Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur, with her dog Max
Meet Melanie. She and I first crossed paths about 6 months ago via a private group on Facebook. Her enthusiasm and generosity (for commenting and sharing) is pretty dang cool. Plus, she writes some awesome posts, herself.
As usual, her answers to my questions help me see her as much, much more. Take a look for yourself, and then hop on over to her blog and tell her the Word Chef sent you.
Q: How long have you been in business? And what inspired you to get started?
MK: In the “real” world, I’ve been self-employed as a childbirth educator and lactation specialist for the past three decades – embracing the wondrous and exhilarating business of babies. I love it!
Attending a childbirth class during my first pregnancy prompted me to get my training and certification. My instructor was the most boring, dry, and UN-inspiring presenter I have ever met! I was confident and convinced I could do a much better job and as they say, the rest is history. (Plus, Teaching is my ‘thang’.)
February, 2012 marks the beginning of my fourth year as a solo mompreneur, blogger, and online marketer. I’ve had a genuine love of language arts since elementary school – a passionate love affair with words!
I instantly became enamored and mesmerized by the opportunity to lay some words on the page in cyberspace by creating a blog. Initially I blogged for sheer enjoyment — the chance to strut my creative writing skills and my quirky sense of humor. Soon after, I discovered the wonderful (and wacky) world of affiliate marketing and how I could marry business and writing.
Q: Where does your biz name come from?
MK: I came pretty darn close to naming my business “A Table for One.” That notion went off to bed with me for several nights. You see, almost everything I do in life, I do “solo” – like dining out. However, they generally seat me at a table for two and forget to remove the additional place setting. Perhaps the waiter wants me to enjoy my meal with an imaginary friend. LOL!
Single parenting is something I’ve mastered over the past twenty years. I have in-the-trenches clarity of what’s great and not so great about raising children “solo.” I also have a bird’s eye view of the stress and expense of leaving children in the care of someone else when moms work outside the home.
Ultimately, I named by business “Solo Mompreneur” because I think it embodies who I am and who I enjoy helping – moms who want to exit the corporate world and design a life that’s right for them.
Q: In 50 words or less, tell us about one of the most joyful times you’ve ever had in your business.
MK: I’ve experienced a bucket full of joyous times in my business! One of the biggest treats that brought a smile to my face for a long time was the day I was named in We Magazine’s “101 Women Bloggers to Watch For In 2011.”
Q: What’s your #1 goal for this year?
MK: Hell or high water, I intend to bring my offline profession on the net this year. I plan to create info products for childbirth education, infant care, and breastfeeding. As you might imagine, thirty years of experience has provided me with a stockpile of content.
Q: How would you describe your ideal client?
MK: A tenacious mom with a big “why,” a marketable idea, a shoestring budget, and unstoppable passion for creating a business online.
Q: What makes you different from the other folks who do what you do (your competitors)?
MK: I think my most loyal fans and followers would say my sense of humor draws them in and that I’m a straight shooter – a “no fluff” kind of gal. My conviction for helping others before I help myself shines through in my marketing and my engagement in the realm of social media. In other words, I’m a nurturer by nature and I’m not all about the money.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone (living, dead or fictional), who would that be and why?
MK: Oooh … I’d be stoked to have lunch with Mark Twain! He’s a beloved author, a humorist, and his quotes are, hands down, my favorites.
I’d ask him all about the allure of life on a steamboat and riding stagecoaches and how he managed to muster up the gumption to endure all the many losses he suffered throughout his life – including three of his four children. And I’d go fishing for an answer to what I’m most curious about – how he decided upon a white suit as his all-year round trademark.
Q: Anything else we should know?
MK: I’m a big dog lover, a Nascar fan, and here’s 10 more fun facts about me.
Q: Where can we find you online?
MK: Here’s my website my Facebook Page and you can find me on Twitter, too.
About Tea (the Chef) Silvestre
