Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Stevens
Hi Melissa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I currently live in southern Maine with my husband and two pups. Maine is such a beautiful state– and I’m still unsure of how I ended up here! I was raised all over the U.S. with my military parents but primarily lived in Alaska for most of my life. Moving many times in my childhood had made me to learn how to make new friends and adapt to new environments quickly. It was the driving force as to who I am today. After high school, I moved to Maine (sight unseen!) for college and got my Bachelors in Marine Biology, following my love for animals, science, and the ocean. I was able to combine that love with my other love of sports and played collegiate volleyball as well. Since then, I’ve grown my professional career working at a global biotech company and expanded my love of sports into my current small business– Motiv; an athleisurewear and lifestyle brand. My journey here has been nothing short of amazing, and I am so grateful for the experiences that led me here.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is there ever a smooth road?! I mean, living in a state where you have NO family within 2,000 miles wasn’t the easiest. I had moved to a brand new state across the country on a whim and was going to have to make it work either way. Being so young, noone reeeeeally knows what they’re doing or what they even WANT to do in their adult life. College is an incredible experience but once your’e about to graduate and get thrown into the real world, thats when you start to feel the nerves. I was having trouble with job placement after college and who I wanted to be. It’s a huge learning curve to figure out your own personal brand and how you want to grow when you’re surrounded by social media and feeling like you need to do what everyone else is. Long story short, everyone goes through phases like this in life and its just really figuring out what makes YOU happy, what sets your soul on fire! DO THAT. It’s never going to be easy but nothing great ever comes easy!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Motiv is an online based athleisurewear and lifestyle brand. We design and create athleticwear pieces made for all-day wear; from brunch to pilates, from grocery shopping to your work meeting. We have practicality and comfort in mind, ensuring every product feels luxe and melts to your skin. All items are made in small batches in an effort to reduce waste and keep items curated and exclusive. We have something for everyone, including loungwear, curvy items, and accessories. Motiv was made by a busy body, for the busy body. We have a mini-storefront inside of Nourish & Glow Beauty Spa in Yarmouth, Maine!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was such a tomboy growing up; I loved the outdoors, sports, animals. I was kind of the ‘wild child’ out of my older sister and I. I was unapologetically myself, somewhat blunt (but honest), outgoing. I was always confident in myself and loved to uplift others. Again, we moved around a lot as a military family, so I’m super lucky that I was so outgoing and really didn’t have a problem with making brand new friends at a new school every year. My older sister was more reserved and shy growing up, so she balanced me out pretty well!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://motivbymel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motivbymel/
