Melahni Ake Interview

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Chris: Well, Melanie, thanks for joining us today. Let's jump right into it cuz I am looking forward to hearing about your story and I know that we have a lot of information to go through. So tell us where did you, where, where, where did life start for you and what, tell us a little bit about, about your back history.

Melahni: So I was born in Orlando. Really? How after really? Our family had a property here on Shelby Street. So you know where University of Indianapolis is? Yeah. We owned the property where, what's now Bethany Village. Okay. And that was the family's evangelistic center. Really? It was a nursing home, a tabernac, all a school, a clinic.

Like it was kind of today's age of like a little village, right? Mm-hmm. If you think about Franklin Otterbein, all that, It was that, hmm. Back in the forties. And my great-grandparents really came from Pilgrim's Holiness Church in Ohio and they. They bought the land and developed it and created that. Oh my goodness.

And so that's how I grew up, you know, in that environment. And, [00:01:00] and so then my great grandparents passed away in the seventies. And my father also passed away in the seventies. Oh, wow. So I got really attached to my grandparents that were Song of Evangelist, Nazarene song evangelist, and they kind of took me under their wing as an only child and wanted.

You know, keep me in the straight and narrow as I was growing up. Mm-hmm. And so that's really what has influenced my whole life. Mm. Everything. And as I got older, you know, and having to figure out careers and what I was gonna do, I kind of fell into that corporate, just do this. Mm-hmm. And you'll be successful.

And then I just kept feeling this gap in my life. Right. And so I just kept leaning back. What did I know? Mm-hmm. Before I didn't know anything else. Right. And that was just faith. Like, faith got me through all the things that I was unsure about at every job, change at every relationship, and so it has really started to bring me back now at 55.

Things have happened in the last six years that have given me super focused clarity. Mm-hmm. That [00:02:00] have really brought me back to that God first mentality of when you let go and let God. Mm-hmm. Everything, it's clear, everything happens. Mm. And so e everything I know that is intentional, that I become aware of that has added value to my life and impacted.

So now the ripple effect, right? Mm-hmm. Becoming a river, not a reservoir that is just, That's what my life is right now. That's awesome. So I'm grateful to be here because, whew. I may cry.

Chris: Well, no, we're super excited about you being here too, cuz. So you're, did you go to college here?

Melahni: I went to Ball State.

I started at Ball State because two little tidbits. I went to Greenwood High School. Yeah. So when we were in the eighties, I'm old, I'm sorry. You're good, you're good. We started the first radio B. At Greenwood High School. Oh really? So have fun. And I first started the first girl softball team at Greenwood High School.

We had to actually go out and get a petition of a hundred [00:03:00] names for, you know, if you guys wanna really wanna start this team, you have to go out and, and get names Right. And find a coach. So, oh wow. We said okay. So we did, we went out and got signatures and found the coach and started the first girls Greenwood High school softball team.

Wow. Wow. So with that, like I knew. I didn't really follow people. I was always like, okay, what do I see that needs to be solved? Go solve it. Go figure it out. And and you know, a lot of people in my class were going to ball state and I thought, well, that's fun. It's telecommunications. David Letterman was building kind of the telecommunications center at the time in the eighties and it wasn't developed yet.

So I went and really wanted to go through that program and. Quickly learned that I had to recreate my schedule to meet the needs of the program. Mm-hmm. And I really, I just, I didn't like the college experience. Mm-hmm. It was not for me. So I came home, worked at a bank. Mm-hmm. Got married, like, worked my way through school at U of [00:04:00] I and just lived my life and kind of gave up, could I do something with the things that I had already been creating, right?

Mm-hmm. And so, Not that I lost it. I was always in marketing roles and development roles and business development. Mm-hmm. Creating startup programs for companies and got into medical device and really, and loved that journey. But again, like lost, where did it all begin? Mm-hmm. Right. How am I gonna serve my community when now I'm working for medical device companies where I'm traveling all over the world eight days a week?

Oh my goodness. And on somebody else's plan and somebody else's goals and somebody else's Right. You know, idea. And I was serving huge in those roles. Mm-hmm. But I was so unfulfilled. Mm-hmm. I was just like, there is a lot that's missing. And and so that's, you know, that was kind of that personal search for well, what is missing mm-hmm.

And praying about it. Right. And that's when I got the call from one of the coordinators from the [00:05:00] John Maxwell team and, and that was back in 2016. And they said, Hey, we have been watching you. You know, we are, we've been putting together for the last few years coaches that are people that are giving to their communities, that are giving back to their companies, and we really think you would align with this program.

And so I was like, what? You know, why, why, why are you reaching out to me? Anyway, after several conversations, Several months, I finally decided, Hey, this is the time I need to invest, the money I need to take, you know? Right. Mm-hmm. Really take charge of my own personal development, which had been lost because in companies, when you go work at a company mm-hmm.

They give you communication, training, and skill development, and you're like, I'm growing. Right, right. I've got all I need. Yet, you're not really accountable to your life. You just kind of do that when you're around your peers, especially when you're traveling eight days a week. Oh my gosh. Right? And so, I mean, literally international travel, right?

Mm-hmm. So Germany and Netherlands, and [00:06:00] amazing, right? Mm-hmm. I wouldn't be able to do that as much as I did on my dime. Mm-hmm. However, that this is a really lonely place, right? Right. When you're traveling like that and you're adding value to people, but what fills you up? Mm-hmm. What fills you so you can't.

What you don't have. Mm-hmm. So the call came from the John Maxwell team and and I said, yes. Like I, I, I wanna do this. So with that came two tickets to John's live to lead. Okay. He does this every October in Atlanta. Mm-hmm. Brings four amazing speakers in. And that was part of my gift, you know, to join the team.

And so I was like, oh my gosh, this is gonna be amazing. Well, That same year I was traveling over to Europe doing all these trainings with, you know, nine different countries, nine different languages, like trying to figure out how to get these people on board to believe in changing their behaviors. And I didn't speak their language.

Yeah. So I was trying a lot of different things and one of those. [00:07:00] Techniques was Simon Sinek start with y program. Yeah. And I found it translated in all the different languages. So that's how I opened up all my trainings for 95 reps. Right, right. 95 people, all these different countries. And we kind of started off the conversation with building value, knowing your why before you go out and try to connect with these doctors and gain their confidence and trust.

And so as I was training from like July, the program started July 4th and I was traveling really for eight, nine months from that time on. And and so I had these two tickets to live, to lead. Mm-hmm. And that happened in. And so I looked at my calendar and I'm like, oh, I've made this commitment, and how am I gonna do this because where am I gonna be?

And I have to be in Germany on October 10th. So I said to my husband, you know him? Yeah, Joe. Mm-hmm. Could you. Could you drive me to Atlanta? Could we go to this conference and then you can just drop me off at the airport and drive home. Like [00:08:00] you'll be, you know, you'll be eight hours in the car by yourself, but you'll be fine.

Right? Yeah. But you know, Joe we've been married for 32 years this year, and Joe congratulations was like, yeah, thank you. And Joe said, of course. Like, I know this is important to you. Right, right. Yeah. So, so we went to that conference and. And I was told, here are the speakers, Liz Wiseman, Dan Kathy.

Mm-hmm. Simon Sinek. Mm-hmm. John Maxwell. Right. And so I thought, wait, I gotta meet Simon. I'm teaching his material. Right. This is awesome. So I did, I got in line, I, I talked to him and I said, Hey, you know, I've been challenged with all these things and I've been using your start with why over in the Netherlands and Germany and France.

And he was like, That is really cool. Right. You know? Yeah. That's a cool story to be able to tell somebody that has been influencing you. Mm-hmm. Right? So anyway, just, you know, kept going, but that has made a big impact because I [00:09:00] thought I really had it in my heart. It wasn't that I knew that, that that was going to happen, right?

Mm-hmm. I didn't sign up until September, had these tickets in October, but I had been intentionally already using what I knew was valuable, right? Mm-hmm. So it just, there's so many stories, but you know, that's back in 2016 and we have had, from that, the impact that started was my realization that when you believe something in your heart, do it first.

Mm-hmm. And when you do it with your heart, everything starts to fall into place like Simon. Mm-hmm. I would've had no idea. Right, right, right. So, Then, you know, things start to happen in in 2017, I went through the John Maxwell certification. He challenged us to read the 15 laws of growth. Mm-hmm. So I started that every single week, which I still do today on Sundays.

And that started to take that information and transform it into my heart, from my head to [00:10:00] my heart, and applying those princip. Simple values, trade offs, awareness, intentionality, law of pain, consistency. Mm-hmm. You know, environment, making sure you have the right people in your inner circle. Those things were huge that I was, I was paying attention to, but I wasn't intentional about it.

Right. Right. Changed everything. Right. And so then when I was training and coaching people and they started applying those lessons, I saw their lives change. Mm-hmm. Oh wow. And that's when the impact started to happen. Got really clear that year on, Hey, I'm getting ready to turn 50. This is a lot of clarity coming at me fast, right?

So 2017, I'm just talking to Joe. I'm like, man, I should start something about leadership. I love this journalism thing. Maybe I should start a podcast. And so we sat down one day and it just came to me that I really wanted to celebrate everyday people, everyday leaders. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Impacting the world [00:11:00] in their own way.

Right. However they were doing that. And so here's the story of the 50 and 50. I was turning 50 in January the second week, and I thought, well, gosh, I have 50 weeks to do 50 shows on my 50th year. We should call it a theme, 50 and 50. Mm-hmm. And that's kind of how that evolved. Oh wow. And here it is, you know, six years later, five years later, since we started it in the sixth year and it's been connecting to people that I'm not afraid to call and say, Hey, I really believe in your leadership practices.

Let's talk about it. Mm-hmm. Just have a conversation. I wanna learn from you. Right. Yeah. And and those relationships have. I, I mean it, you talk about a river, it has impacted my life a hundred times. Oh, wow. From just showing up like, like we talked about Chris in the beginning. You don't make money from a podcast.

Right. It changes your heart and gains clarity for who you can connect and collaborate with. Mm-hmm. That [00:12:00] also are in alignment with the things that you wanna create impact with. Mm-hmm. That's what happens. Right? It just happens just like overnight too. You know, you go, well, I've worked on it for 10 years, but it just happened.

Right. So well,

Chris: and so let's touch on that. Cause I mean, let's, oh my gosh, you know, The process of itself and that, I was just thinking about this the other day. It's like, you know, the process of life and you say you keep going back to, you know, some of your tools and things that you learned when you were younger and how impactful they were.

And as you've grown older that you've gotten recognized that how more, much more important they are along with the new tools. Right. And so how I. How, explain to us how that journey was like, is it, was it a rough journey trying to go back to those or help you would, was it somewhat of a learning curve to get to say, oh, you know what, I've kind of gotten away from some of these things.

I think I'd like to go back to them, which is what I think. I hear you from you, but

Melahni: [00:13:00] Well, there's the rest of the story. Sometimes it's not that easy, but here's what happened. Right? Right. So I started the podcast January 12th, 2000. And then I said, I felt really clear about I wanna have events, I wanna write books, I wanna do all this stuff with my guest.

Mm-hmm. So I intentionally, again, let's go to the art museum, let's schedule an event, let's schedule a contract. So that was gonna happen in April of 2018. The week of that event, right? The week of me scheduling the contract. I got eliminated from my job that I was traveling around the world and doing all these amazing things.

Oh wow. That was the moment. Hmm. Right. That was the moment that why do I need to give labels and benefits to just the money to pay bills. Hmm. Like I'm getting so much momentum and clarity from these guests that I'm learning what they've been doing in their lives. I believe that too. [00:14:00] Mm-hmm. And it was about yourself showing up.

It wasn't. Fitting in or writing a resume and trying to get that next job right, to have happiness. Mm-hmm. I was like, I don't need this. This is all distraction for me. I love the momentum that I'm creating. So at that moment, it was hard, right? Mm-hmm. So I did a, a little Facebook Live and I was like, okay, so let's talk about this.

Right? Right. And it really was painful because I went and worked as a VP of sales for a company, for a product line and, and knew that I had leadership capacity cuz I was doing it all my life, I was gonna say. Mm-hmm. And so that didn't take much effort. It was. Where do, where do I really wanna gain my heart leadership?

Mm-hmm. Right. And so that's why I kept doing the podcast and kept developing relationships and had my events started, having my leadership events and bringing people together, writing books. Mm-hmm. Writing about the experiences. That was therapeutic for me. [00:15:00] Mm-hmm. To know that I needed to keep going. Like I didn't know where it was going, but I needed to keep going.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And then I started connecting, like my family's always done this, my grandparents, all they did is they're slate, they would call it 10 days every, every day. And that they'd show up at camp meetings. Mm-hmm. That's how they lived their life. They didn't know, like they prayed about it and they got scheduled, you know, but they.

They didn't go show up at a job to make money, to have a home in Orlando and to take care of family. And, and so it wasn't about, it was really that clarity that my grandparents and my great-grandparents didn't have the corporate job. Mm-hmm. And so I didn't need to go back to that environment. Mm-hmm. Hmm.

I just, it was just really clear and it hit me across the head. And so, Went forward, planned the first event on March 2nd, 2019 at the art museum. But here's the thing, right? Here's the God moment. Here's the [00:16:00] maximizing God moment. When I started my company, it was called Make Connections for Life.

Mm-hmm. That was my name, Melanie Ache Make Rain. So it's like I really wanna make connections through podcasting, through books, through leadership, and. I had emailed GoDaddy the very beginning of my vision for my podcast, and I thought, ah, I would love the name Everyday Leaders. Like, that's what I see.

Mm-hmm. That's what I see this big vision of my whole life. But this guy in Australia owned the domain. Mm-hmm. And so I thought, well, how does that work? You know? Right, right. How much can I pay him for this? But he wasn't interested in selling it, and so I just was like, whatever. But my event was happening March the second, 2019, March the first 2019.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, I got an email from GoDaddy and it said, we [00:17:00] are auctioning off the domain that you have requested about. Hmm. Oh, that's interesting. At four 30, Joe and I got on the. And we went three rounds and we bid on the auction for everyday leaders.com. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And we won. Nice, nice.

So one day, right, not even 12 hours, really 15 hours before my first event, I got to go and walk up on stage and say, listen, you don't, you don't know and you don't see what. Right. But unite speakers are gonna pour into this audience. Mm. And we're gonna take this journey together because I know that everyday leaders is something that I see that I want everybody to take this and own this in their life, that they can do something every single day to make an impact.

Right. So that's like, there's so much more after that. But that's really those moments that I go, wow, if I wouldn't have been [00:18:00] aware of all those things that. You know this is happening because, because you've shown up and you're consistently doing this. Mm-hmm. God's here. Right? He's like, guess what? Hey, I'm going to, I'm gonna give you this now.

Right, right. And you're like, oh, okay, thanks. Right. But that's, you know, it's just constant. I, oh my goodness. So that's awesome. Yeah.

Jason: That is super cool. Yeah. So I'm curious, I mean, those are some amazing obstacles to gifts from God. What are some of the, or what's one of the biggest obstacles, challenges that you feel like you've had to overcome in this transition of

Melahni: gaining clarity?

Oh my gosh, so much. Like, you know, I was really the, the breadwinner, the responsible breadwinner of the family. And so, How do you take that and say, okay, guess what? I'm not really not gonna make any money right now, but no. So Financial Peace University was there, right? But there is so much that you [00:19:00] go health problems and you know, people passing away in your family and C o v, right?

And mm-hmm. And so, but here's the other thing. John Maxwell came with another challenge. The first one was the 15 loss of growth. The second one was in 2019. I had done my event, the podcast had started, and he said, if you are looking for clarity, wisdom, you know, courage, you should read the book of Proverbs for 31 days.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And I thought, Well, I read the book of Proverbs, but, okay, how will I do this? So I got a group of people together and I says, Hey, I'm gonna do this on Zoom. If you wanna join me, that would be awesome. And I'm going to, I wanna be accountable and I wanna learn. So October 1st, 2019, we all got on Zoom seven 30 in the morning Eastern time, and we read the book of Proverbs for 31 days.

Hmm. And. And so at the end of 31 days, we celebrated, we, I wore my little graduation cap and gown, you know, and we were like, yay, we did [00:20:00] it. And, and then we said, We've learned so much, we should keep going. Ugh. Hmm. Like why would we quit? Right. This has been, now it's in our life. Right? Yeah. It was a commitment to show up.

So we did, and we kept going and we read Luke at Christmas, and then we did numbers, and we did all kinds of amazing books. And then my second event happened February 29th. The one day you can add leadership into your life in 2020. And so we all met, I had a great conference at the University of Indianapolis and then two weeks later the pandemic happened.

I was gonna say that was right. Yeah. And so, but, but we were still doing this morning devotional and it was growing and people were like, wow, I need this cuz I don't have clarity. And so we kept going and we celebrated on 2020. October 1st one year. Oh wow. And then we kept going more. People kept joining.

We kept just like getting clear. [00:21:00] Then we went to the live to lead together. Like the group all met from all over the country and we started and we went to live to lead, got a house, and then we kept going. Like 20, 21 happens here. We've hit two years. Right, right. Kept going. 2022 happens. We're still going every single day.

Right. Oh wow. So today is like 1,273 days that we've been meeting. Every morning. Every morning. Wow. At seven 30. Hmm. Every morning. Every day. Right. So here's the clarity, the vision of everyday leaders. Mm-hmm. I should start a podcast. Should talk to people that do things every day in their life. Then I started becoming that, right?

Mm-hmm. Started the vision that came in my heart. It was like, great, create this brand, get the domain, keep teaching people about leadership. Mm-hmm. Keep doing these things every single day to have confidence and courage and [00:22:00] clarity. And then, hmm, maybe you should start this morning devotional every day.

Yeah. To prove to yourself that this is really about daily leader. Right, right. Yeah. So it's starting every single morning. Now. I don't live without, like it's part of who I am. Right. And people call me all the time and go, Hey, I'm an everyday leader because I did this today. And I'm like, that is awesome.

Right. You know? And so that's where my heart is today. And I, and so when people call me about programs and like you were saying, we, I don't have to do a lot of marketing for my job, right? For what I do, because people call me and they're like, Hey, sometimes I. Well, it's, we have to be really careful how we present you because we know what you do, what you believe, right?

Yet we're hiring you because of the person that you are, right? Mm-hmm. Right, right. And so that's like, you go, ah, validation. Thank you, God. Mm-hmm. However, it's people want to be consistent. They want to change, but they are so [00:23:00] hard to like give up. Right? We read today, we were in Hebrews and it was all. I know that commitment.

And so it was just talking about in the John Maxwell Daily reader, we read that too. And so today, March 22nd, it was talking about what you give up to get what you see and it, so that responsibility of, are you really willing to put the time in mm-hmm. To gain, to gain something. That you really know will change you.

Right. And a lot of people, 90% of the population will say, no way. I don't have time for it. Exactly right. I don't have time at seven 30. I'm taking my kids. I'm doing this right. Let me tell you the people that have said yes, I'm taking my kids to school, or I'm making this or I'm doing that, they just get on the phone in their car.

Right. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Because they know that that moment of clarity, that group of people, that reading that day, that scripture is gonna speak to their heart. Mm-hmm. And it's gonna make them more confident and have more courage to tackle those things that are really big obstacles. Mm-hmm. And [00:24:00] so, health challenges, death, like covid, it's been unbelievable.

Mm-hmm. What it has given to other people. That river, again, not the reservoir, right. But it, people are creating programs in prisons and ministry, and I. Wow. Thank you, God. That's also right. Every day. Thank you. Right, right. Gratitude.

Chris: Yeah. That's awesome. That was good. Yeah.

Jason: Just hit rewind and listen to some of that again.

Let's just do that. You've mentioned a few times about the power of showing up. What does it look like for someone to show up for others? How do you encourage people or lead them toward that? What does it mean to show up for others in their.

Melahni: Forget about you. Just forget about you. Like, don't even wake up with an agenda.

You can say, oh, I'm, I have to, I have to do this. I have these responsibilities. But when someone asks you from their heart to help give. [00:25:00] Just give whatever you can, time, talent, resources, whatever that looks like for you. And some people may say, oh, if you only saw my life and my agenda, I don't have, yes you do.

Yes you do. Mm-hmm. Right. And so, and a lot of people, this whole comparison gap that I teach from the John Maxwell, First book of of 15 laws. The chapter on intentionality talks about gaps that we all have, and one of those is the comparison gap. And so it's always like, well, if I do that, it won't look like or I can't be involved in, or I won't be accepted.

And so like you have to forget about all that stuff because that's not where God purposed you for. He didn't make you like anybody else. He wants you to serve other people. That's the law of significance. And that's chapter 15, the Law of Contribution. Right. We can't serve people. We can't really do the things that we were designed to do here on earth when we're thinking about our list.

Mm-hmm. So it doesn't matter what it is, it could be taking a neighbor a pie. It could be, you know, [00:26:00] checking on an elderly neighbor. It, it could be picking up somebody's mail. It could be. You know, saying yes to host something or getting involved, giving your time, getting on a phone call with somebody.

Mm-hmm. It's not that big of a deal, but those little things maximize the clarity that then give you the opportunities to do other things that you don't even know. God's like pulling you into places and saying, why do you keep blocking your blessing? You know, we, we block our blessings all the time, and it's so hard to see because we're in the middle of it.

Growth is messy. So it totally is. Yeah. We're the messy people, right? We're the ones that make it a mess. God's like, it's so clear, but you're just messing it up again. Then there's that. Then there's that. So you, yeah. You know, but stepping forward, Y Oh gosh. I could just tell you so many stories that, that I've experienced even in our own personal life.

Me and Joe, you know, he is in production and video and audio and [00:27:00] mm-hmm. So through Covid, his business kind of shut down. Yeah. And so, yeah, he was not sure how to teach people how to do what he was doing because how do you do that online? Mm-hmm. Right. There were so many opportunities cuz everybody needed to show up and.

He wasn't clear. How is that gonna happen? It really isn't until the last year that he has gotten super clear on, because he just kind of started asking more questions. How can I? Mm-hmm. Now he's doing part of the production down at Emmanuel Church. Hmm mm-hmm. Right? So it's his confidence that he said, well, I guess I could do this, or I guess I could serve, I guess I could give my time.

I guess I could give my talent. And so that's when you start to believe in yourself. That God says, okay, here we go. You're not gonna hold back on. Well, I didn't hold the camera the right way, or I didn't, I didn't say the right thing, or I didn't, you know? Right. It's like, no, that doesn't matter. Right. He just needs to use you as a vessel.[00:28:00]

To, to show other people that testimony that's in your heart. And when you do that, it inspires the world. It really does. It's like, I can do that too. Right, right, right. And so that's that happy soul that, you know, I used to get called Pollyanna, like, why are you so joyful? I'm like, it's just from my heart.

Right, right. And that's, that's what you really want to share with people is it can be so much. In your life. Mm-hmm. That it just connects you to the other parts of joy that don't miss out on it. Hmm. Life's short.

Jason: It is. Yeah. Yeah. I love your heart for impact and how you want to build value into others.

And used a phrase earlier that is one that comes up on the podcast, our podcast often of you can't give away what you don't. What you don't already possess, you can't give it away. And so if your heart is I want to show up for others, I want to help them, you have to show up for yourself first, right?

So that you have Yep. That to be able to give away. [00:29:00] So what does that look like in people's lives and everyday leaders' lives? How do people make space for and intentionality around showing up for

Melahni: themselves? You have to be intentional first of all, right? Mm-hmm. And you have to really get clear with what you believe, whatever, whatever you've gone through in your life.

Like it, it could be trauma, it could be, you know, you have a speech impediment, you know the things that are holding you back. You have to either get coaching, you have to get mentorship. You have to get somebody to help you to go, why is this stopping me? Because when that stops you, it blocks everything.

It's, it's like, you know, I was in medical device sales for a long time in training and I think about when you go to the doctor and they say, oh, you've got a blocked artery. We need to clean that out. Mm-hmm. It's exactly the same process. Right. Because when something is blocking that oxygen flow and that blood flow and, and that just the health of your mind.

Mm-hmm. [00:30:00] You. Really do anything else. You are so stuck and paralyzed in that moment. And it could last for years. It could be a phase that lasts your whole life. Mm-hmm. You know, John Maxwell says there's a lot of people dead. They just haven't made it official yet. That's good. And I love that. Yeah. I use that all the time.

Great. Because you know, one of the stories that he talks. All the time that I think has really made, made a big impact for me is when we hold on to things that we think, you know, oh, well, I need this because I've learned it. And without, you know, without this coaster, I, I, I can't live without that.

Mm-hmm. And so we, we own that story. Mm-hmm. Because it's, it's personal. Right, right. Mm-hmm. So John tells a story of one day he, you know, he collects content every day. That's one of his teachings that we learn in his program is create content, write, read, you know, file. Just do those things because you wanna remember it, how it connects, kind of that deja vu moment.

Mm-hmm. But it's because you have been intentional [00:31:00] about it. And so one day he lived in this apartment and and he had kind of a, a bell person, you know, that was managing the building. And so he had. That he was stuck. Now John Maxwell, leadership coach to the world over 40 years, you know, number one guy, faith-based, like he's got it all and he's been collecting content and a word of the day for lots and lots of years.

Mm-hmm. So he and his wife Margaret get ready to go out to lunch and that was the day he made the decision that he needed to grow. And so he told the be. He's like here's, here's some money. He goes, here's what I want you to do. I want you to go into this room and I want you to take all these filing cabinets, all these folders, everything that's in here, and I just want you to get rid of it.

And I don't want it back. I want you to dispose of it, and I'm gonna go to lunch. And when I come back, I just [00:32:00] want it to be all cleared out. And so he said at that moment, You know, that was probably one of the hardest moments of growth that he had done. Yet he couldn't lean back on what he knew because he wouldn't have room for what he needed to become.

Hmm. Hmm. And I look at that, you know, what a lesson of the things that we're so comfortable in, because we say, well, but I can lean back on that, or I can fall back on that, right? I can go to college and get a four year degree because I can always fall back on teaching, or I can fall back on engineering or I can fall back on accounting.

But that really keeps you bound, cuz you can't serve, you can't show up, you can't create, you can't explore, you can't grow your. In thinking about it's safe. If I just do this, it's safe. If I just make money doing this because I can pay the bills. That's great. We all need to have some conscious, right, right, right.

So [00:33:00] responsibility is important, yet you don't grow as a person and you don't grow where God really has purposed you for, you can't stay in that same place. You can't. Mm-hmm. And because growth is the only guarantee that tomorrow's gonna get. Mm-hmm. It's the only guarantee. And so if you do that in faith, wow.

It's more than just great. It's exponential.

Jason: Well, I'm curious if you had a chance to rewind and do something different in your journey mm-hmm. What, what would you maybe tweak and then what is something that you're looking forward? In the coming days, months, year,

Melahni: tweak, I probably would've stayed at Ball State and done my broadcasting because I love it.

Oh, probably would've, you know, figured out a way to explore that. Okay. I just, you know, I was just like, oh, I wasn't ready for that. Hmm. But coming up, oh my gosh. I just hired a full-time person for my company. [00:34:00] Oh, cool. Oh, neat. In February. So I'm like super Deb Halberg. She is awesome. And so she, Got my heart, she's taking it out to the communities and we're serving in a huge way Hmm.

For companies in, you know, corporate training and leadership development. And again, you know, you know where I stand on that. Mm-hmm. And so I really believe if people can become better on the inside of their companies and they can structure business plans that really matter intentionally, they can have.

They can have it all. Hmm. They just have to have a little strategy. So I'm getting calls from board, you know, strategy plans for board teams for leader comp leaders in the company, emerging leaders. And I just got called from a, a local school here and we're getting ready to do a development program on youth leadership for school year 23, 24.

And I thought, you know, I had proposed to them a long time ago, Hey, we'll do a, a one hour workshop or come in and add value to them with the John Maxwell Youth programs. Mm-hmm. So they called me a few months ago and said, Hey, [00:35:00] we've been doing this girls talk at the school. And so we'd love for you to kind of.

For boys. Oh, wow. And I was like, I'm not a boy. I'm not in high school. I don't have kids like, but they said, you have the vision, you have the heart to serve, and you have the capacity of your network. And so what it's gonna look like is a boys program up to 30 boys that they will pick out of the high school.

It'll be youth leadership and it's a curriculum. Oh. For youth. So it's I'm so excited. So I'm right now bringing volunteers in. So for the 2324 school year, we're gonna do a one hour program on youth leadership at the school. I mean, that's the kind of stuff that's happening. Like, oh, I'd love to train somebody for an hour.

You know, it's like, mm. How about if we do it for a year? Right. Right. Mm-hmm. Chris, that's huge. Jason. It's every.

Jason: Yeah. Yeah. Every day.

Melahni: Every day. Right, right. I mean, it's just like another sign I'm gonna cry. [00:36:00] Wow. Right, right. I know, I know. It's pretty cool. That's awesome. Thank you. Wow.

Jason: Well, what is goodness.

I know.

Chris: It's so awesome. It's speechless. It's amazing. I, it's

Melahni: just, yeah,

Chris: it's amazing. And like it, it just falls in line with the everyday, I'm like, it's

Melahni: every, every day. Every day. I know I can't. I know. Yeah. So what

Jason: is your hope for our community?

Melahni: Oh, you know I see so many great things happening. I don't hear about any of the noise cuz I don't listen to that.

Mm-hmm. I hope I really, as an ambassador now within Aspire for Johnson County. Mm-hmm. I really want business leaders to come together and be stronger for our youth, for our business leaders to know that yeah, there's a recession going. However, it doesn't have to look scary. We can be stronger together and we can give, we can start programs, you know, we can [00:37:00] start programs that really impact kids to say, Hey, I have an opportunity to do something in my life.

I don't have to give up hope. Mm-hmm. And, and I can be the strong kind of person that maybe my parents or my grandparents or somebody in my life wasn't. But I can own that journey and I can show up and I can volunteer, and I can learn the lessons that I need to learn and, and do the great things that people will remember and, and leave legacies.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I think right now, I, I go, oh, I'm 55, but yet you go, well, now's the time, right? I look at John Maxwell and I'm like, he's 70. He just turned 76 this year. Come on in the celebration of how he has taught me to collect that content, pour into the community, show up, add value, doing that every single day has made such a difference.

And so I, I wanna share that message with everybody. Mm-hmm. Like, figure out what that needs to look like and just start little and implement it into your own life. Yeah. So that you can fill your [00:38:00] cup and then you can share it. Pour out.

Jason: Hmm. That is cool.

Chris: That is awesome. And, and what are what with the Aspire, what are you doing

Melahni: with them?

I'm just an ambassador. So what does that look like? Curious. It's. When they bring in new members. Mm-hmm. So we are connected to them to help them figure out what services that Aspire offers, the events that are going on. Okay. How to give back in the community. And so it's been really rewarding because of all the things.

You know, and recently we didn't even talk about this cuz I'm, I'm pretty humble. Like I'm pretty quiet about the things that I do. I just get excited. I love to share it. But I was nominated for. Leader of the Year. Congratulations. In Johnson County, they had a, an Aspire Women's Leadership event.

Mm-hmm. And and then Everyday Leaders was really, it was nominated as well for the champion of Women. That's awesome. So very cool. Yeah. It was, congratulations. It was really, really cool just to be in that ceremony and be a finalist, you know, of like, wow, this [00:39:00] is really awesome. Again, God is, Amazing showing up.

So I started a company with another woman scale for women, and we're doing an event building women business owners. And April 22nd actually. Oh, that's fantastic. At the Broadmore Country Club. We're very fun. So we're, you know, hosting that in another John Maxwell coach. We started a business last July and we said we really believe women.

Value-based skill building to be really secure in what they're doing in their businesses. Mm-hmm. And so a lot of it is, you know, website design and social media marketing. But, but we're coming at it from a. Both of us are so faith-based, we're like, we know the message is going to flow out like a river, right?

Mm-hmm. So we're bringing them together to build community to say, Hey, we wanna pour into you from building your business so that you can feel the things and experience what we are. That's

Chris: awesome. Is

Melahni: that here local too? Yeah. Yeah. At the Broadmore Country Club. Okay. Oh, that's what you did to that. Okay.

April

Chris: 22nd. April 20. We'll make [00:40:00] sure, we'll put some link. Link and then

Jason: show notes to that. Yeah, so that would kind of be the. The question that's rolling in my head is, you've mentioned everything from the podcast to these events, everyday Leaders. What, how, how do people get in contact with you if they want to know more?

Yeah.

Melahni: Everyday leaders.com. That's it.

Jason: The domain, the one that's, yeah, the one that keeps rolling

Chris: through. That's right.

Melahni: Yeah. Right. That's right. And you know the devotional, there's a link on there if anybody wants to join the devotional in the morning. Okay. Yeah. Mm-hmm. They can just scroll down and it's got a picture of me and John Maxwell holding my leadership bible.

John Maxwell has a leadership bible. Yeah. And click on the Zoom link and I'll let you in the room. That's awesome. So you can join in seven 30 every morning. Seven 30 every day. I love that. Eastern.

Jason: Eastern. Yeah. Okay.

Melahni: Every day. Everyday leaders. Everyday leaders, we build better leaders every day.

Chris: That's awesome.

Cool. So cool. Well thank you so much for coming together today and just sharing your passion. This has rolled off everything that you've talked about and I'm like, man, I am. I'm super excited cuz it's just, [00:41:00] it's great to hear. It's funny. And thanks for sharing the hard parts of your journey. I know it's not, I know that's not been always been easy and it's so exciting to see.

How many things have changed even in the time that I've known you and all the things

Melahni: that I've gone, that was when it was really starting to happen, you know? I was like, okay. Right. Yeah.

Chris: I was like, oh my gosh. It's just amazing and your reach for this county is just amazing and mm-hmm. All the people you're pouring into is just amazing.

So thank you so much for

Melahni: taking the time today. Thank you. I'm honored. This has been awesome.

Jason: We're so glad you've been here. Yes. For. Hey you guys, thanks for tuning in to the podcast. If you wanna jump over to leading is serving.com leave us a rating or review or voicemail that send us a message.

Let us know you're listening and we'd love to hear from you. Melanie, thank you again for joining us. Absolutely. Thank you. We'll see you next time. Sounds good.