Dr. Ashley Blackington, Founder of Dovetail, shares how her 15+ years as an occupational therapist—and one unforgettable hospital moment—shaped her mission to build better infrastructure for caregivers. After watching families navigate medical crises alone and overwhelmed, Ashley set out to create tools that reduce friction, increase clarity, and keep caregivers from falling through the cracks.
What began as a hand-drawn paper planner during the early days of the pandemic evolved into a digital platform designed to help families coordinate care, communicate clearly, and stay organized during some of the most stressful seasons of life.
We explore:
✅ The hospital experience that cemented her focus on caregivers—not just patients
✅ Why she chose to build outside traditional healthcare and insurance systems
✅ How a COVID-era paper planner became the foundation for a tech startup
✅ The decision to go direct-to-consumer before pursuing larger B2B channels
✅ Lessons learned building a tech company without a tech background
Ashley’s journey is a reminder that caregiving spans every stage of life—and that the best FamTech solutions are built from lived experience, empathy, and a deep understanding of the people they serve.
👉 Learn more about Dovetail: https://dovetaildesigns.co
👉 Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/
Connect with me (Dan Ritzke):
I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results.
👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/
👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/
Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder:
👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/
Connect with me (Dan Ritzke):
I’m a Fractional CMO who helps FamTech companies position their brand, sharpen their messaging, create marketing strategies that drive growth, and oversee execution to make sure those plans turn into results.
👉 Visit my website: https://danritzke.com/
👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ritzke/
Apply to be on the podcast or nominate a founder:
👉 Founders in Full: https://danritzke.com/podcast/
