Mother- Daughter team has no seams
By Mimi M.Maddock Mimi@TheColumbiaStar.com

Shayna Katzman and Debbie Katzman of Unlimited Marketing Solutions.

Two women, one raised in West Palm Beach, one raised in London, chose Columbia for career opportunities.

Debbie Katzman grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida, but an internship took her to London where she married and raised her three children: Shayna, Freya, and Harry.

Work came easily to Debbie who earned a degree in literature and journalism from Rollins College. While in London she worked at Kingsland, Lloyd and Peterson, an internationally recognized British marketing and communications agency where she was associate director. Her client list included such corporations as Guinness Beer, BMW, and Disneyland Paris.

Full of energy and the desire to learn more, Debbie went back to school earning a graduate degree in group psychotherapy afterwhich she founded her own marketing firm, Rethink Ltd. She attended the University of London passing her daughter, Shayna in the halls who was studying the history of art and anthropology.

Life took a different turn for Debbie, and she left London in July, 2005, with Freya and Harry and headed for the U.S. choosing Columbia for her new home. "I grew up in Florida and wanted a city with the change of seasons and the potential for growth, not too far from my family and not too close. I chose Columbia and found it to be a hidden treasure," said Debbie.

Debbie knew no one and had no job. Daughter Freya found a career as a makeup artist for Benefit Cosmetics, and Harry attended Heathwood Hall Episcopal School.

"I became a docent for the Columbia Museum of Art and learned about every piece of art. "I joined the Association of Fundraising Professionals and began visiting a few of them at a time," said Debbie. "This led me to a job as the S.C. Philharmonic development director." Debbie said one of the turning points in her career was joining Women in Philanthropy and meeting Charlotte Berry, one of the co- founders. Debbie is presently the public relations chair of the organization.

Meanwhile Shayna, was still in London. "I didn't want to give up my job with Modus Publicity. I loved the fashion world and being involved with such fashion icons as Calvin Klein and Aveda, but I was lonely for my mom, brother, and sister," said Shayna.

Shayna also worked for Crown Jewelry under Mick Jagger's daughter Jay Jagger. But the loneliness won, and Shayna moved to Columbia and worked for Free Times for two years hoping to launch her creativity: writing, art, poetry, the visual culture, the history of things.

Shayna wrote several articles for the new magazine Undefined recently launched by Mark Pointer. She will also do free-lance writing for The Columbia Star.

 

 

Debbie started Unlimited Marketing Solutions at the end of last year, and several weeks ago Shayna joined her. "We work so well together. We have no seams," said Debbie.

The name of the business suits the two women as they bring unlimited resources to their business. Using their experience and talents, Unlimited Marketing Solutions offers full service communications for their clients: advertising,public relations, events planning, product placement and launches, partnerships, fundraising, and company makeovers and the list goes on.

The two women see Columbia as a city full of opportunities, a place where they can build a business and expand. They also see the importance of giving back to the community and volunteer regularly.