We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Hall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The most important lesson is that if you really want to succeed, you have to take care of yourself first. For many years, it used to be about the hustle and doing the work for others, but not necessary for myself. Once health and wellness became a priority, I saw not only my business grow, but found clarity in the work that I offer.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m a speaker, educator and founder of two companies. The first is my consultancy that focuses on brand strategy for fashion, lifestyle and wellness companies. I primarily work with entrepreneurs and I’m most excited about my new program The Branding Masterclass Accelerator that allows people to dive into branding and build their business with a foundation and strategy. It’s an online program and getting that up and running is no easy feat, but to see people learn, connect with others and be supported brings me joy! I also run a platform called The Emerging Designers that is focused on providing education, opportunity and business coaching to fashion designers and creatives. Being an entrepreneur is not easy at all and for me the key was not giving up (even though I tried many times) and trying out a lot of things to see what felt right in terms of services, pricing and who I want to work with. I’m still a work in progress and will always be. I’m dedicated to learning and that’s also the key to winning. I believe that I’m different from others in a few ways. I’m an educator. I’ve been teaching entrepreneurs at the Fashion Institute of Technology for over 10 years now so I’m always finding ways to teach my clients and break down concepts into a digestible manner. I also bring in the creative perspective. I went back to school mid career and studied Fashion Design at Parsons. This helped me look at creativity from a different angle. I’m also a culture sleuth. Everyday is like a field trip either on or offline and knowing what’s in the marketplace helps me look at a business differently. What do I want to say to the world? I’m on a mission to help people in business and in health – let’s have some fun together!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a friend came to town, we would definitely be eating all week. I would start by getting them fed! Cafe Gratitude, Gracias Madre or Real Food Daily would be on the list. Ramen Hood in DTLA is a must too. I would take them to Erewhon so we could stock up on snacks. A hike at Runyon Canyon is a definite and then we could head to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. We could unwind at The Now for a massage and relax at Santa Monica Proper Hotel (the decor is gorgeous). Next up would be a trip to Highland Park so we could have some goodness at Kitchen Mouse and then stock up on some herbs and spices and Wild Terra. A walk along a beach would be in the mix too!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Whoa! This is a tough one, but there are a few groups of humans that I’d like to thank. In my 20’s I lived in Chicago and worked in advertising. The people that I met and worked with were instrumental in shaping my career. Friends, bosses, mentors, agency leaders and clients are all helped shaped my path. In my 30s I was able to meet hundreds of emerging fashion designers around the world through my company The Emerging Designers which serves as inspiration! There’s also The Assemblage family who introduced wellness to my world – I am forever grateful!

Website: melissahallconsulting.com theemergingdesigner.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/melissahallny
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissahallny
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissahallconsulting

Image Credits
Adam Schnee Jade Greene

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