Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Hassard.
Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Ashley Hassard, co-founder of Drawbox, a full-service event design and fabrication agency.
My path into this work has always been rooted in storytelling and experience. I’ve spent my career at the intersection of experiential marketing, education, entertainment, and digital lifestyle, so connecting brands with people in meaningful, memorable ways has always felt instinctive to me. Long before Drawbox officially existed, I was already thinking about how spaces make people feel, how moments can spark wonder, and how good design can turn an idea into something tangible and emotional.
Drawbox came to life alongside my partner, Mike, when we realized that together our skills, values, and work ethic could offer something genuinely different. While things moved quickly in the early days, the business itself was really the culmination of more than a decade of experience, relationships, and trust built across the industry. We didn’t just want to make things look good – we wanted to create experiences that stood for something, that invited people in, and that felt as thoughtful behind the scenes as they did out in the world.
Today, while our home base is Toronto, our work travels far beyond it. We regularly design and fabricate assets that are shipped and installed across Canada and the United States, supporting activations, pop-ups, trade shows, and large-scale brand moments in multiple markets. At the same time, our family has deep ties to Princeton, New Jersey, and we spend as much time there as we can. Being able to gather, celebrate locally, and create while surrounded by family in Princeton has become a really grounding counterbalance to the fast pace of production life – and it’s shaped how we think about community, intention, and togetherness in our work.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Drawbox launched quickly and gained traction fast, which on the surface looked like “overnight success,” but behind the scenes it was the result of years of experience, relationships, and a lot of late nights. One of the earliest challenges was simply keeping pace – building structure, systems, and a team while projects were already coming in the door. We had to learn, in real time, how to scale without sacrificing quality, integrity, or the hands-on relationships that mattered most to us.
Like many experiential businesses, our biggest test came in 2020. Our entire model was built around live events, physical spaces, and in-person gatherings – and almost overnight, that world disappeared. There was a moment where the phones stopped ringing and we genuinely didn’t know what would come next. We had to decide whether to retreat or reinvent. We chose to say yes to unfamiliar challenges, push ourselves into new types of builds, and trust that our skill set could stretch further than we had imagined. That period was uncomfortable, exhausting, and incredibly formative.
There have also been quieter, ongoing struggles – navigating a male-dominated fabrication industry as a female founder, pacing ourselves to avoid burnout, and learning how to grow a business while still protecting our family life. Balancing production schedules with parenthood, travel between Toronto and Princeton, and the emotional weight of leadership has required constant recalibration.
That said, every challenge has shaped who we are today. The setbacks forced us to become more adaptable, more intentional, and more confident in our instincts. It hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been honest – and I think that’s what’s allowed Drawbox not just to survive, but to grow with purpose.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Drawbox, we build experiences people can truly step into – the kind that make you pause for a second, smile, and feel something. We’re a full-service design and fabrication studio working across experiential marketing, pop-ups, trade shows, retail, and large-scale brand moments. From the very first spark of an idea to the final install, everything happens in-house. Strategy, design, renders, engineering, welding, carpentry, graphics, logistics, event management – all of it. There’s something really special about being able to imagine something and then physically bring it to life.
We’re known for taking big ideas – sometimes playful, sometimes ambitious, sometimes a little bit wild – and finding a way to make them real. I often joke that we’re the Willy Wonkas of the marketing world, but at the heart of it, we’re builders who care deeply about how things feel. Over the years, that approach has led us to create everything from parade floats and pop-ups to trade show environments, film premieres, and immersive brand experiences.
What I’m most proud of isn’t just the work itself, but how we show up while doing it. We’re incredibly hands-on and deeply collaborative, and our clients work directly with the people designing and building their projects. That creates trust, openness, and a level of care that you can feel in the final result. When you’re personally invested in what you’re making, it shows.
What truly sets Drawbox apart is that we understand both sides of the process – the dreaming and the doing. Because we fabricate what we design, we’re grounded in the realities of materials, timelines, and budgets, but we don’t see those things as limitations. We see them as part of the creative puzzle, and that’s often where the most beautiful solutions come from.
On a personal level, I’m incredibly proud of the culture we’re building. Fabrication can be a tough, male-dominated space, and from day one it’s been important to me that we create something more inclusive, supportive, and human. We’re intentional about who we work with, who we lift up, and how we lead. The work matters deeply, but the people always come first.
At the end of the day, we just love working with great people doing great things. Big builds or small moments, bold ideas or quiet ones – our goal is always the same: to create something meaningful, thoughtful, and a little bit magical.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about Princeton is how deeply it feels like home to us. So much of our family is there, and we return multiple times a year to gather, celebrate, experience life together, and honestly just get grounded again. There’s something about being in Princeton that instantly slows me down in the best way and reconnects me to my roots.
I also love the feeling of community. Princeton has this really special way of bringing together great minds and great hearts, and you can feel that everywhere – in the cafés, on the sidewalks, at local events. There’s a warmth and thoughtfulness to the place that feels rare. And on a much lighter note, I have yet to find a spicy chai latte anywhere that tops the ones in Princeton – I’m still searching, but nothing has come close.
What I like least is probably how hard it can be to leave once we’re there. When life gets busy and we’re pulled back into the pace of work and travel, saying goodbye always feels a little heavier than expected. That said, it’s also what makes returning so special. Princeton has a way of reminding you what matters, and I’m always grateful for the chance to come back, reset, and reconnect.
Pricing:
- Because everything we do is custom made, all pricing is custom quoted 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drawbox.ca
- Instagram: @DrawboxDesign & @TheHassard (for me personally)
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.hassard
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-j-hassard/
