In 2019, Jim Dolce and Ashley Tyrner met and initially discussed business over tacos. However, it took multiple meetings for their relationship to evolve into a romantic one.
Jim and Ashley lived 3,000 miles apart, making their chance meeting seem like a rare occurrence. Despite this, they had actually been frequenting the same places before officially crossing paths. They both happened to be dining at the Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan during a blackout in July 2019. Their first official meeting took place three months later in October at an event hosted by angel investors at RH New York, where they hit it off.
Ashley Tyrner is the CEO of FarmboxRx, a company dedicated to delivering produce to combat food deserts in America. She was in the process of developing the health care division of her company by forming partnerships with private insurance companies and Medicaid/Medicare programs. This mission was deeply personal to Ashley, as she had previously relied on food stamps when she first moved to New York from Arizona with her young daughter after a divorce.
Jim Dolce, on the other hand, is a philanthropist and tech entrepreneur residing in San Francisco at the time. When Jim and Ashley connected, they found common ground. Ashley even canceled a date to join Jim for tacos after their initial meeting. During dinner, she opened up to him about her health care division idea, which she had kept under wraps for fear of it being copied.
Their shared passion for making a difference in healthcare and combating food insecurity brought them closer together. This unexpected connection blossomed into a romantic relationship that neither of them saw coming from their initial business discussions over tacos.
Their story serves as a reminder that love can often be found in the most unexpected places, even in the midst of discussing business strategies and goals. Jim and Ashley’s journey from business acquaintances to romantic partners is a testament to the power of connection and shared values in building a meaningful relationship.