For most of her life, Ashleigh was the definition of a sun-loving girl.

She always dreamed of living in Florida someday. Sunshine, palm trees, beach days, tennis, boating, and life outdoors felt like home long before she ever moved there. In high school and college, she drove a Jeep Wrangler with the top down whenever she could. She played collegiate golf, spent countless hours at the beach, on the tennis court, and by the pool, and like many people of her generation, loved having a tan.

Back then, any sunburn to kick off the summer season almost felt like a rite of passage, a sign that summer had officially begun and that a tan would soon follow. While she always remembers wearing sunscreen, looking back, she realizes maybe she wasn't nearly as diligent about sun protection as she should have been.

And as it’s so often said, hindsight is 20/20.

With all that being said, everything changed in the spring of 2023.

One afternoon after finishing a tennis match, a woman named Lucy (a complete stranger) approached Ashleigh and gently suggested she have a mole on the back of her leg examined by a dermatologist.

She made the appointment.

On May 15, 2023, Ashleigh received the phone call that forever changed her relationship with the sun.

The diagnosis was skin cancer, melanoma.

Fortunately, because Lucy had the courage to speak up and the melanoma was caught early, Ashleigh's prognosis was excellent. One simple act of kindness from a stranger changed the course of her life forever, inspiring a deep appreciation for early detection, prevention, and the power of looking out for one another.

That experience ultimately became the catalyst for building a company dedicated to making sun protection something people genuinely want to wear - proving that protecting your skin should never require sacrificing your personal style.

Ashleigh has always believed that when someone with more knowledge offers advice, you listen. After being diagnosed with skin cancer, that's exactly what she did.

Her dermatologist advised her to limit being out of the sun during peak UV hours (10 a.m.–4 p.m.) and wear protective clothing whenever she was outdoors. As she began searching for UPF apparel, she quickly discovered a frustrating gap in the market. Most options were functional, but not fashionable. They felt overly athletic, overly technical, or designed with practicality as the priority rather than modern style. She struggled to find pieces that felt current, elevated, and versatile enough to wear from the tennis court to the beach, on vacation, or in everyday life.

It soon became clear that she wasn't alone. Millions of people - from skin cancer survivors and parents to golfers (or golfers themselves), tennis players, travelers, and beach lovers - want better ways to protect their skin without sacrificing their personal style.

That realization led her to create Shady Behavior.

Torres' mission is to redefine sun-safe living by creating elevated lifestyle brands that make UV protection effortless, stylish, and desirable. The company exists because one stranger cared enough to speak up. Today, Ashleigh's hope is that Shady Business inspires millions to protect the skin they'll have for the rest of their lives - without sacrificing the life they love.