein describes her journey as the founder of Stuff About Advertising, a creative platform and media brand focused on analyzing real-world campaigns, offering practical career advice and demystifying the advertising industry.
What started as a fun TikTok project during quarantine in 2020 quickly took off. By sharing her knowledge, Rutstein built a large community and turned a simple social media account into a real business.
“I’ve been a full-time content creator and educator for almost a year now,” Rutstein said. “Today, I speak to more than 220,000 followers across platforms and have a growing education side of the business with a course, workshops, and speaking.”
Rutstein’s work has also earned recognition from Adweek, a leading publication in the advertising industry. She was named to the Adweek Creative 100, an honor that she said felt especially meaningful after beginning her career at smaller agencies.
“Getting my work featured there for the first time was exhilarating,” Rutstein said. “So, when they included me in the Creative 100, it felt like confirmation that I was heading in the right direction and made me want to keep building.”
Despite her success, building an online presence has not always been easy. Rutstein said putting herself out there on the internet and dealing with negative comments has been one of her biggest challenges. However, she continues to focus on the people who value her work and the opportunities that come from sharing her ideas.
Associate Dean, Ebe Randeree, remembers Rutstein’s early work at FSU. “She was very creative and talented; she was instrumental in leading a team of students as CCI marketed the ICT major at FSU when it was launched. Ashley has always been a strong support of students and has made time since her graduation to work with students.”
Rutstein earned her bachelor’s degree in Information, Communication, and Technology from Florida State University in 2012 and her master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication in 2014.
Her career has taken several different turns, from chemistry to social media, analytics, copywriting, and creative direction. Each experience helped shape her approach to advertising and the educational content she creates today.
Through Stuff About Advertising, Rutstein helps aspiring advertisers understand why creative ideas work and how to develop their own skills. She has expanded the platform beyond social media, offering courses, workshops, and speaking opportunities.
As an alumna, Rutstein shares advice for students planning to follow similar paths in social media, advertising, and content creation.
“Share your ideas openly,” said Rutstein. “Agencies and brand leaders are scrolling, and what they want is someone with ideas and the gumption to do something with them.”
