From Classrooms to Couture: Two Duke Students Build a Path Toward Creative Industries

Founded in 2023, the Duke Business of Retail Society (DBRS) fills a crucial white space in the wide range of pre-professional organizations available at Duke, creating opportunities for students to explore creative interests and career paths within the retail and consumer goods industries. Founders and co-presidents Sophia Yassinger, Class of 2027, and Nina Venter, Class of 2026, are the reason for the society’s vibrant success, evidenced by a recent feature in Forbes Magazine. 

We sat down with Yassinger and Venter to find out why they started DBRS, how the Markets & Management Certificate opened doors for them as student leaders, and what comes next. 

This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

What inspired you to create the Duke Business of Retail Society?

We were motivated by a shared realization that Duke lacked a dedicated space for students passionate about creative industries.

Nina: Duke had strong finance and consulting clubs, but there was a void for students who wanted to explore the intersection of business, creativity and culture.

Sophia: As someone who grew up in Los Angeles surrounded by entrepreneurial, trend-focused communities, DBRS became a way to channel my passion for how brands shape Gen Z identity and loyalty. When I arrived at Duke, I found few opportunities to explore this interest — and wanted to change that. 

Together, we created DBRS as a home for creative, ambitious students and a place to bridge the gap between business education and creative career paths.

How did the Markets & Management certificate play into your intentions for the Duke Business of Retail Society?

The Markets & Management certificate provided a foundation for understanding consumer behavior, branding and strategy — key themes that underpin everything DBRS stands for. 

We drew from courses and professors that touched on marketing, entrepreneurship and innovation, often the same professors we first approached when seeking advisors for DBRS. These relationships helped us secure early partnerships with brands like Dior and LoveShackFancy.

Nina: From the moment I stepped into Professor George Grody’s Organizational Leadership & Management class during my first year, something clicked. The course challenged me to think critically about how organizations are built — how leadership, structure and culture all come together to turn an idea into impact. Little did I know those lessons would soon became personal, as they very quickly became part of how Sophia and I implemented leadership strategies for DBRS. 

As DBRS grew, the Markets & Management community became a cornerstone for both of us. MMS professors led leadership workshops for our executive team, offering guidance that helped refine our approach to teamwork and organizational development. We've leveraged the MMS ecosystem to elevate DBRS’s mission, bridging business and creativity through real-world partnerships, speaker events and professional development opportunities. The program’s spirit of innovation and leadership has been instrumental in shaping both of our journeys, as well as the growth and success of DBRS.

You're quoted in the Forbes article as saying there’s a gap in opportunities at Duke for students who "wanted to explore the intersection of fashion, business and creativity.” Why do you think this is?

Creative industries aren’t traditionally seen as “serious” business paths at top-tier universities. Duke’s pre-professional culture tends to prioritize finance, tech and consulting, leaving little infrastructure for careers in fashion, beauty or lifestyle branding. DBRS was designed to bridge that gap and bring legitimacy and professional rigor to creative industries through events, partnerships and research. 

Nina: We’re showing that retail, beauty and luxury are serious, multi-billion-dollar businesses where creativity and strategy coexist. 

What can businesses gain by leaning on the interests and expertise of Gen-Z based research and focus groups?

We see Gen Z as an untapped strategic resource for brands. Through DBRS’s partnerships and focus groups with companies like Supergoop and LoveShackFancy, we’ve shown that students can provide authentic insights into brand perception, marketing trends and cultural moments. DBRS can be a hub for student-led brand innovation.

Nina: I believe that brands should view Gen Z not as a target audience, but as collaborators.

Sophia: Gen Z doesn’t want to be marketed to, they want to be part of the process. 

What is the most important thing you’ve learned from DBRS?

Creating DBRS was like founding a startup inside a university. It taught us leadership, storytelling and how to sell a vision before it exists. 

Nina: I emphasize the importance of making the ask, no matter how crazy or “out there” it might seem. Be persistent.

Sophia: The process taught me that traction comes from conviction and consistency, talking about my ideas to anyone who would listen. 

We learned how to turn creative ambition into institutional impact, a skill that will follow us into every future role. 

Meeting mentors and guest speakers through DBRS events has been so surreal — especially when industry leaders we once admired became collaborators and supporters. Those moments, when professional inspiration turns into genuine connection, remind us how far DBRS has come and how transformative the club is for us. One of the most unexpected experiences has been realizing that DBRS has become part of our personal brand on campus. We often laugh about how often we use “DBRS” as an adjective— whether describing an outfit, an event or even a vibe.

What advice would you give to students interested in DBRS and the Markets & Management certificate?

For us, Duke was the perfect testing ground for bold ideas. Our advice is: Start before you feel ready! 

Sophia: You don’t have to spend ten years on the “right” path before pursuing what excites you. 

Nina: It’s important to take initiative. If you don’t see your interests represented on campus, go build a space for them. DBRS was born from that mindset: transforming a shared passion into a platform for others. 

If we could tell our first-year selves one thing, it would be this: Don’t wait for someone else to validate your idea. Change starts with initiative. Turn your passion into action, and you might just create the community you’ve been looking for.