Maddy Lawson
What started as a high school business project sparked Maddy Lawson’s passion for entrepreneurship. Now pursuing a degree in marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship, Maddy is using her education and time at Georgia State to help realize her dream: opening a hair salon that empowers women through beauty and confidence.
Interview by Zohra Basmadjian
Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I am a senior graduating this spring, majoring in marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship.
When I first started college, I began as an entrepreneurship major. However, once I got into it, I realized marketing was more important to learn in order to run my own business and know how to market myself. I decided that entrepreneurship would be more beneficial for me to keep as a minor. Eventually, I changed my major to marketing, which opened many opportunities for me both in and out of school.
Besides your own, what brand or company would you want to work for after college?
I would love to work in the beauty and fashion world, and I’d love to work for Vogue or Maybelline. I’m a die-hard Maybelline girl. Drugstore makeup for the win!
What’s your favorite thing about the internships you hold and the organizations you’re a part of?
Each one gives me something different. At The Smith Agency, I love the networking. I’ve met so many amazing women, some of whom are classmates. It’s fun to work on fashion content and be surrounded by creativity.
During my tech internship at SAP, I’ve learned a lot about balancing projects and managing professional expectations. It’s a different environment from school, but I love getting that real-world experience.
With the American Marketing Association at GSU, I’ve really grown throughout it. I started as a member and now I’m vice president of communications. I help connect our executive board with members, manage announcements and make sure everyone knows what’s happening. It feels good to give back to the organization that’s done so much for me.
How do you balance working in four positions and keeping up with your classes?
My calendar is everything. I plan out every significant detail of my life. I sync my work and personal calendars, so I know when I have meetings, classes and events. It’s all about time management and knowing when to focus and when to take a break. I try to get ahead when I can.
You’ve mentioned you’ll be featured in VoyageATL. Tell me about that.
VoyageATL is a digital magazine that highlights local entrepreneurs and creatives. They reached out after seeing some of my content online.
The story will cover everything — my internships, marketing experience and journey as a content creator. I’ve had a few videos go semi-viral recently, and that’s how they found me. It’s nice to know that putting myself out there is paying off.
Tell me about how you became a Career Advancement Center (CAC) Champion.
I’m one of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business’ CAC Champions. They choose students who represent the college well through academics, involvement or leadership. I got noticed after making a video about our fall 2025 career fair that got around 3,600 views combined on Instagram and TikTok.
Now, I create social media content for the Career Advancement Center to highlight its resources. I’ve made a professional headshot video with them and have two more projects coming out this semester. It’s a fun way to mix my love of marketing with helping other students.
Who motivates you most?
I’d say myself, God and my grandmother, who is my biggest inspiration. She was the first Black female assistant supervisor in revenue accounting at Delta Air Lines. Everything she’s achieved and everything she stands for motivates me to keep pushing.
I think about younger me and how proud she’d be of where I am now. That also keeps me going. My faith keeps me grounded. I’ve learned that everything happens in its own time, even if it’s not on my schedule.
What are your long-term goals?
After college, I want to work in the marketing industry and then go to cosmetology school around August or September 2026.
After that, I’ll open my own salon here in Atlanta and eventually expand to New York and Miami. I want it to be a space where women from all backgrounds feel beautiful and confident. It started as a high school business project when I was 15, but now it’s something I’m turning into a real business empire.
