We were lucky to catch up with Melissa Campbell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Melissa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
It turned out I had nothing left to lose. In 2018, I started my Instagram account for fun. In 2019, I shared my ideas with my mom, who always encouraged me to keep them up. On November 8, 2019, my mom passed away from a quick battle with Stage 4 liver and pancreatic cancer. In 2020, we entered COVID times, and the world shut down. What ended up taking place in this fog of survival was a genuine curiosity for living to the fullest, bringing joy to all that resonated with my content.
I jumped into content creation with both feet and never looked back. My favorite element of this freelance work is meeting other content creatives and meeting local business owners. This process allows me to write for local publications and websites to show my travel experiences and creative perspective.
Raising and homeschooling my two kids allows exploration to happen naturally.
Melissa, 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?
Coming from the Minneapolis, MN film production and casting world with 12 years of on-set experience allowed me to work 12-14 hour days. Having come from a creative world; content creation became a natural fit and held unlimited options, paths, and opportunities.
Taking a gem of a restaurant, event, resort, hotel, or unique service makes curating content that much more fun and fulfilling.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The 2019-present saw me through losing a parent, having my child diagnosed with Autism, and the compassionate release of my father from federal prison. My takeaway from all of the experiences is to take big life feelings and events, moment by moment. The lighter days allow me to be present and available for shining light on my love of small businesses and sharing true living and moments in time. It is all a life snapshot at the end of the day.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Sharing and showing this creative work with my kids. I love knowing they can see their mom making a career out of something I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://melissas-newsletter-bfbe60.beehiiv.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savvysocialfoodie_travel_fam
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/Sociallyoursmn
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CampbellFamilyAdventures
