Hey, I’m Mel!
DIGITAL CREATOR | PHOTOGRAPHER | WRITER
Melissa “Mel” Drake is the creator and photographer of This is Mel Drake, a lifestyle, travel, and fashion blog. A fresh voice in the blogosphere, Mel’s photos are always bright and colorful with a touch of whimsy. She loves to travel often, shake up great cocktails with friends and enjoys taking photographs of her life as it unfolds.
When not blogging or taking photos for work, Mel can be found with her two dogs, Venus and Jack-Jack. They are both rescues and she couldn't imagine life without them!
MY STORY
Want to quit the job you hate? Yup, I’ve done it.
Want to travel the world by yourself? I’ve got some solid travel tips for you. #nocheckedbagfees
Ready to pay off that debt, buy a house or a car all by yourself? I’ve done it too.
As a woman of color, I’ve experienced firsthand the reality of being underestimated. Oftentimes we don’t know the rules to play the game, so we’ve lost before the game has even begun. My raison d'etre is to motivate, and then educate, so we can all win the hell out of whatever game we personally find ourselves in.
In my own experience, I started as a temp-to-hire at a retail sporting goods shop. The work itself was far from glamorous. Data entry + filing… rinse, repeat x1000. But what changed the trajectory of my professional life is that my boss saw something in me. My boss saw my potential, reflected that back to me, and gave me space to blossom. Having that indefatigable support from my boss allowed me to stretch myself in areas I previously thought impossible. He planted a seed of confidence in me, and I allowed it to take root.
Eventually, I achieved a version of success I always thought I wanted. I had a great job, one that required a degree that I didn’t have, and I was well paid. I had the career. I was living the corporate American Dream. At one time I even owned two houses and two cars, and yet I was miserable.
“The minute I bravely quit my job, everything in my life seemed to change for the better”
It all started when I had that initial seed of confidence and decided to take a risk. The minute I bravely quit my job, everything in my life seemed to change for the better: from traveling around the world with no worries about finances or what would happen next; meeting new people at every turn who supported me emotionally as well as financially!
It wasn't easy to walk away from a successful 6-figure career to finally pursue my passion, but I can honestly say I’m much more emotionally happier than I’ve ever been.
And if asked, “would I walk away from it all again?” Without hesitation, my reply would still be “hell, yes!”