Melissa Camilleri’s ex-husband stood before her in their bedroom one day and, seemingly out of the blue, told her he didn’t want to be with her anymore. She was devastated, especially because the news came in the midst of several deaths in her close family.

 

Melissa had spent the first part of her life following a scripted path, doing what was expected of her. That included marrying someone she thought she should.

 

In this episode, the former classroom teacher is sharing how the most difficult time of her life turned out to be a true blessing in disguise. Grief over the loss of loved ones and her marriage pushed her out of her comfort zone and gave her the gift of time to create a business she loves.

 

More in this episode:

 

  • Melissa talks about feeling like she was in the spotlight and disappointing everyone around her (including her students) when her marriage failed.
  • Why she started a business, even though she never she never wanted to be an entrepreneur and thought she’d always be a classroom teacher.
  • How she got 100% ownership of her business after her divorce, which went from being worth $250 to multi-six-figures.
  • The feelings of failure that come up when a marriage ends.
  • Why her ex-husband actually did her a favor by asking for divorce (hint: she realized after her divorce that she was happier than she’d been since 8th grade).
  • The differences between her 20s and 30s (and why she’s loved her 30s).
  • How fully stepping into her truth allowed her to finally find the right partner and create the lifelong relationship she really wanted and needed.
  • Why she believes strongly in therapy.
  • Why her company’s unique mission helped her shift the focus off her own pain and onto something far healthier.
  • The tools that helped Melissa get through the dark days.

 

Melissa Camilleri is a high school English teacher-turned-CEO and founder of Compliment, Inc., a lifestyle brand that seeks to encourage, inspire, and educate through kind words and thoughtful gifts. Though it started off as a college scholarship fundraiser for Melissa’s students, Compliment has grown to be an online destination for people seeking “gifts that uplift,” and give back. Since founding the company in late 2011, Melissa has set aside 5% of all product sales to the Compliment Scholarship Program and has raised tens of thousands of dollars in educational funding for girls who dare to dream big and break the cycle of poverty in their families through education. Ever the teacher at heart, Melissa is the founder of the acclaimed 21-Day Instacourse (helping others gain massive exposure on Instagram on a shoestring budget) + many other workshops and trainings, where she helps people with the audacity to dream a little bigger, find their unique gifts and talents, and spread their messages to the world. She lives and loves in Northern California with her husband Nick and their two sons.

 

Resources:

Shop Compliment

Website

Instagram

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