288: Client Success Story: How Melissa Mwai Took the "Ick" Out of Networking

Send us a text In this insightful episode, Melissa Mawai shares her inspiring journey from corporate project management to becoming a published children"s author and illustrator. After the passing of her father and the global pandemic, Melissa found herself at a crossroads—one that led her to pursue her true passion for storytelling. Now, with five published books under her belt with major publishers like National Geographic Kids and DK, Melissa reflects on the challenges, lessons, and triumphs of her creative career pivot. One of the biggest hurdles she faced? Self-promotion. If you"ve ever struggled with marketing yourself, you"ll appreciate Melissa’s honest take on overcoming the “ick” factor and finding an authentic way to share your work. As a neurodiverse professional, she has also dedicated her work to helping neurodiverse children navigate the world through engaging stories. From navigating the entrepreneurial path to embracing creativity in every professional interaction, Melissa offers invaluable wisdom for anyone looking to align their career with their passions. Plus, she gives us a sneak peek into her upcoming podcast, Kid Lit Deconstruction Zone! What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How Melissa used the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point in her careerThe impact of personal loss on career clarity and purposeOvercoming the discomfort of self-promotion and marketing yourself authenticallyThe importance of creating stories that support neurodiverse childrenHow coaching helped her refine her career path and build confidenceThe journey to launching her new podcast, Kid Lit Deconstruction ZoneHow to infuse creativity into networking and professional relationshipsMelissa’s future goals, including more school visits and speaking engagements Resources & Links: Connect with Melissa and explore her work:Website: melissamawai.comFollow her on LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmwai/ – she promises to say hello back! If you’re looking for inspiration to bring more creativity and authenticity into your career and learn how coaching can help you, like it helped Melissa, tune in now. Support the show Thank you for listening to The Mid-Career GPS Podcast. Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here. Want me to review your LinkedIn profile? Learn more here. Visit https://johnneral.com to join The Mid-Career GPS Newsletter, a free, twice-weekly career and leadership resource for mid-career professionals. Connect with John on LinkedIn here. Check Out John"s New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here. Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching. Subscribe to John"s YouTube Channel here.