Mr. Ashby was born in Newark, New Jersey and raised in Atlanta Georgia. Like most Americans, he grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet. His mother worked in retail and his father was a small business owner. As he often says, it's his childhood experiences, especially witnessing his mother's hardships, that contributed to his motivation for helping others. He attended college at Georgia State University. After leaving college, Mr. Ashby decided to pursue entrepreneurship instead of entering Corporate America. He works to create opportunities for those who need them most and to inspire communities of people to work together to accomplish their biggest dreams.