Media and communications alumna Yanique Shaw’s professional journey features several twists and turns on her way to being a double business owner in the events and floral design space. Her current business, Yanique Events and Floral Design, focuses on weddings, corporate and social events. This winter, she’ll open Boston Flower Company in Mattapan, a vibrant space for retail, workshops and community meetings aimed at keeping dollars local.
Looking back, she reflects on how her Salem State experience helped her build the skills and relationships to find her niche.
Born in Jamaica and raised in Roxbury, Yanique witnessed the challenges and advantages of entrepreneurship firsthand watching her mom run her own salon. As a METCO student in Melrose, she had heard a bit about Salem State, and knowing friends who were attending plus a scholarship sealed the deal. She hadn’t set foot on campus until move-in day, but once she arrived, she quickly became an integral part of the communications community.
Starting out as a journalism major with dreams of being “the next Oprah”, Yanique was introduced to public relations her first year on campus and shifted to the PR concentration with a marketing minor.
Yanique recalls working closely with a number of media and communications faculty. “I think I took every one of Professor [Jessica] Barnett’s classes,” she noted. As a dedicated member of the Log student newspaper, she formed a lasting relationship with Peggy Dillon, the paper’s advisor. “College can be such a culture shock, being away from home. Peggy and Jessica were so warm and welcoming, she was exactly what I needed,” she said.
Her senior year, Yanique juggled her coursework, the advertising manager position at the Log and the president role of PRSSA. This arduous schedule taught her more than time management, it also demonstrated how critical it was to build relationships in the field. Professor Rob Brown, PRSSA advisor, was quick to create introductions in PR for students. “He introduced us to a ton of mentors and people in the industry. I was able to land a PR job after graduation, even in a recession,” Yanique recalled. “I didn’t think networking was a big deal at the time, but it’s literally how the world moves.”
From her first role in PR to a stint in mall management to marketing and advertising and into events and floral design, Yanique used the hands-on skills and experience she built at Salem State at each stage of her professional journey. For example, while social media was still in its infancy during her undergraduate years, professors encouraged students to dabble in its marketing possibilities. Later on, her marketing roles would call on her familiarity with social media marketing to further business goals.
Because communications can lead to so many different paths, she encourages students to explore several different areas.
“Communications is such a great major because you can take so many different courses to figure out what fits best, then narrow your focus to what you want,” she said.
While her task list never ends, Yanique loves the freedom of being a business owner. Her foundation at Salem State and years of hard work have allowed her to make the leap into her next venture this fall.