We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melah Miller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melah below.
Melah , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear how you think where to draw the line in terms of asking friends and family to support your business – what’s okay and what’s over the line?
I have always been extremely uncomfortable with asking anyone for support. However, social media has allowed me to post about programs I work on and client work. When I quit my job and announced I was consulting full-time, my family and friends were my biggest supporters. For me, it was speaking up about what I was doing and taking credit for what I’ve done. Now that I have become more vocal about my work and involvement in different organizations, my support has increased. Which, in turn, has made me more comfortable with sending direct requests and picking up the phone to ask. No failure is greater than not trying, right?
Melah , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am founder and Resident HERO at HERO Consulting. I enjoy working with non-profits entrepreneurs, developers and other industries if the work impacts underserved communities and demographics. I offer a variety of integrated communication services depending on the needs of the client and my skill set. I have a network that allows me to outsource if more experience is required to execute the project.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
Luckily, I have a great village. My very good friend, Kate McClinton, has a business that assists people in starting their business, grant writing and a variety of other supportive services. She consistently encouraged me to start charging clients and to be more intentional about my work. One frustrating morning I gave her the green light. Within 48 hours, I had my EIN. It took many more conversations, and about five months later, I quit my full-time job to bet on myself. It’s been a whirlwind. Super scary but a very gratifying.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
My best source of new clients comes from my relationships and referrals. As I mentioned, I worked with friends on different projects. When I officially announced I was going full-time, they spoke of me in new settings and networks. They share my news and updates. They actively help me build my network by inviting me to events and connecting me with people if they believe I can assist.
- Website: www.herojm.com
- Instagram: me_Simplymeme
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/melahmiller