We recently had the chance to connect with Melissa Desrameaux and have shared our conversation below.
Melissa, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I can easily lose track of time when I’m deeply engaged in conversation, immersed in music, or in the middle of a creative or strategy session. Those are my favorite ways to forget that time even exists. Combine any of them, and good luck pulling me out of that flow. Seriously, I’ll even forget I’m in a body that needs to eat, sleep, drink water, or use the restroom.
I love conversations that move beyond small talk into deeper terrain, exploring existence, emotions, spirituality, the layers of human nature, business and the invisible threads that weave our experiences together. When something truly captures my attention, I can talk about it for hours with the kind of passion that makes it feel like the most important thing on Earth. I’m energized by wonder, storytelling, humor, and those moments of shared “aha.” I ask questions that go beneath the surface, and I love when others are willing to meet me there. Add a good playlist in the background, and it starts to feel cinematic, like I’m living inside a scene that’s unfolding in real time. Music is my portal. I can listen to one song on repeat for hours or build eight-song playlists that soundtrack whatever emotional or creative state I’m in. It’s my way of extending the feeling and stretching those few minutes of resonance into something timeless.
Whether I’m designing a pitch deck, brainstorming a new event concept, writing copy or a poem, I completely lose myself in the creative process. I try to carve out three hours, but it often turns into an all-nighter. Some of my best ideas have been born in those hours when the world is quieter: writing to music at 2 a.m. or bouncing ideas with a friend until dawn. That flow is where I feel most alive, connected, and find myself again.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I view myself as a creative force and connector who blends imagination and strategy for high-impact outcomes. With an educational background in Mass Communications, I approach every project with an understanding of how people, messages, and environments interact. That awareness influences the way I build or manage brands, curate spaces, and tell stories that move people.
In Las Vegas, I help lead StarBase, a visionary live performance venue with an attached banquet space that blends innovation, creativity, and connection to support business and community. StarBase is powered by Fresh Wata, an award-winning experiential design agency known for producing immersive brand activations, and partnered with FWR Rental Haus, a luxury design and furnishings division. Across these primary platforms, my work thrives at the convergence of strategy and soul. I bring ideas to life through intentional design, logistics, storytelling and experiences that inspire curiosity and belonging.
I am also the creator and author of Anthologically Speaking, a bold and emotionally intelligent anthology that explores love, identity, and transformation through multiple voices and styles. The book reflects my creative range and my ability to bridge intellect, sensuality, and spirit in a way that feels both personal and universal.
What makes my work unique is my blend of creative intuition and strategic thinking. I aim to move seamlessly between producing events, consulting on communications and business development, and crafting spaces and stories that challenge convention while deepening human connection. My world is about expanding what’s possible when creativity, consciousness, and community are artfully intertwined.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
This is such a powerful question. I went back and forth thinking about several influential relationships with family, mentors, colleagues, and close friends, but ultimately it’s my relationship with Jesus that has most shaped how I see myself. It’s unique to me yet also unifying for others who see Him as a guiding force in their lives.
Earlier in my life, I was often negative and hard on myself. I struggled with low self-esteem, self-criticism, and a lack of confidence. Even now, there are moments when something unsettles my peace and those old habits try to resurface. But through developing and strengthening my relationship with Him, I’ve learned to see myself differently, to recognize my worth, trust my instincts, and move through life with more grace, patience, and understanding. I often joke that I was “high on Jesus” when I moved from Miami to Las Vegas, because I had never visited, didn’t know a single person, and yet felt an unshakable sense of peace that I would be fine. I call it the confidence of Christ. That faith-centered courage became a defining moment in how I view myself and what I’m capable of.
Outwardly, I’ve always been joyful and expressive, but my true transformation began at 21, when I started seeing myself not just as capable, but deserving—not just alive, but full of life. My relationship with Jesus helped me step outside the lens of societal expectations and begin to see myself through the lens of spirit and energy. It’s not a claim of being “holier than thou”; it’s practicing compassion toward myself and breaking the cycles of self-judgment that contributed to depressive and oppressive thinking.
Is there something you miss that no one else knows about?
Yes, there is something I miss that no one else knows about: being in the kitchen with my aunts. It reminds me of simpler times, when the hardest decision I had to make was choosing between watching a Miami Heat game or playing boxball outside with the neighborhood kids.
I miss those summer afternoons spent in conversation about who-knows-what while I watched them prepare dinner for ten to fourteen people. I was fascinated by the way they ground fresh herbs and spices to marinate meat, how the aroma filled the air before the stove was even on. I loved making them laugh to the point of tears over something absurd I said or wondered out loud. And I cherished picking up new phrases in Creole as they talked to one another and I listened, soaking it all in. That was our bonding time, especially since there wasn’t enough room for everyone at the dining table. I happily took on the role of taste tester, checking if something was too spicy for the younger cousins. What amazed me most was how they cooked entirely by memory, intuition and love, no measuring cups, no recipe books. They created a whole world of flavor and feeling, and there wasn’t a single dish I didn’t adore.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I once held on tightly to the belief that success meant reaching the pinnacle of your career to the point of recognition; running a multi-million-dollar business and living the kind of lifestyle that looked like the ultimate reward for hard work. I thought success was about control, constant motion, and achievement that could be measured. Now I see it differently. True marks of success, to me, is being able to step away and know that things will continue to thrive in your absence. It’s about building trust with your team, your systems, and yourself enough to take time off without worry. Success is having people around you who are dedicated to the mission, genuinely happy in their work and fulfilled. It’s also about alignment: doing what you love in a way that continues to grow you, stretch you, and teach you. I’ve learned that rather than just being at the top, success means being able to choose your clients as much as they choose you. It’s the freedom to align with people, projects, and partnerships that reflect your values, your energy, and what your passions are. And it’s about being a positive force in your industry and community, contributing to their evolution toward something greater.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes, and it’s one of the most disorienting feelings to finally get something you worked for or dreamed about, only to realize it doesn’t fulfill you the way you imagined. Those moments have become powerful checkpoints for me. They force me to pause, do some soul-searching, and get honest about what’s really driving the desire in the first place. People often say, “Be careful what you wish for.” I’d add: Be specific, but also stay flexible. Because sometimes what we ask for shows up looking different than we expected, and if we’re too attached to the image of it, we might miss the gift that’s actually for us. And often times it’s the unforseen things that come with what we wish for that steals some of the satisfaction.
I’m capable of manifesting almost anything I set my mind and energy toward. But when I get it and still feel unsatisfied, I have to ask myself whether I manifested it more from my ego or more from my heart. Was it about validation or genuine alignment? It’s happened in both small and major ways, where what I wanted was clear, but my satisfaction was influenced by being overly critical or chasing a feeling rather than a purpose. I don’t believe the answer is to just be happy with whatever you get, but rather to stay aware. Because the truth is, even having the chance to receive what you want is a privilege many don’t have. Remembering that keeps me grounded, grateful, and a little more intentional with what I reach for next.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.starbaselv.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starbaselv
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meleldes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@starbaselv
Image Credits
And Studios, American Marketing Association Las Vegas, Greenspun Media Group, ANGIE ORTALIZA Photography, Casey Jade Photography
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