text: Natasha Ashton: How to balance play and productivity in the workplace | Smart Business
  About Smart Business NetworkContact UsCareersEditorial Overview Natasha Ashton: How to balance play and productivity in the workplace
  05.01.2012 | Natasha Ashton | Philadelphia | Columns	Natasha Ashton, co-CEO, Petplan
  It's no secret it takes a lot of energy to grow explosively. And vision, planning, passion, talent and good old-fashioned elbow grease. But what is less well-known, and even less understood, is that it also takes fun. Not 5 p.m.-happy-hour fun or weekend-in-Vegas fun. The sort of fun that makes you want to get out of bed every day. The fun you have when you're doing something that matters. The fun that comes with an unexpected treat, celebrating your colleagues' successes, laughing out loud and loving what you do. At Petplan, we've been fortunate to have grown explosively, despite the challenging economy. While we know much of our success is down to what we learned at business school, our secret sauce is dedication to creating a company that, above almost everything else, balances productivity with play. Here are a few ways we try to do it.
  Natasha Ashton is the co-CEO and co-founder of Petplan pet insurance and its quarterly glossy pet health magazine, "Fetch!" — both of which are headquartered in Philadelphia. Originally from the U.K., she holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. She can be reached at press@gopetplan.com.