AS SEEN ON
Welcome. Namaste.
Melissa is a renowned speaker, author and coach certified by the International Coaches Federation as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Certified Team Performance Coach (CTPC), and Conscious Business Coach. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm), is a contributor to the Huffington Post, Thrive Global and Entrepreneur and is regularly featured on top podcast, radio and television programs. She is the author of the bestselling book, I Attract What I Am – Transforming Failure Into An Orgasmically Joyful Life & Business, and was named one of Hubspot’s Best Coaching Services worldwide for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Like so many people, I spent years saying yes when I meant no, bending to the will of others and conforming to societal norms, essentially giving pieces of myself away in both my personal and professional life. Overachieving, but unfulfilled in my career, agreeable in relationships, but desperately unhappy, and feeling disrespected because I wasn’t respecting myself. Once I understood – fully understood – that genuine, sustainable happiness has to start within, everything changed.
Over the course of my professional career, I transitioned through a number of careers and industries, working myself up to VP of Marketing. Throughout that journey, I had the opportunity to work in such roles as Management, Leadership Development, HR, Business Development and Operations. I enjoyed each of these roles… until I didn’t. I would go into each challenge full of energy and eventually end up feeling like I was running on empty and totally unfulfilled. Then life really happened. In just one year, I was divorced, a single mother and in a work situation that required a change of jobs, ASAP. It was then that I decided enough was enough. I needed to make changes in my life, but not just externally anymore. I needed to take a brave step and start from within.
It takes courage to look inside, but I did it. I allowed myself to be vulnerable and started to see where I was stuck, triggered and insecure. I saw where I needed to heal, so that I could become my best self. I took the time to get to know me and found what I love to do.
By connecting with my true self and inner wisdom, I’m able to form deeper and more meaningful connections with people and be happier in all areas of my life.
I left that high paying VP Marketing job where I felt unfulfilled just “creating successful products, marketing campaigns and surpassing sales objectives.” I realized I wanted to create a greater impact in the world and really shake things up, so I embarked on a professional journey where I now feel fueled from the inside out.
I left an unhappy marriage where I had been draining myself trying to be someone else, instead of being loved and supported exactly as I am, and found myself again.
I trained with and was guided by top coaches and became certified by internationally acclaimed coaching programs including the International Coaches Federation (ICF) where I earned my PCC (professional certified coach), the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) where I got my CPCC (certified professional co-active coach), as well as Team Coaching International where I achieved my CTPC (certified team performance coach).
I developed workshops, programs and keynotes that blend western ideology, eastern philosophy and proven coaching strategies to bring unconventional and actionable wisdom to my coaching.
Most of all, I learned how to show up as my true self, unapologetically. I learned how to bring out what others tried to keep down, to drop the masks I’d been conditioned to wear and to ditch the boxes people tried to put me in. I learned the real value of my innate strengths and how to bring them forward with confidence and courage.
I know how to tap into my inner wisdom. I know that doing so steers us onto the path that is best for us, and keeps us strong and firm when challenges arise. I also know that if we don’t tap into it and let it guide us, we won’t feel fulfilled and aligned with our true selves. We will always feel an internal struggle, like Sisyphus, endlessly pushing that boulder up the hill. Finally, I know how to help others drop their masks, their need to please or impress, their self-limiting beliefs, and tune into who they truly are and the path that is best for them.
One of the greatest lessons I learned along the way is that mastering leadership, inspiring others, building great teams and creating amazing organizations all starts with mastering leadership of yourself. When we take full authorship of our own lives, we are empowered to lead from the heart, creating space and support for those around us to bring their best selves to everything that they do. That’s how we lead, and that’s how we change the world.
We can all do this. We have a responsibility to bring our best selves forward and to inspire others to do the same. This is how we shake up the world and create the shifts we need for better tomorrows.
When we drop those self-limiting masks we’re conditioned to wear, we change our whole approach to the world. We approach it with courage, empathy and confidence, and create space in ourselves and around us for creativity to thrive.
Today, my life and work are in service to others. I work with people and organizations to increase positivity, creativity and productivity by guiding people to bring their unique strengths forward with confidence and courage. To have the courage to look within themselves and drop the masks. To tap into their inner leader and bring it forward in all that they do. This is how we create better people, better communities, better businesses and a better world.
