We were lucky to catch up with LaShayla Simpson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, LaShayla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

The name of my business came unexpectedly and organically, which I feel is the best way for things to happen most times.

At the beginning of the pandemic when everything shut down, I started cooking a lot more at home. I get bored eating and drinking the same things, so I leaned into trying new recipes during that time. If I went to the grocery store and saw a new fruit or vegetable I was unfamiliar with, I bought it and tried it.

Not only did I try it, I started going live on my Facebook page when I did.

I typically grocery shop on Sundays, so Mondays became my livestream days. I’d often share a new fruit and demonstrate how I’d incorporate it into a non-alcoholic drink (or mocktail). That is how my weekly series, “Mocktail Monday,” was birthed. From there, friends and family would tune in and eventually, they started asking me to send them the ingredients for whatever mocktail was on the menu for that week.

Since mocktails are my jam, I literally just shortened the word MOCKTAIL to MOXX and boom, I started shipping Moxx Boxes. Now, I own The Moxx Box!

LaShayla, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The Moxx Box is a premium mocktail company based in the heart of North Carolina. We’re about creating a flavorful experience that fits every occasion and believe every sip is an opportunity to celebrate life.

Our commitment goes beyond delivering exceptional mocktails; it’s about fostering a sense of joy, inclusivity, community, and good times! From casual hangouts to milestone celebrations, our mocktails are crafted with love and whimsy, blending the perfect balance of fun and wonder.

We provide curated mocktail bartending services, mocktail parties, gift kits for individuals and groups, and digital mocktail experiences like virtual classes and downloadable recipe kits.

Whether you drink alcohol or whether you do not, everyone is included here! That’s what we’re most proud of with our brand and work.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

One of my favorite marketing campaigns was leading up to the official launch of The Moxx Box. February 2021 was when I made the decision to go for it!

BUT, I wanted to be strategic with how I did it. I’m all about community and knew 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 set up head-to-head fruit battles. Using one of my favorite business tools (Canva), I designed brackets for my audience to fill out with their prediction of which fruit would win each match-up, and for two weeks, I created mocktails featuring those specific fruits to see which would “win” each round.

For example: last year’s “battles” were Dragon Fruit vs. Watermelon, Cherry vs. Passionfruit, Huckleberry vs. Tangerine, and Blueberry vs. Green Apple.

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 that year’s tournament. I’ve been rolling and introducing different fruits and flavor profiles every month since then.

This year will be the 3rd year of the Mocktail Madness Tournament and I look forward to it every year!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve had to unlearn in business is that everything has to be perfect in order to be a success. *Spoiler Alert* It does NOT!

Baby steps are still steps and the goal should be progress, not perfection.

The only way to progress is to start and the only way to improve is by doing. Just get the idea out of your head! Even if it’s uncomfortable and awkward at first, actions get sharper and become better over time.

Dream, yes.
Plan, yes.
Do, YES.
And above all else, learn while you do.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.themoxxbox.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/themoxxbox.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/themoxxbox.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themoxxbox2794

Image Credits
Layelle Photography YourVision Graphics and Designs