Meet Melissa Lee

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.

Melissa, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

The primary challenge I face as a business owner in the demanding events industry is prioritizing my health—both mentally and physically. The pressure to deliver flawless events under tight deadlines often results in long hours and personal sacrifices, which take a significant toll on my well-being.

To tackle this issue, I founded Wild & Well, a networking group for creative women in business. Our group uniquely combines business with wellness, offering a fun, collaborative, and healthy approach to thriving as a woman in business.

The support of fellow entrepreneurs has been invaluable. Through Wild & Well, we’re learning how to run successful businesses without sacrificing our health, helping me adopt a more sustainable approach to thriving in the industry and avoiding burnout.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m Melissa, the founder of Paige Creative, an event planning business I launched in 2021 after years of working as a corporate event planner. We specialize in helping brands of all sizes connect authentically with their audiences through immersive experiences. Our approach is hands-on: we dive deep into each brand’s identity to understand who they are and how they want to resonate with their audience.

Starting my own business has allowed me to fully embrace my creativity, build strong personal relationships with clients, and take ownership of my decisions. It’s been a challenging journey, but I’m proud of what I’ve built and excited for what’s to come. With my varied experience in different types of events and skills ranging from the creative strategy to logisitcs, I felt ready to take on all aspects of running my own company.

We are a fully inclusive agency, working with small, medium, and large brands. We offer services for everyone. Understanding the budget challenges of hiring an event planner, we provide not only full-service packages but also consulting services, such as 90-minute intensives and VIP days, which can be used for a single event or for overall event strategy.

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?

Looking back on my journey, I believe the three most impactful qualities, skills, and areas of knowledge have been creativity, networking, and adaptability. Since childhood, I’ve had a knack for turning simple ideas into beautiful creations—a skill that’s been essential in event planning, enabling me to craft unique and memorable experiences for brands. As a natural connector, I’ve always enjoyed bringing diverse groups together, which has helped me build strong relationships with clients, partners, and team members. My career also highlights my adaptability, as I’ve successfully navigated various roles, from boutique event planning to field marketing and brand events. A willingness to learn and evolve has been key to my success.

For those early in their journey, my advice would be to blend creativity with continuous learning. Cultivate innovative thinking while staying adaptable by embracing new challenges and keeping up with industry trends. Build strong professional connections through effective networking, while also establishing solid business systems with clear processes and a well-defined brand identity. Lastly, prioritize your well-being by setting boundaries, practicing self-care, managing your time, and maintaining realistic expectations for both yourself and your clients.

How would you describe your ideal client?

I love building relationships with clients who are motivated to design something out of the ordinary. Experiential marketing gives brands the ability to stand out by cultivating positive associations with your target audience, through shared experiences. When a brand is a bit unconventional and willing to try something completely different, the level of impact is unparalleled. Those are some of my favorite clients.

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