Black Business Spotlight: Lynnmonade Founder Ashley Bolden Turned a Child’s Question into a Wellness Movement
By Jasmine McBride | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder
It started with a simple question from a child: Mom, how can I make some money?
Ashley Bolden gave her son a choice, mow lawns or sell lemonade. He chose lemonade. What followed was a journey that would transform a backyard hustle into Lynnmonade, a beverage brand rooted in holistic wellness, mental health and the kind of quiet determination that defines Black entrepreneurship in the Twin Cities.
Bolden has called Minnesota home for 21 years. In the spring of 2020, just as the world was shutting down, she began selling lemonade with her son. When COVID hit and her son stepped back, Bolden kept going. She started thinking differently about what she was making and why.
“There has to be a more-healthy option,” she recalled thinking. That instinct led her to expand the menu beyond lemonade, incorporating herbal teas and fresh juices designed to detox and refresh the body. “A lot of our illnesses come from what we consume,” she said. “These teas and fresh juices can help the body be at its best performance.”
But Lynnmonade was never just about the drink.
Every Lynnmonade product carries an affirmation, a mantra or a reflection question, intentional prompts designed to pull people out of the autopilot of daily life and into something more intentional. Questions like “If you knew you would succeed, what would you attempt to do?” or prompts like “I am capable of…” are printed alongside the beverages, turning every sip into a moment of pause.
“I really wanted to create something where people can have a chance to unplug from the day-to-day and actually think about what they are trying to strive for in life,” Bolden said.
The mission is personal. As someone who has navigated her own mental health struggles, Bolden said she has seen firsthand what happens when people are invited to slow down and reflect.
“I see a spark in people’s eyes when you take them out of that mode of what they got to do next,” she said. “Positive things happen. Mindset is everything.”
Building the business has not been without its challenges. Without early mentorship or guidance, Bolden described the process of formalizing Lynnmonade as “touch and go,” working through administrative missteps and learning as she went. She credits the West Broadway Coalition with helping her find her footing.
After meeting coalition representative Donna Sanders at a community event, Bolden was invited to the office, where she met staff members Colleen Klungseth and Kristel Porter. They listened to her pitch, offered feedback and connected her with resources that matched where she was in her business journey. The coalition has since helped her review grant applications and linked her to people who could support her growth, and also awarded Bolden as 2026 New Business of the Year.
“I think it would have been a lot easier if I would have had that support from the beginning,” she said. “Connecting me with people who can help me at the stage that I am at has been really beneficial.”
Today, Lynnmonade operates primarily through catering, with individual tea boxes also available. Bolden has shown up at community events including Open Streets, building her brand one conversation and one cup at a time. Her ambitions for the future are clear: she wants to take Lynnmonade on the road, bring greater awareness to non-alcoholic beverages in corporate and business settings, and eventually land on store shelves.
And her son? After watching his mother build something real, he’s ready to come back.
“He wants to be involved now,” Bolden said with a laugh. “After witnessing the proof, he’s like, ‘Well, how can I help?’”
For orders and more information, visit lynnmonade.com or follow the brand on social media at @lynnmonadejuice on all platforms. Pop-up events are in the works for summer 2026, check the page for updates.
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.
