Empowering Brilliant Professionals

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Melanie Denny, Founder of Resume-Evolution, located in St. Cloud, FL, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Resume-Evolution is an executive branding firm that specializes in helping brilliant women of color to build their visibility and capitalize on new opportunities beyond the 9-5 through the power of personal branding. Our ideal clients are well-educated, high-powered women of color who excels at her job. She is seen as an expert in her field and has earned tons of accolades. She is constantly learning and growing to master her craft, but no one knows how deep her brilliance runs because she is insecure about advocating for herself. She tends to shy away from boasting too loudly because she doesn't want to come off as arrogant or "doing the most." She is a true natural leader but doesn't realize the depth of her power. She enjoys her job and takes pride in her work, but she has something bigger to share with the world. She secretly dreams about speaking at industry conferences and podcasts – and even thought about starting her own consultancy or mentorship program, but has no clue where to start. She doubts anyone would take her seriously or trust her words. She logs into social media and sees people less qualified than her, speaking and sharing content online. She longs for more….more reach…more visibility…more impact.

That's where we come in. Through our signature program, Empowered Presence™, we help our clients to:

fully embrace their uniqueness and boost their self-confidence.
gain a renewed sense of clarity around their personal mission.
package their knowledge, skills, and experiences to showcase their value.
position themselves for opportunities by becoming seen as thought leaders/authority.
increase their visibility and make a meaningful impact in their industry and the world.

Tell us about yourself

My purpose is to help others see themselves as more. That has manifested itself in several ways. As an award-winning resume writer and career coach for 13 years, I loved helping rising professionals and aspiring executives see themselves in a new light and gain a new sense of confidence in themselves. Although I've helped thousands of people to land high-paying jobs, deep in my heart, I never felt connected to the corporate journey. I fell in love with the results and client reactions and revelations my clients were experiencing as a result of my talents in positioning professionals for lucrative opportunities with $15K to $50K salary increases. In 2020 I started the Society of Elite Resume Writers to help up-and-coming resume writers build their businesses and position themselves to demand 4-figure rates and finally hit $10K+ months. At almost 300 strong, I built that community on the strength of my personal brand and expertise in running a resume-writing business.

After 13 years of helping job seekers and coaching industry colleagues, I knew I loved helping people position themselves, embrace their uniqueness and articulate their value (cough personal branding). So, I decided to focus my efforts on helping aspiring womenpreneurs, and corporate leaders go after (and win) new opportunities, spread their message, make an impact and maximize revenue through the power of personal branding. I see women doubt themselves, dim their light and sell themselves short ALL the time. We as a society have been silencing women and subconsciously teaching them to not be outspoken or opinionated – especially women of color. I myself succumbed to this, and it has hindered my willingness to be seen at work AND in my personal life. I'm here to give women their voices back without sacrificing who they are.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

There are a few achievements I'm proud of. I would say right now, the most notable was building a tight-knit community of ~300 resume writers who looked to me for guidance and support in their business and selling that arm of my business to start this new chapter.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things I've encountered as a business owner is balancing all the hats and finding the right support.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Build a business that fits your lifestyle. There are countless ways to be successful; you CAN do it on your own terms.
Don't overthink things. Fail forward quickly. Taking action is very, VERY powerful. It's the best way to learn. You can only make progress through taking action. Make mistakes and learn from them as you move forward.
Your #1 asset is people - customers, clients, partners, team members, and supporters. Focus on building strong relationships with people, and you will go much further, much faster.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://resume-evolution.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melanieldenny
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanieldenny/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelanieLDenny
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanieldenny/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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