In honor of International Women's Day, we're spotlighting Ashley Blihovde, VP of Finance and Controller at MassPay. Ashley's story is one of sharp instincts, intentional growth, and a genuine love for the work - and the people - that make fintech move.

Charting Her Own Path

Ashley's career began with a passion for understanding the inner workings of business. "I chose accounting as my major in college because my dad was an entrepreneur, and I always wanted to own my own business," she shares. Drawn to the reliability and breadth of accounting, Ashley quickly discovered that the field offered a unique vantage point: "You're in all the department's business. You have to understand every aspect of why decisions are made to do your job appropriately."

Her early years were spent at a small, fast-paced business running amusement parks, where she rapidly advanced to a management role by age 24. The hands-on environment allowed her to learn every aspect of the business, from cash control at bustling festivals to collaborating with teams across the park. "I really enjoyed smaller businesses because you have more opportunity to try different things and do more. I do well with fast pace and being able to see the larger picture."

Her time at large corporations like UPS and Mercedes-Benz was a deliberate and formative chapter. She immersed herself in how large-scale operations are built, how processes scale, and what financial discipline looks like at the enterprise level. That foundation proved invaluable when she brought those lessons back into the startup world - arriving with the kind of operational clarity that fast-moving companies rarely have and desperately need. "Corporate environments build you in ways you don't fully appreciate until later," she reflects. "But for me, the startup world is where I come alive. The pace is faster, decisions matter right away, and you can see the direct results of your work. That energy is what drives me."

Lessons in Leadership and the Power of Mentorship

A defining moment in Ashley's career came through a mentor, Lori Brown, a seasoned controller who saw something in Ashley early and didn't stay quiet about it. "She looked at me and said, 'You have what it takes. I want to see you at the table where decisions get made - and I'm going to help you get there.'" The impact was immediate and lasting. "Sometimes all it takes is one person who sees you clearly and says it out loud. It changes how you see yourself."

Ashley carries that forward deliberately. At MassPay, she creates space for her team to take ownership, find their voice, and grow into roles bigger than the ones they walked in with. The goal isn't just to get the work done - it's to make sure the people around her are better for having done it together.

"Our team is a mix of highly talented people - different personalities, different backgrounds, different areas of expertise - and that's exactly what makes it work," Ashley says. She's clear-eyed about what that means in practice: in fintech, the financial foundation of a business has to be airtight. There's no margin for error at the layer she operates in, and she knows that the kind of precision and trust that requires doesn't come from an org chart - it comes from the right people, communicating well, and genuinely invested in a shared outcome. "The team we've built - I wouldn't trade it. That caliber of people, that dynamic - it doesn't just happen. You build it intentionally, and then you protect it."

Navigating Opportunities in Fintech

Ashley's perspective on the industry is grounded and earned. "Accounting tends to attract a lot of strong women - even in businesses that are otherwise more male-dominated." She's watched the broader fintech landscape evolve, and what gives her the most confidence is a shift in how the best leaders think. "The companies I respect most are focused on one thing: who's delivering value. That's the right lens - and it's becoming the norm."

Advice for the Next Generation

Ashley's advice is direct and hard-won: "Believe that you can do it. Even if you haven't proved it yet - if you know you have the skills, trust that. And advocate for yourself, because no one will do it better than you." She encourages anyone starting out to go after opportunities even when they don't check every box, and to speak up in the room - not someday, but now. Confidence, she'll tell you, is a practice.

Reflecting on her own path, she's clear about what she'd tell her younger self: "Don't be afraid to say the thing. I was incredibly shy starting out, and I spent too long waiting until I was sure. You learn more from saying it than from holding back."

Finding Joy in the Work

When asked what keeps her going, Ashley doesn't miss a beat: "I love being in the middle of things, seeing the bigger picture, and helping the business move forward. The variety, the pace, the opportunity to actually make a difference - that's what gets me up in the morning." At MassPay, she's found something rarer than a good job title - the chance to build something meaningful, alongside people who bring their best to every moment. "Everyone here is genuinely impactful. There's a standard we hold ourselves to - you rise to the occasion, you give it everything, and you do it together. It's the kind of thing you spend your whole career looking for. I found it here."

Ashley Blihovde is someone who makes the people and companies around her better. Sharp, grounded, and genuinely invested in the work - MassPay is lucky to have her, and the industry is better for having people like her in it.

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