Podcasts about when melissa

If you ever compare yourself to anyone else, this episode is for you! Learn the difference between healthy and toxic comparison and how to form closer connections when comparison is gone. Melissa Ambrosini is the bestselling author of Comparisonitis, Mastering Your Mean Girl, Open Wide, and the Audible Original PurposeFULL as well as the winner of ‘The Best eBooks Of All Time' as voted by Book Depository.    Melissa is the host of #1 rated podcast The Melissa Ambrosini Show, where she shares her wisdom and interviews with the biggest thought leaders and experts in the world to help her audience unlock their full potential and live their dream life.    When Melissa isn't writing books and recording her podcast she is speaking on stages, teaching and creating online programs, meditations and life changing live events.   With a deep commitment to empowering others to become the best version of themselves, Melissa believes that awakening is possible for everyone. She strives to inspire others to reclaim their power, step into their truth, live with intention, and move in the direction of their dreams.

This week's episode is a nod to back-to-school season when teachers can get books into the hands of kids after a summer of free days, endless video games, and probably too many popsicles. We are joined by Melissa Hart from Eugene Oregon. She is the author of 2 memoirs, a middle grade book, and most recently a great resource for teachers, librarians, and parents called 'Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens'. When Melissa's tween daughter was in elementary school, she dealt with anxiety and depression, and Melissa found a way to help her through reading targeted books together, a practice called bibliotherapy which some studies suggest is effective in the treatment of some forms of depression. But the list of books in 'Better With Books' can also help a young person develop empathy and be more accepting of others who have different experiences from their own such as individuals with physical disabilities, mental health struggles, body image issues, and students from different religious backgrounds. You can find find Melissa on instagram @wildmelissahart or at her website at www.melissahart.com. Books mentioned-- 1- Better with Books: 500 Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens by Melissa Hart 2- Pinballs by Betsy Ayers 3- What Goes Up Must Come Down by Johanna Hurwitz 4- Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes 5- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo 6- The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson 7- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 8- Far From the Tree by Robin Benway 9- Ten Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac 10- If I Ever Get Out of Here (audiobook) by Eric Gansworth 11- Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo 12- Avenging the Owl by Melissa Hart 13- Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family by Melissa Hart 14- Dune by Frank Herbert 15- Dune Messiah (Book 2) by Frank Herbert 16- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 17- The Overstory by Richard Powers 18- There, There by Tommy Orange 19- Harry's Trees by John Cohen 20- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate 21- Pax by Sara Pennypacker 22- The One and Only Bob / The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 23- Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter 24- Watership Down by Richard Adams Movies mentioned-- 1- Dune (October 2021), directed by Denis Villeneuve

This week's episode is a nod to back-to-school season when teachers can get books into the hands of kids after a summer of free days, endless video games, and probably too many popsicles. We are joined by Melissa Hart from Eugene Oregon. She is the author of 2 memoirs, a middle grade book, and most recently a great resource for teachers, librarians, and parents called Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens. When Melissa's tween daughter was in elementary school, she dealt with anxiety and depression, and Melissa found a way to help her through reading targeted books together, a practice called bibliotherapy which some studies suggest is effective in the treatment of some forms of depression. But the list of books in Better With Books can also help a young person develop empathy and be more accepting of others who have different experiences from their own such as individuals with physical disabilities, mental health struggles, body image issues, and students from different religious backgrounds. You can find find Melissa on instagram @wildmelissahart or at her website at www.melissahart.com. Books mentioned-- 1- Better with Books: 500 Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens by Melissa Hart 2- Pinballs by Betsy Ayers 3- What Goes Up Must Come Down by Johanna Hurwitz 4- Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes 5- Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo 6- The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson 7- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 8- Far From the Tree by Robin Benway 9- Ten Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac 10- If I Ever Get Out of Here (audiobook) by Eric Gansworth 11- Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo 12- Avenging the Owl by Melissa Hart 13- Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family by Melissa Hart 14- Dune by Frank Herbert 15- Dune Messiah (Book 2) by Frank Herbert 16- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte 17- The Overstory by Richard Powers 18- There, There by Tommy Orange 19- Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen 20- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate 21- Pax by Sara Pennypacker 22- The One and Only Bob / The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 23- Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter 24- Watership Down by Richard Adams Movies mentioned-- 1- Dune (October 2021), directed by Denis Villeneuve

This week, Chris interviews school-based AT Specialists Amy Fleischer and Melissa Peterson! Amy and Melissa share lessons they have learned about putting universal supports in place, including universal core boards in Melissa's district. They discuss many of the reasons why Melissa wanted to put a universal core board in place, how her district decided on what words to include, and the improvements she has seen in overall AAC implementation since that time.   Before the interview, Rachel and Chris discuss a recent trip Chris took to visit his cousins and all of the visiting with his family. Chris shares about tempting his young relatives with fun games, and then waiting for them to come over on their own, and relates that to motivating AAC users with a “tempt and pause”.     Key ideas this week:  

When Melissa met Carl, a talented photographer with international recognition, she had no idea what she was getting into. While she packed up everything and moved to be with him in a different state, he was busy being anything but the perfect boyfriend - from faking he was gay to having multiple affairs with women all over the world, being stringent with his sexual demands and even leaving her stranded in foreign countries scared and alone.  How did she find the strength to finally leave this toxic narcissistic man? She explains everything to Athena and Amber in this riveting listener story in our second episode of eX-Files.Like what you're hearing? If so, please give us a 5-star rating and help us spread the word and protect other women from falling victim to men like Ben.Have you experienced, or are currently experiencing, a Ben in your life? Check out our Dirty John Directory - new people added continuously! Don't forget you can anonymously report someone as well. We want to hear from you!   VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.ExWivesUndercover.comFollow Ex-Wives UndercoverInstagram: https://bit.ly/3sMY949Facebook: http://bit.ly/365dZxfTwitter: https://bit.ly/39PuTB2Pinterest: http://bit.ly/3sN0FHHTikTok: https://rb.gy/6zw1my

Melissa Roth is classically trained stage, film, and voice over actress and writer. Her career is going great right now—she's playing the romantic lead in a play at the Theater for the New City which opens soon. https://theaterforthenewcity.net/?vh_show=the-bohemians (I saw it, it was FABULOUS and packed!!!) Melissa had a tough 2017. She broke up with her boyfriend and contracted a scary, difficult to diagnose illness. I noticed her resolution and gratitude on a recent facebook post, so I invited her in to talk about what she's gone through and how she is now in a great place career-wise. When Melissa and I dig in we get to talking about how she missed some waving red flags in her last relationship. She then shares a story about how at age 16, she had a 21 year old boyfriend who turned out to be schizophrenic. His older friends unwittingly involved Melissa in an intervention to get him into a hospital. After that Melissa and I discuss how it's a worthwhile endeavor to get out and meet people to continue dating, which seems like something she hasn't made a priority. We agree that she will be making an effort, while keeping an eye on not repeating her patterns. https://melissabethroth.com/

When Melissa and Allessandra first met at Georgetown, they didn't care for each other. Little did they know that their paths were destined to cross again. Years later Allessandra and Melissa would find themselves working for the same non-profit and 6 hours plus 175 questions would (unbeknownst to them) be the beginning of their relationship. From the adjustments that come with being a blended family, to navigating the world (and its legalities) as a same-sex couple, this couple has been through a whirlwind.  Through it all they have found a way to continuously support each other and reaffirm that they are "all in".Don't forget to join in on "A Father's Lullaby" with our friends at Shea Moisture Men. Head over to SheaMoistureMen on IG to create and share your own lullabies. Don't forget to use the hashtag #afatherslullaby to join in on this new tradition. ========Black Love Doc is back and you can catch it every Friday night at 10/9c on the OWN network. Looking for more Black Love content like After Love: the official Black Love after show? Get to getting   Black Love+. Black Love+  is an all new totally free app that gives you all 360 degrees of Black Love. You can find it now on Apple, and Android. Plus you can find it on your favorite TV apps like Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire Stick and wherever you get your apps! Download it today so you never miss a minute of Black Love. Connect with us:@blacklove on Instagram@blacklovedoc on Facebook@blacklovedoc on Twitter

Manifest Your $10,000 Month workbook: Get Your Copy   Hello Miracle Worker! Today, I am brining you this conversation I had with my friend, Melissa Martin. In this episode we talk about everything from the dynamic of relationships, ending a relationship, choosing your potential and trusting yourself. Melissa dives deep into her process of rebuilding after a divorce and how she made a major financial comeback when she started listening to her body. Blessings My Friends   How to access the live $10,000 month training & giveaway: -Purchase the book -Share the book + tag me on social media @nicholesylvester -Leave a review on Amazon -Screenshot review & send it to support@nicholesylvester.com   Meet Melissa: Melissa Martin is an abundance expert, business coach, host of the Boldly Courageous podcast, creator of the Ignite Academy for Network Marketers and Co-Founder of Ladies Aligned which is an on-line media outlet for conscious entrepreneurs.When Melissa lost her job in the Financial Service Industry and landed herself in over $100k of debt, she was introduced to the powerful vehicle of Network Marketing. Over the course of 7 years Melissa built an organization of over 5,000 people and earned over 1 Million dollars. Melissa quickly learned that the key to success was not found in someone else's strategy, but from doing her own inner work and tapping into her own authentic voice. Taking ownership of her growth and leading from a place of true authenticity eventually led to her speaking on several stages, hosting women empowerment events and leading others to their own version of success. In 2019 when her network marketing company restructured and she lost her business within 60 days, Melissa decided to pivot out of Network Marketing and teach others in the industry the secrets to building a business from a place of true authenticity and alignment. Today as a coach, public speaker, event host and content creator, Melissa is passionate about helping people break through money mindset blocks and uncover their self worth so that they may radiate authentically, lead with authority and attract abundance with ease. When she's not serving in her business, you can find Melissa traveling the world, having deep conversations with friends, playing in nature or spending time with her dog Maya.    Connect with Melissa: Instagram | Podcast   Manifest with Nichole:  Youtube  | Transformation| Instagram

Manifest Your $10,000 Month workbook: Get Your Copy   Hello Miracle Worker! Today, I am brining you this conversation I had with my friend, Melissa Martin. In this episode we talk about everything from the dynamic of relationships, ending a relationship, choosing your potential and trusting yourself. Melissa dives deep into her process of rebuilding after a divorce and how she made a major financial comeback when she started listening to her body. Blessings My Friends   How to access the live $10,000 month training & giveaway: -Purchase the book -Share the book + tag me on social media @nicholesylvester -Leave a review on Amazon -Screenshot review & send it to support@nicholesylvester.com   Meet Melissa: Melissa Martin is an abundance expert, business coach, host of the Boldly Courageous podcast, creator of the Ignite Academy for Network Marketers and Co-Founder of Ladies Aligned which is an on-line media outlet for conscious entrepreneurs.When Melissa lost her job in the Financial Service Industry and landed herself in over $100k of debt, she was introduced to the powerful vehicle of Network Marketing. Over the course of 7 years Melissa built an organization of over 5,000 people and earned over 1 Million dollars. Melissa quickly learned that the key to success was not found in someone else's strategy, but from doing her own inner work and tapping into her own authentic voice. Taking ownership of her growth and leading from a place of true authenticity eventually led to her speaking on several stages, hosting women empowerment events and leading others to their own version of success. In 2019 when her network marketing company restructured and she lost her business within 60 days, Melissa decided to pivot out of Network Marketing and teach others in the industry the secrets to building a business from a place of true authenticity and alignment. Today as a coach, public speaker, event host and content creator, Melissa is passionate about helping people break through money mindset blocks and uncover their self worth so that they may radiate authentically, lead with authority and attract abundance with ease. When she's not serving in her business, you can find Melissa traveling the world, having deep conversations with friends, playing in nature or spending time with her dog Maya.    Connect with Melissa: Instagram | Podcast   Manifest with Nichole:  Youtube  | Transformation| Instagram

If you remember Melissa from Season 1, you'll remember she is open and honest and tells it like she sees it. Since you heard her last, she is now also working with teens! Here how she got here in this episode. To connect with Melissa after the show: Find her on FB and IG The ReCreated podcast and Marigold Wellness Collective on IG @marigoldwellnesscollective and at marigoldsharon.com   You can connect with Kim at: TikTok @kimlukens  or can find all of her connections spots through on https://linktr.ee/kimlukens   QUICK EPISODE SUMMARY Welcome back, Melissa! When Melissa started choosing her career  You are allowed to evolve  How Melissa gets to do what she loves every Be brave and take action on your dreams Be the best boss you can be When Kim lost her job What Melissa has learned from her younger employees  Your mistakes or bumper stickers don't define you

Join the next Ultimate Girls Week in Costa Rica Text the word COSTA RICA to 202-217-0704 for all the details on the next retreat or click here. Text the word JOURNAL to 202-217-0704 to receive journal prompts & to connect 1:1 with me!! YES that’s my # and it’s ME! What's Your Money Frequency? Find Out Now Come say hi over on Instagram In Today’s Episode You Will Learn:   What called Melissa to birth her new book Comparisonitis Shifting out of comparisonitis How social media plays a big role in this society Power strategies to stop comparing yourself to influencers Healthy vs Unhealthy comparison  10 signs you may have comparisonitis How to be a model to your kids Feeling behind in your career Feeling comparisonitis around pregnancy Triggers are a reflection of what you’re suppressing  It’s time to start loving  yourself fully   Shownotes:Today I am sitting down with Melissa Ambrosini, multiple bestselling author and writer of her newest book Comparisonitis. In this episode we talk all about what it means to have comparisonitis, how to shift out of it, the good and bad kinds of comparison, feeling behind in your career, triggers, social media, comparing yourself to influencers and so much more. Melissa shares bits of her story and brings incredible wisdom around this very familiar feeling.   Meet Melissa:Named a “Self-Help Guru” by Elle Magazine, Melissa Ambrosini is the bestselling author of Comparisonitis, Mastering Your Mean Girl, Open Wide, and the Audible Original PurposeFULL as well as the winner of ‘The Best eBooks Of All Time’ as voted by Book Depository. Melissa is the host of #1 rated podcast The Melissa Ambrosini Show, where she shares her wisdom and interviews with the biggest thought leaders and experts in the world to help her audience unlock their full potential and live their dream life. When Melissa isn’t writing books and recording her podcast she is speaking on stages, teaching and creating online programs, meditations and life changing live events. With a deep commitment to empowering others to become the best version of themselves, Melissa believes that awakening is possible for everyone. She strives to inspire others to reclaim their power, step into their truth, live with intention, and move in the direction of their dreams.   Connect with Melissa: Instagram | Podcast | Youtube | Facebook    Get a copy of Melissa’s new book Comparisonitis : buy now

Welcome back to a new episode of Mystic Podcast! In this episode, Daniela is joined by brand strategist, speaker, and educator Melissa Hall who works with fashion, lifestyle, and wellness companies. When Melissa was diagnosed with cancer she took a huge look at what she was putting in her body, on her body, and the environment that her body was in. She made some huge changes and learned who she is as a person. In this episode, Melissa talks about the importance of finding your foundation and to prioritise your health to have a sustainable business. Together, she and Daniela also have a conversation about branding: What is the story you want to tell with your brand, is branding ever-evolving, and what does the word branding really mean?     In this episode Daniela and Melissa talk about: The changes Melissa did when she was diagnosed with cancer. Prioritising health for a thriving business.  Everything you need to know about branding: what does branding really mean and what is the story you want to tell? How does Melissa work with both bigger companies as well as with smaller, independent brands?   Where to find Melissa Hall:  Melissa Hall is a brand strategist, speaker and educator that works with fashion, lifestyle, and wellness companies. She is the founder of Melissa Hall Consulting and The Emerging Designer, a network for designers and creative professionals. She has taught at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) for the past decade helping fashion design entrepreneurs grow their business.  In 2020, she launched The Branding Accelerator program and her latest venture, the Wellness + Work Project aims to help others balance their health and professional goals. She is also an advisor for MADE SAFE, a non profit that provides nontoxic certification for consumer goods.   Instagram: @melissahallny Websites:  melissahallconsulting.com The Branding Accelerator  theemergingdesigner.com   Book an Energetic Soul Reading (ESR): https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=16826123&appointmentType=11377651    Join Mystic Community @Mystic.Podcast Follow Daniela’s journey & Teachings @IAmDanielaArango

We talk with Melissa Gould, award-winning screenwriter & author of Widowish. When Melissa became a widow, after the death of her beloved husband, Joel, she found she didn't look like a widow or act like a widow, but she felt like one. We talk about becoming a young widow, grieving with her daughter and how grief feels now. Widowish is our book club selection for March & April; RSVP for the Faith & Grief Book Club on April 22nd for the book discussion. The guest's opinions expressed in the podcast are solely those of the guest and should not reflect their employer or other associated organization's opinions. The guest's opinions do not reflect the opinion of this podcast or Faith & Grief Ministries. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/faithandgrief/support

Get on the Waitlist for Ascend 2021! Here Text the word JOURNAL to 202-217-0704 to receive journal prompts & to connect 1:1 with me!! YES that’s my # and it’s ME! Join The Abundant Life Experience: Here What's Your Money Frequency? Find Out Now Come say hi over on Instagram In Today’s Episode You Will Learn:  Shifting from rock bottom Recognizing redirection The three versions of ourselves Healing your relationship with money Making aligned decisions with your body Taking scary action Investing in yourself when “you don’t have money” Co-creating with your money Stepping into your queendom Create the space and container you wish existed for yourself sexually Taking action from your future self Shownotes:Today, I am bringing you an incredible guest that will inspire you in all of the ways. If you right now are maybe struggling financially, maybe you lost your job in 2020 and are finding your purpose, maybe you’re starting a new scary chapter and you feel unsettled. Well, Melissa Martin is going to help you through that by sharing her inspiring story of resilience and resourcefulness.    Whos is Melissa Martin?Melissa Martin is an abundance expert, business coach, host of the Boldly Courageous podcast, creator of the Ignite Academy for Network Marketers and Co-Founder of Ladies Aligned which is an on-line media outlet for conscious entrepreneurs. When Melissa lost her job in the Financial Service Industry and landed herself in over $100k of debt, she was introduced to the powerful vehicle of Network Marketing. Over the course of 7 years Melissa built an organization of over 5,000 people and earned over 1 Million dollars. Melissa quickly learned that the key to success was not found in someone else’s strategy, but from doing her own inner work and tapping into her own authentic voice. Taking ownership of her growth and leading from a place of true authenticity eventually led to her speaking on several stages, hosting women empowerment events and leading others to their own version of success. In 2019 when her network marketing company restructured and she lost her business within 60 days, Melissa decided to pivot out of Network Marketing and teach others in the industry the secrets to building a business from a place of true authenticity and alignment. Today as a coach, public speaker, event host and content creator, Melissa is passionate about helping people break through money mindset blocks and uncover their self worth so that they may radiate authentically, lead with authority and attract abundance with ease. When she’s not serving in her business, you can find Melissa traveling the world, having deep conversations with friends, playing in nature or spending time with her dog Maya.   Connect with Melissa Martin:Instagram | Boldly Courgeous PodcastBecome part of the Ignite Academy use code IGNITE for $200 off enrollment  : Join here

When Melissa found Evelyn From The Internets on YouTube TV, she KNEW we had to get her on the podcast!! A few months later, Evelyn is the closing interview of season 2 and Melissa & Cody couldn’t be more honored. Evelyn is a video producer and Internet personality, using her platform to discuss important (and not so important!) cultural topics and current events. The trio sit down for a quick, hilarious and enlightening conversation about therapy, social media boundaries, life as an influencer, and what it was like growing up with immigrant parents in American culture. Evelyn From The Internets is an Austin, TX-based video producer and Internet personality. From not-so-serious beauty tutorials and cultural critiques to humorous takes on somber current events, she strives to inspire and entertain viewers, including Beyonce who featured her Lemonade review on the Formation World Tour. Yes, that really happened.-Find Evelyn on Instagram @evelynfromtheinternets-Check out her linktree here-And of course, her YouTube channel Evelyn From The Internets-The best way to support We Are The Stigma is by leaving us a five-star review! -As always share with others, and reach out if you’d like to share your story https://wearethestigma.com/be-a-guest-on-our-show/-You can follow us @_wearethestigma on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook -You can follow Cody’s spiritual journey here on YouTube!

Panelists Justin Dorfman | Richard Littauer Guest Melissa Logan Show Notes Hello and welcome to Sustain! Our special guest today is Melissa Logan, Founder of Constantia.io, a marketing consultancy that focuses on open source and enterprise tech companies. She pioneered the role of open source marketer that helped fuel the rise of open source software development. She also launched the Sexism Field Guide to help people identify and confront all forms of sexism. We will learn why Melissa created Constantia, her work at The Linux Foundation, Apache Cassandra, and Isilon. Also, Melissa talks about having the right personality to do marketing in a community and why she thinks about the community like a prism. Download this episode now to find out more! [00:00:48] Melissa tells us all about Constantia and why she created it. [00:02:30] Since Melissa has worked mainly with large OSPO’s, Richard wonders if she has had any experience working with smaller organizations or smaller repositories on GitHub type stuff. She also talks about what she did at the Linux Foundation and the projects they started, one specifically called OpenDaylight. [00:06:38] When Melissa talks about open source there are two key ways that she describes it. [00:07:43] We learn about Melissa working with the Apache Cassandra Community. Justin wonders if there was a company that did support contracts for Cassandra funding this or if this was a grassroots type of deal. [00:11:03] We learn what Melissa did at Isilon. [00:13:00] Richard wonders how Melissa gets marketing copy in front of people because mailing lists are important to getting into people’s inboxes. [00:16:23] Richard asks Melissa if she has any insight on how to market somebody who runs a small react library and she gives some great advice. [00:18:47] Melissa tells us how to pitch marketing to open source foundations as something they need to do because the return is so small. Richard wonders if she’s ever had to deal with people who are closed sourced and try to convince them to go open. [00:26:55] Since the pandemic has changed a lot of things around marketing, Richard wonders what Melissa’s had to change with how she markets stuff to get in front of people’s eyes over the past six months. [00:29:35] Melissa brings up the topic of disaggregated marketing and when you think about doing marketing in a community one of the most important things you need is the right personality. She also explains how she thinks of the community as a kind of prism. [00:34:43] If you’re interested in seeing the awesome content that Melissa has put out, she tells us where we can find it online. Spotlight [00:35:22] Justin’s spotlight is FingerprintJS. [00:36:00] Richard’s spotlight is a website (https://alex.github.io/nyt-2020-election-scraper/battleground-state-changes.html#) with election data that allows you to see what’s happening every minute in all of the battleground states. [00:36:41] Melissa’s spotlight is Scribus.net. Quotes [00:08:01] “At Linux Foundation it was different because it was part of kind of the governance of the project.” [00:11:03] “You were at Isilon. I remember reading about it way back in the day and it was acquired by EMC. What did you do there because that just really interests me?” [00:17:15] “When you think about doing marketing in a community, there are a lot of people who work at different companies, they have different cultures, they have different reasons for participating. Maybe they’re not aware that you actually want to have a marketing effort.” [00:17:32] “So I think what’s really important is to build some kind of architecture of participation for people in your community.” [00:19:18] “What are those quote unquote KPI’s in an open source project? What do we look at? I think things like lines of code, stars, those are all, I think you should just set those aside. That really doesn’t tell you about the health of an open source project.” [00:20:01] “So we really look at share of voice as one of the key metrics in an open source project and how we evaluate how things are doing.” [00:21:35] “One of the key ways that we knew we were gaining traction was when we found out that AT&T had adopted OpenDaylight, and we found out because they had said something on a user list because of course they found some bug or issue with it, so of course that’s when they reach out and talk to us.” [00:27:00] “So during the pandemic we’ve all been trying to figure out how not to overload people who are overloaded by so much content and information because everyone is doing everything digital all the time.” [00:30:38] Then how do you level the playing field for projects that maybe don’t have a charismatic leader? And the way you can do that is to find someone who plays in this marketing role who does go and seek out all these other types of contributions and tries to shine a light on things that are happening, not just with individuals, but in all parts of your community.” [00:31:40] “I remember in the early 2000’s, you had people in the embedded Linux community who were looking at ways to improve power consumption in satellites that were going into space so that was really important. You had needed a small footprint for everything. When they figured that out, they put it back upstream and that was then adopted by people in the supercomputing community.” [00:34:26] “I think of marketing kind of like you’re a backstage manager for a play and you’re trying to make everything run really smoothly for all the other people on the stage and really shine a light on them literally and figuratively.” Links Melissa Logan Twitter (https://twitter.com/melissa_b2b?lang=en) Melissa Logan Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mklogan) Constantia (https://constantia.io/) All Things Open 2020 Online Event (https://2020.allthingsopen.org/) Open Daylight Project (ODL) (https://www.opendaylight.org/) The Linux Foundation (https://www.linuxfoundation.org/) Dell EMC Isilon (https://www.delltechnologies.com/en-us/storage/isilon/isilon-a2000-archive-nas-storage.htm?gacd=9650523-1033-5761040-266691960-0&dgc=st&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI59rQu7327AIVg-iGCh0mAASuEAAYASABEgKNdvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) Apache Cassandra (https://cassandra.apache.org/) Apache Cassandra Twitter (https://twitter.com/cassandra) The Sexism Field Guide by Melissa Logan (https://sexismfieldguide.com/) FingerprintJS (https://fingerprintjs.com/) Election data results website (https://alex.github.io/nyt-2020-election-scraper/battleground-state-changes.html) Scribus (https://www.scribus.net/) Credits Produced by Richard Littauer (https://www.burntfen.com/) Edited by Paul M. Bahr at Peachtree Sound (https://www.peachtreesound.com/) Show notes by DeAnn Bahr at Peachtree Sound (https://www.peachtreesound.com/) Special Guest: Melissa Logan.

Melissa Morris is a Business Operations Consultant who specializes in client processes, which includes client onboarding, management and offboarding. She uses her 10 years client management experience to help service based business owners streamline and automate these processes as well as teach them how to set client expectations and create and hold boundaries. Melissa's been seen in INC Magazine and Keap Business Success Blog and heard on podcasts such as My Biz Bestie and Productivity Straight Talk. She frees business owners from overwhelm so they can actually work ON their business and not just IN their business. Here's what we covered on the episode: When Melissa had her 9-5 job at an ad agency she was an account executive, which is a project management and client management role and how being in that role served her and created some good systems for herself Melissa explains that she liked her 9-5 job but was craving more flexibility and higher income, so she left her agency and started doing marketing consulting After becoming a marketing consultant, Melissa quickly booked a lot of clients but looked around and realized she hated it and questioned what happened Why Melissa didn't like marketing consulting because she had to execute on a lot of ad plans, where she was writing social media posts, creating graphics and all that comes with consulting, which was unlike the project management role she was in at the agency, which she loved How Melissa approached some of the business owners she'd been working with and started having conversations with them about managing their own projects because she was exploring this new line of work and they loved it Melissa began to realize how this happens to so many solopreneurs, freelancers, etc. who go out on their own and then no longer have a project manager there to serve as a buffer person to keep things on track How Melissa used her social media business to work with some of those business owners and do additional project management work for them When Facebook made their big algorithm change it drastically dropped business page's ability to show up in news feed, and their page views, so Melissa used that as an opportunity to fire a lot of the social media clients she was with and explains why that made sense for her Melissa loves her work and primarily helps service providers create systems and processes, streamline and automate and identify the tools they need in their business to make all of that happen Melissa's experience in client management helped prepare her for tough client conversations and explains that when she presents to clients a shift in her business or unfortunately firing, she highlights the benefits for them and set them up for success as much as she can What Melissa's initial offerings included were conversations about where things were getting stuck in her clients' business, why tasks were slipping through the cracks and helping them get out of overwhelm, which she explains stems from overbooking or not having a clear process Melissa explains that if you can't write down what your process looks like, then it is not nearly as clear as you think and you are going to have a difficult time automating that process or ask for help Two things Melissa sees when it comes to tools is business owners who wait too long to have any tools and other business owners who know they need automation but aren't sure what tool they need and end up duplicating a lot of tools The categories of tools business owners need to pull from including a CRM, a project management tool, a scheduler and an invoicing tool and how Melissa sees the most duplication in the CRM and project management section Melissa walks us through her DISCO Framework where you Define your current process, Identify gaps in your process and redundancies, Streamline by creating canned emails and templates, Create phases and milestones to build accountability, and Outsource and automate Melissa recommends Dubsado, a CRM tool that covers your automation, has a scheduler built into it, and has the ability to automate invoicing Popular project management tools are Asana, Trello and ClickUp, Melissa explains that if you are a checklist type of person you will probably prefer Asana's approach and if you're into visuals you will probably prefer Trello How even if you don't have a lot of clients, but your goal is to grow, and you have the time now to get things into a system, it can be very beneficial to just get started versus waiting to do it so you're prepared for the future Most business owners Melissa works with report saving 5 hours per week which gives them time to spend doing other things to help grow their business or helps give them some breathing room Why Melissa thinks there is a moment when it's too soon to focus on your systems and processes; this might be if you are still refining your services and offers, or you're still playing with who your target audience is, deciding on price points, etc. Melissa explains that you can begin small with automation and just start with automating your invoicing, getting some questionnaires out automatically, or a quick onboarding workflow that can deliver the proposal, contract and a welcome email How it depends on timing and the phase of business the business owner is in when deciding to implement systems and how it might not even be the business owner who realizes something needs to be done Melissa explains her Asana project, where she has different steps set up for her process that help keeps her on track Melissa noticed when she first started working with business owners, they would spend most of their deep dive strategy session searching for their contract or updating the questionnaire so she decided to add a kick-off call to her process and give them some automated resources Melissa's experience moving from one city to another during a pandemic and explains she is just as intentional in her personal life as she is in her business and created checklists for moving and a timeline for moving If you are listening and want to get started, Melissa suggests getting some canned emails, getting your contracts and proposals together, and remember that you can start small Connect with Melissa on Facebook, on her website and check out her Automation Roadmap that will outline your first steps for getting automated Links mentioned: Connect with Melissa on Facebook  Melissa's Website Melissa's Automation Roadmap   Like what you heard? Click here to subscribe + leave a review on iTunes. Click here to download my Sales Page Trello Board Let's connect on Instagram!

Deprogrammed could be considered an offshoot of Melissa’s old podcast – The Secret Door. When Melissa started in podcasting and writing it was through the lens of the paranormal. However, as she progressed in the research she realized she was continuously researching and covering cults and human psychology, so the podcast Deprogrammed was a natural next step in the direction of learning more about the world.Deprogrammed is focused on exploring academic and educational content that analyzes cults and why it is the human experience to gravitate towards them. There will be a variety of guests that come on and talk about their topic from different perspectives, be it the occult, politics, psychology, academia, corporations, therapy, literature, and yes even the paranormal.https://www.dprogrammed.com

In this episode Melissa and Ayngelina Brogan have a conversation that revolves around how mindset and business are interconnected and why what you call yourself really matters. When Ayngelina decided to stop calling herself a blogger and instead refer to herself as a publisher, it gave her the mindset she needed to take the next big growth leap in her business. When Melissa got up the courage to finally call herself an artist and maker it opened up doors she thought were closed to her. How you refer to yourself and the mental roles you let yourself take on can both spur you on to growth or keep you trapped somewhere you don't want to be. We want to help you change your mindset in this episode to spur you on to growth - both as a creator and a business owner!For a summary of this episode and all the links mentioned, please visit:EP027: What It Matters What You Call YourselfFor a list of all available episodes, please visit:And She Looked Up Creative Hour PodcastAnd She Looked Up was born from belief that creating for a living takes a special kind of person: one part artist and one part businessperson. Some days the artist gets to be in charge, and some days, it’s the businessperson. And sometimes that can create tension! But tension can be a really good thing - from it comes new ideas, inspiration, and growth. When you run a creative business you need to keep your “inspiration well” full, your mind and body healthy and your business brain sharp. You also need friends and a community that understand what your days are like. That’s why And She Looked Up was created - to create a space for Canadian female artists, creatives and makers to come together and share our ideas and stories while growing our creative businesses! Your host Melissa Hartfiel is a designer, illustrator, writer, and photographer with a penchant for vibrant colour. She’s owns three businesses and has been a self-employed creative since 2010. She resides just outside of Vancouver, Canada.

Melissa Libby, owner of Melissa Libby & Associates (MLA), started her career in hospitality. Today, her friends call her the Restaurant Whisperer In this interview, Melissa talks about the challenges restaurants have faced in the face of Covid-19, the changes yet to come, and the lessons she has learned in her 27 years of restaurant marketing. In recent months, MLA has helped its clients pivot to curbside delivery, takeout, and/or to serving different retail markets. Some of the adaptations? Restaurants have:  Started low-overhead ghost kitchens/pop-ups that provide different menus from what is available in brick-and-mortar restaurants Converted parking lots into patios for outdoor dining Elevated curbside packaging and pickup to elegant “experiences.”  Started selling off their wine cellars, offering some great wines at good prices.  Melissa advises, to further support your local restaurant, “Tip well.”. Because restaurants typically do not have a lot of money, they value public and community relations over traditional advertising. As restaurants open back up, which clients are most likely to return for dining “in”? Turns out demographics provide no clue. Dining in is the more profitable option . . . but it's tough to figure out who to target with the “come back in” messages. Each individual will have his or her own level of comfort and timing for when it “feels safe.” Melissa notes that “online ordering technology is glitchy.” She has seen some improvement already and thinks it will quickly evolve to something “way better, very quickly.” Third party delivery services take a significant cut of the food delivered. So, she says, order from the restaurant, and pick it up yourself.  Melissa lauds the Georgia Restaurant Association for lobbying to get the necessary changes made to help Georgia's restaurants survive. When Melissa talks about the early days of her business, she says that she did not plan for success. She did not ask “What do I do if I get more clients than I can handle,” she asked, “What am I going to do if I fail?” She feels she would have done better to plan for success and to prepare for success. Melissa used a siloed PR business staffing model until she figured out that did not work for her. She then divided her staff up by what they liked to do best and where they excelled. This made her staff happier, and her organization more resilient. Now, when an employee leaves the agency, the body of knowledge connected to a client remains intact because everyone in the agency has been working with that client.  Melissa can be reached on her agency's website at: ThinkMLA.com. Transcript Follows: ROB: Welcome to the Marketing Agency Leadership Podcast. I'm your host, Rob Kischuk, and I'm joined today by Melissa Libby. Melissa is the owner of Melissa Libby & Associates based in Atlanta, Georgia. Welcome to the podcast, Melissa. MELISSA: Thank you, Rob. ROB: It's fantastic to have you here. Why don't you start off by telling us about MLA and MLA's superpowers?  MELISSA: All right. MLA is 27 years old, based in Atlanta. Our superpower is restaurant marketing. My friends call me the Restaurant Whisperer. [laughs] That's what we do. We help restaurants get business and keep business. ROB: It's quite a time to be thinking about restaurant business, because here we are in – what month is it? August, I think? I have to check my calendar – of 2020. We are still in various stages of COVID-19 lockdown. So, in this time, in August 2020, what are you seeing/doing/hearing when it comes to restaurant marketing? MELISSA: Well, it's a strange new world, that's for sure. It's changed over the past few months of what we've been doing, and it continues to change as things happen. But it all comes down to getting the message out to the people who want to support a restaurant, want to dine at a restaurant, or want to have takeout. We've helped our clients pivot to curbside or takeout or a whole different retail market. Whatever they need to do to stay in business and stay afloat, we help them with that and help them get the word out to people. And then as Georgia reopened and people were able to dine in at a restaurant, we started getting the word out about that. What's interesting from a marketing perspective, and something that I hadn't really thought about – you can't pick a demographic and say, “Okay, this demographic feels comfortable walking in and dining in a restaurant and this one doesn't, so we have to focus on this.” You can't say, “Older people don't want to dine in a restaurant, so let's market to the younger people” because that's just not the case. What I've found is that there are people in every demographic that feel comfortable dining in and in every demographic that don't. It's an extremely personal decision, so it's been really, really hard to figure out who those people are and how we get to them. Because with the dine-in, that is going to be the more profitable avenue for the restaurant. There's been a lot of that going on. A lot of messaging, a lot of safety messaging to make people feel comfortable, a lot of internal messaging to the staff, a lot of website writing, a lot of social media message crafting. It's just been really, really challenging. ROB: It's interesting that you mention the dine-in diner as being more profitable for the restaurant, because I am a big fan of restaurants. I am a big fan of good restaurants. I am a big fan of many of the restaurants that show up on your website. Even from early on in COVID – I think I felt like I was trying to do them a solid by doing pickup, but even continuing to do so, because I am one of those folks who's probably not going to dine in at a restaurant. But what can I do as a pickup order diner to help with the profitability of a restaurant versus maybe what someone dining in and sitting down is doing for them to make them a better customer? MELISSA: Definitely picking up instead of ordering through a third party delivery service is certainly a help to the restaurant because the third party delivery services take a pretty significant cut of the price. So, if you can go and pick it up, that's what you want to do. If you don't want to dine in, do that. Now in Georgia, they're about to let restaurants sell alcohol, so if you can order your beer or your wine – a lot of restaurants have cocktail kits – anything like that helps them. I have several clients that are selling their wine, basically, their wine cellar. And these are amazing wines that you can get at a really great price. So, do that, tip well. That's what you can do to help. I feel like with dine-in, they get that alcohol order that they're not going to usually get with the takeout, and they also obviously have the service staff who receive tips, the people that wait on you. So that's what you can do to help. And don't get me wrong; all of my clients are very, very grateful for the people that are coming, even if they're not coming to dine in. They're grateful for them. So please keep it up. Another thing – and I should've mentioned this – everyone is doing outdoor seating now. So that might be your gateway one day when you're ready to dining back in, to go sit on a patio somewhere. People are turning their parking lots into patios. They're doing anything they can to get some patio seating, and people are loving it, even as hot as it is here.  ROB: I know some places have given a temporary reprieve on allowing restaurants to sell alcohol and also in terms of compromising what is allowed for outdoor seating. Are the alcohol sales becoming something more permanent that is being permitted for pickup? MELISSA: No, it's COVID specific. It would be great if they would make it permanent, and I guess it's a possibility, but that has not been discussed. ROB: It seems like it would take perhaps – and I don't know this industry as well from the side that you see it from – it seems like it would take a more potent restaurant lobby than maybe has formed up to now. Or is there a stronger restaurant lobby that is forming in recent years to help represent – because independent restaurants just don't have the same leverage that let's say a large chain has. MELISSA: Yeah. The Georgia Restaurant Association is absolutely amazing, and they are our lobbying group. I don't know if you recall that we got the Sunday Brunch Bill passed. It used to be you couldn't drink alcohol until 12:30 on Sunday, and now I think it's 10:30 or 11:00 or something. That took like 3 years or more. It's ridiculous. It takes forever to get these things through. But the Georgia Restaurant Association and Karen Bremer, who's the head, they are big-time our advocates from the restaurant community standpoint. They have been instrumental in getting all of these things to happen. ROB: That's good to hear. MELISSA: They are definitely representing everyone. They really, really are. ROB: When all this started, I'm sure you had some clients who were already doing online ordering, some who resisted it very much at the onset, probably some who flipped over, maybe some holdouts. What were the stages of technology enablement that you've seen across your client portfolio? MELISSA: It was very interesting to watch that. Anybody that was already doing online ordering immediately took it up a notch and they were great. And then you have fine dining restaurants like Aria and Umi, and they're like, “How am I going to do takeout? How can you take out sushi?” It goes against everything that they have ever dreamed of for their restaurant. Then a couple of weeks go by and they're like, “Yeah, we've got to figure this out.” And they did. In the case of Umi, they got beautiful packaging and they really figured out a way to create the Umi experience, even insofar as how you drive up and how you're greeted and how you receive your food. Everything about it is very Umi-like, and it's probably some of the more expensive takeout you'll ever get in your life. Umi has a broad menu that you can choose from. Aria took a different stance and they do two choices a day, and they post their menu every single day of what's tonight's menu. Some people get Aria three or four times a week because it's different every night. They've got a beautiful curbside pickup. I guess we probably have a couple that don't do online ordering or takeout, but it's few. It was hard, because we had to get the technology set up, and that's always painful. ROB: I imagine in Umi's case, they may have also been tracking – I think there was a sushi restaurant up in New York that went to some sort of like $800 takeout. Did you see this? MELISSA: [laughs] No, I didn't. ROB: Yeah, there was a New York sushi restaurant that went to $800 takeout. I saw some very elevated packaging from Sugarfish, which is a smallish/medium-ish sushi chain, that really did elevate that experience. My own experience has really been that during this time, it has become a time for those who are in the hospitality industry to think about hospitality far more than just being in the food and feeding people industry. MELISSA: Absolutely. That's exactly right, and Umi is the perfect example of that. They took their current offering and put it to go. They really did. And the love and care that they give you when you're dining in, you receive via takeout. They have now opened it for dine-in, but the takeout was such a hit that they kept that going. I wonder to myself if they will continue that when they don't have to anymore. ROB: I'm very much excited, especially the restaurants that have figured out how to be hospitable in their takeout and have that passion for serving people. I'm indeed curious how that will continue onwards. You mentioned that MLA has been in the hospitality industry – you mentioned you've been in business for 27 years. Have you been deep into hospitality from the onset? Let me start there. MELISSA: We have. I started the company in 1992. My background was I had a job at Hyatt. I was working in the hotel business. My contacts were already in the hospitality business, so those were the type of client leads I was getting back then. Then as '96 and the Olympics started getting closer, Atlanta's hospitality scene started to beef up a little bit. then when the Olympics hit, I think the whole world saw Atlanta for the great place that it is, and before I knew it, I was focusing on restaurants. I don't think I could've done that when I first started. I don't think there would've been enough restaurants to keep me employed. But that changed, and I was a part of it. It was awesome. ROB: It's amazing to stick with it for that long. I think some people start off in the serving hospitality, but they find a hard way to make it a rewarding business for themselves as entrepreneurs and they start to get wandering eyes for how to better serve other clients. Particularly, I think there's a perception – and a reality, depending on the client – of the margins in the world of being an agency driven around the hospitality industry. You seem to be happy to have made it work for coming up on three decades. How do you attribute that ongoing passion for the industry – and also, you've been able to hire people as well. You're not a one-person show, just scraping by, taking pictures yourself and posting pictures of food. How has that worked well for you? MELISSA: There's no question that I love the industry, and I think that has to be – I'm sure I could go work in another industry and make more money, but I do love the industry, and I love working with the restaurant owners and the chefs. It's a very creative group of people. It's a very entrepreneurial group of people. I really enjoy working with other people. I love to be in a meeting and go, “Hey, I have a great idea. Let's do this!” “Okay, that sounds good.” Boom, off you go and start doing it. It doesn't have to run up a flagpole of approvals and all of that stuff so that by the time the idea is finally approved, it's completely different and 3 months later. I really enjoy the atmosphere of what we do. I feel like from focusing the way that I do and focusing my team in the way that I do, we're just incredibly efficient. The fact that we represent a lot of restaurants makes us a huge value to the media, so they can just make one phone call and say, “I'm looking for recipes using apples” – and this is a true story; got it this morning – and I can make like eight calls and then, 3 hours later, call the reporter back and go, “Okay, I've got” – and this is true – “a Brussel sprout and apple salad, I've got an apple pie, I've got this, I've got this.” The reporter has only had to make one call and spend 5 minutes. So, I think that's made us very efficient. You're right; restaurants don't have a lot of money, but I have to say that they value public relations and community relations and communications over more traditional advertising. Because it stretches a little bit more. Their money will stretch a little bit farther with us than it would two ads that month. It really has been – I've made a living. [laughs] I pay my bills, almost always on time. ROB: And sometimes you get some good meals along the way, and that's pretty good too. MELISSA: I definitely do. I definitely do that, yes, for sure. ROB: Wonderful. When we think about some of these clients – entrepreneurs, and I think restauranteurs sometimes in particular, may have a reputation of being a little bit hard to corral. When someone comes in with that need for that story, for that recipe, some of them might not even read your email until the next day. I think a lot of people, even more broadly beyond the hospitality industry, would wonder: is there a secret? Is it that you just know so well into the businesses that you can maybe bypass the entrepreneur and go straight to a chef internally? Is it that you tend to work with restauranteurs who have their details together more? Is it that you're sometimes able to just know things well enough that you can be a proxy for them? Or a combination of everything? How do you tighten those lines of communication? Because everybody wants, I think, that level of execution and responsiveness to be able to pull something from an idea to a published-in-the-media message quickly. But clients may not always make that easy for you. MELISSA: Oh, for sure they don't. [laughs] The answer to your question is certainly all of the above. Every single client is different, has a different way that they like to be communicated with. We just have to learn, “Okay, this guy, if we text him at 2:00 it's going to be our very best time to get his attention. This one, we've got to call because he knows if I'm calling, it's got to be really important. Otherwise I'm just going to send him an email. This person likes all five things put in an email at the end of the day. This person likes everything in subject by subject email.” We really just have to figure them out. But they all are paying us to get the word out, so if they take too long or don't answer or whatever, I just let them know, “Hey, you missed an opportunity. This is why, so next time, here's what we've got to do.” They get it. And we also know on our end who's fast to answer – and I tell clients this when I first meet with them about “Are we going to work with you or not?” I always say, “There is no question, the people that answer us quickly and thoroughly are the ones that get the best press. So that's what you've got to do.” They always go, “Okay, okay, I'm going to do it!” And then some do and some don't. But it's the truth. You get out what you put in. But if we get a last-minute request and we don't have a lot of time, we have our go-tos because we know who's going to respond. That's the goal, to be a go-to. ROB: You've been in this business a while longer than some of the recent shifts in the food media world. It seems like between web outlets, between review sites and increased interest in the TV landscape around food, the culture of food and interest in good food has shifted mightily. What is trending now? What is evergreen now, and what is withering away in terms of getting attention within the hospitality industry? MELISSA: That's a really good question, and I'm not sure, given everything going on, that I can answer that with any great knowledge. I've seen the food industry go through all kinds of changes, and I think that food as an entertainment avenue is here forever. I just can't see that going away. But I think that with COVID and the concerns of the large gatherings, and even the very tight quarters, that's going to – I don't want to say go away, but I think there's going to be less of that. I think people that are opening restaurants right now for sure are not cramming tables in. They're also not making a humongous restaurant. So, I think we're going to see some more medium-size restaurants with a lot of space. I think we're probably going to see some lower priced menus. Just a more mainstream, low-key, as everybody gets back into it and figures out – I just can't imagine people opening a big, flashy, fancy restaurant right this minute. And that's not to say that they won't, and that's not to say that they wouldn't be successful. But I think if you were making your decision today, that would probably not be what you would do. Now, there are people that are well into the planning for a restaurant that's supposed to open next week or in a month or whatever, and they have to go with what they've got and use the guidelines from the state until they don't have to anymore. ROB: The intersection that you sit at, I'm sure that your existing clients and people getting into the industry even look to you to an extent for strategy as well. One thing you hear swirling in the restaurant industry is diversification of business model. Some people are already going into events. That's obviously changing a little bit. Some have been going into additional retail product lines. What are you suggesting to clients as they think about where to go with technology enablement and where to go with overall restaurant business strategy, possibly diversifying? MELISSA: One thing that's big is the ghost kitchen/pop-up idea. I have a couple clients, Drift in East Cobb is doing a lobster roll pop-up calls Pop's Lobster Shack. They did it kind of out of necessity during COVID. They made this takeout window – and I don't know if you know this, but lobster was really, really inexpensive. I don't know if it still is, but all the lobster fishermen didn't have anybody to sell to because all the restaurants up there were closed, so everybody got lobster really cheap. I don't know if people are noticing, but you can probably get lobster at Applebee's right now. I don't know. But anyway, they started this lobster roll special called Pop's, and it's been unbelievably successful. We had a meeting the other day and they were like, “I think we're going to just keep this going. When lobster's out of season, we'll do something else.” I already had some clients that were talking about that sort of ghost kitchen idea, where you do something different than what you already do in your restaurant, you have a different menu offering, but you don't have the building and the huge branding and all the expenses that go along with it. You just sell it on Door Dash or whatever the situation is. So that's definitely happening right now. As far as technology, I think the online ordering is glitchy right now. I see it already getting better, and I think it's going to get way better very, very quickly, and people are going to be able to, as you suggested, order merch and maybe seasonings and all that stuff in a much less clunky way than they even can do right now. I'm excited for that to happen because it's been painful, some of these online sites that we've been working with. ROB: I can't imagine, and it sounds like you've had to. Melissa, as you reflect on the business as you have built it thus far, what are some things that you would consider maybe doing differently if you were starting over from scratch? MELISSA: That's a very good question. One of the things that I always tell people when they say, “What should I know before I start a business?” is I did not plan for success when I started. I planned, “What am I going to do if I fail? When am I going to decide it doesn't work, and then what am I going to do?” I spent a lot of time thinking about that, but I didn't spend any time – not even a minute – thinking about, “What am I going to do if I've got more clients than I can handle? What am I going to do if there are not enough hours in the day for me to do all the work by myself?” I never thought of any of that. I spent probably 2 or 3 years running like a crazy woman, trying to hire a person here and there, do this, do that. Always that's my first thing that I tell people: plan for success. Have some people lined up. Have some things lined up to support you if it goes well. That's always been my best learning, because it's like “Why didn't I do that?” And then many years ago – but it was still well into the business – I realized that the traditional PR business model or way of setting up your staff didn't work for me. You probably know this, but it was always account supervisor, account executive, assistant account executive, little silos, and they did everything. They met with the client, they wrote the business plan, they wrote the press release, they sent the press release, they did everything. I realized I would come back to the office and go, “Hey, we got a new client,” and everybody would duck their head like, “Oh my God, don't give it to me, don't give it to me.” I was like, oh, this is not good. So I divided everybody up by what they like to do best and what they're best at, so now we have writers and we have media relations people and we have social media people and we have client services people. If your thing is meeting with the clients and writing timelines and writing plans and checking off lists, then that's what you do. And if you're a great writer and you can sit in a quiet room all day long and write, write, write, write, write, that's what you do. It was just a huge help, and it changed everything. And then there was an added bonus of if someone leaves, the brain trust does not walk out the door because everyone has been working on the client. So that was a big learning, and it's something that I'm glad came to me at some point in the years. ROB: Sure. One thing I think adjacent to that is in this case – and it's fairly common in the PR industry – your name is on the door, and that can be a challenge in bringing in other people. How have you addressed the challenge where Melissa is quite often the person who goes out and earns the trust of the client, and your reputation is a big part of the value that you bring, but at some point your client's going to have to work with somebody who's not Melissa? How have you handled that scaling yourself problem? MELISSA: It's a good question, and it worried me so much for a long time. I felt like I had to be at every new business meeting, I had to really, really be involved and really assure the prospective client that I was their main contact and all of that. I think the true answer is good people. I have people that have been with me 11 years, 8 years. I've been really fortunate to have long-term employees who are awesome, and the client just wants somebody that's going to help them get the work done. I love client meetings, so I go to as many of them as I can. The beauty, though, is I don't have to write the agenda. I don't have to take the notes. I don't have to do the follow-up. I'm just spending that hour of my time brainstorming with that client or advising that client or listening to that client. So, I'm giving them my best. I'm giving them what they expect from me and what they value from me, but then I have a very competent person and a whole team behind that person that's going to take care of the details. Over time, I've just gotten more and more comfortable with it – and that's truly what it was: me getting comfortable with it. I think it was more in my head than it was anything else. I think the clients are fine with it because, once again, they're being taken care of. If they weren't, I'm sure they would say, “Melissa, you schluffed me off on this person and they're no good.” But fortunately that does not happen. Also, one of my key employees took on the new business development role a few years ago, so she is bonused on the new business that she brings in. She takes a really instrumental role in that, to the point where now sometimes we have to be sure that the prospective client realizes that she may not be the person that they're going to see every day too. It's funny. It's kind of transferred over a little bit. ROB: It definitely makes sense. It sounds like one of those things you find along the way; you took it from your name and your person being the reputation to when people bring in Melissa Libby & Associates, your reputation is also the people you bring to the table and who does the work. MELISSA: Yes, exactly. ROB: The brand is still you; you haven't shied away from that, but you've expanded what it means. MELISSA: Right. And as you'll notice, we a long time ago started using MLA as our logo. Our web address was MelissaLibbyPR.com; now it's ThinkMLA.com because we wanted to expand beyond the PR and be more than that, and then we also wanted to shorten it and use that MLA more. It just takes my name out of it a little bit. Just a little bit. ROB: Perfect. Melissa, when people want to find you and MLA, where should they go to find you? MELISSA: ThinkMLAcom. ROB: Excellent. Even in the website, it's changed a little bit. Or was that always the address? MELISSA: No, it's changed. ROB: Very good. Melissa, thank you for enlightening us on your journey with Melissa Libby & Associates as well as the journey of the hospitality industry during this time. I've learned a lot, and I think the listeners will have as well. MELISSA: Thank you. I enjoyed it. ROB: Be well. Thank you. MELISSA: All righty. ROB: Thank you for listening. The Marketing Agency Leadership Podcast is presented by Converge. Converge helps digital marketing agencies and brands automate their reporting so they can be more profitable, accurate, and responsive. To learn more about how Converge can automate your marketing reporting, email info@convergehq.com, or visit us on the web at convergehq.com.

Melissa Cristina Márquez has an important role that the world overlooks: she is the protector of sharks. If sharks could talk, they would profusely thank her. In the future, when sharks are thriving and well protected, we will be thanking her. When Melissa saw her first shark breach out of the water on Shark Week, she instantly knew that she wanted to study sharks. As she learned more about sharks, she realized the bad reputation that they had. She knew that their reputation was unjustified. Melissa naturally wanted to speak up for them. She wanted people to focus on how important they are for the world. Melissa has wasted no time. In one way or another, Melissa has created hundreds of content that pertains to educating people about sharks and their relatives (skates, rays, chimaeras). Her dedication and hard work paid off when she was invited to be on Shark Week in 2018 and 2019. Her appearance grabbed the attention of Latino viewers. Messages such as, “Our daughters are watching you. We are watching you” inundated Melissa’s emails. She screenshot all those messages and uses them as motivation to continue her mission. It’s no coincidence that Melissa has become a beacon of light to many families after her appearance on Shark Week. As years pass by, young generations of Latinos are seeking careers where there is a lack of Latino diversity. We notice that people who look like us are missing in these fields. Melissa knows how important representation is. If you don’t see other people who look like you in your interested career, how can you see yourself? Melissa generously dedicates her time by visiting classrooms and answering questions on social media so she can navigate future Latino scientists in the right direction. It is altruism like that that is advancing more Latinos into the sciences. The next time you see or hear about a shark, you might have more empathy for these beautiful creatures. Melissa will have you convinced that “We shouldn’t be afraid of an ocean with sharks, we should be afraid of an ocean without them.”   Thank you for listening. If you like what the podcast has to offer, please subscribe to the podcast and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Libsyn Spotify Stitcher Google Play Music   Follow me on social media: Instagram Linkedin

Welcome to the 13th episode of "FASD Informed", sponsored and produced by the North Carolina nonprofit organization, NCFASD Informed. This episode is titled "A Voice To Be Heard- A Bio Mom's FASD Journey". Podcast host, Natalie Vecchione, interviews Melissa Moore. Melissa is a biological mom of a child with an FASD. Melissa is also a mama of four and raising her family with her number one supporter and love- her spouse. Melissa's passions are keeping active and being outdoors. Her other priorities include quality time with her family, family game night and family movie night. Melissa is a fierce advocate in the FASD and Mental Health communities. Melissa works as an Educational Assistant by day and active mom of 4 kids by night....and she loves helping others to understand their worth and importance in life. This candid and important episode includes:-  Melissa's journey and her pregnancy story.-  When Melissa began to become aware of the symptoms that were a result of her drinking in  the first weeks her pregnancy (when she didn't realize she was actually pregnant).-  The steps and action she took in supporting her child's needs, once she learned that her child had an FASD.-  The stigma that she faced of a biological mom of a child with an FASD.-  What made Melissa decide to be an advocate in the FASD community.-  Her message to other biological moms who may suspect their child may have an FASD and to ALL parents of children / teens / adults with and FASD. Resources-Melissa Moore on Instagram @ms.melissajan Podcast HostNatalie Vecchionenatalie.vecchione@ncfasdinformed.org NCFASD Informedhttps://ncfasdinformed.org/ 

Can cash transfers reduce violence within the home, keeping women safe from intimate partner violence? This episode features IFPRI Senior Research Fellow Melissa Hidrobo (https://www.ifpri.org/profile/melissa-hidrobo) and Research Fellow Shalini Roy (https://www.ifpri.org/profile/shalini-roy) who, in a conversation with Sivan Yosef (https://www.ifpri.org/profile/sivan-yosef), tell the story of how development programs can sometimes have surprising impacts. When Melissa found that a cash transfer program in Ecuador reduced intimate partner violence, defined as physical, sexual, or emotional harm by a current or former partner or spouse, she and Shalini decided to team up and see whether the same results held in Bangladesh and Mali. Their work shows the vast potential of cash transfer programs, which are already used by many countries around the world, to reduce intimate partner violence at a large scale. Interviewees: Melissa Hidrobo; Shalini Roy Interviewer: Sivan Yosef Producer: Sivan Yosef Editor: Jennifer Weingart Promotions: Drew Sample To learn more: Blog: https://www.ifpri.org/blog/cash-transfers-and-intimate-partner-violence VoxDev - Op-ed: https://voxdev.org/topic/public-economics/cash-transfers-and-intimate-partner-violence TMRI Website: https://bangladesh.ifpri.info/tag/tmri/ Project Output: https://www.ifpri.org/cash-transfer-and-intimate-partner-violence-research-collaborative-project-outputs Donors & Partners: United States Agency for International Development, World Bank, Sexual Violence Research Initiative, PIM, CGIAR, International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, the Government of Mali, World Food Program

Another breastfeeding story! This one is particularly dear to Barbara’s heart. Melissa came to see Barbara after the birth of her first baby and was struggling with her rate of breastmilk production. Although Melissa was able to increase her supply a bit, she still needed to supplement her baby. Second baby When Melissa was pregnant… The post All Things Breastfeeding 63: Melissa’s Breastfeeding Story appeared first on The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor.

When Melissa dropped out of high school, she worked various jobs, until ultimately, she became a restaurant manager. She was comfortable in her position and was making a lot of money, but she felt stuck. It wasn’t until the sudden death of her father that made her realized that life was just too short, and she wanted to do something more. So, at the age of 32, she decided to go back to school. You can find Melissa on Instagram, @loveyourlifecommunity, and on her website, Love Your Life Community. This episode is sponsored by ELAJ Skincare, a moisturizer for your dry, cracked, and irritated skin. Want to be more Fearless? Website: Fearlessfemale.com Facebook: Facebook.com/groups/fearlessfemalemovement Twitter: @FearlessFemale9 Instagram: @fearlessfemalepodcast and @paolarosser Tiktok: @paola.rosser

Roger from Spanaway has asked for help with his girlfriend Melissa who he says has formed an unusually close relationship with his mother. He says at first he was glad they hit at off but now they are practically BFF’s. Roger feels weird that his mom is the one telling Melissa about his exes and important moments of his life instead of him which. And they hang out so much that Roger feels like he basically has to fight with his mom for Melissa’s time. When Melissa comes on she says she has no idea what the problem is and wouldn’t it be worse if they hated each other? She thought he would love that they hit it off so well and it’s been a great bonus for her personally because Diane, Roger’s mom, is a great person and they share a lot of similar interests. And then Diane calls in to the show! First of all she is a P1 and is pretty excited that her “baby boy” is on the radio. She confirms she and Melissa are clearly BFF’s and calls her the “daughter I never had”. She admits she never liked any of his other girlfriends before but thinks Melissa “a keeper” and thinks he should propose

Here's a major change of pace to bring a little springtime to your soul in this weird winter of our discontent - a stirring story of human redemption through the beauty of giving to, and caring for, other living beings -  which, in turn, redeems and restores  the lives of humans who find in themselves in the most dire of circumstances.  Jon Grobman, in his own estimation, was not a good person in 2005 when he was sentenced to six separate 25 years-to-life terms plus 40 years in prison (that's a total of 190 years-to-life if you're counting), all for repeat non-violent offenses.  Faced at a still-young age with the inevitability of dying in prison, Jon looked at the totality of what his life had been up to that point and decided that no matter what, he was going to spend the rest of his life in service to others.  This decision eventually led him on a path that brought him to Alex Tonner, a passionate advocate of canine rescue - and with the support of prison authorities, helped Jon start a prison program to save and train dogs for adoption.  Starting slowly, Paws for Life K9 Rescue grew into an amazing program.  Today, Paws for Life operates in three maximum security prisons in California, training dozens of dogs for home adodption as well as for adoption by law enforcement agenciesd, disabled veterans and as service animals for those in need.  The program gives meaning and hope to some of the most hopelessly situated inmates - many of whom are "lifers" whose lives have been rescued by working with dogs whose lives they, the prisoners, are changing changing with love and caring.  An amazing gift to the humans and the dogs alike.  In 2018, as a result of his work with Paws for Life, Jon became the very first life-sentenced inmate in California to receive a Recall of Commitment from  the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.  Since his release, his commitment to Paws for Life remains strong - as Director of Programs for the organization, he's found his mission in life - he continues to work with the prisoners to train, care for, and work with Alex Tonner and her team to make sure that each animal finds a loving, "forever" home.  When Melissa and Producer Mark lost their two beloved dogs in 2019, they wondered if they'd ever find another canine companion - and then, almost by accident, they came across an adoption fair hosted by Paws for Life at a local pet store, where they met Jon, Alex...and their newly-adopted one year-old Belgian Malinois rescue, Siren Marie, whose puppy energy drives them nuts but whose beauty and love makes them so grateful that they found her - and that Jon Grobman and Paws for Life K9 Rescue were there to save her for them.  Listen in as Melissa spends some quality time with Jon to hear his story and discuss the broader issues of the importance of making decisions  to improve our lives, sentencing reform and just being our best possible selves.

Melissa and David are here today to answer listener questions. Melissa loves it when people ask questions. We appreciate you trusting us with all of the things we'll be talking about today and on future episodes. The last couple of weeks have been dedicated to something that Melissa just can't wrap her mind around. We've been talking about being still, organizing, and decluttering our homes and our hearts, space, and putting your phone away.  If someone would have told me that in the year 1994 when David and I got married that someday David would be checking his phone while we were having conversations, and I would be checking my watch for incoming messages, I would have laughed them out of house and home. Here we are learning how to create space and balance in a way that we didn't have to learn back then. We are navigating a whole new world. Before we dive into the listener questions, we just want to say thank you for trusting us with your questions, even though we don't have all of the answers. We do love each other very much, and we are in this marriage for the long haul. We work really hard on our marriage, so we are going to try and do the best we can with your questions. David also wanted to share that just asking the question or talking about it or hearing someone else talk it can help you feel less alone. Show Notes: [06:34] Someone from Vista, California said she loves the show. Her and her husband will be married 35 years. The only way she could keep balance when the kids were young was to go away on weekends every three to four months. [09:00] Question from Sarah: How to get a guilt free girls night? Her husband only does stuff with her. He doesn't have any friends and doesn't go out. [10:27] Sarah has guilt going out, because her husband just wants to be with her. [11:48] David suggests Sarah's husband be supportive. One of the ways Melissa recharges is by spending time by herself or by spending time with other people. [12:20] When Melissa and David got married, David was jealous of her time. This has changed, because David discovered that Melissa becomes better after having time off with her friends or family.  [14:29] It's a good idea to have moments of conversation about how important it is and be nice and treat other people well. Say thank you, and it wouldn't hurt to help him find a hobby.  [15:19] Selena is the adoptive mother of a special-needs child. He is now an adult, and Selena is struggling with drawing lines in the sand and kind of pushing him out of the nest. At what point does she say you're ready and it's time to go? [17:04] We are at a double deficit when it comes to answering this question. We don't have a special needs child, and we haven't come to the season where we release our children out into the world. [18:00] Every situation with every child is going to be different. Seeking counseling with people who have expertise and can give true insight on your specific situation would be a good idea. [18:33] It seems to Melissa that you have dealt with this for so many years that you and your husband are a little off-balance on how to be alone and how to make time for one another. [21:45] Ellen asks how to schedule sex in your life when you and your partner have opposite schedules? [22:12] Men can be more flexible, try to find a time that works for Ellen. There's something romantic and life giving when the other partner is intentional.  [25:29] It can't be pushed away for too long without having some effect. [27:29] Donna asks how to come to an agreement when it's time to talk about a problem? This gives her anxiety. If we don't communicate to begin with, how could we communicate about a problem? [28:25] Not communicating at all is a red flag. We are firm believers in marriage counseling. When there are problems, husbands don't want to go. Invest in a counselor now, before you are engulfed in flames. Dig your well before you need the water.  [29:52] Look into the Enneagram. It's an internal GPS for who you both are.  [31:57] Before having the tough questions, tackle easier communication. The Enneagram can really help you learn about yourself and your spouse. Schedule communication.  [34:47] Both people need to honor and respect this. Hold up one hand like a stop sign (not talk to the hand) when it's time to stop talking about things that are escalating.  [36:06] Jaime believes that there is a low in January. She is having a hard time with her marriage.  [37:17] We go through seasons, but then settle back into real life and the day-to-day. The biggest thing is to be intentional with your actions, marriage, or relationships. Write down what you want to see.  [38:59] We have a soft spot in our hearts for marriages and relationships. We feel your call Jaime.  [39:50] When you pull back the layers, ask if you are going anywhere. We can try anything when we know that we aren’t leaving. Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter Sign Up for Insider Access Enneagram

This is a special series of Episodes in which Melissa Kathryn shares the spotlight with her client Rose from her Weight Loss For Life group, to share about her challenges and triumphs this past year, as she embarked on her journey to wholeness. Wholeness is getting you back to who you were before you ever thought you were “less than” so you can shine your light and live the life and have the body you’ve always wanted and known was meant for you in your soul. When Melissa introduces Rose, Rose shares her background of what led her to Weight Loss for Life, which was a lifelong battle of gaining and losing weight along with a lack self-worth that caused her to struggle with her dreams as an artist.  Rose is an RN specializing in Palliative Care and is beginning to coach individual’s as an End of Life consultant on the heals of a major loss in her life which is shared more deeply in this episode. She is also a musician, singer and actress. Melissa explores with Rose how her weight impacted her creative work and reveals the rebirthing journey over the nine month program of Weight Loss for Life.  Rose shares her old identity vs. her identity now- she now knows her worth and no longer has to question that. Her whole life she has struggled with depression and a melancholy spirit, and as the youngest of a large family, her weight loss has helped her “grow up.”  Rose  continues to share a personal story of a very special friendship over the past nine months and how the beauty of that relationship has shown her who she is and of what she is capable. In addition, she found the Weight Loss for Life community to be meaningful accountability and support that she greatly needed during a difficult time Melissa shares how she watched Rose take something heartbreaking and used tools to unfold and transcend her difficult loss into a rebirthing of a new passion in her life that will help so many. Melissa asks Rose to share with other women that are widows, have lost someone they love, are struggling with weight or “playing small in their life,” how she “slapped a smile on” when inside she was binging and not so good and needed to recognize she deserved more.  Rose echoes that Weight Loss for Life helped her believe in who she is and recognize her crazy thoughts that were filling her mind. She also shares her favorite tools from the program. In conclusion, Melissa and Rose emotionally celebrate that Rose’s journey has ultimately led her to love herself and she is going to continue the Weight Loss for Life journey as an accountability partner for her sister.  If you feel hopeless or like what you want is too far from you.  It’s not. You are exactly where you are supposed to be and reading this for a reason.   What You’ll Learn:     How change is always possible and rebirthing takes place in many ways with life being a catalyst and the time is always available to you - should you take it     Shedding the old is part of who we thought we were supposed to be     Unfolding happens with tools that are used to help you change patterns     Flipping thought patterns is the key to self-worth and loving yourself     Inspired action and trusting your internal guidance is a key for change   Links: Weight Loss for Life: Melissa Kathryn’s website: http://melissakathryn.com/                                                                      Melissa Kathryn’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/radiancemk Wholeness with Melissa Kathryn Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourjourneytowholeness/ Follow Melissa on Youtube for additional Videos Here: https://bit.ly/34rqlM Have Questions, Need Support or Want Melissa to Coach You?  E-mail:  support@melissakathryn.com

132 | Melissa Gersin Teaches Us Why Fear-Based Thinking Has to Go! Are you making fear-based business decisions? Melissa Gersin is a Maternity Nurse and Infant Crying Specialist turned accidental entrepreneur. She had an idea for a product and with no business background, brought her vision to life with a playful and inquisitive approach combined with sheer grit and determination. Her invention, the Tranquilo Mat, is a one-of-a-kind portable and versatile solution to help parents easily soothe their babies and help them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. From her job in the hospital to her Shark Tank experiences (her idea prompted a bidding war with the Sharks) and through a successful acquisition, Melissa is always willing to tell her story raw and unfiltered in hopes of inspiring others. Fear is one of the biggest enemies that new entrepreneurs face.  Fear of failure; fear of what others think of them. Fear of making the wrong choices; whether it be choosing the wrong supplier or even choosing the wrong business. Fear of the wrong investors. As odd as it may sound, some entrepreneurs even battle the fear of success: how success could change them; what would happen if they reached the next level. Fear stops many entrepreneurs from even stepping out and pursuing their dreams. When you run your business from a place of fear, you cannot make the most strategic decisions that help you grow. Fear causes you to make small decisions and hold yourself back.  When you face your fears, and follow your gut, you’ll see yourself making smarter decisions, and growing. This week’s guest on Success Unfiltered, Melissa Gersin, is a nurse and creator of the Tranquilo Mat, a soothing mat for babies. As a nurse, Melissa saw the need, but pushed past her fears when the hospital she worked at said NO, and when she was faced with NO throughout her journey.  If you’re feeling discouraged by fear, and ready to be inspired by what happens when you overcome those fears, you’ll want to tune in to this week’s episode of Success Unfiltered! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into Success Unfiltered! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com Share Success Unfiltered on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn  To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Special thanks goes out to Melissa Gersin for taking the time to chat with Michelle. Be sure to join us next week for our next new episode! Are You Afraid To Ask For The Sale Because They Might Say NO? What if I told you that rejection in business actually means that you’re on the right track? Click here and learn 3 reasons why getting a NO means that you’re closer to a YES than you might think! Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle introduces Melissa Gersin. Melissa shares about the Tranquilo Mat, and how she was inspired to make it. When Melissa first made the Tranquilo Mat, she was told NO that there was NO market, and that NO one would be interested! After she heard NO, Melissa set aside the idea for at least 6 months. Finally, she picked it back up again because she couldn’t let the idea go. “If everyone says it’s a bad idea, maybe there is value there. If it's half or less than half of the people say this is stupid and I don't care if they're an expert or not in the field you know if they give you a no they're just not your right audience they just don't get it.” ~ Melissa Gersin. That NO paved the way for Melissa to own her business: she did not have to work with the hospital that she worked with, since they had said NO. There are people out there who don’t want to see you succeed: you have to ignore their feedback. Even though they did not meet crowdfunding goals for the Tranquilo Mat, Melissa considers it a success. New people learned about the product! After the crowdfund was over, Melissa received devastating news: the manufacturer would not be able to pass inspections. Thankfully, they were able to find a backup manufacturer quickly. At first, Melissa was handling fulfillments herself, but knew that she would not be able to continue and be able to grow. She had two choices for amazon fulfillment: a bigger fulfillment company that was more expensive, and a smaller company with low costs. Even though it didn’t feel right to Melissa, she said YES to the smaller, less expensive company. Melissa knew that she made her choice because of a fear of failure: fear that her company wouldn’t grow, and wouldn’t be able to meet numbers that would make a larger fulfilment company a wise choice. Soon, Melissa learned that they had made a bad choice. Due to customer service issues, Tranquilo‘s Amazon ratings began to plummet. They had to act fast to get their inventory back from the fulfilment center. In business, don’t do handshake deals: get contracts! In the end, Melissa was able to retrieve her inventory, but it took some work. Melissa shares about her Shark Tank experience, including an embarrassing moment where she did math wrong while negotiating the contract. Trust your gut in your business: sometimes the decisions that you make won’t always make logical sense, but in the long run, you will be glad that you made the choices that you did. Melissa shares about the confidence that she has gained as an entrepreneur. “Trust your gut, and enjoy the ride!” ~ Melissa Gersin Melissa shares what she would tell her younger self. Connect with Melissa Gersin: Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Are You Afraid To Ask For The Sale Because They Might Say NO? What if I told you that rejection in business actually means that you’re on the right track? Click here and learn 3 reasons why getting a NO means that you’re closer to a YES than you might think! Music produced by Deejay-O  www.iamdeejayo.com

Can you say mom goals? Melissa Evans is the Founder and CEO of Momeez Choice, running a family-owned company while raising four children.Melissa has always been passionate about working and caring for children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Human Relations, which led to over 10 years of working in health and human services field. Her most cherished position was working with a non-profit organization for families whose loved ones were ill or had passed away. After many years of working with children and families, Melissa began a family of her own. After giving birth to her twin girls, she decided to stay at home full-time. Her family of four quickly became a family of six after having another sweet girl and then a baby boy! Today Melissa and family live in a small town in Connecticut where Melissa was born and raised.   When it came to health and wellness, Melissa had always been an enthusiast, but it was when first becoming pregnant that she began to take a harder look into health and nutrition and what she was putting into her body and essentially her baby’s. When Melissa’s daughter was a little older and became sick with strep and pneumonia, there was nothing she felt comfortable giving her to soothe her throat. Many throat lozenges are filled with artificial ingredients and can be a choking hazard for young children. The simple need to ease her daughter’s throat and desire to have a better-for-you option, led to the launch of Lolleez, organic throat soothing pops for kids! Now under Melissa’s parent company, Momeez Choice, are sibling brands Lolleez, organic throat soothing lollipops for kids and Tumeez, organic tummy soothing lollipops for kids. Both brands are effective, fun and delicious ways to feel better and make sick days a little less crummy. As Momeez Choice Founder, Melissa’s goal is to provide parents with simple solutions to simple problems – helping to reduce the overload of decisions parents make daily – especially during the stressful time of having a sick kid.   On this episode Blessing and Melissa dissect the ingredients, where to find her organic soothing pops around the country, and how she started this thriving business with kids without a business background. Melissa shares how she balances work and life, and what she hopes other moms can learn as they think about finding and living out their passion.   Momeez Choice  is a proud sponsor of Mother Honestly and Mother: The Summit 2019. You can find them on Facebook, and on Instagram.   Major thanks you to our Podcast sponsor, Motor City Woman, please follow them on instagram @motorcitywoman    Follow Mother Honestly on Instagram and be sure to rate and review our podcast and be sure to share with your mama friends. 

If you’ve been in business for a while, you’ve probably heard the infuriating myth that large groups of women can’t work together without creating some drama. Well, our special guest on this amazing episode of Stacking Your Team, has not only busted that tired myth, but she’s completely reinvented the meaning of female empowerment through inspired teamwork. Melissa Rogne is the founder and President of Rejuv Medical Aesthetic Clinic, a multiple seven-figure business that boosts accelerated profits through inspired teamwork. When Melissa launched Rejuv Medical Aesthetic Clinic in 2005, she had just three employees. Since then, she’s managed to guide Rejuv to its position as one of the nation’s leading spas with an all-female team of 40 people (plus one incredible gentleman). Incredibly, Melissa and her team have smashed industry expectations and achieved astonishing results such as a 75% new patient retention rate, a 90% repeat patient retention rate and a 20% revenue increase each year for the past 15 years running! Listen in as Shelli speaks to Melissa about how she has built her empire, established layers of leadership throughout her business and how she created a progressive compensation plan for her incredible team.   In this episode, you’ll discover: What it takes to lead a team of 40 people How Melissa created her business’ leadership structure and how it’s impacted her profitability Why every company should have ‘team builders’ to help improve communication How to create a progressive compensation plan for your team   Join the BizChix Community Connect With Melissa Rogne Rejuv Medical Aesthetic Clinic’s website Melissa Rogne’s personal website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Listen to The BizChix Podcast Work with Us: One Day Mastermind GrowthChix Accelerator Program ProfitChix Mastermind CEOCHIX Mastermind Strategy Session Join the BizChix Community This episode was first published at BizChix.com/syt-82. Listen to our sister podcast, BizChix, on your app or at http://bizchix.com. Join the BixChix Community here.

You are what you eat, right? So if you want to be strong eat the strong foods. If you want to prevent disease, impact aging, and improve your mental focus, clarity, and mood, eat superfoods! What are superfoods anyway? Melissa Lambson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Energy Worker, and promoter of holistic health and nutrition. Melissa has always believed that what we put in our body influences our brain chemistry. She became really passionate about this when her 6 year old son was diagnosed with Autism. As a mother she was looking for anything she could to help her son improve his physical and mental state. She tried diet modification, pills, and behavioral interventions. Melissa's quest led her to learn about the inflammation of the brain effected by poor nutrition. She discovered that our soil is depleted and our food doesn't have all the nutrients we need. Sometimes our bodies can't absorb what we do eat. Melissa was introduced by her nurse practitioner to something new. A superfood supplement with power foods like wild Alaskan blueberry, Ashawagnda, Wild Alaskan salmon, Kale, Spinach, and many other foods packed with nutrients that penetrate the blood brain barrier and reduce inflammation. When Melissa started her son on this liquid superfood she noticed a stark difference in his behavior and ability to connect to others. Melissa tried it out for her acid reflux and after 7 year was able to sing again. Melissa shares with us how stress impacts the body and how superfoods can boost the body with the vitamins and minerals we need. She will share with us the characteristics of fish oil, vitamin E, and tocotrienols that help people have clarity of mind, improved mood, and overall improved quality of life. Listen as Melissa explains how superfoods help with healing trauma in the brain, addictions, memory loss, and other brain based issues. Melissa will give us some "food for thought" and what you hear may change your life and health for good.

Eric from Auburn has called in for help with his family. Now, he and his wife have been married for 11 years, so this one isn’t really about “making up or breaking up,” but they really need your help, and they know you have a lot of experience with this one. Eric and Melissa have different styles of discipline for their kids - he does it and she doesn’t - and now their 8-year-old son is acting out and they have come to an impasse on how to handle him; plus they also have a 3-year-old son and Eric wants to get Melissa on the same page before the little one gets any older and sees what his brother is getting away with. When Melissa comes on she says she understands their son is difficult – he has ADHD – but her own father ruled through fear and she doesn’t want that for her kids. She says their son has never hurt anyone or done anything dangerous and they just need to learn his “discipline language”. The P1’s have some great advice – we’ll bet you do to. Shoot us a message at www.facebook.com/989bull !

Could changes in Vancouver’s municipal housing policy make a difference in a city of people battling skyrocketing rents and constant evictions? In this episode hosts Maddi Dellplain and Melissa Roach feature stories of tenants who stuck together to fight against evictions and landlord harassment in an audio documentary titled, ‘Who’s Got the Power?’ We hear from members of the Vancouver Tenants Union and follow the organization’s work to strengthen the City’s Tenant Relocation and Protection Policy (TRPP), aimed at helping to keep tenants in their homes. click for TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_z6HA6tzHYhixZk6mF0n2q5CbfsuiXUmrifoidVOyK0/edit?usp=sharing Artists/credits: Main segment produced by Maddi Dellplain and Melissa Roach; Music by Nicolas Camacho-Logan Episode Produced by Helena Krobath Additional scripts and commentary by Sydney Ball Thanks to VIVO Media Arts Centre, BC Arts Council, Vancouver Tenants Union organizers, and tenants who shared their stories Further Resources: “Project and Mentors” https://www.vivomediaarts.com/programming/mentorship/altspacecontrol-vancouver-housing-stories “Vancouver City Council Expands Tenant Relocation Policy” Vancouver Tenants Union https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/trpp_expansion "Does the TRPP Have Teeth?” Seeking Office (podcast) https://www.citr.ca/radio/seeking-office/episode/20190919/ Maddi Dellplain is a freelance journalist who moved to Vancouver from Maui in 2011 to study International Relations and Spanish at UBC. Nowadays, Maddi writes for Megaphone Magazine, where she typically reports on the work of community members in Vancouver's downtown eastside, First Nations issues, and local art and activism. When not writing, Maddi enjoys obsessively binging political podcasts, mapping out future travel plans, and checking out live music shows. Melissa Roach is a mediamaker, communicator, and freelance writer and editor based in Vancouver — unceded Coast Salish territories — who is interested in social justice, urban issues, non-profits, and community-building. She holds a B.A. in English from Simon Fraser University, and completed an extended minor in linguistics. When Melissa’s not creating content, she enjoys puzzling, crafting, and thrifting up a storm.

Melissa Howard spent her life giving her trust to other people and then having it either broken or not reciprocated. This negatively impacted Melissa’s relationships, romantic, platonic and familial. In this very special conversation, Lyn discusses the issues Melissa has faced over the years, in the hopes of shedding some light on why they’ve taken place, as well as some practical steps to rebuild the trust that’s inherently important in any healthy relationship. KEY TAKEAWAYS Growing up Melissa was bullied in school. Conversely, as an only child her parents showered with love at home. This period also culminated in sexual abuse by a family member. This cauldron of experiences has negatively impacted Melissa ever since. When women feel threatened or unsafe, they quite often default to their masculine energy in order to protect themselves and feel in control. If they remain in this state, they can feel and appear less attractive to men on an instinctive level, as most men are more drawn to a woman's natural feminine energy. Awareness of our energy state takes learning and practice. Self-analysis is not usually a natural thing to do. It takes a prompt, and it’s remembering to give ourselves this prompt that can kick-start positive change. Silence can be an effective feminine response technique when faced with a potential argument / conflict. In those silences, your man can often hear his aggressive last words repeated back in his own mind and will give himself a far harder time than you ever could. If you don’t have respect and love for yourself, you won’t have respect, love and understanding on a deeper level from your partner. It all starts with you. BEST MOMENTS ‘Defaulting to her masculine energy is a woman’s way of feeling safe’ ‘Do you have the biggest balls in your relationship!’ ‘Awareness is the start’ A feminine response ‘I’m sorry you feel like that’ ‘It starts with you’   VALUABLE RESOURCES Heats Entwined Podcast ABOUT THE GUEST Melissa Howard is an international Confidence Strategist, Speaker, Coach and Empowerment Photographer specialised in supporting overachievers who are ready to end their battle with self-sabotage and regain their kick-ass confidence. Committed to inspiring others to live with more confidence, health and happiness from the inside out, Melissa's mission is to inspire people to become who they were created to be so that they can live with true confidence and make a difference. Melissa is particularly passionate about bringing hope to those who struggle with perfectionism, self-worth, identity, body image and people pleasing tendencies. When Melissa isn't creating breakthroughs or taking snaps, Melissa loves catching sunsets with her fiancé and two rescue dogs back home in England. Website - http://www.e-volveglobal.com/media LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/e-volveglobal/?originalSubdomain=uk Instagram - @evolvewithmelissa - https://www.instagram.com/evolvewithmelissa/   ABOUT THE HOST   Lyn Smith – (The Queen of HEARTS) – Love, Dating & Relationship Expert   Lyn’s personal story is a very inspirational and harrowing one of how she went from having unhealthy and unfulfilling relationships with men (on the back of several serious traumatic sexual assaults in her teens) to now being in a soul fulfilling relationship which makes her feel alive, is full of passion and gives her inner peace.   She has a proven track record as a Love Solutions - Relationship Expert / Trainer / Inspirational Speaker and Best-Selling Author based upon her own vast personal research, experiential learning and training with the world’s leading industry experts.   Understanding the polarisation of masculine & feminine energy resulted in her creating massive attraction and a passionate, intimate, fulfilling relationship – that inspired her to design & present her own course programmes to share these break-through relationship techniques with women across the globe.   HEARTS Entwined is a world-class service based on care and understanding, which is committed to providing step-by-step high-value love, dating and relationship solutions.   Lyn makes a difference by helping you make a difference; she has a vision of contributing back on a global scale – to create a lasting legacy of safety, dignity and opportunity for children and women who have survived rape, abuse and severe trauma as a result of war crimes and sex trafficking – through the setting up of worldwide – ‘you can heal your life’ centres.   CONTACT METHOD lyn@hearts-entwined.com

When Melissa found out she was pregnant, she was a sophomore in college. Her counselor gave her a pretty alarming statistic: a frighteningly small number of women who get pregnant in college actually end up graduating. Melissa threw herself into her studies, and prepared as much as she could for the birth of her son. And while her plans may have been changed by this unexpected addition, she pushed on and beat the odds - in more ways than one!Not only did Melissa graduate on time, she graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering while working an internship in California and attending school in Michigan.Melissa’s story shows that bumps in the road of life do not have to define your path and that financial independence is STILL achievable even if life throws you a curveball.In This Episode We Cover:Melissa's money journeyThree situations that set up her money mindsetWhat her life looks like during her college yearsWhat her school program looks like during her college yearsHow she handles the situation when she got pregnant during her college yearsOn childcareHer goal after collegeAll about her medical debtThe reason why she opens up her 401kWhat her lifestyle looks like and the sacrifice she made to make things possibleOn paying off her debtHow does her situation changed after she got marriedThe moment she discovered the FIRE movementAnd SO much more!Links:BiggerPockets Money Podcast 79: Financial Freedom Through Decades of Hard Work and Hustle with Carol ScottBiggerPockets Money Podcast 82: Early Money Lessons Create Healthy Money Experiences with Aditi ShekarBiggerPockets Money Podcast 35: Hacking Your Life to Live for (Almost) Free with Craig CurelopBiggerPockets Money Podcast 26: Graduating College on Track for Financial Independence with Cody BermanBiggerPockets Money Podcast 22: How to Pay Off 6-Figure Student Loans While Pursuing Financial Independence with Travis HornsbyStudent Loan PlannerSoFiMr. Money MustacheMindy's emailConnect with Melissa:Traveling WalletMelissa's Twitter

This show is going to be a bit different. It is my book birthday. It is launch day of my book Eat Cake. Be Brave. Imagine that you have been keeping a diary since 7th grade, and it was made public. That is kind of how I’m feeling. I’m sharing today, and all of my launch day feelings and emotions with my wonderful husband David and you my wonderful listeners. You can find Melissa here: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter Show Notes [02:33] The first time Melissa and David met was on a bus in school. She'll never forget his first words, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” [03:48] What does Eat Cake. Be Brave. Actually mean? [04:11] When Melissa turned 41 she was about to blow out the candles on her birthday cake, and she wished for bravery. [06:09] She wished to be brave for 12 months. After blowing out her candles, she went back to her room and began to journal what bravery meant to her. The rest is history. [07:01] All we need is a flicker of bravery and going upstream when everyone else is going downstream. Even if it's only for a little bit. [08:02] Why Melissa is so relatable. When Melissa began discovering her voice she realized that she wrote the same way that she talked. This alone made her voice relatable. [09:04] It's easy to relate to Melissa's words because she says what we are actually thinking. [09:38] Melissa is real enough to say you hurt me, and God helped us. [10:06] Melissa is real enough to say the truth and to admit her shortcomings and failures. [10:41] The style and genre of the book. [11:08] The book is a memoir. It's about all the years in Melissa's life that led up to that one year that changed her forever. [11:32] We have had wonderful reviews. One recurring theme is that the book is an easy read. [12:03] The most surprising thing for most people is that the book is funny. It's really funny. [13:18] This book is for women who are tired of standing in the back of the stage and are ready to take center stage in their lives. [13:53] If you're not a religious person, you will still love and identify with this book. [15:23] We had an editorial review that said this woman loved the book and didn't feel preached to. We can be like Christ without preaching it. [15:45] Melissa's writing is kind of like Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, or Tina Fey. Those are the three that she hears. [16:32] The overarching theme that Melissa hopes to communicate with the book. [18:00] We have got to become more aware of the words that our Creator has said about us. [19:30] Once we learn the truth about what God has said about us, we can walk in the truth of bravery. [19:57] What Melissa go back and change the pain that she has experienced? [20:13] No. If it meant doing it all again, she would do it. [20:58] Melissa knows what love and healing can do. She would do everything again if it would help one woman to step out of the shadows and live the life she was meant to live. [21:58] The book is about the entire family including David, Remi, Rocco, and even Melissa's mother, her Granny, Aunt Melba, and some of her girlfriends. [22:14] When Melissa's mother is talking in the book the font actually changes. And it is written in the style that her mother speaks in. [24:52] David is curious if there's a scene in The Bodyguard that Melissa would like to act out. [26:22] If someone is unsure about buying the book, Melissa would encourage them to come see her on the book tour. [28:20] Melissa wants these people to see someone just like them who decided to fight for one year. [28:41] You can find out more about the tour here. [29:51] Follow Melissa on social media. We have a lot of exciting press coming up in the next couple of weeks. [30:22] Lightning round questions… [32:15] When the ball is in our hands, what will we do? [33:07] The book is an easy read that will make people laugh and will make people cry. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into this book. [33:22] David is so proud of Melissa. Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter Autographed Copy of Eat Cake. Be Brave. Eat Cake. Be Brave. Extended Book Trailer This Sucks But God Is Good (online course)

Nat chats with Melissa Titus, a former elementary school teacher and mom of twins, who created an at-home preschool program for her twins. Melissa Titus is a former elementary teacher turned stay at home mom to boy/girl twins born in July, 2016. She documents her adventures in preschooling twins at home via @lastminuteprek on Instagram. When Melissa gets rare free time she enjoys writing, fitness, spending time in nature, and taking cooking classes.

MEET THE GUEST: Melissa Rohlfs is a transformational holistic health and life coach.   She helps moms lose the baby weight for good and increase their energy so they can flourish in motherhood. {No deprivation or hours of working out here!}  She is married and has 2 children, her daughter has SPD. When Melissa learned about clean eating, not only did she lose weight, but it also helped her daughter with her SPD as well.  Her passion is teaching people how to nourish themselves with real food and a holistic approach. Where To Connect with Melissa Online: www.free2bcoaching.com  https://www.facebook.com/MelissaRohlfsCoach/   Info on Sensory Processing Disorder: https://www.spdstar.org/basic/about-spd  Connect with Mia Francis-Poulin! Find out how you can work with Mia at www.racreative.co Catch up with Mia on Instagram. Join the Mama, Build Your Empire Group on Facebook. This episode is sponsored by The Autism Strategies and Autism Moms Getaways! The FIRST Autism Moms Getaway will be in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 12-14th, 2019. Join us in the Big Easy for a short getaway to relax and relate with other Autism moms. Reserve your spot for only $50 when you book before January 1st -- and payment plans are available!   More info at bit.ly/bookgetawaynow!

“I’m so used to being pampered in spas, I’ve forgotten how expensive spa treatments are.”—Melissa Broughton, Spa Writer Great Escape Radio Host, Jody Maberry talks with Melissa Broughton, a travel and spa writer. Jody starts the conversation with a question Melissa is often asked, “Spa Writer? How does that work?” Often people (especially men) that ask Melissa that question assume it has something to do with hot tubs. But it’s so much more than that… “Being a spa writer means more than just relaxation and free treatments. It’s about the adventure and the overall experience. This is part of spa-ing—being aware of your surroundings, enjoying them, breathing with awareness, trying something new. And there are so many new things to try at spas,” says Melissa. When Melissa started out as a travel writer, she began to notice the growing spa business… boutique spas… resort spas… and a general increase in wellness trends. Melissa used her creative instincts to tap into the spa writing market and began to build her resume. She shares with us how that happened, what she did to become known as a spa writer and what she teaches people in her spa writing workshops. Melissa Broughton is the creator of Great Escape Publishing’s spa writing program, The Pampered Traveler. You can get more details about how you can get pampered all over the world by writing spa-themed travel articles here: www.greatescapepublishing.com/start/spa.

When Melissa needed somewhere to turn at a dark time in her life, she found support in a surprising place: Catland, a bookstore for witchcraft and the occult. Now years later, she’s become a co-owner of the bookstore, and has helped transform it into one of Bushwick’s most inclusive, radical, and civically active communities. But what does it mean to be a witch today, and what’s the role of the occult community in a neighborhood like Bushwick? ⁣ Bushwick Podcast is powered by Simplecast.

When Melissa met Jeff Cantwell online, the two connected immediately. He was friendly, well spoken and shared her love of the outdoors. Jeff told Melissa stories of the daunting hikes he'd completed and shared the tragic loss of his family in a car accident. But these were just stories: In reality, Jeff “Cantwell” was Jeff Caldwell, a con man who'd spent decades ripping off members of the close-knit outdoor community.

This show is going to be a bit different. It is my book birthday. It is launch day of my book Eat Cake. Be Brave. Imagine that you have been keeping a diary since 7th grade, and it was made public. That is kind of how I’m feeling. I’m sharing today, and all of my launch day feelings and emotions with my wonderful husband David and you my wonderful listeners. You can find Melissa here: Podcast Web PageFacebook Page@MsMelissaRadke on Instagram@msmelissaradke on Twitter Show Notes [02:33] The first time Melissa and David met was on a bus in school. She'll never forget his first words, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” [03:48] What does Eat Cake. Be Brave. Actually mean? [04:11] When Melissa turned 41 she was about to blow out the candles on her birthday cake, and she wished for bravery. [06:09] She wished to be brave for 12 months. After blowing out her candles, she went back to her room and began to journal what bravery meant to her. The rest is history. [07:01] All we need is a flicker of bravery and going upstream when everyone else is going downstream. Even if it's only for a little bit. [08:02] Why Melissa is so relatable. When Melissa began discovering her voice she realized that she wrote the same way that she talked. This alone made her voice relatable. [09:04] It's easy to relate to Melissa's words because she says what we are actually thinking. [09:38] Melissa is real enough to say you hurt me, and God helped us. [10:06] Melissa is real enough to say the truth and to admit her shortcomings and failures. [10:41] The style and genre of the book. [11:08] The book is a memoir. It's about all the years in Melissa's life that led up to that one year that changed her forever. [11:32] We have had wonderful reviews. One recurring theme is that the book is an easy read. [12:03] The most surprising thing for most people is that the book is funny. It's really funny. [13:18] This book is for women who are tired of standing in the back of the stage and are ready to take center stage in their lives. [13:53] If you're not a religious person, you will still love and identify with this book. [15:23] We had an editorial review that said this woman loved the book and didn't feel preached to. We can be like Christ without preaching it. [15:45] Melissa's writing is kind of like Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, or Tina Fey. Those are the three that she hears. [16:32] The overarching theme that Melissa hopes to communicate with the book. [18:00] We have got to become more aware of the words that our Creator has said about us. [19:30] Once we learn the truth about what God has said about us, we can walk in the truth of bravery. [19:57] What Melissa go back and change the pain that she has experienced? [20:13] No. If it meant doing it all again, she would do it. [20:58] Melissa knows what love and healing can do. She would do everything again if it would help one woman to step out of the shadows and live the life she was meant to live. [21:58] The book is about the entire family including David, Remi, Rocco, and even Melissa's mother, her Granny, Aunt Melba, and some of her girlfriends. [22:14] When Melissa's mother is talking in the book the font actually changes. And it is written in the style that her mother speaks in. [24:52] David is curious if there's a scene in The Bodyguard that Melissa would like to act out. [26:22] If someone is unsure about buying the book, Melissa would encourage them to come see her on the book tour. [28:20] Melissa wants these people to see someone just like them who decided to fight for one year. [28:41] You can find out more about the tour here. [29:51] Follow Melissa on social media. We have a lot of exciting press coming up in the next couple of weeks. [30:22] Lightning round questions… [32:15] When the ball is in our hands, what will we do? [33:07] The book is an easy read that will make people laugh and will make people cry. There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears that went into this book. [33:22] David is so proud of Melissa. Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter This Sucks But God Is Good (online course) Find Out About the Book Tour Eat Cake. Be Brave.

How much do we share with our kids about our personal testimonies? When? Melissa, Adam, & Ryan talk through this topic.

I lived in Nashville Tennessee for 16 years. It was beautiful. There were rolling hills. We had four perfect seasons. The shopping and the culture were to die for. A friend visited me and said it was like being in a Hidden Valley Ranch commercial. It was beautiful and wonderful. In spite of the culture and beauty, it’s not the scenery of a town that plants you there, it’s the people who you share that place with. Today’s episode is about my home town of Lufkin, Texas and how sometimes we end up in the very place that we thought we needed to escape. My friend and guest today is Tara Watson-Watkins the Lufkin Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director. Tara was Miss Texas and left Lufkin for ten years for school and her career. She has been back for 14 years and loves promoting Lufkin and small town life in general. Today, we talk about the advantages of small town life and living in Lufkin and similar small towns. You can find Melissa here: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter Show Notes [02:47] Tara Watson-Watkins loves Lufkin and loves being able to promote her hometown. She gets to tell people why they should visit Lufkin, and reminds the residents why they should love to be home. [03:51] Tara was also Miss Texas. She truly has a love for Lufkin and small towns in general. [04:02] Tara left Lufkin for ten years. She went to school at Texas Christian University and then worked at Pfizer pharmaceuticals and another company. [04:23] Tara knew it was time to come home when her father passed away, and her mother had an accident falling off of a ladder. [04:59] Tara has been home now for 14 years. [05:16] How many women and young girls just want to get out of their small towns. [05:48] Tara may go to bigger cities to shop and get her fix, but there is no better place than being home. [06:11] What small-town life provides. There is such a networking opportunity of friends and family that aren't even blood relations. [06:56] In a small town, it's important to take advantage of the opportunity to get to know people. Go into it with open eyes and an open heart. [07:44] Moving back to Lufkin changed Melissa's outlook on everything. [07:54] In a small town, you can have no blood relatives and yet have a community. Take the time to appreciate the heart of a small town. [08:13] If you make the effort, people will make the effort with you. Embrace the people that are there, because small-town people are the best. [09:04] How moving back to your hometown can be a culture shock and feel like starting over. [09:37] Melissa decided to make herself approachable and started smiling at people. [10:32] What Tara loves about Lufkin. It's a special town. Being a part of the community is a full circle moment for Tara. She loves being able to leave her car running and know it will be there when she gets back. [12:19] In small towns, you also make friends who play jokes on you. [12:47] The Lufkin community is the most giving community that Tara has ever been a part of. [13:22] How the community comes together to make a difference. [14:43] Lufkin is the home of Lufkin industries an oil and gas equipment company. It was the town's largest employer, but was purchased by a larger company and started outsourcing jobs. The town lost a lot of employment. Especially, when another employer Temple-Inland was acquired by International Paper. [15:33] Because of these job losses, the city and Chamber of Commerce have been working hard to bring new industry to the town. [16:31] Lufkin is bringing back jobs and industry. [16:41] Lockheed Martin is also bringing in a new plant. There are definitely things on the horizon. [17:49] When people say negative things about Lufkin, Melissa wants to engage. [18:35] There are a lot of things for families to do in Lufkin. [19:30] Tara wants her children to grow up appreciating their small town. She has worked hard to instill a sense of volunteering and giving back. [23:23] Doing an educational push to shop local. All of Melissa's merchandise is produced locally. If they succeed, they are succeeding with Lufkin. [27:21] A great story about when Tara was Miss Texas, and she went to Target and denied being Miss Texas. [28:48] When Melissa was at The Dollar Store, a man was going to rob the store, but his wife was in line and prevented it. [29:19] Tara shares a CVS story about discretely trying to buy a pregnancy test. [30:53] Melissa's Red Ribbon Week video was on CNN and how a store clerk kept her grounded. [33:57] The lightning round with Tara. Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter This Sucks But God Is Good (online course) Visit Lufkin Nashville TN Lufkin Industries Texas Monthly Magazine Red Ribbon Week Video

From the best way to support a spoonie to great ways to manage anxiety to the true story of postpartum depression with and without medication this episode is absolutely full of great spoonie life hacks and some real information about bipolar, anxiety, and migraines from high school to college to being a new mom. Make sure to share this episode with anyone who has or anyone you would like to know more about postpartum depression, migraines, or bipolar. Thank you and until next week Be kind. Be gentle, and be a bad ass. Subscribe Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Email Address Sign Up We respect your privacy. Thank you! LinksDaith piercing for migraines Text Anxiety HelplineFollow Melissa On SOCIAL MEDIA:twitter.com/spoonie_mamainstagram.com/spoonie_mamafacebook.com/spooniemamablogMelissa Guida-Richard's Article & Blog Posts:Spoonie Mama BlogThe Mighty Articlehttps://spoonieauthorsnetwork.blog/2018/04/12/the-guilt-of-spoonie-parenting/https://howdoesitfeeltobeadopted.com/2018/04/06/how-does-it-feel-to-be-adopted-melissa-guida-richards/Buzz Feed ArticleBIO: What is your disorder? *bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. MigrainesAt what age did your disorder become a daily issue? *15Who were you before your illness became debilitating? *An energetic teen that loved singing and acting.What would you do if you were not dealing with your invisible illness? *I once had dreams of being a Broadway star.What would you like people to know about your daily life? *Some days are harder than others but every day with my family is worth living for.What would make living and moving in the world easier for you? *Eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness!Do you have any life hacks? *Just common sense ones. Always be prepared, order your medication, use a pill box, find your best coping mechanisms and stick to a routine.What kind of support do you get from family or friends? *My husband is my rock, and my sister in law is great too. Friends are helpful at times but only so much.Would you care to relate the details of what happened when someone didn't believe you were disabled?I went years without treatment.How has your invisible illness affected your relationships? *Yes. I have lost lots of friendships over time, and it can be difficult being part of a family where your every move effects someone else.Does the fact that your disease is invisible change how healthcare professionals treat you? *Sometimes doctors don't believe me.What is your best coping mechanism? *I love writing. It helps me to work through my emotions and put everything objectively.What are you the most concerned about and the hopeful for in the future? *I am most concerned that I might one day stop coping so well. I hope that better meds without side effects will be created.What is your favorite swear word?Fuck.Is there anything you want to make sure we talk about during the interview? Like an organization you want to promote or something specific that you deal with.My two picture book manuscripts I'm attempting to get published: Mommy's Little Monkeys- mom with bipolar and Tia's Tiny Turtle-aunt with PTSD. I'm trying to create books that will help families discuss mental illness and that will helpfully reduce the stigma.What is the hardest and/or best lesson your condition has taught you?It's okay to fall apart and depend on someone else. I always hated asking for help.What is the best purchase under $100 that helped your lifePen and paper. Zoloft. Stress candles and bath bombs.Melissa Guida-Richards has a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice. Awards include The 2014 Rosa Parks scholarship and Michael A Garcia Award for her poem “Lo Siento, No Hablo Espanol” as a junior at Fredonia State University.She has been published on several blog sites including The Mighty, Spoonie Author’s Network, and Adoptees Stories Connect. Her blog, Spoonie-Mama.com is a safe place for mothers to read about honest experiences with motherhood, adoption, and chronic illness. It is a small community so far, but she has had people reach out to her for advice with their adopted children. She will also appear on the podcast, Invisible Not Broken, in an interview discussing her battle with bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.Melissa is a stay at home mom, married to a stubborn redhead, and has two sons (2 years old and 9 months old.) Her family also includes two dogs, two cats, and two axolotls due to her husband’s avid love for animals. Chronic pain has been a big part of her life since the age of five-years-old but she has not let it stop her from being a frequent member of a mom group in Monroe County as well as an avid member of several online mom groups with over. When Melissa has some free time, she loves to write children’s picture books.She is currently in the process of seeking an agent for the following picture books:MOMMY’S LITTLE MONKEYS: Mommy has two mischievous monkeys, named Mania and Misery. Little CJ must work through his emotions and brave telling his parents how he really feels about his mother’s bipolar.TIA’S TINY TURTLE: Tia has a snapping turtle named Shelly. She doesn’t think she needs help...until her nephew, Mateo, almost gets bitten. Now, Mateo must convince his Tia to get help for her PTSD and see a special zookeeper who is also a therapist.THE GUARDIAN ANGEL: Sandra, feels like she doesn’t belong in her family-she is latina and her moms are white. She wants nothing more than to fit in with her family but keeps getting angry and breaking her toys. Can an unexpected visitor help guide her to her superpower and help her avoid timeout?THE ODYSSEY OF A MILLENNIAL MAMA: After discovering a deep dark family secret, the author realizes she wants to become a mother, but there is one minor problem she needs to face first- infertility. At fifteen-years-old, she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and decided she never wanted any of her own children anyway-thanks to her dysfunctional immigrant family. Now... things were different, she knew in her heart that she needed that biological connection. Baby fever took hold and so she and her fiance decided to try now, while her chronic pain was somewhat under control. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

About two years ago, I was on staff at a church as a worship pastor. My career took a bit of the turn, and I found myself traveling and speaking and writing a book. Eventually, I had to step down from the position at the church, and it killed me. My new career was exciting, but I realized that I was having trouble keeping up with everything, because I wasn't organized. About eight months ago, my husband the Attorney General left his job to come on board and help manage me. He realized he couldn't keep me on track or else he would've done it years ago. We realized, we had to find a person that was so organized that they could keep me in line without being too organized and causing me to run away. We found the amazing Erin Cuccio to hire as my Executive Assistant. Today, you get to meet the wonderful Erin. You can find Erin here: Beauty for Ashes Erin Cuccio on LinkedIn Show Notes [04:11] Erin is excited to be here. [04:52] How podcasts should be in the 30 to 40 minute range, and you can't talk about yourself all the time. [05:20] How Melissa loves having an assistant and it makes her feel so proud. [05:35] How Melissa and Erin connected. Erin's husband started a business in Lufkin. They were looking for a church and found Melissa's church. Erin thought Melissa was hilarious and started following her. [06:41] A few months later, The Red Ribbon Week video came out and Erin's friends were sharing the video. [07:06] Eventually, Erin went through Melissa's online bible study course This Sucks but God Is Good. [07:17] At the end of the course, Erin and David did a live video saying that they wanted to hire an assistant. [08:00] Melissa made a Mother's Day phone call to women who were experiencing some form of loss. When Melissa called, Erin was able to share some of her story and how she followed Melissa in the first place. [09:09] Melissa remembered Erin from the call when Erin decided to apply for the assistant position. [09:44] Melissa and Erin's personalities are very different, but they do get along. Working with Melissa has been a growing experience for Erin. [10:28] Erin said If she was young and single, she would've moved to Nashville and worked in PR and booking for a celebrity. She thinks it's amazing that God has opened that door for her in Lufkin, Texas. [10:55] Erin wasn't nervous about the podcast at all. She used to work in radio. She was a worship pastor. She worked in flower arrangements and a t-shirt company. She is a Renaissance woman. [12:19] Erin has always been independent and ambitious. She started working when she was 16. She worked for TCBY, she was a DJ for a Christian radio station, worked at a Christian bookstore, worked for an electrical contractor, worked in medical records, a real estate agent, a teacher, she ran a home-based flower and t-shirt business, she led worship, and now she works for Melissa. [13:32] This is been one of the first times in Erin's life that she has been able to do one thing. [13:52] Erin doesn't consider herself flighty, she just has somewhat of a gypsy soul. [14:19] Erin is so solid and grounded, she is really well-suited to bring Melissa back down to reality. [15:01] Melissa doesn't do one-on-one really well. Just the thought of it makes her really nervous. Traveling with Erin is really easy. [16:39] After Melissa speaks, Erin brings her chocolate and a Coke. [17:57] How David is very thorough. [18:32] We have a big event coming up May 4th and 5th 2018. It is right here in Lufkin, Texas. The Social Event of the season. It's a Friday night and most of Saturday. [19:29] Women tend to be nurturers by nature. It's important to remind women that they need to nurture themselves.They need time to refresh and refuel. [20:02] Melissa has so much to offer in her message, so to give women a weekend is a wonderful gift and a way to just hang out and talk about things that are important. [20:52] This is the first annual social event of the season. This is a social event for the churched and the unchurched the hopeful and the hopeless. [22:07] This weekend gives you a place to sit at the table. This weekend is going to have value and give women something that will refresh their hearts. There will be fun and laughter and also learning and growing and connecting with other women. [24:44] Dress comfortable, prepare to have a good time, and if you come alone you won't be leaving alone. [25:17] We love community. Erin and I also have one terrible horrible thing in common and that is that we have both lost a child. When you walk through something like this, you better have community. [27:05] How having an online community and bible study has helped teach Erin that it is so important to have a community backing you up. [27:46] Community is the secret to growing and living your best life. [28:48] At women's core, they want to belong. [29:16] This year's theme is called Live Known. It's so easy for us to hide behind things. Become what you truly are by living known. Women want to be seen. [31:09] How identity is a huge crisis that we all struggle with. [32:57] We are going to do heart work and ask ourselves tough questions and answer them. [33:32] There is a sense of empowerment in knowing who you really are. [34:35] We need to stop pushing our desires and passions down. God gave us potential for a reason and Melissa wants to help women find that potential. [37:53] Erin's lightning round questions. [40:12] Erin is one of God's most shockingly we never saw it coming gifts to Melissa and David. Just meeting Erin alone would make going to the event worthwhile. [41:38] How women push themselves down, because they always want other people to feel important. Women need to keep in mind how they feel. Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter Red Ribbon Week Video This Sucks But God Is Good (online course) The Social Event  Live Known Eat Cake. Be Brave. Beauty for Ashes Erin Cuccio on LinkedIn  

David Radke, the Attorney General himself, is my guest today. He is the man behind all of the overdraft fees from our first year of marriage. He is my husband Mr. David Radke. I want you to meet the man who makes sure that I wear pants when recording this podcast. We have been married 23 years and 16 of those have been really awesome. David and I share part of our story of when we first got together. This story is kind of a cliffhanger, because I'm going to make you attend one of my events to hear the hilarious ending. We also talk about marriage clichés that just aren't true. David talks about the importance of communication and how having a successful marriage is a choice. You can find Melissa and David here: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter Show Notes [01:34] 25 years ago, David asked Melissa if he could hold her hand. [03:08] The story of how David and Melissa got together. They met in their first year of college. They were in a group that traveled and sang together, and they became best friends. [03:44] Over time, David knew there was something more there. [04:12] The night David decided to tell Melissa that he wanted to be more than friends, his current girlfriend just happened to be out of town. [04:56] The reason Melissa opens a lot of her engagements with this story and why it's an entire chapter in her book is because David's girlfriend or ex-girlfriend was an adorable cheerleader. [05:35] Melissa always wanted to be a cheerleader, but she can't jump. [05:49] When Melissa went back to her dorm room to get ready for her date with David, the former girlfriend and the entire cheerleading squad was waiting for her. They wanted her to either cancel the date or to record it. [06:41] Melissa put a Sony Walkman in her purse and hit record when David came to pick her up. [07:01] Melissa actually got David on tape talking about how amazing his ex-girlfriend cheerleader's car was. [07:38] He kept talking about the car, but Melissa couldn't hit stop on the recorder or else he would know. Then he wined and dined her at Macaroni Grill. [08:39] David was Melissa's best friend but she wasn't thinking about love at that point in her heart. She was actually thinking that she just beat a cheerleader. [09:17] When Melissa got back to her room, the cheerleader ex-girlfriend was sitting there waiting for her. [09:45] The end of the story is actually better than the beginning of the story. But I'm not going to tell it you here. You're going to have to listen to me speak live to hear the ending of the story. [10:28] David is this first guest on the second show because he is such a common reference in Melissa's life. [11:53] David got the nickname the Attorney General after playing a game of Mexican train dominoes with Melissa's family. He started reading the rules to everyone after the game rules were changing during play. [13:54] Melissa's new book is coming out it's called Eat Cake. Be Brave. [16:18] Our marriage is ordinary in the most beautiful sense of the word. How do ordinary marriages stand the test of time? [17:00] How do we keep a marriage a living, breathing, and ever-expanding thing? [17:41] Communication and communicating how you feel for each other on those great days and on those days when things are not so fun. [18:00] It's also important to communicate our expectations. Without me articulating those thoughts to you there is no way for you to know. [18:31] Marriage clichés. Put a jelly bean in a jar for every time you have sex. Never go to bed angry. [19:36] The reality is sometimes you might go to bed angry. [19:54] Marriage counselors can help you work through many things. They helped us off and on over the years. [21:05] Sometimes the most important communication you can have with your spouse is the really really hard stuff. [22:15] Two humans trying to make it work comes with lumps and bumps and bruises. [22:55] Choosing to love each other. I choose to come home to you tonight. [24:55] There isn't one marital problem that we haven't faced. [25:57] The snapshots I have of you David Radke are in my head, and are of you when you are at your most vulnerable. [26:55] I'll never forget the picture of you in my head when you were crying when we were faced with losing a child. [27:37] I also have a snapshot in my head of you in Maui when we were getting our vows renewed. Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you. Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter This Sucks But God Is Good (online course) 20% Discount Code: Ordinary Pre-Order: Eat Cake. Be Brave.

When Melissa and her husband moved to a small hobby farm in his hometown of 72 people, she was not prepared for how life would change, the friendships she would meet or the person she would become. Melissa was a small town girl with big city dreams. Would small town resources and limited income potential limit her? Not a chance, she turned her resources into success and launched 3 successful businesses and went on to turn her 6 figure annual income into her monthly income. From her series of self-published books, to her network marketing team that generates 16MM in annual sales she still found time to launch her most recent success: “Sweet Savvy Minerals Cosmetics” which was recently acquired by Young Living and launched as Savvy Minerals by Young Living. As an International Motivational speaker, mentor, entrepreneur and author, Melissa has a conviction in sharing her passion and belief with as many people as she possibly can.   Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Connect with Melissa: Melissapoepping.com Instagram @Melissa_Poepping The Chemical Free Home The Young Living Income Disclosure The Young Living Business Opportunity This episode is sponsored by Fabletics ——>  Go to fabletics.com/revolution  and get TWO pairs of their amazing leggings for just $24 when you become a VIP member This episode is sponsored by Warby Parker ——>  Go to warbyparker.com/revolution  to try on 5 pairs of glasses absolutely free This episode is sponsored by ThirdLove ——> Go to thirdlove.com/revolution  get 15% off your first order

When Melissa and her husband moved to a small hobby farm in his hometown of 72 people, she was not prepared for how life would change, the friendships she would meet or the person she would become. Melissa was a small town girl with big city dreams. Would small town resources and limited income potential limit her? Not a chance, she turned her resources into success and launched 3 successful businesses and went on to turn her 6 figure annual income into her monthly income. From her series of self-published books, to her network marketing team that generates 16MM in annual sales she still found time to launch her most recent success: “Sweet Savvy Minerals Cosmetics” which was recently acquired by Young Living and launched as Savvy Minerals by Young Living. As an International Motivational speaker, mentor, entrepreneur and author, Melissa has a conviction in sharing her passion and belief with as many people as she possibly can.   Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Connect with Melissa: Melissapoepping.com Instagram @Melissa_Poepping The Chemical Free Home The Young Living Income Disclosure The Young Living Business Opportunity This episode is sponsored by Fabletics ——>  Go to fabletics.com/revolution  and get TWO pairs of their amazing leggings for just $24 when you become a VIP member This episode is sponsored by Warby Parker ——>  Go to warbyparker.com/revolution  to try on 5 pairs of glasses absolutely free This episode is sponsored by ThirdLove ——> Go to thirdlove.com/revolution  get 15% off your first order

Melissa Binkley is the Founder of Intuitive Intelligence Academy, a transformation school for anyone seeking to heal trauma and grow themselves. Melissa went on her first solo trip in 2015 and ever since then she has experienced huge transformations within herself. However, those icky and uncomfortable emotions still pop up inside her every now and again, but instead of ignoring them, she sits with them, journals them, and then moves on. By doing this, she has become a much freer (and happier!) person.   Key Takeaways: *What was going on in Melissa’s life when she decided to embark on her 2015 solo travel? *When Melissa embarked on her solo journey, did she think her partner would come with her? *Melissa went to India for four months and it was a deeply transformative experience. She was 100% solo! *On that trip, Melissa was able to find ‘home’ again. What does she mean by that? *What were some of the highlights of being on this Indian trip? *Melissa went on a backpacking trip to Europe with her daughter, but little did she know her entire bank account was cleaned out by a business partner. *You can have the life you want AND run the kind of business you want at the same time. *What kind of emotional transformation did Melissa experience on these solo trips? *The hidden gem of solo travel is really being with yourself, in silence. Don’t bury your uncomfortable emotions. *Melissa loves to journal. It really helps her get out all of that ‘ick’ inside her. *What scared Melissa the most about traveling solo? *As an intuitive person, how did Melissa use her strength while traveling solo? *What is Melissa currently up to? How does she help her clients?   Mentioned in This Episode: Transformviatravel.com Transform via Travel on Facebook @GoSoloLive on Twitter Email: Jennifer@TransformviaTravel.com Patreon.com/gosololive   Connect with Melissa: Website Facebook LinkedIn Instagram   Leave a Review: Did you like this episode? Please leave an honest review on iTunes with your feedback! Also, please subscribe to the Go Solo Live podcast on iTunes, to get notified when a new episode gets released. I appreciate your listening to this week’s show. And tune in next week for another great guest.

When Melissa suffered the loss of her friends, her parents and her sister she became all too familiar with the stages of grief and related them to many facets of her life. In this episode she goes over the stages as a reminder that they do come up again and again, even when the grieving is over. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/melissa-reyes/support

On today’s podcast, I chat with Melissa Cynova, author of Kitchen Table Tarot.   When Melissa was 14, a kid in her class gave her a deck of tarot cards for unknown reasons. She's been reading ever since. In addition to being a prolific tarot reader over at littlefoxtarot.com, she teaches classes at her kitchen table and at tarot conferences. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.  Her book, Kitchen Table Tarot, was published by Llewellyn and came out in early April.   In this podcast episode, you’ll learn:   All about Melissa’s book Kitchen Table Tarot Melissa’s style of Tarot reading, which is accessible and real, and approaches it from where we are right now How Melissa found her Tarot Tribe Additional Resources  Check out Melissa Cynova at Little Fox Tarot  Purchase Melissa’s book, Kitchen Table Tarot  Learn how to become an intuitive Tarot card reader with my signature program, Master the Tarot Card Meanings 

Melissa DaSilva is a clinical social worker and founder of the group practice East Coast Mental Wellness in Providence, RI. She serves as an individual and couples therapist, as well as a group facilitator. She has spent many years working in schools as a school social worker and has an upcoming podcast titled Pride Connections.   Melissa is an expert in the field of transgender topics, and works with many trans and nonbinary youth to provide support throughout their transition. She collaborates with outside providers to ensure comprehensive care for those who wish to pursue physical transition. Melissa enjoys working with clients on LGBTQ topics, academic issues, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders. She also has experience supporting clients with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Her practice is welcoming towards all genders and sexualities, as well as poly and kink couples. She uses a variety of approaches in her therapy including pet therapy, meditation, and places a lot of focus on sleep and nutritional health. When Melissa isn't running her business she is creating art and selling it at local markets.    Listen in to hear Melissa share: What all the letters mean in LGBTQQIA (they are all different and all important) What the terms cisgender, non-binary, gender-expansive and gender fluid mean The difference between sex and gender How to talk to explain sexual orientation and gender to kids in very simple terms How can you and your family be supportive of LGBTQQIA children How to can you be supportive if you suspect your child might be LGBTQQIA How to ask someone about their sexual orientation and/or gender expression How to use gender pronouns correctly and appropriately   Links Mentioned: Podcast Website: PrideConnections.com Private Practice Website: eastcoastmentalwellness.com Melissa’s Email: Melissa@prideconnections.com  

Business and Wealth Creation Coach Melissa Pharr joins us in this episode to share her 7-Figure Sales Secrets. She also shares how to establish a healthy dynamic with your clients up front, how to avoid fear tactics in your sales calls, and 5 ways to identify your best money-making tasks.   Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:33 – Introduction. 6:24 – Ninety percent of the women that Melissa talks to on the phone are terrified of being salesy. A lot of us have been taught in sales and one of the reasons we feel that way is because Melissa  has gone through sales trainings before where she almost felt like she was supposed to get on the phone and try to be someone’s friend to build that trust and make them feel comfortable at the beginning and establish rapport and not make it seem like a sales call and a lot of us feel that’s the best way to go about it but it’s really interesting because almost a hundred percent of those ninety percent of women who are worried about being bait and switchy approach calls that way and what they are really doing when they do that is setting themselves for a bait and switch because we are not being clear about the fact that this is a sales call and so when we make an offer at the end it comes as a surprise to the people we called. 7:39 – Melissa wants to set up a really powerful dynamic with her clients and when you are coaching your client they are not paying you to be their friend, they are paying you for coaching or consulting so Melissa starts her calls in a way that changes the whole game and let’s everybody relax. 7:59 – She says something like ‘Hey Amanda, I am really excited to talk to you today, I am understanding that you are interested in my one on one coaching package is that true?’ and usually the person on the other end will say ‘yeah that’s true’ and then Melissa will say ‘That’s good because our call today is about figuring out whether or not it’s a good fit for us to work together, Sound good?’ 9:48 – On her coaching calls, Melissa asks what do you want to get out of the call. By the time this call is over what’s our outcome because you want to position yourself as an expert. And some people might be asking what if they say no or if they say ‘I didn’t know this was a sales call’ and Melissa’s response to that would be ‘No problem but I do want  to let you know this call is really reserved for people who are very serious about starting to work with a coach now and so if you have any other questions about this program, what I am going to do is I am going to go ahead and direct you to the website and then you can contact our team when you are ready to have a conversation because you’d like to go ahead and begin coaching.’ 11:00 – if Melissa would have offered a free coaching call, then she would have marketed it and if that is happening to you a lot it’s probably that you are marketing for what you are actually offering is most likely not clear or your application beforehand if you have one may not be asking clear enough questions. 12:09 – She is always trying to get the most qualified leads because she’d rather be on the phone with the right person and have a genuine conversation even if it takes a little while than just calling unqualified leads and hoping for them to convert.     12:23 – When Melissa first started, she didn’t have the confidence, the systems or the know how to be able to find her ideal clients and she learned her skills over time and so for  beginners who are struggling to find  the  right people she says that there is nothing wrong booking a lot of calls especially if you are trying to perfect your sales technique but no matter what you are offering it is not cool to dress it up as anything that it’s not. You need to be clear as to what the call is about from the beginning. 14:07 – Right from the beginning give them an overview and tell them this is what the session is about and don’t forget to say ‘I’m understanding this is that true’ because some people have a hard time saying how they feel unless you give them that opportunity. 14:35 – Melissa says that you might be used to being on a sales call asking somebody what’s going on in their business and figuring out what their challenges are but as soon as you realize that this person is an ideal client based on your conversation you must not directly tell them about your package because even though you’ve realized this has the potential to be a great fit, you can’t make that decision for someone and when you try to do that in sales you get pushy and convincing. You should be asking questions that make it conscious to the potential client that this is a great fit as well so that they can be the person to make that decision and want to stick with it once they make it. 15:29 – After she gets through those questions and she is pretty clear and she takes sufficient time to learn about the person, then she asks two other questions one of them is asking how committed they are to the process and the other is asking how urgent the outcome they desire is while working with her. 18:09 – When you start asking questions like this the feeling and the dynamic gives them this feeling if I work with this woman, things have to change because I can feel myself changing right now. 20:22 – When Melissa was first figuring out sales, she accidentally used fear tactics as well. It can be scary to be an entrepreneur when you don’t have a lot of cash flowing and you are really hoping that person will say yes and it’s easy to default to some of these tactics because we’ve been taught so many things and there are many well-meaning people who may have the skills to be great at sales who go to those kinds of tactics because they haven’t realized the power of complete transparency and genuine caring for your potential client.  21:53 – Even though so many of us want help with sales, sales is one piece of getting that client and in today’s world especially as an online entrepreneur a lot of people feel overwhelmed about knowing what to do to get to that point when they are on the phone with somebody. 23:02 – There’s five things to focus on and if you know these five things it becomes very easy for you to identify whether or not what you are doing is a money-making task.  Number one is 85% of the game is about keeping your mind in the game.  Number two is building your online community and number three is nurturing that community because if you don’t have a community of people who want to partake in your services or your products and you don’t have a relationship with them then you are highly unlikely of building an incredible long lasting business that has longevity. Number four is you’ve got to start making an offer somewhere. Number five is to work on perfecting your sales.   Resources Mentioned: Melissa has a free gift for the listeners of this podcast. It's a five part training called ‘Book your first paying client’ and you can find this free five part training at MelissaPharr.com/BookYourFirstPayingClients-AGP

Geremy Heath is the owner and founder of Texas All Cash Home Buyers.     Geremy was on the podcast during the early days for episode 3 where we talked about The Mindset That Guarantees Flipping Houses Success - Click Here To Listen   We talk about his Miracle Morning routine…which is incredible.  If you want to find out more check out my interview with the author, Hal Elrod: Click Here To Listen to My Interview with Hal ElrodThere’s a lot that goes on in between contracting and closing on a house. Especially when it comes to the numbers. You have to make detailed estimates of the labor costs, material costs, and other specific skew costs. If you’re not precise in your estimates, then you’ll run into some funding roadblocks. Geremy makes the suggestion of not going through with a property if the exact estimate is higher than 10% more than the original estimate. When Melissa and I were doing it before we got our team, we would know if something was off when we got to the rehab (which wasn’t too fun).   This work does need to be done regardless. And Geremy makes the point that it’s better to get it over with sooner rather than later. It’s better to know what you’re getting into before you start the closing process.   To get your invite to the new Flip Pilot closed Facebook Group, visit the

Melissa Berg took her first solo trip, at the age of 39, to a yoga retreat in Mexico. Melissa’s husband and children were shocked she was even going, but when she came back after reconnecting with herself, she was a transformed woman. Melisa’s solo vacation brought a whole new wellness to her and it inspired her to facilitate retreats for women, just like herself, to help find themselves!   Key Takeaways: *What was going on in Melissa’s life when she decided to travel alone? *Melissa didn’t even want to tell anybody at work that she was going to Mexico for vacation. *Melissa was very nervous about going. *When Melissa landed in Mexico, she was shocked! The airport there was nothing like the airport in the U.S. *Once Melissa got to her resort, how did she shift gears? Did she still have anxiety? *When Melissa found herself alone without her group, she went out and explored! *Wherever you are in your life, you can always travel alone. Melissa is married with kids! *How did Melissa’s family react when she came home? Did she feel empowered? *When Melissa came back, she definitely felt like a transformed woman. *When you’re researching a new place, don't just assume. Ask questions and set your intentions for the trip you’re about to go on. What do you want to gain from the solo travel experience? *How did it feel for Melissa that she wasn’t connected to her phone for most of the trip? *Melissa has renewed excitement for what’s going to cross her path in the future. *Melissa is now facilitating some fantastic retreats for women to help them find themselves.   Mentioned in This Episode: Transformviatravel.com Transform via Travel on Facebook Email: Jennifer@TransformviaTravel.com   Connect with Melissa: Website   Leave a Review: Did you like this episode? Please leave an honest review on iTunes with your feedback! Also, please subscribe to the Go Solo Live podcast on iTunes to get notified when a new episode gets released. I appreciate your listening to this week's show. And tune in next week for another great guest.  

The Boss A titan of industry is sent to prison after she's caught for insider trading. When she emerges ready to rebrand herself as America's latest sweetheart, not everyone she screwed over is so quick to forgive and forget. There’s no question McCarthy is one of the best comic actors around. Her timing is impeccable, her charm a fascinating counter to her signature I’ll-do-anything gumption. And yes, I, like so many others, do get a kick out of the fact that this loveable force of nature doesn’t look like the stereotypical movie star. When Melissa is great (Bridesmaids, Spy), she’s amazing. But when the material around her doesn’t match her talent, watch out. Sadly, that’s the case with The Boss. See review at: http://themovieminute.com/TheBoss.html