Meet LaShayla Simpson | Chief Creative Officer & Mocktail Maven

We had the good fortune of connecting with LaShayla Simpson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LaShayla, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
The most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make was the decision to trust myself–my ideas, my vision, my intuition–without seeking the validation of others first. In areas that I feel comfortable (mainly creative spaces), I’m confident and go with what comes naturally to me. I’m a planner, super detail-oriented, and logistics are my jam. I love brainstorming, coming up with concepts from start to finish, and trying new things. Once I entered the entrepreneurial space, I felt like everyone else in business knew more than me. I was inundated by talk of funnels and email sequences and copy and best platforms to use for list building and CRMs and must-take courses and creating high ticket programs. I was listening to what was being said. The problem was that the information I was getting from all these different sources and gurus started to conflict. Because of that, I became fearful to actually take action. I was afraid to take risks. I didn’t want to “mess up.” I became unsure of myself. Before I did anything, I’d ask others for their opinions. I thought it would be best to follow someone else’s blueprint, so for a while, I did. And I was miserable. Stagnant. Basic. Insecure. I felt invisible.

A friend of mine named Kevin noticed. One day, he asked me a question that made me SO MAD! I’m talkin’ “don’t speak to me for a few days” mad. “Spittin’ fire” mad. “How dare you?!” mad. “I knowwww you didn’t” mad.

It was a simple question.

He pointed out how alive I become when I share ideas with him. Then, he asked: “Why don’t you ever act on your ideas and actually go for your dreams?”

I felt convicted and called out, which is why I was so upset. He saw what I thought I was hiding. He made me face what I hadn’t shared with anyone explicitly. I didn’t trust myself. I was allowing my vision to be altered by people who didn’t really see it in the first place. I dishonored myself and my own brilliance by allowing outside voices to become louder than mine.

From that day, I decided. I decided that even if I was unsure, I’d go with my gut and trust myself to figure things out. I’m still a work in progress, but I’m happy to report that I am now operating in such a way that honors and values my own vision first. If I need help executing the vision, I reach out for help; however, I no longer wait for anyone to validate what I see, feel, or think.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’ve always been a creative spirit who loves trying new things from recipes to home decor projects to beauty hacks. Not only do I love trying new things, I also love sharing the things I try. My friends and family often use me as a guinea pig for things they want to try, but are either skeptical of or too afraid to.

At the beginning of the pandemic when restaurants were closed, I cooked A LOT. Eventually, I ran out of meal ideas and started getting bored with what I was eating and drinking on a daily basis. I started adding twists to my favorite recipes–like turning regular lasagna into chicken alfredo lasagna and like taking cocktails and turning them into mocktails. I used everyday ingredients that I’d pick up on grocery store runs and create what felt like fresh takes on old classics.

I’d share photos on social media (mainly of the fun drinks I was making), and eventually started going live every Monday on Facebook for a series I called “Mocktail Monday.” Since May 2020, I’ve done over 100 mocktails! My viewership grew and people started recreating the drinks I was making, which made me feel so good. Then, people started asking if I could send the ingredients to them because they couldn’t always find exactly what I was using. That sparked the initial idea for The Moxx Box, but I didn’t jump on it right away.

Finally, in February 2021, I decided to launch The Moxx Box, which is a non-alcoholic drink kit that the entire family can enjoy. BUT, I didn’t just want to throw the idea out there. I wanted a fun, interactive way to introduce it and get people excited to see what was coming. The NCAA Basketball Tournament was approaching, so I knew that March Madness would be the perfect event to throw a twist on. I created a Mocktail Madness Tournament during the same time as the college basketball tournament. Instead of colleges and universities, I did battles between fruit. I created brackets for my audience to fill out with their prediction of which fruit would reign supreme and for two weeks, I created mocktails featuring those specific fruits to go head to head. The initial battles were Orange vs. Cherry, Kiwi vs. Apple, Berry vs. Mango, and Lemon vs. Peach. For each round, I brought in judges and while I was live on Facebook, they would taste the two drinks and cast a vote for their winner. Simultaneously, I posted the drink ingredients and recipes so people at home could recreate, taste, and vote as well.

When the tournament winner was announced, I also announced the launch of The Moxx Box. The inaugural box was in April 2021 and featured the final two drinks of the tournament. I’ve been rolling and introducing different fruits and flavor profiles every month since then.

This journey is one of the hardest I’ve ever taken. It hasn’t been easy and the learning curve is steep, but I wouldn’t change it for the world! I’m most proud that I took the leap and launched without overthinking or doubting myself. Things were not perfect when I launched. I didn’t have fancy packaging to mail the mocktail items in. I didn’t have a perfectly designed website. I didn’t have a marketing team. I didn’t have a PR team. To be honest, I still don’t.

What I do have is a brand and mission I’m passionate about. I love connecting with people. I love making people feel special, seen, valued, and included. The Moxx Box does all of those things. The main thing it does is provide an alternative to alcohol that is visually appealing, fun, and inclusive. You don’t have to explain why you’re not drinking. You don’t have to feel awkward or excluded because the bar or event you’re attending doesn’t have a non-alcoholic option available. Kids can enjoy the creations too, AND the box is the perfect gift for a mom-to-be, friend/family member on a sober journey, or a colleague/client when you’re unsure about whether they drink or not. Those that do drink can still indulge and have the option of turning the mocktail into a cocktail should they so choose.

I’m a wedding and event planner by profession, and I have had countless conversations about the bar at events.

“What can I do for my guests that don’t drink?”
“Should I create a signature drink?”
“How can I cut liquor costs?”

All of those questions can be resolved with the same answer: A MOCKTAIL!

We create inclusive food menus that take dietary preferences into consideration. If you have vegetarian guests, vegan guests, dairy-free guests, and so on attending your event, you’d make sure to have options available for them that don’t feel like an afterthought. If you’re not doing that, we need to have a discussion!

The same thing should be done with drinks.

It may seem small, but being a good host and being intention about curating an inclusive experience for people means a lot.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When I’m in the city, my itineraries DEFINITELY include things and activities that engage all of the senses. Beauty and fun can be created whenever you are, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t do the following:

Take a walk in the botanical gardens.
Visit JeJu spa.
Dine at amazing eateries with dope vibes like Poor Calvin’s.
Grab ice cream at Jeni’s.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a few women that have been pivotal in my entrepreneurial journey that I greatly appreciate and would like to shout out. They are: Wendy Nicole Anderson, Valerie Brown, Jarius Edens, Akilah Thompkins-Robinson, and Jessica Winston. Each of these ladies are entrepreneurs themselves and are experts in different areas. What they have all done at different times and throughout my journey is spoken life into me, encouraged me, and helped me tap into things I never thought possible.

I also have to give credit to my family, especially my sister, Kiara. She has been right by my side for every vendor event I’ve done with The Moxx Box, and I couldn’t do it without her.

Website: www.themoxxbox.com

Instagram: instagram.com/themoxxbox

Facebook: facebook.com/themoxxbox