Madison Baker uses her love for events to bring fresh energy to her family business
Madison Baker graduated from the College of Human Sciences with a bachelor's degree in Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management (RHIM) in 2013. Baker now owns and operates California T's, a long-standing Lubbock apparel shop.
Baker's interest in the RHIM program began with her love for food, beverage, and events. When she discovered that there was a major that could allow her to combine all her passions, she immediately knew that it would be a good fit.
“I was the typical girl that wanted to be an ‘event planner' and was told that it was highly unlikely that it would happen,” Baker said. “Luckily, I forged my way into events through the wild world of catering.”
After graduating from college, Baker moved to North Carolina where she worked in the hospitality and catering industries for companies including the Omni Hotel and QC Catering. Her creative mind was stretched in these positions, and she enjoyed the ability to interact with people through events.
“I was able to help create one-of-a-kind experiences for people through events,” Baker said. “I had so much fun planning unique and innovative experiences for guests through the amazing world of food and beverage.”
Baker now owns and operates her Lubbock family business of over 45 years, California T's, an apparel store that specializes in custom screen printing and embroidery. While she is no longer in the hospitality business, she still uses the things she learned in the RHIM program to help execute her day-to-day tasks.
“The skills that you learn in the fast-paced environment of the hospitality industry can apply to my current role as owner/manager of California T's,” Baker said. “Every t-shirt order we make is essentially an ‘event' with tons of moving parts and deadlines. I treat each project like the execution of an event from the beginning planning/creative process to the production of the shirts, and then finally presenting the final product to the client.”
In the future, Baker is excited to continue to grow and modernize her family business. She is particularly looking forward to continuing to offer live screen-printing events to the Lubbock community.