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At age 27, with a newborn baby girl, Ashley Tyrner became a food stamp recipient. She moved to New York City in 2011 for a new beginning and worked as a business manager in the fashion industry. Three years after breaking out and making it in the Big Apple and the fashion industry, Ashley decided to venture where her heart was: helping others understand the strong connection food has on our lives. Thus, arrived the inspiration of Farmbox Direct – bringing the goodness one step closer to you.
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Hi Ashley, please tell us a little about you?
I am a mom! I am 32 years young, I enjoy Bikram Yoga, Soul Cycle, cooking with my 5 year old daughter, gardening, and am a self taught entrepreneur.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
My daughter! She is the reason I have the courage I do in my life to leap at opportunities, and she always reminds me to stop and smell the flowers in life!
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Strong, Gypsy, Courageous
What is your favorite healthy food?
Rainbow Carrots!
Tell us a little about your company “Farmbox Direct”?
Farmbox Direct is a modern twist on the Farmers Market. We deliver a CSA style produce box that you are able to customize to your door, nationwide via Fedex.
Where did you work before “Farmbox Direct”?
I was a brand manager for a fashion designer.
How did you get involved in this project?
I am the farmers daughter, so I grew up with a love of all things “Farm” I decided to step down from the fashion industry to launch this service to help make fresh food easily available to everyone.
What part of your job do you find the most challenging?
When you are an Entrepreneur and you have a successful concept, on a nationwide level: you all the sudden are thrown into a CEO position, it can be challenging to wear so many hats, and being a single mother at the same time, but I have really amazing advisors that have help mold me into the leader I am now.
What is the key for Farmbox Direct success?
Never giving up, no matter what challenges have been thrown at me.
What is the toughest decision you had to make in the last few months?
There has been a lot of them! Nothing good ever comes across my desk: If it reaches me!
What’s next for Ashley Tyner and for Farmbox Direct?
We are in our scale phase, which is a good thing. We no longer are a concept that needs proven: we are a real company now. We also have a very large partnership with a huge company in a “like” space as us, that is going to be announced very soon, which I am pretty excited about! It will give us a further all around grocery option, and that on a nationwide dominance.
Best advice you have followed?
Put things into boxes, and only pull the boxes out one by one.
What’s your favorite quote?
My own: Be kind…but firm.
Name one your strengths?
Being secure in my vision. People will try to challenge that, so long as you know your vision and believe in it, you will be just fine.
How do you spend your spare time?
I don’t have a lot of spare time currently, but I enjoy spending it with my daughter!
Do you have a role model?
Not really, I have always created my own path in life.
Any advice to women out there?
You have to really be strong to enter the startup, or even corporate world as a female, which I know sounds crazy in 2016. I do hope that one day this isn’t the case, but currently men are paid much more than men, and seem to be taken more serious when walking into a room than a female. I have literally had a male VC ask me how much money is in the business banking account because ” women are not known to be too great with money.”
What book should every entrepreneur read?
Rhinoceros Success
What is the best advice you have for your daughter?
No matter what obstacles you face, you can be and do whatever you want.
Any future plans that you wish to share with us?
We are expanding, we already ship nationwide, and we soon have a partnership coming with a very large company in a “like” space that will further create an all around grocery experience.
What do you think of Social Media?
I am very mixed on social media. I personally do not have social media, but Farmbox Direct has a Facebook. It has been interesting as a CEO to watch the growth we have had from social media, then there has been a few customers along the way that have actually threatened to use social media against us if we didn’t ship them free boxes!
Where we can follow you?
Farmbox Direct has a Facebook 🙂
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Photo Credit: Greg Rhein
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