Meet Melissa Wagner-Gens, PMP

We recently connected with Melissa Wagner-Gens, PMP and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I like to say I grew up in my purpose. In other words, I was destined to do this. Growing up in a rural Colorado farming community, I was exposed to those who made their money through entrepreneurial endeavors. . . . farming, ranching, sewing, canning, etc. I learned early on, better marketing always returned a higher profit.

In college, I worked part-time as a research librarian (where I learned how to research quickly and accurately) & was Vice-President of the Phi Beta Theta history club, which allowed me to organize my first Quad State History Conference where I developed my love for organizing large events.
I quickly became a certified project manager after college & also was tapped several times to write policies, procedures and work instructions for ISO manuals because I was just naturally good at it.

I decided to branch out on my own as an eco-friendly wedding planner, Emerald Events & Weddings in 2005 and soon realized the education out there only covered wedding planning, with no mention of small business procedures. Luckily I had my research librarian skills to help me learn everything I needed to know. I figured if I had that much of a problem learning basic small business knowledge, other planners had too.

So I approached Collin College (a local community college) with the hybrid concept of wedding planning/small business skills course designed by me. They loved the idea so I developed the course with everything I had needed to know as a new business owner. Not only would they learn how to do everything needed for wedding planning in real time, they also had to come up with a business name and tagline, business plan, & marketing materials. And since no one learns bored, I gamified most of the skills which the planner students absolutely loved.

Once the students would graduate the wedding planner certification classes, I found my former students would reach out to me with basic business practice questions frequently. I started teaching small business knowledge and contracting out more of my time to helping them set up their business with a solid foundation. Those planners started telling their friends what I was doing & I started getting more types of small business owners reaching out for help.

It eventually got to the point that I retired from eco-chic event planning in 2017 & started Emerald Entrepreneur, where I felt I could do the most good in my little part of this world. Every day, I get to help awesome small business owners highlight their talents by providing them the knowledge or skills they are lacking. I use every single work experience I have ever had on a weekly basis. Being a small business consultant, mentor and fractional employee for these passionate and hardworking women entrepreneurs is so rewarding. My purpose has truly found me.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Like I said earlier, I own Emerald Entrepreneur,(www.BeEmerald.com) a unique business boutique in Allen, TX which primarily helps solopreneurs and small business owners fill in the gaps of their business knowledge base.

Our tribe (which I affectionately call the Emerald Army of Awesomeness) is primarily passionate and unique women entrepreneurs with a dream who want to make a difference in this world.

You can hire Emerald Entrepreneur for 3 levels of engagement – Classes, Products and Fractional Employee (marketing/coo/project manager) in multiple small business disciplines (Project management, design, marketing, operations, research, grant writing & copywriting).

I feel like I have the best job in the world. I’m never bored, I get to meet amazing people every day, and I get to help my clients highlight their amazing product by presenting their best to their clients.

Instead of forcing these entrepreneurs into doing things the way “they always have been done”, we explore ways to take the tried and true small business processes and merge it with their own special brand of awesome. The outcome isn’t just a great finished logo or successful mentoring session. The byproduct of this type of deliverable is a new confidence in their own ideas about their business.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. YOU ARE THE MAGIC POTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS– The more you lean into the awesome & unique traits of yourself, the more you will stand out from the crowd & the more your tribe can find your vibe leading to increased sales & a passionate customer database.

2. IF IT ISN’T IN WRITING, IT DOES NOT EXIST. This is one I repeat frequently…and to everyone within earshot. 99% of legal problems with clients & suppliers happen because of a verbal agreement which each side interpreted differently. Getting mad at someone for not living in your head is foolish. Write it down so there’s no confusion later on.

3. LEARN THE RULES SO YOU CAN BREAK THE ONES THAT DON’T MATTER. From the time we’re little, we’re told what to do & how to be. It gets worse when you are running a business. Even Great-Aunt Joan, will tell you how you should run your business…in great detail. When it comes to small business, some rules are important – filing taxes, having insurance – but some rules need to be molded to you & your specific business. For example, if you have an older customer base, your business won’t die if you don’t have a TikTok account. 80% of your clientele don’t use it anyways. Just ask Aunt Joan. 😉

How would you describe your ideal client?

Authenticity, fun, community & reliability have always been the cornerstones of my business. FYI – I am not a cookie-cutter, color inside the lines kind of person and neither are the people who are drawn to the Emerald.

My past clients include kickass cowgirls, sassy storytellers, Amazing artists, fab farmers, shimmering chefs, cool coffee importers, charming chocolatiers, homesteading heroines, badass baseball coaches, marvelous musicians and, of course, the original wedding wonder women.

This actually leads me to how I chose “Emerald” to represent my companies. It’s relevant, I swear.

Emeralds represent how I see my clients. Emeralds are actually considered more precious than diamonds and virtually all emeralds have inclusions, bubbles or cracks, carbon fleck and possibly foreign crystals inside. These are not considered faults but rather an indication of the emerald’s genuineness & authenticity.

Just like emeralds, I love to see the uniqueness each of my clients bring to their business. I don’t resonate with the perfect flawless diamond types of entrepreneurs. Other business coaches do and that’s great. But my tribe is made up of crazy, caffeinated, messy, generous and sarcastic types who believe in helping others and want to share their talents with the world. You know, the kind of person who takes what life throws at them and uses it to make them stronger & more empathetic.

Where others may see “flaws”, I see “genuineness”. I fall in love with those people and their entrepreneurial visions immediately. My next questions are “how can I help this person give their gift to the world?” and “I wonder how they take their coffee?”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.BeEmerald.com
• Instagram: @EmeraldEntre
• Facebook: @EmeraldEntre
• Linkedin: @EmeraldEntrepreneur
• Other: LinkTr.ee – @BeEmerald
  Pinterest – @EmeraldEntre

Image Credits

Emerald Entrepreneur LLC and Eleonore McCorkle