LMU Alum Combines Law and Business to Form a Delicious Start-Up
Loyola Marymount’s College of Business Administration has launched numerous successful careers, many of which have been achieved along a winding path. LMU alum Ashley King (JD/MBA ’11) is one such example.
King’s most recent venture is the launch of an app called Toast, which will allow users to share reviews during their dining experiences. However, she has moved through numerous jobs, industries and experiences to get to this startup. She told the story behind her journey in a recent interview.
“My original plan was to just attend Loyola Law School and [to] become a practicing attorney in a major law firm,” King says. “But after completing a legal internship, I decided that the business and entrepreneurial aspects of the professional world were the things that really excited me…The MBA program at LMU turned out to be an amazing addition.”
King served as an intern at fashion company Ed Hardy during the summer of 2005, where she went on to receive an offer for a full-time job as a marketing and public relations manager. At the time, she was enrolled in Arizona State University’s undergraduate program. She was pressed to make a life-changing decision when offered the position at Ed Hardy.
King accepted the challenge and moved to Los Angeles. She enrolled in USC’s Marshall School of Business, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After graduating, she pursued her career in the field of product development with positions at The Honest Company and ShoeDazzle.com
Speaking of her latest project Toast, King notes, “I had served in marketing, legal, HR, product development and business development roles in my four previous companies and felt confident that I could straddle all of these roles again for my own start-up. The timing was perfect.”
About the Author
Maggie Boccella
Maggie Boccella, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, is a freelance writer, artist and photographer. She has consulted on various film and multimedia projects, and she also serves as a juror for the city's annual LGBTQIA Film Festival.
