Meet Mela Michelle | Photographer, Event Planner, Mental Health Coach, Social Media Marketing Specialist

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

Hi Mela, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
My primary mission is to maximize positive change while achieving financial success. When I look at the world, I see various areas where people face hardships and challenges. My driving purpose is to offer assistance.

I organize community events with a clear objective: to foster unity, empowerment, and education within our local community. These gatherings serve as platforms for minority small businesses, providing them with exposure and networking opportunities. Furthermore, they nurture a sense of belonging and warmth within our community.

Over the past few years, we have coordinated toy drives, bringing joy to underserved families during the holiday season. These initiatives help parents provide a memorable Christmas for their children, which is often financially out of reach.

In my photography business, I maintain affordability, regularly offering special rates. This approach ensures that even those who typically cannot afford professional photoshoots have access to this valuable experience.

As a mental health coach, I also extend a helping hand to others by providing information about available mental health resources and helpful tips to enhance their mental wellbeing, which they might not otherwise be aware of.

I am currently in the early stages of launching my new podcast, ‘Silenced Girl Speaks,’ with a primary objective of empowering women to rediscover their voices and share their stories. I firmly believe in the healing power of self-expression, and I aim to encourage women to connect, acknowledging that they are not alone in their struggles and triumphs.

Helping and impacting others is at the core of my being, and I leverage my businesses as a means to realize this vision.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I absolutely love being creative. I love being inspired to do something and seeing it through from start to finish. With my photography and now videography I love capturing stories. I love to be able to see the true essence of my subjects and have those memories established forever. I love being able to bring out the true personality of my clients and having the effect of seeing their soul through the photographs. It’s taken many years to get to where I am now and much of it hasn’t been easy. It’s difficult to have a vision that no one else can see and being able to see it through. As humans we tend to want and sometimes need validation but as an artist and entrepreneur we very rarely receive that, especially during the process. The process and the journey can be the hardest part if you don’t learn to actually embrace it. You must embrace the journey and all of it’s ups, downs, highs and lows. There’s beauty in it. I overcome my challenges by focusing on God and understanding He gave me these talents and visions for a reason and if that’s the case I must see them through. I must use all the talents that God has given me to be sure to achieve my purpose here on earth. I hope to inspire others that they too can follow their passions and expand their talents. I want others to see my brand and realize that I remained true to who I am and not tried to be something I felt could make sales. This is me, I put my heart into the things I do and hope to help as many as possible along the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Raleigh two of my absolute favorite food spots are Fat Boys Kitchen and Lee’s Kitchen. They both have great food and must go-to’s in my book. I also enjoy going to the JC Ralston Arboretum. Is basically a huge garden with many different spots. It’s absolutely beautiful. I love being near water so anytime I want to clear my head or be inspired I go to Pullen Park, Lake Johnson or Lake Wheeler and just watch the water. Most of those places offer boat rentals in season. The NC museum of Art and The NC museum of natural sciences is also super fun places to visit.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Other than God and Jesus Himself, my main source of inspiration has always been my mother. My mother has a heart of gold and is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. She gives to others relentlessly and I can’t help but realize that she is exactly where I got my helpful heart from. I’ve also adopted her work ethic. Regardless of how she may feel she has always put her best foot forward and puts everything she has into her tasks. From her, I’ve learned to work hard and to love even harder. She pushes me to be better than good but to always remain humble. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without her.

Website: www.MelaMichelle.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/Mela.Michelle

Twitter: @MelaMichelle

Facebook: Mela Michelle

Youtube: Mela Michelle

Image Credits
all images are credited and created by Mela Michelle