2022 ThinkNW Marketing All-Stars: Rashad & Shequieta Frazier, Co-Founders of Camp Yoshi
We are pleased to announce the 2022 class of ThinkNW Marketing All-Stars, a peer-nominated award recognizing excellence in marketing in the region. Our goal is to shine a light on the people driving growth in the industry and contributing to the regional brand and marketing ecosystem.
We reached out to our honorees from 2002 to learn more about their work, lives, and what the Pacific Northwest means to them.
Here’s what Rashad and Shequeita Frazier, Co-Founders at Camp Yoshi, had to say:
How long have you been in your current role?
Two years.
What do you value most in your work in this role, and what do you consider your biggest accomplishment in your current role?
We value how we are reshaping and disrupting storytelling within the outdoors, with the BIPOC community at the forefront of our stories who have been excluded from the vast majority of marketing in regards to the outdoors. Our biggest accomplishment has been taking first-time campers out into nature… where many feared and didn’t see themselves belonging. Seeing them leave a Camp Yoshi adventure confident, knowing they have developed a sense of belonging in these spaces, and knowing they have discovered healing and restoration in the outdoors, gives us joy and a sense of accomplishment in regards to why we started Camp Yoshi.
What do you like to do outside of your work?
The outdoors is a major part of how we spend our time overall. When we are not working, we spend time with our kids and participate in their many extracurricular activities involving sports. We also take advantage of our own backyard of Oregon to recharge and reset through local hikes, camping, etc. Additionally, we enjoy mentoring other entrepreneurs and building community.
What impact does the Pacific Northwest have on your work?
The PNW not only has the outdoors as its central point of interest for leisure and sports, but the area is also a foodway mecca. You can get the most amazing seafood, wine, and produce from premium producers throughout the region. This is significant to our work at Camp Yoshi as the experience of our adventures revolves around the outdoors and food. It allows us to constantly be innovative in how our campers experience Camp Yoshi and also introduce other brands from the PNW to our campers. We pride ourselves on building and bridging community wherever we go, and it feels good to help our campers discover more exciting brands from the PNW through our lens.
How would you characterize the Pacific Northwest marketing/creative community? In your mind, what makes it unique?
The creative community here in the PNW is very talented and multi-faceted.
What makes the community unique is the authentic ways in which they show up and tell stories.
The creatives have integrity woven through their work, showing up as their authentic selves without apology. They create in a way that feels authentic to the PNW but also their creative voice, without force or manipulation. They are also very accessible. There are no egos, and people are always willing to share advice, people, and resources. It truly is a great community.
