By: India Kershaw
Creative, Driven, Intentional and Faith-Filled. All dynamic words deserving only to describe a dynamic woman. Hailing from a family of entrepreneurs, Melissa Magazine was destined to run her own and be her own. From a young age, Melissa’s family instilled in her the importance of strong work ethic, dedication, going for the gold, and having your own.
“I always wanted to build an empire”, says Melissa, and when you look at her resume of businesses she is well on her way. The list consists of Melissa Magazine LLC, Mannish Lingerie and Greetings, Me’Kish, Clara’s House and MelissaPaperie you can’t help but think, ‘Man, she makes entrepreneurship look easy!’ When I asked her just how she does it all she has a very simple yet incredibly insightful response. “Don’t try to do it all on your own and pray – a lot!” Melissa also stresses the importance of learning everything that pertains to your business as well not being afraid to share that information with others who may need it. You just never know what valuable contacts that you can make when sharing what you know.
Although, Melissa makes success look easy, she says that disappointments and life lessons with a cost have helped her to become who she is today. She shares that she had to overcome the fear of the unknown and fear of success. “Do what you’re afraid to do”, she says. Melissa’s words of wisdom to help overcome this fear are, “With great success comes great responsibilities, but you have to realize that your dreams are bigger and worth far more than not going after them and accomplishing them.” To maintain this success Melissa points out that having and maintaining integrity, being secure, humility, and teachable are all key traits to keep in the forefront while building your business and just in daily life.
When asked about her marketing platforms and branding of her businesses she ties in her advice on not trying to do it all. She credits her marketing success to networking, hiring a trusted team of experts, as well as utilizing social media platforms. Working with people that you trust it makes it easier to achieve your goals and have work-life balance.
With everything that goes into the tasks of daily living, when adding entrepreneur to the menu one’s plate could get full. So I wanted to know if the often discussed and heavily desired work-life balance was truly possible in the world of entrepreneurship. Melissa states that it’s definitely a challenge but it’s not impossible. Her advice to start, is to “set boundaries and STICK to them.” She says that it’s extremely important to have your non-negotiables and be willing to accept the consequences such as possible not getting that particular contract or client. It’s important to stick to your priorities and when you decide to do something just do it!
Melissa’s successful businesses encompass her skills and passion for inspiring, counseling, and training others to develop into the person God intended them to be. In addition to the countless hours of research she has dedicated to her industry, it was her own life lessons and personal battles that have enabled her to help people take ownership of their lives. She helps them do this by showing them how to exude confidence and discover their own unique purpose and vision.
This amazing and inspiring businesswoman advises budding entrepreneurs to not try to immediately accomplish their ultimate goal but instead, set short attainable milestones that will lead to the achievement of that ultimate goal. She advises business owner hopefuls to always write things down, seek a mentor for guidance, and to never give up hope. “Speak what you seek and stay the course of faith. Have patience, remember it’s a process there are no shortcuts.”
Get inspired today by visiting www.melissamagazine.com.
