Inspiring. Challenging. Rewarding. That’s how Ashley Boyce describes her journey with Border Foods. After working as a professional chef and manager at McDonald’s, Ashley was looking for a change when she discovered an opportunity with Taco Bell.
What started as an Assistant General Manager (AGM) role in 2019 has grown into a leadership journey that now has Ashley serving as the General Manager (GM) of our Taco Bell in Portage, MI, and Market Training Manager (MTM) in our Michigan market.
Today, she’s focused on developing people, strengthening teams and helping promote a culture where everyone is encouraged to become the best version of themselves.
“You can always be more,” Ashley says. “Constant growth is a must,”
A Career Devoted to Developing People
Ashley’s path to leadership has been shaped by a passion for helping others grow. As a GM, one of the things she enjoys most is the opportunity to make an impact on the people around her. Whether it’s encouraging someone to pursue a bigger goal or helping a team member discover what they’re capable of, Ashley sees leadership as an opportunity to help others want more for themselves.
“I am a developer and teacher,” she says.
Ashley describes her leadership style as passionate. She brings a serious approach and high expectations to her work while appreciating the balance her team brings to the restaurant. Most importantly, she wants her team to know they can depend on her.
“They can trust me to lead them in the right direction,” she says.
[pull quote] “I have a drive to be the best I can and help others be the best they can.” – Ashley Boyce, GM/MTM
Bringing Border’s Core Values to Life
Ashley has spent the past three years building her team, and credits their support and willingness to improve as a key part of their progress. They became a training store in 2025.
“We are far from perfect, but we try our best to bring the Core Values to life each shift we run,” she says.
For Ashley, that means creating an environment where people feel included and recognized. Her involvement with our Culture Committee has given her another avenue to help strengthen our company culture.
One initiative Ashley’s particularly proud of is a recognition program designed to encourage team members to recognize one another.
For her restaurant team, recognition is part of the rhythm of each shift. It’s one more way to build people up and create an environment where team members feel valued.
I hope my team knows they can always count on me to show up for them.
– Ashley Boyce, GM/MTM
Growing Leaders Through New Opportunities
As an MTM, Ashley is now able to expand her impact beyond a single restaurant.
One of the areas she’s most passionate about is manager development. She gives managers opportunities to work in other restaurants where they can build their skills, gain new experiences and improve their abilities.
For Ashley, development is about more than preparing someone for their next position, it’s about giving people the experiences and confidence they need to lead successfully.
“I am excited to see the outcome of all the hard work,” she says.
Her commitment has already produced meaningful results. Ashley is excited to have helped develop one of her AGMs into a leader who was named AGM of the Year for the region last year!
The People Piece
After years in the restaurant industry, Ashley says one of the biggest lessons Taco Bell has taught her is what she calls the “people piece.”
Leadership requires self-reflection. To effectively lead a team, Ashley believes leaders need to understand what their people need and be willing to adjust and grow. That means constantly challenging yourself to improve.
Her advice to other leaders reflects that philosophy: stay organized, use the tools available to you and hold your team accountable. Set goals, even small ones! Focus on what you can control. And perhaps most importantly, have confidence while remembering to stay humble.
“Be better than the day before,” she says. “Hard conversations make you and others around you stronger – get used to them, quick!”
As she looks ahead, Ashley is energized about what’s possible for her team and our Michigan market. With a focus on development and a commitment to excellence, she‘s helping build the next generation of Border Foods leaders – one person, one shift and one opportunity at a time!
