"Evaluate how you are communicating with your teams, customers, and industry colleagues"
Melissa Newton is the founder and president of Millcreek Media Group, a publishing and content media company. As an author of 17 books, former managing editor and publisher of two digital magazines, and author of hundreds of blogs and articles, she is a seasoned writer and independent publisher.
With decades of writing, ghostwriting, and publishing experience, Melissa collaborates with executives and entrepreneurs to write and publish books to expand their personal brand and business. Before starting her company, her corporate career was in banking. She enjoys public speaking to teach writing and publishing to promote one’s brand and business.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Melissa Newton: I consider myself lucky to follow new dreams in the latter part of my career life. Most rewarding is collaborating with others to fulfill their dreams, too.
In 2014, I decided it was time to take the entrepreneurial leap. With decades of writing, ghostwriting, publishing two digital magazines, and publishing many of my own books, the path was clear. I started a publishing and content media company to provide the means to produce my book lines and other content. But, I was also interested in helping other professionals get access to an exclusive club so few ever enter – to become a published author. I work with executives and entrepreneurs as a ghostwriter and writing coach to write and publish their books.
2020 and 2021 threw a lot of curve balls into business on a global scale. Based on the experience gleaned in the past couple years, how can businesses thrive in 2022? What lessons have you learned?
Melissa Newton: As this piece of history (2020-2021) enters the rearview mirror, it reminds me of conversations I had with my Dad 25 years ago. You see, I was recording and writing his stories about growing up during the Great Depression of the 1930s in the U.S. No work, no money, a pot of beans on the stove ready for when a stranger would knock on the door to ask if they had any spare food. Yet, this “Greatest Generation” made it. Why? It was the perseverance of the human spirit.
Survival and getting through tough times requires perseverance. Each of us has been impacted in our businesses in varying degrees. Yet, is it possible to thrive in 2022 and beyond? Yes. The lessons of history have taught us that it may mean changing what we do. I like to use the word “pivot” because it implies moving forward but in another direction. What actions make sense to help us persevere and pivot?
Take quiet time to self-evaluate and answer the tough questions. Talk with your team, colleagues, or other thought leaders in your industry. Brainstorm ideas that can be solutions. If you are on LinkedIn, reach out to your connections and start a conversation for their insights. Did you know you can even post polls to gather data for input to an issue? It’s amazing how the energy of ideas, positivity, and problem-solving generates new and amazing directions.
As we turn the corner into 2022 and beyond, you as a leader in your industry can thrive.
The pandemic seems to keep on disrupting the economy, what should businesses focus on in 2022? What advice would you share?
Melissa Newton: Disruption of any kind fosters confusion, frustration, and disconnect. Relationship building is more important than ever today. The reality is that how we communicate and work together has experienced a paradigm shift. After all, it’s people you are selling your products and/or services to every day.
Evaluate how you are communicating with your teams, customers, and industry colleagues. When was the last time you evaluated your digital footprint? Have you become proficient at using mainstream technology like Zoom? Are you being “seen” and heard from in real life and in applicable digital platforms?
How has the pandemic changed your industry and how have you adapted?
Melissa Newton: Interestingly enough, the pandemic pushed the ghostwriting and writing coach space fully into the digital world. Platforms like Zoom have completely transformed this space and for the better in many ways.
Unless only providing editing assistance to my author-clients, I record our interviews/conversations from which to gather the material to develop a book manuscript. Geography no longer applies, which is wonderful. For my author-clients, there is greater flexibility and convenience.
What advice do you wish you received when the pandemic started and what do you intend on improving in 2022?
Melissa Newton: I thrive on building relationships with new and interesting people. Why? It becomes a learning experience, and it is one I will continue to nurture in the year ahead. As someone who is comfortable with technology, I will certainly take advantage of the LinkedIn and YouTube platforms to connect, interview, publish, and share knowledge to expand the learning experience to others.
Online business surged higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for 2022?
Melissa Newton: The paradigm shift that comes with innovation (Gutenberg’s Press, Henry Ford’s car, computer, etc.) changes how society interacts in the world. It will be the same for us in this moment.
I recently spoke to a non-profit who provides educational programs to its clients. Before the pandemic, all the events were done in-person. Today, they are all being done via streaming or on-demand. He said they will never return to in-person events because now their audiences can be from anywhere in the world.
The shift to more online interaction will likely remain the same and continue to find new ways to operate. Why? It is more convenient, less expensive, opens up the opportunity to serve a broader audience, and frankly, a lot more comfortable!
How many hours a day do you spend in front of a screen?
Melissa Newton: My cell phone and computers are integrally connected and integrated into my daily life. It’s the way I view my news, monitor the weather, text with family, use Google maps, communication with my author-clients, contractors, and LinkedIn network.
If I had to put an aggregate number on my phone and computer time, it’s probably 12 hours. Keep in mind, however, that is the technology being with me, not necessarily every minute of those hours engaged with it.
The majority of executives use stories to persuade and communicate in the workplace. Can you share with our readers examples of how you implement that in your business to communicate effectively with your team?
Melissa Newton: Stories – the heart of why I enjoy writing. Yet, sharing stories can take many forms. They can be a personal experience, a lesson learned in business, or even a story heard or read of someone else’s journey. People like stories because in every story is a lesson.
It’s important to incorporate stories into different types of communication to share your personal narrative and brand messaging. By doing so, people (your target audience/market) connect with you personally. It is then the magic happens!
So, how do I implement that in my business? Confidentially, I share the different experiences and outcomes of the many author-clients I have worked with in my writing and conversations in addition to my personal experiences.
These stories help my author-clients have a better understanding of the book writing and publishing journey.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as the real challenge right now?
Melissa Newton: A challenge that faces many leaders today is standing out in the crowds of their industry. It is a very busy, noisy, cluttered space. How in the world can you stand out? What means do you have at your disposal to share your knowledge, experience, and expertise? There is an answer and it does not have to take lots of your time if you plan, schedule, and view it as a long-term endeavor. Write.
- Use LinkedIn to post your thoughts in the feed. Share ideas, behind the scenes thoughts about events, and your philosophies on your life and work.
- Re-tool (aka repurpose) your speeches, presentations, training modules, and other content types into blogs or e-books for your website. Consider creating a digital library of e-books on your website. Use one of the e-books as a sales funnel source to gather names/emails for email marketing.
- Write a short or long book and publish it on Amazon or other platform. You don’t have to become a bestselling author to bring a lift to your personal brand.
Be recognized as a thought-leader through your writing. You will absolutely stand out from your competition. You just will.
In 2022, what are you most interested in learning about? Crypto, NFTs, online marketing, or any other skill sets? Please share your motivations.
Melissa Newton: I started working in corporate immediately after graduating from college. I left corporate in 2014. The points you mention in your question existed back years ago, when I left corporate, and clearly do now. It is unfortunate I hear the same concerns, but simply a different decade.
A best practice still applies today, i.e., treat others with respect, learn to really listen, be open to change, provide opportunities to share concerns, and periodically slow down so you actually see people, not just data.
A record 4.4 million Americans left their jobs in September in 2021, accelerating a trend that has become known as the Great Resignation. 47% of people plan to leave their job during 2022. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued and misunderstood in the workplace. Do you think leaders see the data and think “that’s not me – I’m not that boss they don’t want to work for? What changes do you think need to happen?
Melissa Newton: Thankfully, I am currently using the platforms, networking spaces, and technology applications to move the dial forward for me. My business is unique as a writer, ghostwriter, and publisher than other interviewees here. The only thought I would add is to keep abreast of trends, technology, and innovation. If you don’t, you very quickly get left behind!
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Melissa Newton: Thankfully, I am currently using the platforms, networking spaces, and technology applications to move the dial forward for me. My business is unique as a writer, ghostwriter, and publisher than other interviewees here. The only thought I would add is to keep abreast of trends, technology, and innovation. If you don’t, you very quickly get left behind!
What does “success” in 2022 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision.
Melissa Newton: Success in 2022 means:
(1) continuing to expand my network of relationships,
(2) providing the opportunity for some leaders to join the elite club of authorship, and
(3) continue to learn and grow my knowledge in a variety of topics and experiences.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Melissa Newton for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Melissa Newton or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
Disclaimer: The ValiantCEO Community welcomes voices from many spheres on our open platform. We publish pieces as written by outside contributors with a wide range of opinions, which don’t necessarily reflect our own. Community stories are not commissioned by our editorial team and must meet our guidelines prior to being published.
