Advertising graduate finds entrepreneurial success with BGSU degree

Maya Davis ’23 operates her own design-focused advertising LLC that works with a range of clients

Just three years after walking across the stage at Bowling Green State University, Maya Davis ’23 is already finding exactly what she hoped for in a career.

The Detroit native and BGSU advertising graduate channeled her college experience into founding her own design-focused LLC, Matriarch Management & Design, through which she uses visual storytelling and creativity to bring brands to new heights.

Before founding her company, Davis was a freelance designer and social marketer who honed skills in art design, creative advertising, packaging and production design.

During her career in advertising, she completed hundreds of projects that included working with and for some of America’s biggest brands. Davis has worked with Kellanova, formerly known as Kellogg’s, OnStar, was selected as a Verizon Adfellow, and worked with brands ranging from startups to sports leagues to healthcare and wellness.

No two days of work are quite the same, but the chance to make something new every day is the type of work that speaks to Davis' creativity.

"I only graduated three years ago, so I never expected to have this many opportunities so early in my career, and I'm very grateful for that," Davis said. "I had a very specific degree, which really helped me out. I got a lot of experience going to BGSU."

Davis was among the earliest graduates of the BGSU advertising program, which began in 2019. Her journey to becoming a practicing part of the advertising world started as a BGSU student.

Gaining experience as a student

The specialized nature of her degree provided her with technical skills that translated her passion for creating things into a career. At first, she began by creating logos and flyers for anyone on campus who needed help.

She parlayed that into additional opportunities – internships with WBGU and Huntington Bank, and a Gucci Changemakers scholarship – that not only earned professional credentials, but allowed Davis to develop a clear sense of purpose.

"From a personal standpoint, I always wanted to go to work and have fun," Davis said. "I wanted to look back at my career and say that I had fun and that I did something important. The reason I enjoy it is the ability to make something that starts a conversation, whether that's citywide, in your community or 10 states away."

Making bold moves as a recent alum

The drive to create meaningful work led Davis to establish her own design entity, where she applies the principles she learned in her BGSU coursework every single day. 

The curriculum's emphasis on visual communication and design principles within advertising continues to inform her approach to client projects.

"I use that every single day. I saw how all those little things – typefaces, colors, what clothing someone wears – change how an audience perceives something," she said. "Pairing emotions with type and calligraphy really matters, and it's a huge way that brands differentiate themselves."

For Davis, BGSU provided more than technical training. The University instilled an entrepreneurial mindset that empowered her to pursue a career vision that has proved rewarding.

"Being able to go to work and make something cool every day is a huge driver of why I like this career," she said.

Now completing work for her own clientele, Davis said she found a pathway into meaningful work by honing her entrepreneurial spirit as a BGSU student.

"My experience at BGSU showed me that it doesn't matter where you are if you're a self-starter," Davis said. "Doing something specific that you really love is always going to benefit you in the end."