Melyssa and I met at a speaking engagement last year (actually it was the same one that I met Gigi and Theo at – I’m so grateful for that day!!). In chatting, I could really feel her love for what she does – helping families and couples through therapy. I also LOVE the name of her practice – The Marriage Couch – so creative and fitting!
I enjoy following along on Melyssa’s social platforms, taking note of the advice and tips. I am in a healthy, happy marriage but know that it takes work and compromise – of course, all fueled by love. Enough about why I appreciate Melyssa – I’m super excited to introduce you to her below!
Meet Melyssa Edmunds of The Marriage Couch
When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
A dolphin trainer/behavioral researcher
How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I am a therapist and I realized I had such a strong passion for working with couples specifically.
What is the biggest struggle you’ve encountered as an entrepreneur and how did you solve it?
Starting a business is such a learning process. You honestly don’t know what you don’t know, until you fall on your face several times.
What do you think are the pros and cons of being a womanpreneur?
Pros: Flexibility, My own schedule, ability to focus on my family first, Work PT and gain a FT salary.
Cons: Risks of owning a business (Such as COVID-19), Your income is only what you can create it to be.
Do you have any mentors or coaches that you work with?
I had a business coach that was amazing. She helped me 10x my income in 5 months. Her name is Nicole Lilioia. Mentors in my field were hard to come by, as I sought out information there was very little given.
What advice would you give to someone reading this that has the entrepreneurial “itch”?
Put time into marketing and making in-person connections. If you need one new client/customer, spend an hour working towards that one customer. If you need 10, spend 10 hours working towards those customers. That was the best advice I was given by my business coach. Visualizing what you wanted was also extremely helpful.
What is the secret to achieving work-life balance for you?
Scheduling is everything. I can’t constantly be available to my phone and emails, when I am trying to enjoy family time. It’s OK to set hours for administrative items and only do the work at those times.
How do you find inspiration?
I follow Facebook groups that are for private practice owners, as well as mothers in business. It helps me hit my goals. Sometimes I’ll see other instagram accounts that have excellent social media engagement. Those inspire me when they create videos that are captivating.
What is your favorite book?
Anything Dave Ramsey is wonderful. Casey Truffo business books for private practice are excellent as well.
What is your favorite quote?
“Never work harder than your client.” -Learned in my Master’s program. It helps to keep boundaries while in therapy so you make sure to only match your client’s work they want to put into their lives. If you work harder than them, it’s draining and not rewarding as it’s actually detrimental to them. It’s almost like doing your teen’s homework for them- what did they get out of that?
What do you do to decompress?
Hulu- Grey’s Anatomy or Modern Housewife!
Tea or coffee?
Herbal tea. I don’t drink caffeine. I wake up wired, so I really don’t need the extra push.
Favorite flower?
Gardenias
Here’s How to Connect with Melyssa!
When we were little we had this fairytale story laid out for our future. We would go to college, meet the man of our dreams and get married. We would then have 2.5 children, a dog (or cat), and live in the perfect home. The End.
Maybe some people have that type of a marriage, but for others it is challenging and that is where Melyssa and The Marriage Couch come into play.
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