Over the course of 6 months, I built a brand from the ground up — designing and hand-producing a sustainable merchandise line with recycled materials sourced from a local B Corp. Each product featured original AAPI-inspired designs, from the Chinatown 10th Street Arch to a Taiwanese street vendor graphic, connecting cultural storytelling to tangible goods. By engaging directly with our audience at campus and community events, I funded the physical production of our magazine and launch event entirely through merchandise sales, ultimately turning a profit on both. The experience underscored the power of personal connection in driving engagement and sales.

While I handled all business strategy and operations, I collaborated with 3 Asian American women from my cohort to produce KONBINI’s original stories and visual assets, ensuring the imagery aligned with each story’s cultural narrative and the overall brand identity.