Sitting Down With Melanie, CEO & Founder of Nutracelle
We’re happy to celebrate and support women all over North America on their health and wellness journeys. All of the work that our founder Melanie does, is done to raise women and their families up, however that looks! We sat down with Melanie to discuss her female role model, understand what strong leadership looks like to her and more!
Who is your female role model?
My grandmother! Her name was Ida Peppin, and she was a firefighter in England during WWII, helping to get people to the bomb shelters and fighting fires….
She was a mentor to many young women who went on to become politicians and entrepreneurs and today there is an annual award in her name for accomplished women, called the Ida Peppin Award.
As a child, I idolized my grandmother. She was always helping others, always ready with a laugh and encouragement and she always made sure she was dressed for the occasion!
What does being a strong leader look like to you?
I believe strong leadership is really what my grandmother taught me - serving others. When you can support others to grow and challenge them to find their strengths, you can make a difference in their lives and in the lives of those they touch. Honesty, kindness and a willingness to do difficult things - even when they are hard to do - are the foundations of a good leader.
What’s your favorite part about being a business owner?
Creating something that didn’t exist before is exhilarating. Sometimes I marvel that people all over North America are living healthier lives because of the products we are able to make. It’s a joy and blessing to know I am able to make a difference.
What’s your favorite inspirational quote?
Eleanor Roosevelt, who said, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
I believe when we face our fears, when we push ourselves to overcome the limitations we and society set on us, and when we can motivate others, we are able to make a difference. And that’s truly priceless!
What advice do you have for other women looking to make a positive change in their lives?
As women, we are often cautious - sometimes overly cautious. We are often the care-takers and our families rely on us. We are rarely taking care of just ourselves so whatever we choose to do, we are often balancing it with the needs of others. Taking a big risk to achieve a new challenge, to learn new things, to start a business is always risky - but the rewards are also incredible.
When there are more women in positions of leadership who are visible, the next generation sees what is possible. Just as my own achievements have built on the examples set by grandmother and my mother, I am now able to be a role-model for women who will go on to achieve far more than I have.
Do you have a female role model that inspires you? Share your stories of a woman who has positively impacted you with us onFacebook, Twitter, Instagram or in our NutraTalk Support Group!
