Ashley Brown grew up in the hum of a busy dining room. Her father, a self-made entrepreneur who opened Texas T-Bone Steakhouse more than 30 years ago, introduced her early to the rhythms of restaurant life.
“I grew up in my father’s restaurants, starting as a host and working my way up to server,” she said. “I learned the importance of hard work, consistency, and treating people well—values that stuck with me.”
That foundation shaped her entrepreneurial spirit from a young age.
“As a child, I was always creating small businesses,” Brown recalled. “Everything from lemonade stands and lawn care to teaching dance and trampoline classes, even reselling designer handbags.”
But her path wasn’t linear. A competitive dancer, she ventured to New York City to pursue Broadway. At eighteen years old, she started a nonprofit called Dance For Change, which provided affordable dance classes while raising awareness and funds for global causes such as Charity Water. Her passion for dance then took her to Australia, where she originally planned to study for one year but stayed for ten.
“During that time, I taught and choreographed around the world, led a dance studio that grew from 42 to 500 students, met my husband, and earned my bachelor’s degree in business, receiving the Academic Award of Excellence,” she said.
Then, in 2021, a health condition forced her to step away from dance.
“I couldn’t be active physically,” she said, “but I wanted to stay mentally strong, and I knew it was the right time to pursue my dream of earning an MBA.”
She returned to Colorado Springs and enrolled at UCCS, graduating in 2024. Her sister is also a Mountain Lion alumni.
During her final year, Ashley and her husband, Trystan, took over ownership of Texas T-Bone Steakhouse and Famous Dave’s BBQ, continuing her father’s legacy while bringing fresh leadership to the business.
“Since taking over the Colorado Springs location, we’ve focused on guest experience, refreshing the space, establishing clear procedures, and creating a strong long-term vision,” she said. “These changes have brought consistency and renewed momentum, and we’re excited about the continued growth ahead.”
Ashley also had to overcome personal doubts when it came to furthering her education.
“Accounting had always seemed intimidating to me,” she admitted. “But professor Steve Green made it approachable, and my MBA gave me the confidence to manage complex aspects of the business.”
Ashely said she applied her coursework directly to her new role.
“My entrepreneurial elective helped me take an idea from concept to business plan,” she explained. “And my capstone project used my own restaurant as the business case—we were solving real problems in real time.”
Within a year of Ashley and her husband taking charge, the restaurant’s performance has seen great growth.
“We’ve seen the restaurant become a local community hub and achieve twenty to twenty-five percent year-over-year growth each month in dine-in sales,” she said.
But most important to Ashley is building a culture of care—for both her team and her guests.
“Great food is important, but for us, hospitality is everything,” she said. “We want every guest to feel cared for when they walk through our doors.”
Looking ahead, she hopes to expand across Colorado while continuing to give back to the community. Mondays are Public Service Appreciation Days, where first responders, military members, and teachers receive twenty percent off. She also partners with schools and organizations by hosting fundraising nights, donating twenty percent of sales back to their groups.
Through the end of 2025, a fifteen percent discount is also available at Texas T-Bone Steakhouse and Famous Dave’s BBQ for UCCS community members with a valid university ID card.