Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Meyer Sommer.
Hi Melanie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have been passionate about helping entrepreneurs build their businesses for as long as I can remember! When I graduated from UT at Austin, I worked for a local radio station and loved being able to help my clients get creative via radio advertising while driving more traffic to their stores, Soon after I landed my dream job working at SicolaMartin, a well-respected full-service advertising & marketing agency focused on the high-tech industry. There I had the opportunity to work with some of the most talented, brilliant marketing minds. I learned how to get to the heart of a business’s goals, transform product information into creative messaging, establish a unique and compelling brand, and, ultimately, map strategy to execution for amazing results.
This experience served as the foundation of my marketing career. Over the span of 25+ years, I’ve had the opportunity to lead successful marketing initiatives for all types of businesses from tech startups, such as SailPoint and Spanning, to industry heavyweights like IBM and Dell.
After having a health scare in 2018 which landed me in the hospital, I realized how precious every day is and that I needed to make the most of my time on Earth each and every day. I craved more flexibility to spend time with my kids (now 16 and 17 years old!), to travel when and where I wanted, and to lean into work that gives me joy and purpose.
Taking a risk, I placed a bet on myself leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck with amazing benefits and dove into a sea of unknowns. I started Initium Marketing and began serving clients as a marketing consultant and coach.
Just months after launching my own marketing consulting firm, the global pandemic hit. My clients not only stuck with me but they referred others to me. Since then, it’s been more than I could have imagined!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Entrepreneurship is the most incredible ride and isn’t really a smooth road – it’s more of a rollercoaster with lots of ups and downs followed by all kinds of fun twists and turns! There are many areas of the business to constantly monitor – new business development, client management, promoting the business, and all of the backend operations. Being successful on your own takes a special kind of discipline and motivation. It also requires courage, consistency and persistence. These are the pillars of my success and what have helped push me through the leaner times.
When I started getting inquiries from businesses outside of my “usual” client type, I approached the opportunities with an open mind. Each client has been a blessing and I look at each engagement as a learning opportunity that moves me forward and prepares me for the next move.
During the pandemic, there were times when I thought I might be more comfortable or secure if I were to go back and work for a company as a VP of marketing or a CMO…but I learned that the easier, softer way isn’t always the best way. I must be willing to say “no” to the work that might look appealing on the surface (consistent paycheck, a 401k plan, insurance, paid time off, etc.) and instead pursue the work that fuels my passion, supports my vision and allows me to make my own rules. Being my own boss is true freedom!
Fortunately, I started this business with complete clarity on my goals and mission. I knew I needed to summon large amounts of courage and energy to build it up and I was ready for the challenge.
I believe that if I do the work, put myself in motion every day and focus on getting results for my clients, then the rest will work itself out. I trust the process.
Today, when there are slower days, or I anticipate a change or shift in business, I hone new skills and take time for myself and my family. This allows me to recharge, to stay relevant, and to offer new services to my clients. A learning mindset has helped me to keep the work interesting and helps to avoid burnout.
My next challenge is scaling the business to reach my next milestone and for that, I am bringing in help to support the growth. Every stage brings in new challenges and opportunities and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Initium Marketing?
I started Initium to deliver top-notch talent to companies who need smart marketing that achieves both immediate impact and lasting effect. My goal is to deliver value that endures long after we complete the work and our client’s internal marketing teams take over.
We offer a flexible approach and can support clients in whatever way makes the most sense for them right now – sometimes they need the strategic vision of an experienced CMO, and sometimes, they simply want tactical talent to execute on a solid plan. Initium can help with either, or both.
Our mission is to transform chaotic marketing “busy-ness” into high-impact marketing strategies. We partner with clients to develop their unique brand story and then we build out actionable plans that help to quickly achieve their goals.
For many of our clients, they’re simply not ready to invest in a full-time marketing leader but they’re just barely keeping up. They come to me completely overwhelmed, buried in a to-do list of marketing tactics that lack clarity, creativity and direction. They’re stuck — either in analysis paralysis or in overwhelm. They know they need to do something but they don’t know where to start. That’s where Initium comes in!
We offer marketing consulting services and high-performance coaching. We start by developing a solid marketing plan that will reach their goals quickly and cost-effectively. Then we build out the right messages, content and infrastructure and we execute! And, if they are ready, we offer coaching to help teams and individuals reach their next level of performance, joy, and purpose.
Over the past 3 decades, I’ve learned a few things about positive and productive mindsets, storytelling, goal setting, team alignment, scalable marketing foundations, creative development, and measuring impact over activity. I love being able to bring all of this to the table for my clients of all sizes in all of their various stages of growth.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I have many mentors to thank for my success along the way, too many to name here.
I have learned the most about marketing from the most incredible marketing leaders in high tech, including Kevin Cunningham, Jackie Gilbert, Mark McClain, Holly Rollo, Tom Sicola and Steve Martin. I must also give credit to my high-performance coaches who inspired me to gain clarity, find my truth, live into my intention and serve at my highest each day.
My partner and family are my inspirations, my “why” and my cheerleaders. It was my partner who pushed me to take the leap into entrepreneurship – he believed in me and my ability to launch Initium and helped me take the first few steps. I also need to thank my parents and my two teenage children for cheering me on and believing I could do anything I wanted — even when I wasn’t sure of it myself.
I am so very grateful for the supportive family, friends and clients I have today – they are the reason I strive each day to be and do my very best!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.initium.marketing
Image Credits
Jeana Marino
