This spring, the Economics of Social Innovation (ESI) class, taught by Gara Field, partnered with HERstory® Apparel, a local, female-owned and operated small business that creates empowering clothing to celebrate and share the stories of history’s often overlooked women.

The co-founders of HERstory®, Moriah Muse and Jill Beilke, presented the class with two distinct challenges: first, how to scale their brand awareness and social media marketing; and second, how to construct a viable licensing model to pursue a major corporate partnership. Working in small groups, ESI students tackled these real-world business problems, delivering a series of innovative, community-driven strategies.

Amplifying the Message: Influencers & Community Partnerships

Juniors Anthony F. and Michael W. successfully facilitated a strategic partnership between HERstory® Apparel and Eva Erickson, a prominent social media influencer, Survivor Season 48 finalist, and Brown University graduate student pursuing her PhD in Engineering. Recognizing that Erickson’s advocacy for neurodiversity and women in the male-dominated sport of ice hockey perfectly aligned with the brand's mission, Erickson accepted an invitation from Anthony and Michael to speak to their ESI class. The in-person meeting provided co-owner Moriah Muse with valuable branding insights and collaborative social media content. Furthermore, Muse connected Erickson with a senior leader in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), establishing a promising professional connection for Erickson. The collaborative spirit of this social innovation challenge was powerful and authentic for everyone who was a part of it.

The Power of Authenticity in Marketing

Sophomores Grace W. and Lindsey D. focused on expanding the brand's reach by looking inward at the power of human connection. Utilizing the Moses Brown network, the students secured a mentorship meeting with Career Day speaker Pam Priestley-Gyles ’04 P ’33, who emphasized the critical roles of authenticity in small business growth. These insights formed the core of the students' final presentation to HERstory's co-owners, providing them with actionable marketing strategies and new networking connections, while also teaching the students the value of taking risks to build professional relationships.

Leveraging School Spirit and Social Media

Driven by a desire to amplify HERstory® Apparel’s digital presence, juniors Avery B. and Sierra S. focused their efforts on localized branding. The duo produced a promotional video featuring Moses Brown alumnae and current student-athletes of Quaker Nation by showcasing the apparel, creating dynamic content tailored for the brand's Instagram platform. To maximize the campaign's impact, the students secured placement for the video on the official Moses Brown Athletics Instagram account, strategically leveraging the school’s network to boost local brand awareness and engage the broader community.

Innovating the Retail Strategy: Storytelling and Scarcity

Aiming to drive engagement through innovative retail models, juniors Michael D. and Axel L. developed a dual-pronged approach to elevate the brand's market presence. Michael focused on narrative-driven marketing, designing a strategy where historical storytelling takes center stage to spark consumer curiosity. "We came up with the idea to have the story sell the product, rather than the other way around," he explained. Complementing this narrative focus, Axel encouraged HERstory® to adopt a "product drop" model, introducing an element of scarcity and exclusivity to their releases–a tactical shift that the company’s founders are eager to explore.

Thinking Big: The Dream of Major Licensing

Juniors Charlie L. and Alan J. chose to tackle the licensing challenge head-on precisely because it seemed the most daunting. Inspired by the owners' ultimate dream – imagine seeing basketball star Caitlin Clark on a Times Square billboard wearing a “Make HERstory” t-shirt with the iconic Nike swoosh – the duo set out to demystify the complex world of corporate licensing and open doors at the highest level.

In the spirit of dreaming big, they reached out to MB alumnus Marc V. Patrick '89, a veteran brand marketing consultant with years of licensing experience brokering deals with corporate giants like Nike and Amazon Prime. Charlie and Alan successfully organized a ZOOM consultation between ESI students, Patrick, and the HERstory® team, resulting in follow-up collaboration that has already led to a very promising connection with Nike. According to Moriah Muse, “Charlie and Alan connected us with the exact right person (MVP) who could make this Nike dream come true for HERstory® Apparel. All of the MB students we worked with shared meaningful, thoughtful, and creative ideas for us to consider. We enjoyed listening to their innovative takes and well researched pitches. Each group brought something unique and valuable, which made the entire experience invaluable to us! We are incredibly grateful.”

Influencers, History, and Identity to Stand Out

Seniors Emma F., Christian S., Aniko M. explored how Herstory® can maximize its market impact by aligning its business guidelines with its historical mission. The students pointed out that social media is highly saturated, meaning Herstory® Apparel must take deliberate steps to stand out. They underscored the critical economic value of having an instantly recognizable brand. To drive community connection and boost sales, they suggested targeted marketing campaigns. Finally, their plan emphasized turning influential figures into brand advocates to grow a regional and digital audience. For example, they put forward MB humanities teacher and RI State Representative Jennifer Stewart as an ideal initial promoter to establish grassroots and educational credibility.

By making real-world connections, Moses Brown students truly helped shape the trajectory of a local brand by utilizing high-level influencer partnerships, creative digital campaigns, and corporate networking. They proved that bold ideas, community resources, and a passion for social good, can make great things happen in the world of entrepreneurship.