Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melissa Holley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Melissa, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?
My empathy developed through pain and challenges I’ve faced in my own life. Experiencing domestic abuse both physical and emotional from past relationships made me understand what it feels like to be unseen, unheard, and misunderstood. When I started to heal, I realized how powerful kindness and understanding could be, not just for me, but for others going through their own struggles. My journey through that taught me to pay attention to the emotions behind people’s words and actions and I’ve learned to listen deeply, and to try and see the world through their eyes, and to meet them with the care and understanding that I wished I had during my hardest and darkest times.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I recently started Holley Impact Marketing; a digital marketing service to help businesses connect with their audiences in ways that matter. What excites me most about this journey is the opportunity to really connect with people, learn about their passion, and play a part in helping them achieve their dream, or at least helping even in a small way. Whether it’s creating a social media campaign, enhancing a brand’s online presence, or planning events, every project is a chance to make an impact. For me, Holley Impact Marketing isn’t just about marketing it’s about building personal relationships, sharing in people’s visions, and showing the value, I bring through the work I do. In doing so this reflects my passion for making a difference in the lives I get the pleasure of working with, and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me and the businesses, I’m lucky enough to support.
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, three qualities that have impacted my journey would be self-awareness, courage, and gratitude.
Self-awareness helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to stay true to myself and make decisions that align with my values. It’s not always easy, but embracing my weaknesses has empowered me. My advice is to remember that our weaknesses can sometimes hold the key to our greatest strengths, you just have to embrace them to discover that.
Courage has pushed me through fear and doubt. Starting something new takes courage, especially when you face uncertainty. Courage isn’t about being without fear but acting despite of fear. Don’t wait for fear to go away (because it won’t), take action and trust you can handle what comes your way.
Gratitude keeps me grounded and focused. When I reflect on how far I’ve come and the people who’ve supported me, it shifts my perspective and motivates me even more. I’d advise to anyone to practice gratitude daily, through journaling or just taking a moment to reflect, because it helps you stay positive through challenges.
It’s all about remembering where you started and appreciating the progress you make along the way.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents have done for me is stepping up in such a profound way when it comes to daughters, Kelsey(13) and Gabriella(10). They have truly been there for not only me but more so for them. My parents have always shown me nothing but love, forgiveness, & support, even when I didn’t feel like I deserved it. Their constant care for my daughters, the help they have given me, and their ability to love me through my struggles has been one of the greatest gifts they could ever give me. They’ve not only been amazing parents to me but incredible grandparents to my girls, and there are no words that could fully express what that means to me and how much I love them!
Contact Info:
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