Make the SHIFT Today!
SHIFT continues to evolve — but the core remains the same:
Be kind. Be curious. Be present. And help others find their own SHIFT.
What SHIFT Is
SHIFT brings together artists, musicians, builders, and dreamers from around the world. We host talks, build experiences, and create spaces that spark connection and awaken creativity. Beyond the playa, SHIFT also gives back — from supporting art and outreach projects globally to collecting, restoring, and donating bikes to kids in Cuba (yes, really — we started that in 2015).
The SHIFT community is both global and deeply local — a movement built on art, empathy, and action.
Over 600 locations worldwide
How It All Started
Burning Man changed my life.
Before my first burn, I was a machine running the zero-sum game — fueled by Wall Street slogans like “greed is good.” I ran a clothing company with manufacturing in Asia, selling in over 600 stores across six countries. It was planes, trains, and constant motion, chasing that elusive brass ring.
Then came that fateful weekend in Reno. My friend Gary and I had partied straight through our 4 PM flight connection. I woke up in an empty, dark terminal, no idea where I was — just Gary sprawled on the floor like a crime scene outline. Somewhere between the hangover and the absurdity, I declared (in my best Blues Brothers voice): “We’re on a mission from God.”
Minutes before the rental desk closed, we grabbed the last minivan and followed vague directions from a gas station clerk — two gallons of Jack Daniels, a loaf of bread, peanut butter, and a couple gallons of water in tow. We hit the gates of Burning Man at 2:30 AM and paid a hefty $60 each for the privilege.
What followed was nothing short of a revelation. There was no stage — the entire place was the stage. Everyone shared freely; there was no money, no attitude, just kindness and connection. I fell asleep at sunrise, overwhelmed by a sense that maybe the world wasn’t as cold and competitive as I’d been led to believe.
When I woke up, a stranger was knocking on the van window. We had accidentally parked in their camp kitchen. Instead of anger, he offered me breakfast. That camp adopted us, fed us, and showed us what community really means.
It was there I learned that life isn’t a zero-sum game — that giving and witnessing change can be far more rewarding than taking.
Since then, I’ve tried to pay it forward. Every year, I “adopt” at least two new “orphans” at Burning Man — welcoming them into our camp and helping them create their own SHIFT experiences.
Make the SHIFT!
More than two decades later, our camp has grown into a global family. SHIFT is now a USA-based, non-denominational spiritual organization with members in over 600 locations worldwide. Our mission is simple: support projects that bring people together, spread knowledge, and make the world a better place.