A Small Business Strategist who is passionate about helping women build a business they can be proud of! What started as a career as a professional photographer has blossomed into the creation of several brands and businesses and a passion to teach others how to get started without feeling alone and overwhelmed. My superpower may just be finding the "easy button" for building businesses and living life with joy! Life really can feel "easy" when you're running it with a community that makes having fun while becoming profitable a priority! I am so excited to have you here as I welcome you into the beautiful chaos of my world and help you find that same beauty in yours as you create consistent monthly income for your family! So get comfortable and let’s learn together how to pivot when we're thrown a curveball, celebrate when we experience a win, and get right back up when we lose our balance!
hi! I'm melissa koehler.
When I started my first biz in 2001, I had zero clue what I was doing. Z.E.R.O. Five businesses later, I like to call myself multi-passionate (Or maybe crazy?). I got schooled a time or two on the way here...and found myself at the bottom of one too many chocolate chip cookie boxes. I tried to fit in and follow the trends. I moonwalked on my boundaries and forgot to take care of myself. I snuck off to bathrooms to check my emails on family vacations and whenever a crappy day was saved by a tall glass of Brunello, I felt like everyone BUT me had it together. Relatable much? But the best part: I’ve found my passion in confessing it all. The highs and lows of life + business and I’m using what I’ve learned along the way to help you get it right the first time around!
Today: Combine insight with strategy to teach you how to get your dreams and your actions on the same page, so you can bring your creative ideas to life. Work hard to educate and make a difference in the businesses and lives of creatives who are wasting their time and energy on what’s not working. Couldn’t be happier.
of a serial entrepreneur
confessions
MY ENTREPRENEURIAL
Marry Mr. Stud who also happens to be a pilot. Partner with a friend to go legit with our hobby of making handmade cards and invitations. Conquer dial-up, launch our first website, dance parties ensue. 4 years later my friend bails for a “real job”, but now I’ve been bitten by the bug. Cue the craziness we call entrepreneurship (AKA lying awake at 3 am, buzzing with the excitement of your next genius idea).
2001-2004
Punch in and out at a scrapbook store, because #adulting. Overzealous customer service and advice on color schemes turns into job offers to design customized scrapbooks for clients. Pinch myself daily. But all I can think of is how much better my scrapbook pages would look with pro photography.
2003-2007
Mama life begins. Master Photoshop. Become an online course junkie. Read ALL the photography blogs. Call myself a “professional photographer” and soon my calendar is swimming in ink. Oh hello, burnout. Find a mentor who teaches me a magical word called “boundaries”. Discover my true passion is giving others accountability and support. Oops, I pivot again...
2005-2014
Join a small biz consultancy and break up with my freelancer status. Reach the top level in the company in under 2 years because I start treating my business LIKE a business. Hit over a million in revenue. Can finally pay myself and support my growing family without my biz and I being attached at the hip. Get my wine on in places like Carmel Valley, Bora Bora, Napa Valley, Tuscany, and Rome. (Is this real life?)
2015-2018
Spend my days turning your personality into a competitive advantage and your quirks into business assets. Combine insight with strategy to get your dreams and your actions on the same page, so you can bring your creative ideas to market. Care hard about making a difference in the businesses and lives of creatives who are wasting their time and energy on what’s not working. Couldn’t be happier.
today
adventures
join the newsletter
stay in touch
Exclusive content designed to grow your business delivered right to your inbox twice a month! Don't miss out on the totally free and totally worth it bonus content!