SHIFT Magazine Issue No. 1

M A G A Z I N E FALL 2022

ISSUE No.1

SHIFT MAGAZINE CLASS OF ‘22

Meet the students and faculty behind the first issue of Shift Magazine.

15 students from different majors, ranging from nursing to political science, showed up with a goal to create the first-ever Shift Retail Lab Magazine.

Our

semester

was

strenuous,

complex,

and

rewarding. The process began with brainstorming ideas of what this magazine would be, what it would highlight, and who our audience would be. After deciding who would fit best in their respective roles, whether that be as content creators, designers, or project managers, we visited the library archives and the ICA to get some guidance on how to get our many ideas onto paper.

The content team interviewed over a dozen shelfies and local creatives, deliberated on numerous content pieces, and met multiple experts in class over the semester. The project management team kept us on track in an efficient and timely manner to ensure our design team could bring the team’s vision to life.

Thus, SHIFT Magazine was born.

Share your feedback on our magazine!

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SHIFT MAGAZINE CLASS OF ‘22

UnConventional Sanaa Banks Nursing BS School of Nursing Content Team

UnCommon Marie Kamara Political Science Humanities & Sciences Content Team

UnCanny Brandon McCleskey Political Science Humanities & Sciences Content Team

UnLimited Kellie Bolden Theatre VCUarts Design Team

UnCompromising Zachera Kernizan Master of Product Innovation da Vinci Center Project Management Team

UnDeniable Leah Milligan Sociology Interdisciplinary Studies Design Team

UnStoppable Hailey Fitzgerald Strategic Advertising Robertson School Content Team

Undergraduate Bella Lubinskas Strategic Advertising Robertson School Content Team

UnAffected Hadia Moosvi Broadcast Journalism Robertson School Content Team

UnBeknownst Brandon Ranly Interdisciplinary Studies Content Team

UnWavering Tony Ward Strategic Advertising Robertson School Content Team

UnConditional Jessica Collins Advertising Professor Robertson School Faculty

UnEmployed Julien Reininger Master of Product Innovation da Vinci Center Project Management Team

UnTouchable Warren Wheat Strategic Advertising Robertson School Design Team

UnEquivocal Lloyd Young Director of Innovation & Design da Vinci Center Faculty

UnExpected Cheryl Slokker Staff VCU School of Business Project Management Team

UnNatural Kii Williams Biology Humanities & Sciences Content Team

Table of Contents 01 - 10 : Shift Retail Lab The Story of Shift Shift Branding

11 - 48 : Meet the Shelfies Briana Williams | LipLoveLine Mason Miles | Dress for Yourself Zachera Kernizan | ti Boulé Malique Middleton | Gewd Botanicals Peyton Spangler | Noodlers Julien Reininger | Jacked! Jackfruit Jerky Meet the Shifters (Staff at Shift)

49 - 58 : Lessons from the Shelfies Where to Find Inspiration Fail Fast, Fail Frequently, and Fail Forward The Forgotton Factor The Future

59 - 66 : Shift you Mindset Class Playlist Connect the Dots Mona Lisa Shift into the Stars Entrepreneurial Horoscopes Quiz: What’s Your Entrepreneurial Achilles’ Heel?

Wellness Tips & Tricks

67 - 78 : Community Statement Modelz SMYTH on The City Calling Artists!

79 - 84 : About Shift & VCU da Vinci Center About Shift Retail Lab About VCU da Vinci Center Thanks to our Board!

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The Story of Shift

A Conversation with the Founders By, Bella Lubinskas

We shared the vision of wanting to bring an on-

brand. We worked with Brandcenter students

campus physical space for student founders

to create the Shift Retail Lab brand and we also

to sell their work. Not only did we want to help

worked with some undergraduate classes to

promote their work, but we also wanted to create

gain insight into the future of retail. Through this

an environment in which they could freely learn

collaboration, we learned that the biggest need

with the support of the da Vinci Center’s team.

on campus was a place to conduct testing and research as opposed to promoting and selling a

Entrepreneurial involvement in schools usually

developed idea.

involves shared intellectual property rights and other proprietary matters. Our vision was to

We had our ribbon cutting in November 2021, but

create something that was more open, available

we didn’t start filling our shelves with Shelfies

and adaptable.

until the spring. And in just that small amount of time, we’ve learned so much. So the same way

Our first step was to build the space, however, there

that students use Shift to gain feedback, we use

was an overall halt on projects due to COVID-19.

it to gain feedback from the community, students

Luckily, our team saw this as an opportunity to

and other partners.

conduct more research and establish a strong

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Shift encourages people to take risks and to play.

Shift is a testing ground and a support system for student founders.

Garret Westlake Executive Director Like a true service leader, Garret adapts his idea of innovation from a student:

“Creativity is thinking about new ideas, innovation is implementing new ideas and entrepreneurship is sustaining new ideas.”

Lloyd Young Director of Innovation and Design

“Some of the most imperative parts of being an entrepreneur are believing in yourself, putting an idea out there, being able to receive feedback and adjusting and adapting accordingly.”

Shift has become a tactical manifestation of the ability to ask “what’s in your head?” rather than “what do you have?”

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Why Shift?

How VCU Brandcenter Brought Shift to Life By, Bella Lubinskas When the da Vinci Center started working on a concept for a new student storefront, they enlisted the help of VCU’s Brandcenter, a graduate school for branding and advertising, to create the branding of Shift that we all know and love. KT Schaeffer, Creative Director and Professor at the Brandcenter was more than delighted to take on this task given her personal experience with experiential advertising for retail. With this enthusiasm, she enlisted a cross-disciplinary team of 15 advertising students that were eager to give a name that would bring this space to life.

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What were your initial thoughts of this project?

When Lloyd, from the da Vinci Center, told us about this idea, I thought it was brilliant and I wanted to get involved. I wanted to help in any possible way because I thought- and still think it’s so smart. I wish it had been something that I had been able to have access to as a student or alum because I love the idea of small business, it’s something I’ve always been passionate about! I’ve always had little small businesses of my own here and there. So the idea of having a free place to set up shop and in practice is brilliant. And I loved the idea of it being ever-expanding!

How do you define Shift?

Shift is a place where VCU students can showcase, sell, gain recognition and inform the public about their venture, regardless of the phase it’s in. Shift is a physical representation of going beyond the mission to introduce the diverse talent within the VCU community. When we had to think about what Shift was at its core, we found ourselves obsessing over innovation. This wasn’t just a place to think or create, and it isn’t a place that is just for the people studying a particular discipline, this is a place for everybody who has an idea.

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What was the reasoning behind the name Shift?

One of the things that we wanted to make sure to touch on was that this place isn’t your typical brick-and-mortar. And we wanted something that had legs, not only from just an understanding of where it could go but how it could be used. We wanted a word that people could use in describing or ​​ referencing the space and the people. We recognized that this is a place that will constantly be evolving no matter who’s in it.

During our creative process, we created a Venn diagram of innovation and impact and found the storefront fit perfectly in between. Innovation is nothing unless it’s shared and can create change or create an impact, and we wanted to represent this storefront in a way that merged both of these concepts. During our brainstorming period, we kept circling concepts for names like possibilities, progress,

movement,

flexibility,

change,

and

energy. But we found that the term ‘Shift’ embodied all of these things and thus, the name was born.

This of course led to our manifesto: For innovators, for everyone. Our infinite ideas have the potential to be limitless. Every day we try something new.

The shift is curious, adventurous, and dynamic.

Shift is committed to change, but not above moving on. Shift is about moving forward. We want more, not more of the same. More ideas, more creators, more perspectives, and more opportunities to showcase them. Shift is here to push the potential, not to limit it, to open doors and break down walls, to embrace innovators and dreamers, and to shift towards a brighter future.

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What was the research

working on, get people that have different

process like?

perspectives and different points of view. The

We looked at all kinds of different retail spaces

more you are collaborating with different points

and small businesses, and we dug into the

of view and different people from different

history of those spaces. We also went down

backgrounds and disciplines, the better the result

a whole rabbit hole about the history of

will be. I think me pulling in this hodgepodge

Richmond and what other schools have done.

team from all different backgrounds, all different

We did this because it’s important to know

parts of the world, and allowing each one of

what’s been done before us and what’s going

them to hone in on their own skill sets to bring

on right now, so we didn’t go down the same

to the table will always stick with me. I will also

path. Instead, we wanted to ask ourselves how

always appreciate that all of us listened to each

might we go down a second path? It wasn’t

other. I think that’s what made us better, because

until we started diving into looking at the

when we were at our stopping point, we were

potential competition that we realized Shift

able to step back and say, Hold on, we’re going

was standalone within its field. This made our

down the wrong way! Our whole team had these

thinking a bit murky since we didn’t know how

great checks and balances with each other that

they truly wanted to define themselves. So,

allowed for an incredible work dynamic. I would

we all decided to define it as a retail lab, not a

say without a doubt, the more you are getting to

storefront.

involve yourself in that type of collaboration, the better you will be growing as a creative problem

What was the most impactful part of this

solver.

project for you and your team?

I think the most impactful part was what we

What kind of future do you

created. We sealed a strong visual foundation

see for Shift?

and brand voice for what ideation looks for. We

I think Shift has the potential to be even bigger!

created a foundation that stands for what this

Like, it just started figuring itself out and still has

space truly is, what it believes in, and what’s

that element of newness to it. I don’t think there’s

next. That foundation was laid in such a way

an opportunity for them to fail unless of course

that Shift can continue to build, grow, and

we physically can’t get the doors open.

shift its focus while still being rooted in the same mission and vision. This allows anybody

Did your team experience any setbacks during

else coming to layer into this amazing vision

this process?

and mission that no one could question. Shift

For the first couple of rounds of ideation, we felt

is rooted in all the right things, and we’re all

like we were getting stuck so much on what we

impacted by that.

felt was expected from Garret, Lloyd, and VCU as a whole. We had to step back and ask, “What are

What’s your key takeaway from Shift?

we talking about here?”

Collaboration is key. No matter what you’re

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eo

a

h Vi d c t

We also ran into the problem of not wanting to

What makes a project like Shift successful?

be stereotypical Richmond. We were constantly

Like I say to all my students, all amazing things

asking ourselves, How do we break free of the

have to just be this aha moment. The more you

expectations of retail, small business, or Richmond

are practicing that skill set of convergent and

alone? We were constantly wondering how we

divergent thinking, the more you’ll be able to

could break out of the norm of what’s already

start building up these things. However, if you are

been done or what the city may expect.

not doing the research and the work behind all those other steps, then you won’t get those aha

We realized we weren’t talking about anything

moments. When you do the work and you have

typical, to begin with, we were talking about the

a great strategy, you have a foundation that can’t

crossover of innovation and implementation.

be lost. The best strategies are like a good diving board. Does a good board allow the creative or the

So stepping back and taking off the mental

diver to jump off that into this amazing pool of

handcuffs that we were putting on ourselves

opportunities with a good bounce? Your strategy

allowed us to get out of our brains and go crazy.

or diving board should spark ideas. However,

From that, we were able to get it down to about

those tingly feelings sometimes don’t happen.

four or five ideas that we were feeling right. We

It doesn’t mean that the work isn’t good or that

would take a five-minute break and then come

your diving board is horrible, but it does bring up

back in and instantly grab like the first one that

the question of if your research and insights are

grabbed their mind. Like we always say, go for

rooted in the right things. But the more that you

what gives you goosebumps! Go for what makes

practice the more of those tingles that make up a

you feel something!

good diving board show up.

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Meet the Shelf ies Our Shelfies have about a month to showcase and test their ideas. They could be working on a product or service that is already developed or starting at the beginning, with just an idea. During their month at Shift they will receive a stipend and programming, including a bootcamp, Feedback Friday, and group pop-up market. Our content team got a chance to sit down with a few of the current and past Shelfies from Shift and you can browse our conversations in this section.

Each semester there are multiple opportunities for current VCU students, alumni, and community founders to test their

be a S o t

he

lfie!

Apply

products, services, and ideas on the shelf at Shift.

Shelf·ie noun A person who tests their ideas on the shelves at Shift Retail Lab

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Project Name LipLoveLine

LipLoveLine

Self-Expression and Makeup Minimalism

Product Type Physical Product, Beauty

By, Hadia Moosvi & Tony Ward

Development Stage On the Market

to promote confidence and inclusivity through beauty. Her

Community Founder, Jackson Ward Collective Member

Briana Williams is a VCU graduate alumna whose mission is brand, LipLoveLine, includes lip care products to empower self-expression in the best and cleanest way possible: through the lips. No full face makeup is necessary. Check out this interview with Briana and learn more about her journey that brought her ideas to life.

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Did you go to VCU? I did. I went to Virginia State University for my undergrad and then VCU for my graduate degree.

What did you study?

Marketing, public relations, and mainly overall mass communications, but that was kind of my discipline.

At what point did you start to take an entrepreneur role?

I’ve always had that kind of spirit. Besides being in school or working at a job, I’ve always liked to create things. I had a podcast before. I’ve started many different things and worked for a lot of different organizations, whether it was nonprofit or for-profit, where I had to be really creative and create events and manage lots of different new projects that were kind of new to organizations, mainly because social media, too, was new. It’s the thing now. The younger generation gets it.

But, when I was coming out of school, those were the first courses that people were really taking - about social media. A lot of the organizations that I worked for were still very hesitant to enter that space. I had to be very creative and innovative in a lot of different ways. My family, too, is very entrepreneurial. A lot of people have their own businesses, and companies and work for themselves and have since I was young, so it wasn’t really a thing for me to be like, ‘Okay, I want to follow a dream and create something.’

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Have you always had a passion for helping people?

I would say whatever business I would create would always have a mission or a vision that gives back to the community in some way. The dream or the purpose behind LipLoveLine - I like to do things that I’m passionate about and I have a personal connection. I’ve always loved lip products ever since I was a young girl because I

cleaning beauty, makeup minimalism, skincare

dealt with a lot of different health issues. One of

first kind of situation. So, it just happened to work

the few things that made me feel beautiful when

well for me when I started the business too. But

I was young was my lip gloss. I wasn’t wearing a

it was really about my love for the products and

ton I was 13 years old and my mom bought me my

how they became a reliable way for me to feel

first lip gloss set it gave me so much personality

beautiful and put together without having to go

and confidence. As I got older, I used lip products

on YouTube and figure out how to put eyeliner on.

only because I was familiar with them. I have

And two - just connecting with young girls and

really sensitive skin so finding makeup was not

women who feel the same way as me, uplifting

the thing for me even to this day. I’ll go and get

them, and celebrating beauty and all its forms.

my makeup done professionally if I’m going to

We cater to both makeup minimalists like me,

do something that needs me to wear makeup. I

but then also to women who love makeup as an

consider myself a makeup minimalist. So it’s kind

art. Makeup is an art… there’s a skill to actually

of funny when I tell that story and everybody’s like,

applying it and making it come to life. So, we

‘But you created a beauty brand.’ But honestly,

celebrate any and all versions and every moment,

in the industry now that’s kind of the thing -

but recognize that it looks different for everyone.

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How did you find out about Shift?

I’ve been a part of the VCU community since I was

enough people to get a good amount of credible

in grad school, but I first heard about Shift through

feedback about your product and then be able

the Jackson Ward Collective. They partnered with

to have the room to change it or better it for the

the da Vinci Center in the beginning. So, I filled

future. So, you’re not five years down the line and

out an application for Shift and was selected! I

find out people don’t like this about your product.

was actually the first one chosen, but I had neat

And you’re like, ‘Well, why didn’t anybody say that

connections to VCU already. I was a VCU alum

in the first place? And why didn’t you try to change

and at the time, I was a VCU employee. Before I

it?’ So Shift really enabled me to kind of get in

started and launched the business, I participated

front of folks to try the product, get feedback on

in VCU Ventures. It was called The Next Big Idea

what they thought about the product, that I had

competition. It’s a whole other VCU program

products they wanted to see in the future that

that supports staff and faculty in bringing to life

came from the line, even brand feedback… just

a business. That’s how I kind of had a lot of new

a lot of feedback on many different areas of the

connections to VCU, and I think that helped me

business.

to be chosen or be a good candidate for that How do you like to relax?

position.

I’m going to a yoga meditation class tonight. My When you became a Shelfie and you had a finished

sister is a yoga therapist here in Richmond, and

product, was your company already printed and

she has a studio downtown, so they’re having

pretty much rolling at that point?

their First Friday event. I definitely try to find

We had just launched our products a couple

my time it’s stressful having a company and a

of months before, but yeah, in essence, we did

business and it’s exciting at the same time. I was

compared to the others, which was cool, because

just telling someone the other day, it’s a whole

we could get a little bit more feedback for the

bunch of buckets of emotions when one second

actual product versus the prototype. Technically

in the day, you can be super happy and excited

it was still our prototype, and it still is to this

the next you could be anxious, the next… I just

day because I only just hit a year into having a

need silence. So, I definitely try to find time for

product on the market in August. But in the

myself to not focus on the business - so do my

beauty industry, that can either be very slow-

regular self-care things, whether it’s going for a

paced or very fast-paced. I haven’t put out any

walk or watching my favorite TV show,,, but I think

new actual product. We have some products in

it’s different for everyone. I recently went on a

development. But for me, I was taking the time

trip that got postponed after a while, and I like to

to get that feedback because, again, it’s a smaller

travel to just find time to do the things that make

business - getting it into the right hands or to

me happy outside of the company.

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How would you describe the values of your brand?

for me - it’s still up in the air, to be honest. It’s

We definitely have values. We say that ‘less is more.’

not because I don’t have a vision. But, I feel like

We recognize, again, celebrating the beauty of

there’s so much room for us to grow in different

everyone and all of its forms, but kind of honoring

ways. I don’t want to box us in these early stages,

and celebrating you as you are. So whatever that

and just feel like this is the only thing we’re going

means to you. As I said, you could be a makeup

to do. So, I’m more open to partnerships and

minimalist, or you could be someone who loves

collaborations, and opportunities in that way.

makeup. But, we also honor celebrating moments

But overall, I would love to be maybe acquired

in life. We recognize that people may feel like

by a larger beauty brand’s sector, like L’Oreal, or

they want to look this way one day and feel like

something, which a lot of people don’t realize in

they want to look this way the next day. So, I think

the industry is that all these brands that you see

that’s a big basis of it - that overarching thing of

are owned by L’Oreal, or Shiseido, or something.

uplifting girls and women in general across the

They all are under the same umbrella, but we

board of health and wellness. So that’s kind of our

just see the brand. It’s not necessarily for the big

mission.

bucks, because yes, getting acquired comes with a lot of money. So it’s exciting, but at the same

Where do you see your company being in the next

time, it’s more so the ease of it. They already have

five years?

their things in place to be successful as a beauty

That has changed so many times even. I’ve

brand, and it’s built-in and so starting your own

only been on the market for one year… but it’s

brand, as an entrepreneur, as a one-woman band,

changed so much. I definitely still want to be a

getting yourself in an opportunity like that is a

major contender in the industry. How that looks

successful way to win in the industry.

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Project Name Dress for Yourself

Dress for Yourself Fashion for Self-Esteem

Product Type Apparel

By, Hadia Moosvi & Kii Williams

Development Stage In the Market

Mason Miles is an undergraduate student at VCU working to build

VCU School of Business: Marketing

For Yourself, inspires people to overcome their insecurities and

confidence through the art of fashion and style. His brand, Dress express themselves with unique apparel. The mission is simple: Dress authentically.

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How would you describe your product?

I have an apparel brand called Dress for Yourself.

Our mission is to help people find their confidence and overcome their insecurities and be authentic through their passion. We have letterman jackets that are getting in the process of being ready to be sold. Then, we have hoodies as of the moment right now. Right now, everything else on the site is print on demand. So we have t-shirts, long sleeves, and crew necks.

How did you come up with the idea?

So in high school starting, I think junior year, I started to get into fashion. I didn’t really find my footing yet, so I’d just wear whatever, like colorful shirts, and I got clowned a lot for it. Then, that kind of led me to dress more conservative... But over the Pandemic, I really started self-evaluating.

I said, ‘Why did I conform to what other people thought fashion was? And why didn’t I just wear what I wanted to wear?’ So I said, ‘You know what, let’s make a brand that teaches people to not be scared, to be yourself.’

Have you experienced any failure building this brand?

Oh yeah, a lot of failure... When I first started off, it was print on demand, and I like drawing, so I’d just draw a design and put it on a shirt. I didn’t get the response I wanted. People were like, ‘Oh, this is wack, this is corny.’ That really drove me to really work on my craft and create something that I could be proud of even more, and I really wanted to prove those other people wrong.

Where is your product now? Are we selling it?

Are we still getting it together?

Right now it’s able to be sold pre-order wise, but we’re still getting the product for this new drop, so waiting for inventory to come in. And then I found a manufacturer to screen print, so after I get the product, I’m going to give it to them and they’re going to put the design on the shirt.

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How did you find out about Shift?

Would you say Shift’s not just for

Actually, I found out through the School of

people in business?

Business mentor program. One of my mentors,

It’s open to everyone. I think that for sure.

she talked about the da Vinci Center and how

The Shift team should work into really getting

great it was. So I was like, ‘Let me go check this

more art kids involved. I think that’d be a

out.’ I went to an open house event to start

great place for them to showcase their art

talking to people and then I learned about

or even do something like a product shoot

Shift through Mary Chris Escobar. She started

where they’ll have one day where they have

talking about Shift and I was like, ‘Man, maybe

photographers from the photography major

I should get into this...’

have an opportunity to work on their portfolio by taking stock images of people’s products for

Then, I applied to be a Shelfie and it’s been

their corporate portfolio.

history ever since.

How would you describe Shift in three words?

Does being a Shelfie have any perks?

Entrepreneurship. Experiment. Experience.

I will say the things I’ve learned from people like Tyrone and everybody who’s in the lab, they gave me a lot of great feedback. I really applied that to what I’m doing with my business. They gave me kind of a plan and structure, and I’ve

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been following that. Plus you get a stipend!

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Project Name ti Boulé

ti Boulé

A Hot Sauce Inspired by Haiti

Product Type Food

By, Bella Lubinskas & Brandon McCleskey

Development Stage Small Batch

Zachera Kernizan is pursuing a master’s in Product Innovation

VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation, Master of Production Innovation

to develop her Haitian-inspired hot sauce, ti Boulé. ti Boulé is

from the VCU da Vinci Center. Where she has worked this year a combination of scotch bonnet and habanero peppers with the freshest herbs to provide a burst of flavor that mellows into a slow-burning heat.

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Why hot sauce?

Have you experienced any defining failures

This idea was born out of being a part of the da

throughout your venture process?

Vinci program. I was looking for something that

I failed in a lot of ways, I would say. I feel like all

spoke to who I was but also lent well to creativity.

of my failures, though, have been failing forward

I love food, so I just started playing around in

because each time I’m learning new things. The

the kitchen and trying to see what connected to

idea for this hot sauce was created in December

my Haitian roots but also just tasted really good.

of 2021, so I’ve gotten a lot of traction in less than

During my 8 years in Richmond, there were times

a year. I was featured at Demo Day and got an

of being homesick. That’s when I realized there

honorable mention, which was very encouraging,

is no Haitian food in Richmond. So I thought this

even though we did not place. We are currently

could be a fun way to introduce a touch of home

working through iterations of the logo and have

to Richmond.

failed a lot during this process. I would say one of the hardest critiques I received was someone

What is the flavor profile of your product?

told me the sauce was so personable, and when I

I would say it’s very flavor-forward, and then the

talk about it, they felt like they know me. But then

heat comes in on the back end. It is like a tasty

when they looked at the logo, it looked generic

slow burn you can’t resist. I would say it falls

and basic. That truly hurt my feelings, but it also

somewhere between 100,000 - 350,000 Scoville

pushed me forward to keep iterating, searching

units. So like a 7-8 out of 10.

for what resonates with my sauce and who I am as a person, rather than just presenting what I am

What inspires you?

projecting or expecting from others.

It’s going to sound corny, but Love. Food is how my family specifically my mom, shows affection.

How did you find Shift? And what impact has it had?

When I come home or have not been there in a

I found Shift through the da Vinci Center. I am

while, my mom’s immediate reaction is “Have you

currently an MPI student and during undergrad

eaten?” “What do you want to eat?” “What can I

I received the Product Innovation Certificate. The

make you?”. So food is the currency of love in my

skills were always kinda brewing and stewing in

family. So yes, I will stand beside it and say Love

the background just waiting. Then the timing of

inspires me.

everything aligned perfectly. I would say Shift gave me the confidence to pursue a business. If

How did you find or create this recipe?

you would have asked this time last year, none

The recipe is built on a recipe of a sauce my family

of this would have been on my radar. Now I feel

makes that has roots in Haitian folklore. So I took

like it could be a potential career path. It provided

one of our traditional meat sauces, but instead

a shift to what I thought was possible. I feel like

of using it for a meat product, I used that same

being a shelfie represents untouched potential. As

process with the peppers and the spices. It’s

I look at the range of where all the other shelfies

made with about eight main ingredients, creating

are in their process, some of them are at the very

the perfect vegan hot sauce! The process is very

beginning, some of them have sponsorships, and

similar to the process that thousands of Haitians

are out there with a real business, they’re just

use daily when cooking major proteins.

doing it!

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Gewd Botanicals Project Name Gewd Botanicals Product Type Skincare Product Development Stage Ready for Market VCU School of Medicine

A Pre-Med Student’s Skincare Line By, Bella Lubinskas & Hadia Moosvi Malique Middleton is a pre-med student at VCU that wants to innovate in skincare. As a graduate student, he is working on Gewd Botanicals, an all natural skin care line that is Gewd for the Earth, you, and everyone in between. Check out this interview with Malique and learn how one student is combining innovation and skincare while studying pre-med.

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M A G A Z I N E

What inspired Gewd Botanicals?

Actually, it started off with my mom. She started a salt scrub business, and in high school I had really bad acne. I started using this product called Clearasil, and it was giving me really bad chemical burns. She was like, ‘Why don’t you just try making some products yourself?’ So I ended up sitting on Google – I think this is my freshman or sophomore year – and I literally just went down this rabbit hole learning about essential oils and all these natural remedies for skincare and stuff. Then, I ended up starting to make my own product. I started off with the scrub. Next thing you know, I found out about oil-based face washes and then found out about shea butter-based moisturizers and stuff, and I just started building the brand from there. Then I ended up going to JMU. I started making products there in my freshman year in my dorm, and then one of my friends came up to me, and she was like, ‘You need to turn this into a business.’ So I started doing it from there.

How did you find out about Shift?

One of my friends, Jack. I think he’s currently in the master’s program – Jack Oppenheim.

He told me about Shift Retail and to apply to it, because he was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, you’d be perfect for this.’ And then I also follow you guys on Instagram. So I saw a couple of things about that.

Did you get to interact with the Instagram a lot?

I did not that much. I’m trying to mitigate my social media right now because I’m in the premedicine graduate program over in the School of Medicine. So, social media has been a little bit of my downfall with procrastination, but I keep up with what you guys are doing which is really cool.

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What’s it like combining that pre-med track with

some products in the basement, and when people

innovation and entrepreneurship?

would stop by, they were like, ‘Hey, can I get some

It’s definitely a juggling act which is really fun. It’s

of these products?’ So I’d just give it to them for

really cool, though, because it integrates all of my

free, as long as they gave me feedback on how

hobbies with my career plan. I’m doing the pre-

they worked and this and that. Once I picked up

medicine graduate program in order to become

on the fact that there was actually a market for

a Ph. D-M.D student which is the long term

people who are interested in natural products

goal. I want to do dermatology as my specialty,

and everything like that, I started working with

so I can go back and say that the skincare line

various works across JMU to do little workshops

is dermatologist recommended. In undergrad, I

and stuff where I could get live feedback; so

did my degree in biology, entrepreneurship, and

people actually doing scrubs and stuff with me

pre-medicine, and my concentration was plant

and learning about skincare and so forth. Once I

biology. I got to investigate phytochemicals and

got that all fine tuned and everything, I actually

how those interact with the microbiome of the

got accepted into JMU’s entrepreneurship minor. I

face and stuff and just sort of tethered those

think I was either the first or the second cohort. So

together. It’s a little bit more hard this semester

we got to learn about some of the fundamentals

because I’m taking Biochemistry, Physiology and

about running a business, LLCs, how to write

Anatomy at the same time. So what I’m doing

business models or link canvas models and stuff

is this fall allowing Shift to sort of take up over

like that. I’m a biologist by trade, not so much of

more of the retail front, and then I’m just going to

a business person. But, I got to learn a little bit of

focus more so on the studies. Next spring, which

those attributes so that was really cool. Learning

is when I start doing all of my community garden

about the fundamentals of the business was the

activism stuff and everything like that, I’ll be able

big thing and then also testing the waters to find

to do farmers markets and a whole bunch of other

out if it was feasible.

things where I can actually dedicate more time to How do you maintain more of a work-life balance?

that.

I call it a juggling act. Sometimes I do drop the ball What were the first steps for you taking this idea,

on one thing, but as long as you pick that other

your major, to something tangible?

thing back up, and throw it back up in the air, and

So, the very first step was trial and error, I would

it’s back way higher than the other things, it kind

say. It started off with me making the products

of works out. But I like to do this little to-do list on

in my freshman year dorm. My friend encouraged

my phone or on my little handy dandy notebook

me to start turning it into a business, but I was like,

that keeps track of what I want to get done, check

‘Okay, if I’m going to do that, I need to find out if

those off. Then also balancing school is every day,

it’s even going to be feasible.’ So I started making

and especially with the way that they

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ba ck!

Share

ur feed yo

program set up, I literally have biochemistry and physiology every single day, anatomy on Monday

so forth. The long term goal is to definitely keep

and Wednesday. It’s kind of like, okay, there’s no

up the good work and all attributes - good for the

way not to drop the ball on those. So, I go to class

skin, good for the people, and good for the earth

and then I find whatever time I can throughout

itself.

the day because this is my hobby, to do something related to Gewd Botanicals. It’s fall right now,

Do you have a main inspiration for this?

which is a little sad, but summertime is our big

Definitely my mom… She starts an idea, and then

campaign for Gewd Botanicals because we’re

when she gets tired of that and it makes her

involved in lots of green spaces across Richmond,

enough money, she moves off to another one. She

and I get to do a lot of gardening and stuff. This

ended up shifting out of the skincare space, and

summer is going to be really cool because we’re

I was like, ‘I actually like this, and I can see this

going to be using some of those green spaces to

going somewhere.’ So I just started making my

produce some of the botanicals and stuff that we

own stuff and took off from there.

use in the skincare line too.

Do you have any mental health things that you Where do you see yourself long term with this?

do?

I want to be way bigger than Lush. I love all natural

Gardening. Scientifically, we did a bunch of studies

skincare. One thing that I also really like about

at JMU. One of my professors encouraged us to

this potential is we have the opportunity to do

look at a bunch of scientific literature about the

good stuff with the community, good stuff with

effects of forest bathing, and just spending time

people, and then also the jars, all the essential oils

gardening and stuff like that with me. I’m a very

and stuff like that - those are all natural. The jars

high paced person. My heart beats really quickly

are called post-consumer plastic. So they buy up

sometimes, and I’m just running in my head. The

all the plastics from across the globe, melt them

one time that I’m very slow is when it comes to

down and then turn them into these jars. So,

gardening. It gives me a chance to breathe and to

we’re actually not adding any plastic waste and

only focus on whatever I’m doing in the present.

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M A G A Z I N E

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NOODLERS Project Name Noodlers Product Type Physical Product Development Stage Minimum Viable Product Graduate Student VCU Brandcenter: Experience Design

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A Sustainable and Fun Kid’s Toy By, Bella Lubinskas & Hadia Moosvi Peyton Spangler is a current graduate student at the VCU Brandcenter and is currently creating prototypes of a sustainable and creative kid’s toy. Her product, called ‘Noodlers,’ is a pool noodle connector which allows kids to creatively build structures.

M A G A Z I N E

Could you do a quick description of what Noodlers is?

Noodlers is - in short - they’re pool noodle connectors. But in length, it’s a kind of build your own fort toy. The product connects pool noodles in different ways and kids can create creations in and out of the water. They’re flexible and are also made out of rubber, so they’re more sustainable than toys made out of plastic.

What was your inspiration for making Noodlers?

For my architectural thesis I decided to design a toy. I just started thinking of different things that I’d want to see. I knew I wanted Lego type connectors, something that enabled kids to creatively make something for themselves.

But, as I started to come up with things, everything was already invented. I also decided kind of early on that I wanted it to be life sized.

As I started to prototype, I created variations of connectors like a stick with two balls on the end that connected in different ways. But I soon learned these products already existed… I was talking to a professor and she said, ‘What about pool noodles?’ I thought, ‘Oh, that feels like a good idea.’

So, I decided to go with pool noodles. It seemed like a really good solution because with wooden sticks, there was a potential for injury, whereas with soft, flexible pool noodles, the injury threshold is lower. So I ran with it.

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What else did the process entail for you?

The project continued where I had kind of basic forms in mind… and then I scaled up and I started to kind of refine the look of them. The ones I initially created were really chunky, and I was also doing this all in 3D printers. With that process, I was also able to discover a new filament that one of my professors told me about called NinjaFlex filament. It was rubbery as opposed to the traditional plastic PLA. So I started to refine it, and then I actually tested it with some kids.

Another professor had kids, and I invited them to test it out, which was funny because they didn’t really enjoy it that much… But I did realize they needed some different type so I continued refining the shape and printed out a ton of them and presented it in my final and received a lot of great feedback. On a subsequent beach trip, I showed the product to some kids and they loved it.

I ended up donating them to the Children’s Hospital at UVA because another mentor for the project suggested they would be of good use there. Then, the project was on hold for a bit and then fast forward two years, I ended up with the Brandcenter. We had to do a side hustle project for a Creative Thinking class and felt it was a good time to resurrect Noodlers. I rethought the branding and started to think: ‘How can I actually turn this from an idea to a viable product?’ After learning about the Shift Retail Lab and demo day, I just kind of progressed to that point of gathering mentors and gathering feedback opportunities.

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M A G A Z I N E

What was your initial reaction of what Shift was?

I initially thought that Shift is for someone who has a product that’s ready for market. At the time, I had three prototypes ready and wasn’t ready to sell them. But then I talked to them and they were like, ‘No – any stage of the idea process, go ahead.’ So, I applied, and it seemed like a great opportunity for a testing ground of market viability. I loved the process and received great feedback.

What was the most impactful feedback you received at Shift?

I think there’s something different about hearing it from people who don’t have as much stake in the project. My mom had told me it was great, and I was like, ‘Yeah, your mom will tell you anything you do is great.’ Then also professors had told me it was good. But I was like, ‘I don’t know… they’re very theoretical and very big picture, big sky thinkers.’ So hearing from people who are a little more down to earth, have been in the entrepreneurial space, being like, ‘This is a good idea’ - I think that was really encouraging…

I heard from another Shelfie that this would be a really great toy for kids with autism, which I hadn’t even thought about. While fun has a lot of value, it was also nice to think of the product as being helpful.

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What did it mean for you to be a Shelfie?

What was it like balancing school, life, and

I think that was a really cool thing to actually

Shift? What did you have to do to keep that

start to visualize what it could look like in stores

balance there?

and not just as an idea and more as an actual

Definitely busy, for sure. I think that’s also kind

product.

of why the product is a little solid right now.

One of my professors gave me great advice.

What was the biggest benefit of being a

He said, ‘Don’t rush the process, and if it

Shelfie?

ever becomes burdensome, pause. You don’t

I think more feedback, more connection and a

need to let it be stressful. Let it be fun.’ I also

little bit of a kick in the butt to actually make

appreciated that Shift was in charge of getting

things happen!

people to come and make events happen, as opposed to me setting up a booth and all of that. It definitely was a great opportunity to

words?

have somebody do a little bit of the work for

Innovation breeding ground.

you and while encouraging your idea.

ur feed o y

that you do to take care of your mental health at all?

When I was living in DC, I got into biking. It’s

ck!

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Do you have any self care routines or rituals

ba

Share

Could you describe Shift Retail Lab in three

great exercise, and a good decompresser. Also, my faith is important to me so I read the Bible and pray daily.

M A G A Z I N E

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Jacked! Jackf ruit Jerky Project Name Jacked! Jack fruit Jerky Product Type Food Development Stage Ready for Market VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation, Master of Production Innovation Design

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A Sustainable, Flavorful Vegan Jerky By, Hadia Moosvi & Brandon Ranly

Julien Reininger is a master’s student at the VCU da Vinci Center. His brand, Jacked! Jack fruit Jerky, combines his passion for sustainable food with his love of snacks by creating plantbased jerky made from jack fruit. Check out this interview with Malique and learn how one student is combining innovation and skincare while studying pre-med.

M A G A Z I N E

What is your product?

Alongside your Dad, who else inspired you to

It’s a jerky, and it’s made from jack fruit. If you’re

create your business?

not familiar with jack fruit, it’s basically this

My mom and my sister for sure. They were there

giant fruit. They grow on trees, anywhere. They

for all the taste tests, and they offered some

originated in India, but they grow throughout

critical feedback. I think everyone in my family

tropical Asia. They’re found in the Caribbean,

has just always pushed me and they’ve been

South America, any tropical region with a

super inviting when it comes to me wanting to

suitable climate. It’s the world’s largest fruit,

try something new. Other than that, my friends

and they’re very good for the environment. They

have been super supportive and the DaVinci

don’t require irrigation, pesticides, or herbicides.

center. They’ve allowed me to showcase it here,

They’re full of fiber. I buy them from a company

and they’ve introduced a lot of people that

who basically cuts them and processes the

helped along the way.

inside. I get the inside, and then we have a process where we grind it, we shape it, coat it, and dehydrate it into a very meaty jerky-like texture. We have three flavors so far.

How did you first come across the jack fruit?

I’ve been vegan for four years now. At the time, it was being used as a big pulled pork sandwich.

It’s starting to get more and more popular. I was studying business at the time, and I really got into entrepreneurship. My father is a chef, so I’ve always been really interested in the culinary world but didn’t want to be a chef. I thought there could be a way to combine the two. That’s when I started exploring different products, like plant based products in the market. I saw that the vegan jerky market was exploding at mushroom jerky and soy based jerky. I thought maybe I could create something jack fruit since it’s super meaty and it checks off the sustainability aspect, and it’s full of nutrients. So, I got some and I just started experimenting.

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Can you tell me about your creation process?

My first attempt was a veggie burger. That’s when I first joined the da Vinci Center’s pre accelerated program. I came in with that idea, but I continued to try to develop the product. I had no idea what I was doing. But, I basically just made iteration after iteration and tried to use fresh, natural ingredients with Mediterranean flavors. It was just at a point where I couldn’t get it to bind super well. I gave up on that in the fall when I realized it might have been a bigger challenge than I thought. I was also kind of pivoting to try something with jerky. I was experimenting, but it just never panned out, in short.

Over time,

I’ve been more accepting of trying new things.

At the beginning, I was stubborn, and if I did an experimentation, I was sticking with that

open mindedness. I’ve also implemented a lot

and making tiny changes. But, sometimes you

of design thinking principles that I learned at

have to try radical things to see if it works. I’ve

the da Vinci Center, like customer discovery,

been more open minded. My work ethic has also

using prototyping methods, and coming up

gotten better, because it can take a lot of failing

with a minimum viable product to test before

to have one small success. So - consistency and

committing to a bunch of resources.

How long have you been a Shelfie?

I can backtrack a little bit because I started working at Shift last September as I joined the MPI program through the Da Vinci Center.

Since I was working there, I was always kind of allowed to be a Shelfie. Typically, people get one round as a Shelfie, a four week period, and I kind of just stayed for both semesters since I worked there.

Did you expect your brand to be at the place it is now?

I had no idea how long it would take to get started. I was making the product at my parents house, which is in Springfield, Virginia.

Throughout the entire last year, I would bring samples down for big events. I was looking for a kitchen space down here to keep working on the product and be able to have it on hand regularly, and I didn’t have a lot of success with finding local kitchen spaces that would let me

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use their space. I spent the majority of the year

What stores are you looking into?

We’d love to start out in Stella’s Grocery, Ellwood Thompson’s, and a lot of local organic stores.

If we see success there, we can approach local Whole Foods. They are very friendly to local Richmond businesses, and sell online and show up to markets as well. doing customer discovery, getting feedback,

Would you say you’ve involved your personality

getting the business registered as an LLC,

or a part of yourself in your creation?

and trademarking the name. I started playing

My values have changed throughout the years.

around with packaging ideas. I tried designing

Adopting a vegan lifestyle came with me

them myself. I’m horrible at it, and I ended up

wanting to live more sustainably and live without

going with someone through Fiverr to design

any animal products. I think the product speaks

them. She helped me through every step of

to that. The flavors also resonate with that.

the process, and it was super cool getting to

They’re fun. They are bold, unique flavors that

create your own tagline. I got to come up with

you don’t find in other products. The branding

the nutrition panel, which was something that

resonates with me and customers who might

was new to me. This past summer, I launched

not necessarily be vegan, but they are trying

a Kickstarter campaign to actually fund my

to advocate for something in life, and they’re

first packaging order. We had a successful

adventurous. The product is fun and unique in

campaign and the packaging actually came in.

that way where it’s authentic. I hope our story

So, we’re showing up to markets, we’re setting

and the branding around it inspires people to try

our website up, and we can approach some

new things and new challenges. Don’t be afraid

stores since it’s not just literal labels and paper bags.

to advocate for something you believe in.

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Have you experienced any failures?

to add a subscription model where it’s a free

Definitely. Those small past projects I’ve talked

subscription, but it offers some articles, maybe

about, but also I’d say the biggest failure for

some cooking videos, and brings people into

me growing up was that I was a bad student. I

our brand aside from just buying the product.

hadn’t put the biggest effort into school until

We’d like to come out with new flavors, but

coming to college and really finding something

then also move into different categories. We’re

that I’m passionate about. There’s a stigma in

seeing a lot of meat alternatives enter the

high school and under that if you have good

market right now. It’s an exciting time to come

grades, you’re going somewhere, and if you

up with cool stuff and launch new products

don’t, you might not be. I think that was always

with jack fruit that foster bold flavors but also

hard for me to accept – that my grades weren’t

have sustainability at the forefront.

the best. I would say those were failures, just kind of accepting that maybe I learned in a

Any long-term goals for the brand?

different way, and I really like doing hands

I’d love for us to be like a nationally recognized

on prototyping and learning as I do, and not

brand. Another long term goal of mine would

necessarily sitting there memorizing stuff.

be to get to the point where we can give back to the community. Since our brand is really

What are the next steps for your brand?

focused on the ‘Animal Planet’ side of things,

We have to fulfill the Kickstarter rewards and

I’d love to be involved with sanctuaries, animal

orders. We are launching our website soon

welfare efforts, and environmental efforts.

so people can visit our website. We’re hoping

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M A G A Z I N E

Meet the Shifters

The Pilots of Shift Retail Lab By, Tony Ward

Shif·ter noun A person who works for Shift Retail Lab

Marieasha “Mee Mee” Little Pre-Med undergrad and Shifter at Shift Retail Lab.

“Focus on your center. Find something or someone that inspires you daily that brings positivity to your life.”

Julien Reininger Founder of Jacked! Julien is both a Shifter and a Shelfie with vegan jack fruit jerky.

“Don’t be afraid to advocate for something you believe in.”

Siera Fountain Communications art major, President of the American Marketing Association and Shifter at Shift Retail Lab.

“Being able to collaborate with people who have a different background and skill set than me has been my favorite experience from working at Shift” M A G A Z I N E

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Where To Find Inspiration By, Tony Ward Being an entrepreneur is demanding. There are the daily struggles of life and adding, launching, and maintaining a business to the equation can seem like a lot. One thing that is essential for success is staying motivated and inspired. The most important thing is to find what inspires you.

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Family One of the most popular when it comes to inspiration has to be family. Julien Reininger, founder of “Jacked!” says that seeing his father who was a chef was one of his biggest inspirations and he knew that he wanted to be involved in food innovation.

Bri Williams, Founder of LoveLipLine says that she comes from a family of entrepreneurs and business owners. Having people around you that love you and push you to act on your ideas can be one of your greatest assets to ensure our designers could bring the team’s vision to life.

Helping Others Helping others is another fuel source for your entrepreneurial spirit. Zaza Willis is the owner of 3000REALM, a brand that represents marginalized genders, sexualities, and races. The goal was for the consumers to have a brand that helps give their identity a voice and expression.

Mason Miles is an upcoming clothing designer that has started his brand “Dress for Yourself.”

Mason describes the brand as clothing that gives people the confidence to wear what they like.

Curiosity Curiosity is one thing all entrepreneurs have in common. That energy to find an answer pushes them to execute the ideas they have. All innovation starts from an idea and curiosity continuously pushes those ideas to become something great.

Past Shelfie, David Casey, had a curiosity for innovation and joined Shift to test his ideas and inventions.

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Fail Fast, Fail Frequently, and Fail Forward By, Bella Lubinskas Failure is something that Shift seeks to celebrate.

Failure is a way of showing that you’re brave enough to try and creative enough to continue attempting. It took two years for Thomas Edison to invent the light bulb. During this time, he made around 1000 prototypes in an attempt to make a perfect light bulb. However, When a reporter asked about his 1000 failures, he replied “I didn’t fail 1,000 times, the light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

We asked our Shelfies what failures they have experienced, and what they learned from them!

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Have you experienced failure?

Yosef (Shelfie): Well, yes, a lot. I did in the

Malique (Shelfie): So right now it’s more so like

packaging mostly. I had done all year’s worth

the initial start-up cost was a little bit more than

of research before I started the LLC officially of

what I thought it was. So labels trying out different

finding the right compostable packaging. And I

packaging techniques and stuff like that. So right

ordered a bunch of materials and they just filled

now it’s the balancing act of actually trying to

in terms of the size, the performance, and all of

keep revenue and stuff up to counterbalance

that. So a lot of money went away, but I learned a

some of those expenses that we had during the

lot from that overall time spent on it.

summer. But my time has been sort of like the biggest factor in limitations this semester.

Raechel (Shifter): Working super hard at my business and kind of having that as like, any type of income for the summer. And that just didn’t happen. And I wasn’t necessarily disappointed because I knew that if I applied myself, it could have been much better. So I wouldn’t see it as a failure, but more so just like a learning curve.

Mason (Shelfie): When I first started, it was printon-demand, and I like drawing, so I just draw a design and put it on a shirt. And I did not the response I wanted. People were like, oh, this is corny. And then that drove me to work on my craft and create something that I could be proud of even more. And I wanted to prove those other people wrong. So it’s been a motivation for me to keep going and fail frequently.

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M A G A Z I N E

If there was one thing you could tell yourself when you f irst had this idea, what would you tell yourself now?

Zachera (Shelfie): I would tell myself, keep going.

Fail faster. Fail forward. I don’t know what I’m doing, I’m figuring it out. And because I’m figuring it out, I’m going to fail, I’m going to make mistakes.

But if you try to circumvent that or avoid making mistakes, then you won’t go anywhere. You won’t make any traction. So my biggest advice to myself last year, six months ago, and even last month,

How did you overcome your failures?

fail faster. Just keep going. Fail faster, fail forward, Hope (Shelfie): I got a lot of feedback from my

and fail frequently.

friends and family and then I would just try to Daisana (Shelfie):

make the next thing better and make sure all

Treat everything, any hard obstacle, like a speed

those mistakes that I had made were not present

bump and give yourself grace.

in my new product.

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Artwork by Daniel Thompson (VCU Advertising Student)

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The Forgotten Factor: How to balance finances in your future business By, Tony Ward

What does it take to start a business?

Finance is a big part of starting your entrepreneurial journey no matter the field. It takes money to make money.

This is where the business side of creativity shines.

Everyone has a unique experience when it comes to startups but, in most cases, there can be some overlap.

Two Shelfies from Shift Retail Lab decided to develop their own product, which can be the more inexpensive route. This method requires a lot of research and time because you have to know every part of how your product is made.

Another Shelfie took an alternative route and launched a Kickstarter. This was extremely useful because the funds could be used to mass purchase packaging, materials and rent a kitchen. The biggest necessity of finances in a startup is first knowing your ideal budget.

This number will constantly evolve but having an idea of what you need to operate is essential in success. Not only will this benefit you in scaling but you will also have a specific number if a potential investor inquires.

Also, you have to be open to trying new options and alternatives. Another Shelfie started with a made-toorder clothing company. He said the feedback from potential customers wasn’t well received so he’s in the process of restructuring his strategy by ordering readymade products. This is a common occurrence with start-ups. One Shelfie first started out doing screen print t-shirts. Cost and sizing factors led them into creating jewelry, making it a more accessible alternative to clothing while keeping the same brand message.

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The Future A look ahead with some Shelf ies By, Brandon Ranly

Where do you see your business in f ive years?

Bri Williams I definitely still want to be a major contender in the industry. How that looks for me, you know, it’s still up in the air to be honest. And it’s not because I don’t know, I don’t have a vision. But I feel like there’s so much room for us to grow in different ways. And I don’t want to box us in these early stages, and just feel like, we’ve okay, this is the only one thing we’re going to do. And so I’m being more open to partnerships and collaborations and opportunities in that way.

Hannah Jackson After grad school, she wants to dedicate a lot of her time to her product I would love to be legitimately selling and other local businesses, no matter what state after I graduated, I’m not sure where I’ll be living, if I’ll still be in Richmond, or maybe New York, hopefully. But I would love to get it out there into like local businesses, as well as selling more products.

Yosef Mirakov Cohen In five years, Cest La Vie will be in like, nationwide grocery stores.

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Shift Your Mindset

Time to relax, kick back, and listen to our class playlist and connect the dots...

Check out the playlist by students * includes explicit content

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Connect the Dots

Follow the increasing numbers to reveal one of da Vinci’s famous artworks.

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48 47

46

54 55 4544 20 309 360 359

310

311 315 312 314 316 313

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65

50 64

51 63 61 52 62 53 57 56

19 2143 18 22

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69 87 88 157

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284 294 121 91 156 158 78 120 94 17 285 42 122 125 126 305 96 95 317 100 92 23 291 101 102 293 318 124 93 127 97 358 155 292 103 322 77 123 128 119 16 24 98 106 346 286 159 323 71 41 131 344 319 99 304 357 105 104 349 347 345 25 132130 129 154 303 320 321 15 348 118 107 283 355 354 353 343 76 288 287 26 350 342 324 281 356 160 282 270 108 109 133 280 362 363 273 351 117 72 278 277 352 279 40 14 27 341 274 153 361 272 271 114 113 110 275 161 75 424 116 112 111 152 276 338 28 73 340 115 325 13 364 39 263 262 260 337 339 261 134 151 162 185 29 74 365 336 259 264 326 12 135 265 328 258 184 186 327 335 267 266 150 329 163 366 30 38 139 143 257 269 334 136 330 11 268 331 256 138 31 367 137 255 171 254 332 233 232 141 147 140 333 183 144 149 170 142 253 368 231 32 37 164 452 146 187 252 250 251 145 369 172 10 249 182 169 148 229 372 371 235 451 248 405 370 411 33 403 165 181 408 373 234 230 228 404 247 246 245 36 450 453 173 407 409410 188 423 244 406 236 192 242 34 243 374 376 377 402 226 227 239 237 35 449 454 241 174 168 412 9 422 240 238 166 471 375 378 225 223 189 4 224 210 213 21 217218 221 175 191 379 401 400 209 21 2 448 2 219 380 399 1 12 215 16 220 222 413 8 176 193 190 208 206 204 202 7 455 464 194 207 167 180 463 398 205 203 201 414 381 199 200 382 384 179 462 415 447 456 478 383 177 195 397 198 386 477 387 385 6 484 197 396 388 421 465 535 536 178 479 457 395 5 420 485 389 394 196 446 512 461 476 416 534 458 393 483 511 459 460 425 419 537 392 390 513 480 435 418 4 445 391 519 482 426 481 417 466 470 434 514 533 540 538 486 526 518 539 427 469 3 444 525 541 467 468 548 433 428 520 549 487 475 474 515 570 527 489 517 431 432 547 2 472 473 488 430 429 524 682 521 542 552 510 569 550 551 532 571 1 509 528 443 490 546 442 516 572 568 491 553 531 505 545 441 529 504 508 506 543 522 604 603 492 503 573 602 507 523 530 601 554 599 440 493 600 605 574 598 614 618 565 607 502 439 564 597 613 617 609 566 575 555 562 606 596 611 544 563 494 608 567 615 438 595 594 612 616 610 576 578 501 577 592 593 619 561 495 620 579 589 632 556 437 500 634 633 436 496 560 638 580 586 621 642 591 497 499 590 557 645 625 637 643 635 641 559 588 558 639 647 498 622 627 587 624 581 631 630 623 663 636 640 582 626 585 584 629 646 583 628 652 644 648 651 681 653 667 670 669 668 649 650 654 655 659 676 658 675 660 672 671 662 656 666 674 673 657 661 664

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Copyright © Dutch Renaissance Press LLC

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Shift into the Stars What the Zodiac Tells Us About Shift Retail Lab By, Bella Lubinskas

What are the big three of your natal chart?

A Big 3 is an astrological shorthand of your personality. Knowing the big three of your zodiac chart allows for a more detailed insight into your psyche than the typical weekly horoscope about your Sun sign. Your Sun sign is your typical ‘zodiac sign’ that you are probably most familiar with. Many websites can calculate your chart, but you need your exact time and location of birth.

It’s worth taking the extra steps, trust me!

And in case you are wondering, it is not witchcraft, it’s just a complex way of relating patterns found within the universe to emotions and traits.

Additionally, a big three is not meant to def ine you, but rather describe you and highlight skill sets within numerous areas of life.

The big three signs are comprised of a sun sign, a moon sign, and a rising sign. The sun sign highlights your core personality. A Moon sign is how you see yourself. Lastly, the Rising sign is the sign you come off as to people. In addition to being a fun way to gain insight into people’s personality traits, it can also describe the motivations and passions that comprise physical places, like The Shift Retail Lab! Shift was ‘born’ or opened on November 10th, 2021. Given this date, the Shift Retail lab is a Scorpio! Scorpios are known to be deeply passionate and driven, however, there’s much more to Shift than that…

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NOVEMBER 10, 2021 @4pm RICHMOND, VA 23220

Scorpio Sun

Aquarius Moon

Taurus Ascendant

Shift is full of passion, driven individualism, and dedicated to a mindset where failure brings new beginnings.

Shift and its founders view this space as creative, innovative, and intellectually stimulating!

Shift’s ascendant in Taurus also implies that they want to be perceived as a creative area of refuge, stability, and growth that’s directed by strong, loving, and stable leadership.

Your core self & ego

A Scorpio sun represents intensity, passion, drive, and power. Scorpios are known for their silent but well-known and def ined presence within the world they are in, they are not one to boast but both themselves and their actions are highly admirable. So in turn, Scorpio is the sign of failure and learning f rom it, and as you may know, Shift prides itself on its ability to grow and learn f rom failure!

This implies that at the core of Shift’s identity, Shift and its participants learn f rom trial and error and that it communicates its way in the world by expressing how failure has shaped them into the glowing individual they are today.

Your thoughts/view of self

A moon in Aquarius represents eccentricity, innovation, and technology. Aquarians do not just think outside of the box, they live outside of the box and have to peer back into the box to stay connected to the world. This is what makes ideas, thoughts, and concepts come so seemingly easy to them, Aquarius thinks the unknown is enticing. Additionally, Aquarians are very social and gifted with the strong urge to know or be acquainted with the world and they strive to be open to a wide variety of experiences.

This demonstrates how Shift is naturally intended to be a loving and welcoming space and being benef icial towards a wide range of disciplines, people, and ideas without exclusion.

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How people perceive you

Taurus is known for its caring, luxurious, creative, and stubborn nature. Their sign truly exemplif ies their symbol of a bull, strong and steady but capable of a magnitude of force when prompted. However, to a trained eye, you can tell that it’s just a matter of them planning their next move in a way that will make the biggest impact.

Taurus is known as a sign that implies stability, but as you might know, a Taurus’ life is usually anything but stable!

Stability is just one of Taurus’s main core values that they constantly strive for. Shift is steadfast in testing the limits of what the space can do.

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What entrepreneurial trait does your sign have?

Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Aquarius

Pisces

The courage to create

The persistence to fully execute a project

Genuine care for the end users of their venture

Libra

Networking connections help create a team

Capricorn

Mental direction that ideas f rom snowballing

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that

keeps

Service leadership that guides and comforts their team

The ability to have total power and control of your own ideas

Raw creative innovation that leaves us all wondering where their head is

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Ideation so powerful it shifts your perspective

Attention to the little details that the big picture is built on

The ability to bounce back f rom failure so quickly, you’ll think it was planned

The gift of always wondering “what if?” and “yes, AND!...”

What’s Your Entrepreneurial Achilles’ Heel?

Take this quiz to f ind out By, Kii Williams Those close to you would describe your work ethic as: How

well

do

you

handle

Usually stressed and

multiple tasks?

Get it started then work on

Get flustered and not know Rushing to do everything late

Push it off until the last minute

so when do you start the project?

needing assistance

where to start

You have a quick deadline,

another project Do it Thursday even though it’s due on Friday

Start right away and don’t

Always working, really

leave the office until you

successful but never leaves

finish

the office

In that moment so you can get it out the way

How long does it take to fulfill a product order?

Tell us about your creative

Too many orders can cause a long

process:

delay because it’s just you running your

The final product seemed to

business

take forever to make

Fulfillment is supposed to take 3-5

Started and stopped several

business days but you often lose track

times

of time due to a busy schedule No stopping until you had a Ship within a day because you’re always

prototype built

producing products

Which color answer popped up the most for you? Use our color key to f ind out your biggest hurdle to becoming an entrepreneur.

Overwhelmed

Being overwhelmed can affect your emotions and your work ethic very strongly. If you are feeling overwhelmed you should take a step back and breathe, try to ground yourself.

Time Management

A common issue that lots of people struggle with is good time management. Try setting alarms and jotting important dates/deadlines on a calendar.

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Too Invested

When you start to do something you love and are invested in, it’s easy to lose track of yourself. It’s okay to take a day off to spend time with loved ones or even just to take time to yourself.

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Wellness Tips & Tricks Advice for entrepreneurs By, Marie Kamara Wellness is the active and conscious set of decisions geared towards a more healthy and successful way of living. There are eight main components of Wellness which are emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, and f inancial. As entrepreneurs, creatives, students, professors, or anyone for that matter, we are constantly working on the next thing. Trying to achieve the next goal, while overall bettering ourselves, and our tasks to be more successful in whatever it is we choose to do in life. With all those responsibilities at hand, it can be very easy for one to neglect their wellness. One must take the necessary time out of their day to practice appropriate habits, stay focused, have more positive energy, and overall strengthen each component of Wellness, to have a successful life!

Here are some tips and tricks, with a little practice can be highly benef icial for anyone and everyone to better their wellness.

Remember YOU GOT THIS! And someone is always rooting for you and that person should be YOURSELF! Take care of you and your Positive Wellness shall surely follow!

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BREATHE!

Sleep and Take Naps

Yoga

Exercise

Create

Practice Mindfulness or Meditation

It is very easy for us to get so wrapped up in our day-to-day that we lose sight of our basic human and involuntary ability to breathe. Just take a moment and take a breath.

Yoga is a great way to build physical strength while mastering the mind.

Whether it be dance, drawing, photography, or poetry, the possibilities are endless. Escape and create your own space.

Take a Self-Care Day

Whatever that looks like for you.

Your body deserves it!

Read

Getting your recommended 8 hours of sleep has great benef its for your mental health.

At least 30 minutes a day for a healthy brain and body.

Take the time to be intensely aware of your current feelings and emotions without any judgment or self-gas lighting.

Listening to Music or Podcasts

Research shows listening to music can trigger a release of dopamine in the brain.

Step Away f rom Your Work

Reading can be a window into another world, show new perspectives along the way.

Our work can serve as our escape at times, but when you are faced with a block the best thing to do is step away and find inspiration elsewhere.

Eating Healthier

Therapy or Just Speaking to Someone

You are what you eat. The food you eat can affect your energy levels, creativity, and even mood.

Taking through the hard things can give you perspective and a plan on how to move forward.

Journaling

Cry

Take your thoughts and write them down! It’s much better to let them out rather than keep them in rather they are positive or negative!

We are human and humans have emotions. Feel your feelings and let out a good cry if you need to, it does not make you weak!

Connect with a Higher Power

Talk Kindly to Yourself

Taking a moment to connect with a greater meaning or purpose in life can keep you grounded and motivated to take on new challenges.

Words are more powerful than you think, use them to build yourself up rather than tear you down.

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What are the challenges that have been faced?

With the number of things that Statement Modelz have accomplished and not to mention its impressive execution, they are still “very much new to this and people do not realize that regardless of the amount of traction, views, followers, etc, they’ve only been doing this for about 6 months” Kayla states. They are still very much new to the game, they still have a lot of growing to do, a lot to try, and figure out on their own. They are very grateful for the positive feedback they have received but they were also not prepared to reach success and it doesn’t seem like it’ll stop anytime soon!

Do you have faith in the path that you are on?

Yes, although as a creative there is that slight hesitation on whether or not their creative attributes will take them all the way. However, with the constant validation that they have received and the number of accomplishments that have come along with them, there is no doubt that they will continue to be successful.

With all that being said, they hear all the talk about what they plan to do next, especially with all the high expectations that they are constantly given, and truthfully they are still figuring it out as they go. But of course, as creators, they want to keep such plans to themselves to keep the audience on their toes but you can surely guarantee that not only are they gonna keep going but whatever it is that they do have in store for us viewers, it is going to be fire and it’ll surely make a STATEMENT!

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Statement Modelz

A Student Org with an Entrepreneurial Approach By, Marie Kamara This group of immensely talented and creative individuals is more than just a student-led organization here at Virginia Commonwealth University, they are a group that has reached such monumental successes that no other modeling troupe, held in a university, has ever reached! Statement Modelz was formulated back in Spring 2022. According to their Instagram Page, they provide “an inclusive space for Print & Runway Modeling.” They participate in runway shows and host several photoshoots in order to properly train and build each model’s portfolio. The overall goal is to prepare them for industry standards and to “make a real STATEMENT in the modeling world.”

We got the opportunity to speak with the president and executive producer of Statement Modelz, Kayla Marie. Miss Kayla Marie tells us about how she formulated this group in an effort to bring the culture of an all-Black Modeling troupe while being “Those Gworls” that hold weight on their PWIs campus! From their debut shoots and visuals of “Statement Class of 2022”, to “Ghetto Visionary”, to being showcased in a spread for a nationwide magazine, to their latest Halloween-inspired project “Killer Kickback,” and so much more!

The troupe has grown to become more inclusive, more daring, and even bolder than ever before. Miss Kayla Marie was kind enough to give us just enough insight on what exactly Statement Modelz is, where it came from, and what it hopes to become.

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What are the challenges that have been faced?

With the number of things that Statement Modelz have accomplished and not to mention its impressive execution, they are still “very much new to this and people do not realize that regardless of the amount of traction, views, followers, etc, they’ve only been doing this for about 6 months” Kayla states. They are still very much new to the game, they still have a lot of growing to do, a lot to try, and figure out on their own. They are very grateful for the positive feedback they have received but they were also not prepared to reach success and it doesn’t seem like it’ll stop anytime soon!

Do you have faith in the path that you are on?

Yes, although as a creative there is that slight hesitation on whether or not their creative attributes

What is Statement Modelz?

Started

as

a

modeling

troupe

and

fashion

organization that highlighted Black Creativity, Black Culture, and Black Art and has now shifted into (But of course never neglecting Black Creativity) highlighting local VCU and Richmond talent. This

will take them all the way. However, with the constant validation that they have received and the number of accomplishments that have come along with them, there is no doubt that they will continue to be successful.

platform really pushes those individuals within the group that has a chance to make it big with their face cards and their talent. They are a modeling and

What is the creative process for your shoots?

“Randomly” and “one-word ideas,” Kayla mentions.

With a group like this, they find that coming up

on Insta am gr

local creativity and make big art.

Follow

fashion organization that uses its platform to push

with styles, ideas, and visions, is so simple because they feed off of each other’s creativity. Taking simple ideas and enlarging them to their fullest capacity, going beyond that, and then adding some twists.

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Photo credit: Noah Hudson-Peralta

SMYTH on The City The Music, and Mike Tyson Jab By, Brandon McCleskey Kidz At Play is a talented up-and-coming group of local artists, producers, photographers, and aspiring creative visionaries. As the opening act for both Smino and Pusha T this year, they are ambitiously cementing their mark on the Richmond music scene. I had the opportunity to interview one of the founding members of Kidz, SMYTH, just hours before their debut album, Mike Tyson Jab, was originally supposed to release. Below are some excerpts from our interview that I think best describe the kind of person I found SMYTH to be: daring, intelligent, and self-aware.

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Photo credit: Noah Hudson-Peralta

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Brandon: You’ve been in on the local scene for a while now.

SMYTH: Yeah.

Brandon: You’ve had your finger on the pulse.

SMYTH: For sure, yeah. And I try to still keep up with what’s coming out. I feel like Virginia as a whole has a lot of exciting things out. There are a few [artists] that really excite me from Richmond, but it’s definitely, like, few and far between, unfortunately. But that’s just me being honest.

Brandon: What would you say is the most significant obstacle you’ve overcome thus far, physically or mentally?

SMYTH: … We’ve sacrificed everything to do this. All of my friends have made the biggest sacrifices in the world. Like, some stuff that people wouldn’t believe we’ve had to make, maybe, you know?

And I think we overcome them every day. Whether that’s financial sacrifices, whether that’s time away from family, whether that’s sacrifices of an education, or, like, what we’re “supposed to do” and that type of path. We’ve made all of those sacrifices. I think those are definitely the biggest

obstacles to getting to our dreams that we’ve had to overcome. Because what we’re trying to do, life isn’t set up for us to do it. There’s no path to it.

Brandon: You’re very self-confident, very goal oriented. Have you experienced any failure yet?

SMYTH: I feel like failure is just a natural thing in life. I’m not even going to say the creative world. Obviously, failure is so much maybe more in your face when you’re a creative, but failure is so much a part of life, and I think the way that I get through that is I never look at it as a failure. If you ask me if I failed, it’s gonna take me a long time to pick out a point where I feel like I actually just fucking failed. Because every time that something’s gone wrong, I’ve always pivoted to make it work… Because I feel like if you get so hung up on your failures or if you let failure be this menacing thing, you’ll fear it. And then you’ll never take a risk that might lead to failure. And so then you’ll just never progress because you’re not taking risks. If you’re scared of failure, you’re never going to take the jump..

Brandon: Exactly. You’re not scared by it. It seems like it kind of keeps you going.

SMYTH: Hell yeah. It’s part of it.

After the interview, we hung out in our alternative audio studio for over an hour, chatting more about the album and life in general. He gave me an early listen to the first few songs of the album, and I encourage anyone reading to go check it out. You can listen to Mike Tyson Jab, the debut album from Kidz At Play, now available on most streaming platforms.

Mi

b Ja

Tyson e k

Photo credit: Noah Hudson-Peralta 74

Calling all artists!

We wanted to highlight artwork by VCU students both past and present, showing off their creative talent outside of the classroom. We held an open call for submissions throughout the semester.

Artwork by Ashley Corvin

Artwork by Lucienne Nghiem

Artwork by Siera Fountain 75

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Artwork by Mikaela Peters

Artwork by Ashley Corvin

Artwork by Daniel Thompson

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Artwork by Brandon Ranly

Artwork by Chloe Landry

Artwork by Omar Khan

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Artwork by Joshua Edwards-Buck

Artwork by Fabiana Acosta

Artwork by Xavier Nguyen

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About Shift Retail Lab Shift Retail Lab, has been selected as an honorable mention in the Urban Design category as part of the 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards for Fast Company.

Here, failure is an option.

Successful innovators and entrepreneurs take risks and never give up. When you take a risk, failure is an option, and often the quickest way to learn and improve. Shift Retail Lab provides an important space for student entrepreneurs to test their ideas through sales and customer feedback. This alternative type of retail offers a lab-type approach for creative thinkers and doers from a wide range of backgrounds to put their ideas into action. Shift customers have the opportunity to take an active part in developing ideas into successful products and services ready to go out to market.

Construction of Shift Retail Lab was made possible by a partnership with Mark Hourigan and Hourigan Group.

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Branding created by students from VCU Brandcenter.

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Brought to you by Shift Retail Lab at VCU is brought to you by the VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation.

We empower students to learn their own way.

The da Vinci Center for Innovation is prototyping the future of higher education through cross-disciplinary academic, experiential, and experimental learning opportunities designed for creative thinkers and doers from a wide range of backgrounds. While students in our programs may come with design, engineering, psychology, business, and even social sciences and the arts, they all share common traits of unconventional thinking, a track record of producing highly creative

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work, and a collaborative and optimistic spirit.

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Thanks to the Board!

The da Vinci Center Advisory Board supports da Vinci Center students, alumni, faculty, and staff in the areas of mentorship, networking, thought leadership, career pipeline development, and real world opportunities.

The board will do this by advising, advocating and making recommendations for enhancements and impact in innovation and entrepreneurship offerings for students.

“Often, emerging founders exhibit new ways of thinking and solving problems. Working with them encourages you to weave new perspectives into your daily life.

They can lead you to reshape your own lens. Supporting them benefits you.”

Courage to Lose Sight of Shore, 2020, Kelley W. Powell da Vinci Center Board Member

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M A G A Z I N E FALL 2022

ISSUE No.1