Meet Melanie Young

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

Hi Melanie, thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?

Communications covers many areas: what you say and how you deliver it, your comportment and body language, how you communicate in spoken and written words and how you listen.

I learned the importance of possessing strong communications skills at a young age. My mother was a speech therapist working with deaf children. I sat in her classes sometimes when she could not find a babysitter. I learned sign language and how to communicate with students in other ways besides speech, such as facial expression, touch, body language. Acting on stage in elementary school plays taught me to speak strongly and with confidence. Taking dance lessons taught me how to use my body expressively.

For 35 years my mother taught public speaking at University of Chattanooga (TN) as an adjunct professor. She taught me “words matter” but also how you communicate and enunciate. How you speak, from your tone and accent to speed and projection all need to be taken into account. Many people speak too long, too fast or too soft or loud. they end sentences with a question mark or use “um,” “like” or “you know” too often in the conversation. Sometimes it’s about taking time to think before you speak to gather your thoughts and words

Writing is also an important form of communication, and it is an area where I am gifted, I love to write and consider words powerful forms of expression. Most of my writing for digital media has an 800-word limit. You have to choose words very carefully to stay in limit,

Another important aspect of effective communication is being a focused and thoughtful listener, How many times have you felt someone you are talking to is not really listening. Finally, there is body language. How you stand, sit, use your arms and retain eye contact and maintain facial expression can express many things. Many who are effective vocal speakers may not have handle on their body language which can contradict what they are saying.

As an adult, I became a communications specialist and opened a public relations firm. Writing press releases, copy and speeches, conducting media interviews and training my clients to be effective communicators were all part of the job, Today, I continue to write, host two podcasts and provide media/speaker training services.

I advise anyone working in a business that requires selling, presenting or public speaking that they undergo professional media/speaker training.

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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 started out as a communications specialist and have used those skills in many aspects of my career, from running my former public relations firm to writing and hosting my two weekly podcasts. Both are in their 10th year: The Connected Table and Fearless Fabulous You! (iHeart, Spotify, Apple, etc.).

I also offer 1on1 and group media and speaker training as a consultant. I can work both virtually and in-person. My goal is to help individuals- creatives, entrepreneurs, executives – speak and project with confidence. I also work with executives who need to be deft with handling media interviews. I have worked in media and with media for many years and understand what can go and write – and wrong- in an interview.

I continue working in my other area of passion and expertise: wine writing and education. I am a certified specialist of wine and enjoy helping people learn about wine and choose wine for their enjoyment. Wine should not be intimidating. I enjoy giving wine talks and tastings,

Another area/topic of importance to me is self-care. I am a breast cancer survivor who experience emotional burnout after my diagnosis and treatment which also coincided with the death of my beloved father. Writing was my therapy and later became a more serious career and resulted in two books, Getting Things Off My Chest: A Survivor’s Guide to Staying Fearless & Fabulous in the Face of Breast Cancer, and Fearless Fabulous You! Lessons on Living Life on Your Terms. I enjoy giving talks about facing and overcoming challenges and learning to make You a priority.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Writing is a skill that has taken me further than any other It is a skill I can always count on to express myself, find solace and share stories. And sometimes, writing even makes me a small income!

Another is fear/fearlessness, I have experienced both. Facing and overcoming my fears taught me to be fearless. I
encourage everyone to go out in the world and challenge themselves to do something they never dreamed of doing. Take a chance; do something that scares the heck out of you or demands you to work your mind or body in a way you have never done before. Then look back and realize, “You did it!”

Finally, resilience. Being able to bounce back from setbacks; figuring out how to rework a problem or challenge; learning to turn stumbling blocks into steppingstones- these are all factors of being resilient. Another is knowing when to say “No” and just walk away when something no longer works for you.

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What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

I see “opportunities”: where others see “obstacles.” Many people just don’t know to view and accept people for who they are or to realize their full potential. If you have ever been told (I have) you are “too overqualified”- that is an opportunity to play up your great experience as well as your flexibility and what you hope to learn. No one knows everything!

If you lack experience in a specific area, check out the numerous online, and often free, online tutorials. Get certified in an area where you want to demonstrate your expertise.

Age, race and gender legally should never be barriers but many of us have confronted this even it if is illegal. Just keep going. And frankly, be honest. If you feel someone is judging your qualifications because of your age, race or gender, very firmly and politely call them out on it. How would they feel in your position? I champion people over 50 starting new businesses or just starting over. You can do this at any age and stage of your life.

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