Melanie Espeland of Espeland Enterprises on Empowering Others to Build Better Professional and Personal Lives

Marion-Willis-17

Hi Melanie! Please share a brief introduction about yourself.

My name is Melanie, and I’m an Executive Coach & Life Coach. Espeland Enterprises’ has helped thousands of people, from hedge fund managers to influencers, build better professional and personal lives. I have a proprietary approach to building executive presence that was featured in Tedx, and also coach on voice/speaking, appearance, and more. I’m an entrepreneur with the heart of a creative, so I also am a Voice Actor and Painter in my free time.

So Melanie, what excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?

I love connection and people – makes sense being a Coach! So I’m looking forward to meeting other interesting and ambitious women, and seeing what we can learn from each other.

What made you take the leap to start Espeland Enterprises?

I had always pictured working for myself from perhaps the age of 6, and finally did it in my early 30s. I was just never feeling quite right in my corporate career, and knew I would regret not trying something new. I was existing, but not living.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

I’ve had quite the portfolio career, including fashion, consulting at McKinsey, business school, voice acting, and coaching. I’m lucky that I get to leverage my Fortune 500 experiences today as Coach, and get to maintain my creative ambitions in my down time.

So Melanie, some people always have had a “feeling” they wanted to be entrepreneurs. Do you relate to this?

Yes! I pretty much wanted to start my own company around age 6. I had different ideas throughout my childhood, ranging from self-employed writer to fashion house owner. Why not dream big?

When first launching a business, having a clear brand image and marketing strategy is so important! Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

To be honest, I had no plan whatsoever. I created a basic website for probably ~$30 on Squarespace, talked to a few people in my network, and landed my first client through word of mouth. However, this approach has not been sustainable as I’ve grown my business. Today I network; receive referrals; partner with a few organizations annually such as MLT (Management Leadership for Tomorrow); complete speaking engagements; and am working on content/social media concepts for 2023. I’m always open to connecting with marketing and business development experts. I know I still have a lot to learn when it comes to SEO; paid digital advertising; non-paid content strategy; and cold outreach.

Challenges arise for Entreprenistas every. single. day. What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way?

The biggest challenge was just getting started and committing to being an entrepreneur full-time. This mindset shift was scary, but I made sure to have enough cash on hand to embrace a certain level of uncertainty.

Melanie, you have lots to celebrate! What is the accomplishment you are the most proud of to date?

I’m proud of a few clients who told me that I changed their lives. What could be more rewarding than that?!

Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?

I believe in work/life integration, not balance. Balance is never going to quite be achieved because we live dynamic ever changing lifestyles that require integration of all the different aspects of ourselves. My key tips include taking time for self-reflection every month or quarter. Are your short and long-term goals still the same? Are you happy? Has your situation changed at all? Etc. This will keep you mindful and honest with yourself so that you can intentionally live your life accordingly.

What’s a piece of advice you can share that you wish you’d known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?

I wish I had known more about marketing, social media, and business development. I would have hired a consultant to help me lay the foundation for these areas early on in order to keep business flowing. But, you live and you learn, and the worst thing you can do is NOTHING. Better to do something at a C+, learn, pivot, and move forward.

So Melanie, what have you achieved recently that you’d like to celebrate with our community?

I relaunched my website, and included FREE guides to share my knowledge. Check it out 🙂

What’s next for Espeland Enterprises? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

What’s next is continuing to develop my marketing strategies online; speaking engagements; and maybe online courses! Here’s to 2023.

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!

Share it!

Posted in
Tags

Leave a Comment





Katia Conte Honors Daughter’s Legacy with Childhood Cancer Nonprofit

Hi, Katia! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: My name is Katia Conte, and I am the President/Co-Founder of the Daniela Conte Foundation. Our nonprofit organization is a beacon of hope for families battling pediatric cancer. Founded in 2020, our mission is deeply rooted in the memory of my daughter, Daniela,…

Kristen Chimack Provides Real-World Coaching for Success

Hi, Kristen! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hi, I’m Kristen. After a 30-year stint in corporate America, culminating in a whirlwind four years leading the public relations department at a Fortune 40 organization, I decided it was time to hang up my corporate hat and chase my true passions. In…

How Dr. Sophia Yen is Transforming and Investing in Women’s Health with Pandia Health

“One in five women with menopause have considered dropping out of work, have foregone promotion. And we are just at the top of our game and to take us out at 50 is not okay. It’s about empowering women to be the best that we can possibly be.” When Dr. Sophia Yen co-founded Pandia Health,…

Amy Rees Celebrates Solidarity With Personality Plates

Hi, Amy! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hi, I’m Amy. Women are at the heart of Personality Plates because I could not have gotten through my difficult divorces and heartbreak without my friends and chosen sisters. I couldn’t have raised my daughters as the strong, independent young ladies they are…

How Julia Haart Reinvented Her Life at 42 from Restrictive Upbringing to Fashion Leader

“Ignorance, people, is good! Jump in. Enjoy it. Ask the questions. Study. Learn. Be an eternal student. That’s how you succeed.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with Julia Haart, the founder of +Body by Julia Haart, a body-positive, technologically advanced shapewear brand that aims to empower women to unapologetically express themselves and…

The Most Common Mistakes When Starting a Business—and How to Avoid Them

When you’re first starting a business, there’s so much you don’t know you don’t know—like how to price your offerings, market your business, or hire people to support you. Every entrepreneur learns along the way, so why not save yourself some time and money (and potentially even business heartbreak) by learning from the candid stories…

Logan Rae on Her Journey to Founding a Digital Marketing Agency

Hi, Logan. Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: I’m Logan Rae, I’m 29 years old and Founder & CEO of Argon Agency. Who are your customers? Mid-size businesses mostly in the behavioral healthcare field. What made you take the leap to start your own business? I had done entrepreneurship once before…

Jennifer Jank on Helping Entrepreneurs Reclaim Their Time and Energy

Hi, Jennifer! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Jennifer Jank (JJ) is a productivity consultant helping business owners make more profit in less time and with better systems. Her goal is to help entrepreneurs, especially women, reclaim their time, energy, and attention away from busyness and towards joy… without sacrificing profits.…

How to Make an Impact as a Podcast Guest with Patrice Poltzer

“We’re being bombarded all day with so much content and noise. “Please, please. I need your attention here, here, here.” You really have to learn to think about who’s listening. Really ask yourself, what is the takeaway for the person listening? Why does that matter? And if you can’t think of that, then you don’t…

Andrea TheoJohn Helps Clients Grow and Market Their Brands

Hi, Andrea! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Andrea TheoJohn, MBA is a marketing and branding professional with over 15 years of global and corporate experience. She’s managed over 70 brand professionals in 17 different countries, handled the branding and communications efforts for 160M Euro M&A ventures and now brings that…

How Laurel Mintz Is Empowering Diverse Leaders in Venture Capital

“We transitioned almost everyone out of the company and really flipped the entire company around. It was one of the most painful few months of my entire career, but also one of the most impactful. And if we had not done that, we probably wouldn’t still be standing today.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we…

Valeria Lasak’s Marketing Agency Focuses on Fashion, Beauty, and Personal Brands

Hi, Valeria! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Hi, I’m Valeria. Cofounder of MKT Besties and Nomad, a marketing agency focused on fashion, beauty, and personal brands, I’m also a community leader with the New Miami Girls community and host the street podcast ‘Who Is She Miami.’ This project is especially…

Leigh Burgess on Her Passion for Consulting, Coaching, and Curated Events

Hi, Leigh! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business: Leigh is a CEO & Founder and driven entrepreneur who is passionate about helping organizations and individuals achieve their fullest potential faster. By continuously stepping out of her comfort zone and pushing boundaries, Leigh has not only grown her own company into a…

How to Avoid Legal Challenges with Lauren Bercuson from Storylock Legal

“In the beginning, if you don’t have a team or a system or community around you, it’s very easy to feel lost. There are these amazing communities out there for amazing female founders that will really help guide and support you. So, the greatest lesson I learned pretty quickly was that you’re never alone. Or,…

The Secrets to Building a Community Led Business with Ingrid Read

“You really have to understand that, in order for you to scale, you have to learn how to do certain things and master them before you move on. If you don’t do that, then your audience is going to feel just as lost as you feel.” In this episode of Entreprenista, we sat down with…