Women & Business Oct. 2017: Shayla Hawkins
Shayla Hawkins is Owner and Principle Planner of {SHE} Shayla Hawkins Events and partner of SLATE Studio.
Shayla Hawkins
Owner + Principle Planner,
{SHE} Shayla Hawkins Events
shaylahawkinsevents.com
Partner,
SLATE Studio
slatepgh.com
Transforming spaces and making dreams come true is what Shayla Hawkins is all about. As the owner and principle planner of {SHE} Shayla Hawkins Events and partner of SLATE Studio, Hawkins goal is to produce amazing events.
Established in 2009, {SHE} is a boutique firm specializing in wedding design and event styling coupled with expert planning and coordination. Hawkins used her undergraduate and graduate degrees in business to start the firm; since then, {SHE} has grown to a team of six that produces more than 40 annual events locally and in other cities.
“Our focus will always be growing our portfolio and producing amazing events. We are growing our young talent,” Hawkins says. “We’ve been blessed to have a great team so we just want to continue to invest in them so we can take our brand and company to the next level.”
After becoming frustrated with the lack of blank, intimate, chic and flexible spaces available in Pittsburgh, Hawkins and her managing partner decided to take matters into their own hands. In August, they launched SLATE, {SHE}’s sister company and a space for events, meetings and creative use.
Hawkins advice, “you get out what you put in,” is tried and true. “If you are doing what you love and doing it ethically and whole-heartedly the universe will take care of the rest. Don’t give up on your dreams,” she says.
As a self-described dreamer, thinker, believer and doer, Hawkins loves empowering other women and is inspired by seeing them do amazing things. She also believes in being real and open with the women that she talks to.
“I often have real talks with women in business because it’s so important to share real experiences, real set backs and real comebacks so that people know they are not alone in the ups and downs of your career,” Hawkins says.
