011. MELISSA SASSINE [VIDEO]

Episode Transcript
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(00:11):
Melissa Sasane. George, John.
Welcome to the career table. Thank you for having me.
Oh, it's my honour. I'm very excited.
I am equally excited. So this is our first episode
recorded for 2025. Amazing.
So 11 will be out by the time this comes out.
But that was recorded last year.Yeah.
So I'm very, very. Pumped.
Amazing. Me too.
I feel like this is like my first episode again because I've

(00:32):
had such a big summer break thatit's like, I forgot how we do
this again. It's like.
Your first day at work. So I'm gonna definitely stuff
up. I'm scared and when I asked Mel
what to drink, if anyone's not watching, she chose red wine and
I've been sweating for the past 30 minutes.
Because if anyone watched Diane's episode, oh spilled red
wine all over her. I'm actually scared to even

(00:52):
touch it. So I've positioned his glass.
She moved it. Yeah, I'm going to move it
again. All right, there we go.
Anyways, you had to also wear white.
Swear to God if this outfit is expensive, Mel.
It is so not. Don't even worry.
Hectic. Sweet.
I'm good. I'm going to come judge.
As long as you don't hurt yourself.
I'm going to give you intro. Are you ready?
I'm sure, I'm sure a lot of people know who you are, but you

(01:15):
still deserve it. There's also a lot and I hope
there's people that don't know because there's a lot to learn.
I think I'm definitely one of the people that don't know.
You're on a very deep personal level.
I know you a lot through work, but I can't say we've had a
dinner or like a, you know, phone conversation where like I
know you a lot. I feel like you're family and I
know you because like when we hang out, you're so warm and

(01:35):
you're so bubbly, but I'm interested to learn a lot about
you. However, for those who don't
know Mel, she's been in the industry for how many years?
2024 going on to 20. Five.
That is crazy. 25 this year or next year?
Well, this is a question I can'teven answer because I remember
studying in in the year 2000, sowe're entering 2025 but

(01:58):
technically I haven't started anything yet so.
Oh man, I'll. Just I don't know, it's I say
2425. OK if you celebrate.
Five. Then I need a plan A silver.
Jubilee you celebrate like an anniversary, like kind of month
or date that you kind of. Look, when I celebrate more when
the shop opened, that's the anniversary I remember, which is
April. OK, but that would only be 10

(02:20):
years this year. Yeah.
Basil, that is. Yeah.
But in terms of my career, say 24 years.
So for those who don't know, I'mgoing to lay the facts.
Mel's been top of the game for avery, very long time.
I'll say for my entire time in the industry, you've been at the
top of the game. I've been in here for 10 years
this year. So it's always been like you

(02:41):
think top of the the game. It's Melissa Sustain.
You are fact, I think the most expensive makeup artist for
bridal in the country, which is heavy.
You know, you can look at that in many lights.
But for me, what that says is a whole lot of work to get there,

(03:01):
right? So it's a big triumph.
It's a big kind of like Oscar winning trophy in the sense of
like, you have to, you know, show some work to get to that
stage. So that's to me insanely
incredible. Something that's also
incredible. It doesn't mean a lot to a lot
of people and it doesn't really mean a lot.
However, it it shows a lot and it tells a lot is you have 1.8

(03:24):
million followers just on Facebook, so one social media
platform. I didn't even know that until
researching, by the way, so I was.
Like forgot that. One point Do you know how much
1.8 million people are? How much?
I literally was like Googling what is 1.8 million people gave
me nothing. So then I started like saying
populations. It's two times Fiji.

(03:45):
Yeah, wow. And then I started Googling on
the red sitting by the pool. In.
Fiji, not in Fiji. I wish, but I was like going
largest concerts ever held and Tina Turner was one of them.
And you could have filled out ten of those concerts.
Wow. If every follower was to attend.
Wow. So I guess for people who don't

(04:07):
have a business or people who dohave a business, it's, it's
pretty easy to kind of conceptualise what that means.
But essentially to have people physically go and follow an
individual that's self branded with a with a kind of skill set
that so many other people also have is pretty impressive.
Because that kind of shows that there's an engagement to the
sense of either your super top level of your game, we have

(04:31):
something that others don't, or you're offering something that
others don't. Where did you find the growth or
where was there like a moment where it was like 5 followers?
So then like a crazy amount. And it's not about the count,
it's more just about like kind of what happened.
Good question. I joined social media in 2010.

(04:56):
Before that I think Facebook started in 2007, or at least in
Australia. Yeah, 'cause I know my sister
had Facebook and every time I'd ask her what's this book face,
You know, I didn't even, you know, say it right, call it the
right name. And she's like, I just post
things and people see it and they like it and they comment.
And I'm like, that's a bit creepy.
Like everyone can see what you're doing.
Like, I did not like the idea ofit.

(05:20):
Between 2000 and seven, 2010, I was married and got divorced.
And then after my divorce, I only had work to rely on and
fall back on. And so I remember going on a
month holiday with some of my best friends at the time and
telling them I'm manifesting. I want a bride every weekend.
And you know, I'm going to work so hard.

(05:43):
And you know, they're like, no, but you've always been a hard
worker. We know this.
And at this time I had a home sell on.
So I worked from home for 10 years and I said I know, but I
just, I've always wanted to focus on bridal.
The reason why I got into beautyfirst is because it was the
bread and butter and I was able to build a clientele while I
then build on makeup because it's really hard just to start

(06:04):
makeup and get clients. It's not, it is now, but it
wasn't as popular back then to have your makeup done.
It was more popular to have youreyebrows done.
As in like for weddings or just in general?
Just in general beauty work, yeah, but I wanted to.
Make up of their weddings. Yeah, no.
So the the service, the make up service was not in high demand
like it is now. OK.

(06:25):
Like I feel like now women get their make up done before their
hair. They'll be like, I'll do my own
hair, but I need someone to do my make up.
Yeah. Like I feel like the tables have
turned a little. So I so I'm catching thought
where I was OK, so 2010 I. You're focusing on doing bridal.
Correct. No, my my focus was to make sure

(06:47):
I booked more brides in because I was doing mostly beauty work
from home. But I really wanted to grow the
bridal side because that's wheremy passion was like.
See how that yearn. Yeah, absolutely.
So I then focused on Facebook. Now just to backtrack a little
bit, I didn't actually start my Facebook account.
My sister did without me knowing.

(07:09):
So she originally started my Facebook account because she was
seeing other businesses post their work, not necessarily in
the wedding industry, just in any industry.
And she was like, but your work is so good you should post it.
And I said sis, Facebook is not for me.
I'm already busy. I work 6 days, 9:00 to 9:00.
I'm happy. So she started it without me

(07:31):
anyway. And so every time my phone rang,
I always asked how did you like,who referred you to me?
Because I only worked on referral basis at the time.
And they're like, oh, I seen youwork on Facebook.
And I'm like, oh, OK. And I don't want to tell them
that I don't have Facebook. I was like, you know, to myself.
I was like, interesting. So I got a few calls where
they're like, oh, I seen you work on Facebook inquiring about

(07:53):
my wedding. I need my makeup done for my
engagement, whatever the occasion was.
So after say 5 people saying I found you on Facebook, I then
called my sister saying, hey, remember when you spoke to me
about Facebook? I said, I've got so many calls
now and people are saying they've seen my work on
Facebook. And she just went quiet and I

(08:14):
said what? She goes, well, remember how you
said that you're not interested in Facebook and I was trying to
push you to start it because I kind of created a page for you
and. I wish she'd been into your
content. This is so funny.
So she had friends where I had done their makeup before for
their wedding and other events. So she just started uploading
the pictures of her friends. Did your sister get commissioned

(08:34):
to this day? No, she doesn't.
I think she deserves something. Well, I mean, she gets anything
that she wants at no cost. Well.
However, and you know it's. Probably the easiest person she
actually is not I've. Never met your?
Sister, she's not fussed about getting her makeup done.
She's not fussed about getting, you know, she, she, she puts
people first before herself. Listen to this episode.
I wanted to know that I'm sayingshe deserves Commission.

(08:56):
Lawyer up, girl. I'm joking.
Thanks, Don. She does.
She doesn't deserve it. Well.
That's incredible you now even own as of last year new business
yes. So you have Bass Hill, which is
like your which is your like kind of foundation and Melissa
seen skinny face body Yep. Was that your launch party yes,
I've never seen so many people at a launch party.

(09:17):
I actually struggled to find. Parking and I think I organised
that in three days. No one got much notice.
I was just like, this is the day, can you come yes or no?
I was like, do I need to say hi to everyone?
Like it was just like flooded inside and outside and surprised
I even saw you. It was insane.
The turn out it's it seems like it's going really well.
How is it going? Absolutely love it.

(09:39):
Everyone's really happy to come in and visit the place, receive
a treatment. I have the best team there as
well, looking after the clients,making sure that their
experience is 10 out of 10 each time.
And I guess for me, and I might be jumping the gun here a
little, but the I know how to run businesses because we are

(10:02):
service driven and hospitality is my background and hospitality
is still what we bring into our businesses or into my
businesses. And because of that, people feel
a sense of welcome, people feel a sense of comfort and trust.
So it's really important that whoever is employed in the

(10:24):
business also is able to make sure that the client feels that
and. Is IA 100 percent?
100% fully could believe you because you are very invested in
your businesses. I've seen it first hand and most
people can. You can't get this success
without being 100% devoted. However, I've got a hard
question, a little bit to ask. Let me open and honest.

(10:46):
I think most industries in Sydney alone is very saturated.
Yeah, just makeup and skin. Yep.
But boys, there are a lot of aestheticians, there's a lot of
cosmetic artists, a lot of hairdressers.
There's a lot of people that do a lot of things you opened up.
I might be wrong, but I think itwas a very risky year to open up

(11:06):
a brand new business. You know, we're going through
not the greatest economy. It's a lot of money that takes
to like, you know, find a place,lease a place to renovate the
way you did, higher staff, products, machinery.
It's a massive risk. One, what got you to not be
scared to take that risk? And two, are you fearful that it

(11:30):
won't pay off? Good questions.
Never fearful that it won't pay off because I know how to run a
business. I know how to look after my
clients. And the the reason why I opened
this is because I feel that a lot of the businesses have gone

(11:51):
way too clinical or way too what's the word, where it's just
more about money rather than theintegrity of the client, from
integrity of their skin to theirexperience and volume rather
than quality. So it's really important that we
attract the people that are looking after quality

(12:13):
experience, products, results aswell.
We like a lot of people don't know this about me.
That skin is my background. And so it's my job now over the
next 12 months to educate peoplewhat I know about skin.
And I've spent the last 25 years, let's call it 25 years,

(12:35):
seeing people without makeup andthen giving them an instant
gratification with makeup on. But I know their insecurities.
I know the insecurities and I know I can help them.
I know that Melissa is seen as acompany can help them.
And that's what I want people tocome for, like trusting us that
we care. And if you, this is the reason

(13:00):
why my business has been successful is because anyone
that has had me do their makeup or in the past do their eyebrows
or their facials or whatever it is, it's that you're important.
I'm going to look after you. I care about you.
Let's do this together, yeah, rather than.
It's a very personal journey. Absolutely, yeah.
And that's why my tagline is your journey to fall as skin

(13:22):
starts here, because it's not just what we put on top, it's
also fixing the from the inside out.
Inside out, yeah. There was one question that I
was. That I was.
I hope I answered your question did.
But I'm tapping back into it, Yep, about the risk factor, yes,
as in like it's not the easiest of years to kind of do that.
Like what made you? I'm sure over many years this

(13:46):
was ticking over to your mind, right?
Yeah, I think it is. It is a huge risk for anybody.
But I've worked so hard over thelast however many years that I
have set myself up where I couldhave gone into any direction,
right? I could go online or I can go

(14:06):
another retail store or service provider, which is what we did.
And the reason why I went down that path is because I know that
best working, we've got an online store as well and working
to grow online is not as enjoyable as people think.
People do it because it brings in revenue.
Money does not drive me, people drive me.
I'm a people person. So when you get the trust of

(14:29):
people, they instantly buy. So I know that as a mother now,
the drive for me to open this isto make sure that my kids can
see their mum growing up and hasa purpose of not only being
their mother but helping and servicing people.
Plus, I don't know what life hasahead for us, but I can

(14:53):
guarantee this is how I know. This is what I know about
business and how to make it work.
So no matter what AI brings out,what online education brings
out, people always want another person to look after.
Them 100%. And this is a kind of.
Easy connection. That I've entered.
Correct. And another reason for me is

(15:13):
where we've opened is 5 minutes from their school and 5 minutes
from my house. So I am really exhausted off
travelling to all distances of Sydney or NSW to get to work
when I can just be 5 minutes away from it.
My boys are gonna go to school 5minutes away from home, 5
minutes from work. I'm like this.
I've set up this little triangle.

(15:35):
Yeah. And I'm now 42 years old.
So my dreams and my goals. Thank you.
Crazy. My dreams and my goals have
changed along the way, and my drive 10 years ago is different
to my drive now, or I should change that.
My goals 10 years ago are different to my goals now.
Yeah. And before you ask me the

(15:55):
question, my goals moving forward is to continue doing
what we've done so well, add other elements and then allow
growth for the employees that work within the business to be
able to also grow and create thefuture for themselves and their
families. And you know, I our plan, which

(16:20):
is you're going to ask me later,but I'll answer it now.
Our plan for Melissa's seeing the brand is to franchise.
And for me I. Was not going to ask that
question. I'm not that bright, but I'm
glad you're saying it. And the reason for that is
because over the years I've had people come and go and they go
because they want to start theirown journey, which they should,

(16:42):
so they should, but I don't think they realise how hard it
is. And having makeup just as a
service isn't enough. I make it look like it's enough
online, but I don't think they know the layers and the
background of, you know, how I started and where I've come from
and why. But not only does it bring me
joy to see people open up their business or students leaving the

(17:04):
Academy and starting their own business, but to be able to
employ people and watch them buytheir first time, buy their
first car, go on a month holiday.
It makes me so happy that I'm the reason that they're able to
do this. I mean the amount of times the
girls that work with me say because I wore my work shirt to
the bank, they fast track my loan because I went to buy a car

(17:28):
and they realised. I need from this.
Scene, they just wanted to look after me.
So my, my, my name comes with the brand because of the hard
work, because of the reputation,because of the loyalty, the
testimonials. Like also a lot of years of

(17:49):
experience. And a lot of years of
experience. The thing I find the most
impressive thing about your business is and kind of like
I'll say to myself as an outsider is you have so many
multiple strains of income. So to talk business here, that's
what I find most impressive overthe years.
Like you have bridal, which is you know is good financially,

(18:10):
right. You also had like your
storefront in Basil, which is like a lot of I'm sure like
regulars would come. Absolutely.
Clients were just general make up.
Then you did. The Academy might be saying this
out of order which taught how many students are quitting.
So we have how many years of theAcademy?
Yeah, 10. We're going on to 10 in April.

(18:30):
And then you have your product lines.
Yep. So there's like I can say now
four and then now skin 5, Yep. Streams of income?
Yep. Which is the exact reason why we
would love to franchise this so that women have the opportunity
of not only making money on weekends doing makeup, but they
can also learn other skills thatcan that tie in well with makeup

(18:51):
that they're able to go off and,and, you know, create for
themselves without guidance. You know, we've got policies and
procedures and you know everything that a lot of people
are too scared to start. We would we would have that set
for them. So if you were.
To look back and say what you were most proud of and out of
all of those achievements, like let's call them umbrellas,

(19:12):
different umbrellas, which one stands out to you the most?
Looking back at your legacy and kind of like the years and
reflecting on the last 25. There is a lot that I'm proud
of, but I think the biggest 1 iswhen people come wanting to
learn from me, they take it and do better than I even thought.
So the Academy. The Academy.

(19:33):
By far even not just the Academy.
So a lot of the people that workfor me study at the Academy and
I employ them because I get to see how they work, like work
ethics, team environment, their attendance if they came on time.
So it's almost like at the Academy, their training.
I can see potential in people and I'm like, this is a great

(19:55):
recruit, take them on board, take them under my wing and say
when they leave and open, that'sprobably the biggest, proudest
moment. Have you ever seen people?
Attend the Academy like studentsand then like go off and
naturally they would boast if they did the malicious scene
Academy and then kind of like botch it and it affect like your
perception of things or you know, they have that title

(20:17):
publicly and then you just say kind of like it not resonate.
What were you kind of teaching them?
Yes, I have seen it and I don't.It doesn't bother me because
they're given it their best shot, whatever that means to

(20:37):
them. So.
I can't tell somebody you're notgoing to make it.
I might see somebody study and realise they have it, but they
might not believe in themselves so they don't even grow.
And I'll be like, Oh my God, shewas so great.
I don't understand why she doesn't just put more effort
into it. Or I can see somebody that I
feel like isn't gonna make it, but they could surprise me in

(20:58):
return. So I can never tell someone,
Yeah. This is.
Not for you, so I don't know if I'm answering your question
correctly. No, you are.
It's more like, have you seen a past student do stuff
incorrectly, whether it be like ethically or just like the
actual final product and be like, absolutely.
But anyone? Yeah, sorry.
OK, now I understand what you'resaying.
Anyone that has studied at the Academy and sees let's just say

(21:21):
another person doing something out of place, whether it's
against hygiene practises, knowsit's not my teaching.
Yep OK. And that's why our reputation is
so strong. I think we're the only Academy
that consistently enrols students every year to study for
make up. A lot of make up artists do one
off master classes because people have a lot to give and a
lot to teach and people want to learn of so many people.

(21:44):
But in terms of a make up coursewhere they can learn the
fundamentals of make up skills, business skills, I think we do
it the best considering we're not RTO, OK, a registered
training organisation. We're just a make up Academy, a
private make up Academy that is recognised in the industry.
And because of that recognition,clients will trust them.

(22:09):
We have big retailers that hire from girls that finish at the
Academy because it's one component they don't need to
train them on. You know, they'll offer them
other training, absolutely an ongoing training.
But there's, you know, some. Sort of like fundamentals,
correct? Yeah.
So for me, like, I can't stop those if it's their own ethics,

(22:31):
it's not my ethic. So once they leave the Academy,
I can't control that. If I see it, I'll inbox them.
But if I don't see it, what am Ito do?
Yeah. And I can't do anything.
It's true. I.
Was curious, I'm going to tap into personal questions in a
little bit but I just want to smash out a a couple more work
questions. Anyone's wondering and
listening? It's very work heavy.

(22:52):
Can I ask? Are these your questions or the
questions that people No, no, no.
TMD you. So.
Anyone listening that didn't kind of say anyone that follows
us, I put AQ and A up questions and we got some great responses.
I'm going to do that in a littlebit and I'm going to do it once.
So these are your ones. Yeah, OK.
Because. I just want to preface those
questions because some of them are a bit deep.

(23:14):
Not. Just deep, like just like I
would never ask that question tosomeone even if I love them.
So these questions are mine. OK wondering.
But there's just a couple thingsthat I'm just wondering because
obviously we had a conversation prior to this.
Yep. And I'll preface it so people
understand it, but you're at a transitional stage in your life.
And correct me if I'm wrong. Yep.

(23:34):
No, you're not wrong where you're trying.
To take more control of your schedule?
To spend more time with your boys.
Yep. Similarly has a set of twins,
Dean and Justin. Yes, adorable. 3 1/2 Thank you.
Yeah, yes. So 3 nages is a new word, 3
nages. I love that.
Literally are like they're 13. You're at that stage.
Where you're like trying to pullback to get more family time.

(23:59):
And my main question is that like trying to be more exclusive
with bridal? Yep.
Is that, is that the case? Like is that what?
What's the go with bridal I guess?
You know, what do you define exclusive for me?
You've already discussed that the price point you mentioned

(24:19):
the words that I'm the most expensive bridal artist, but
you're still. Very booked out.
So that doesn't, yeah, what whatI mean by exclusive is like your
definition of time and availability, right?
So. You're correct, exclusivity, it
does have a price point factor to work, yeah.
But I think if you gave yourselfup, people would still pay that
price, yes. So with in terms of exclusivity

(24:42):
then it's about working maybe six months of the year as
opposed to 12 months of the year.
So we used to get enquiries and if nothing was in my calendar
I'd take it. And you know, on average we do.
I just alone my bookings will bedoing 200 brides a year.
And that's a lot of brides. So, and that doesn't include the

(25:03):
artists that we subcontract. So 200 brides means every
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, for every week of the year almost.
Sometimes even. Give or take.
Give or take. Yeah I try not to do 2 a day
it's too stressful. Don't, I don't need it, but it

(25:23):
was trying to understand what times of the year do I want off?
What parts of the year do I wantto work and why do I want these
parts of the year off? So Christmas I don't want to
work, January, I don't want to work with weddings because I
feel that everyone's kind of I, I need my family time.

(25:46):
That's the time where you know, you've worked so hard through
December where you just need a good, let's just say two weeks
off solid 100%. Two weeks off.
But I've never been able to go anywhere, not weekends away, not
international holidays. Yeah, because we get booked up
so advanced. So how do we plan our holidays?

(26:06):
Two or three ahead, two or threeyears ahead?
Because that's what was happening.
I was getting booked out two or three years ahead.
So now that I have the children and George, you'll want to do
stuff. I'm like, babe, I can't.
I've got weddings. Like I can't go so I now know
every say June, July or July, August keep it available.
Keep it available. In case we want to do an ad hoc

(26:27):
overseas holiday with the children, I want to be available
because I will never cancel a bride.
I've never cancelled a bride, nor will I ever cancel a bride
before or later, Not for anything.
Yeah. So it was important for me to
make the decision that I'm goingto lose a lot of brides because
of my exclusivity. Yeah.

(26:49):
But I'm going to charge more. So it doesn't affect, I guess,
the cash flow of the business? Now question, let me try to word
this correctly. But so I obviously understand
the rewards and the challenges in the sense of life, the
rewards is more time with your boys, rightfully so.
I get it because you know, I cannever, I always say I can never

(27:10):
be spontaneous anymore. I can never say let's do this,
even if it's just like a quick doodle staycation.
Yeah. And the challenges, I guess,
like how do you manage disappointing clients that can't
bookkeeper have always dreamt ofhaving you?
We listen to the client. So for example, if it's a
wedding in July and I've said noand we have nothing booked and

(27:33):
the bride's gone to Nin on the phone, Oh my God.
I've always dreamt of having her, you know?
Is there any chance? Can you talk to her?
She'll ring me up. She rings me up anyway.
She doesn't just say no without ringing me and she'll be like,
you received X amount of inquiries for this date.
Are you sure? Would you like?
So I always tell her, block me off for these periods, but also
contact me if you feel like we need to.

(27:55):
That's right. So if there's situations like
that, absolutely it could be because that's also that makes
me happy. Like I do weddings for that
reason, that makes me happy. So if I haven't booked a holiday
and I can manoeuvre the dates around, then I'll do that.
Otherwise kind of in your personal.
Schedule correct? So I'll do that, and I'll ask

(28:16):
George, you know, this has happened.
He's like, yeah, he's, he's always like, take the work, you
know, because we don't know what's going to happen, but at
least I guess. Business orientated?
Very Yeah. Owner of Baby Star?
Yeah. He's one of the owners.
One of the owners, yeah, but youguys are.
Probably bouncing for each otherlike always.
Think one walls in a. Room always.
Yeah, always. And that's.
Why we couldn't wait to send theboys a daycare today, but they

(28:38):
they're not due back for a you know yeah, we'll just like can
you please just take them but yeah, so that is how do you.
Ever feel like I still stay? Connected with the I guess the
bride. Do you ever feel like?
Stepping back might affect the legacy.
No, no. I think I've built my legacy

(29:01):
that if I did step back, the name's always there.
Especially that I'm I'm still online, I'm still working on
other things, and I'm not afraidof it.
Like, how long can I do weddingsfor?
Like how much longer am I going to do weddings for?
You know, he's still young. Yeah, I will.
Not yeah. Yeah, I haven't given up.
Yeah, it's just my kids come first now 100%.

(29:23):
So my brides. Were always first, yeah, and
will always be whoever books me in.
They are a priority on that day.I even see myself at 7:00.
Years old shooting a wedding. By the way, if anyone's
listening. Yeah, I think.
I'll always see myself working with people.
Yeah, 100%. And I'll always see myself doing
weddings. But I don't think I need to do
200 a year. Yeah.
No, no. Fair enough.
To I'm happy to do 50 a year. Yeah, that's me.

(29:47):
That's one a week, 100%. You know, yeah, one a week.
Or three a week if you condense them into 65.
I don't even. Know how you guys do this early
start? Yeah, well, that's.
Another thing, your body, your body changes.
So you might say you want to shoot for the next 7 years but
your body will change. You don't know what, hopefully
not. I know this is concrete, I've
heard your videos knock on wood wherever it would be every time

(30:07):
someone. Knocks, I know.
But you don't know what lies ahead for you, right?
So the reason why I have to alsoscale back is I've got RSI, I've
got arthritis happening, so I need to look after myself to
give my energy to my children 100%.
Can't just keep. Going and then eventually break
1. 100% so, so many questions, guys, if I don't know, like you

(30:32):
won't see my iPad, but I literally over the break wrote
down like hundreds and hundreds of questions that I want to ask
Mel. So I'm like, I don't even know
how long this episode's going togo for, but there's just so many
things that I kind of want to understand about your business
because it's just so massive. But I guess, like, one of the
main questions is the beauty industry is, like, notoriously
competitive. Yeah, I feel like it's more

(30:53):
competitive. Maybe it's my eyes saying this,
but I don't know if you feel it.Do you think that the Academy or
products have ever like bled into that light in the sense of
like you've seen direct competitors almost directly
mimic your business? Oh.
Absolutely, all the time. I think what I've learnt is that
everyone's got a different journey and what I mean by that,

(31:15):
there are some people that don'thave a personality for
themselves and feel like doing what others are doing are going
to make them just as successful.Then they realise that the time,
the money, like the investment that they put in, if they don't
have a plan on how they're actually going to move the
product or shift the product or sell themselves or their
services, that they give up pretty quickly.

(31:36):
I've seen, I've seen people comeand go.
I've even seen ex students copy the exact same shape of my
sponge and call it unique when Ican pull up the archives of the
measurements that we've sent to the manufacturer.
So what do you do in that? Situation you just stay silent
and watch them No we. We send letters, OK?
We say your lawyer up. Yeah, but like I, I also try to

(32:01):
reach out first before I go downthe legal path saying, hey, this
is not cool. Like bring out a sponge, but
change the shape, you know, likeit's quite unique.
But why I don't always take it all the way through is because I
know the density is not the same, which you might not know
what that means, but it's how the sponge absorbs the water and
how it works. And where are they now?

(32:22):
I don't know. I haven't seen them, Right.
So it's just it's only fair thatif I know that I haven't bought
a white label product and I've designed a specific item custom
that I say something OK, it's. Awesome, that's all.
Yeah, I will stand up for myself.
I will stand up for myself if I need to sponge density.

(32:43):
It's it's just, it's it. Look, you're probably never
going to use a makeup sponge. I don't know if your wife tried
one of mine, but they are actually the never say never.
Never had a goodie bag at. The opening I didn't.
There was one in there. You should have got one.
Sorry, I lie. God love her.
Rochelle Rose gave me hers because she's like, you didn't

(33:04):
get one for Alexia. And she's like, we fought about
it in the car for like 15 minutes worth.
I think it was one of the girls.One of the girls I think is
Rochelle and they forced me to take it, so I did bring it home
to Alexina. Well then get her to.
Test that. Yeah, I was.
I was. Actually like going to IBM and
get one for myself so you know, and I could take theirs for
Alexia and keep one for myself. So I have a sponge, but it is
the best. I'm just kidding, but what do

(33:26):
you see wrong in the beauty industry?
This is going to be my last work.
What I don't see wrong? I'll tell you what I see wrong,
what I don't like. I don't like when people put on
a personality online that isn't their personality in person.
OK, that's what I don't like. I don't.
I'm not against what content they put out there.
It's more so if you're going to be a certain personality online,

(33:47):
match it up in person. OK, can you give me like like
some? Sort of if you're going to be, I
don't have anyone in mind and and I'm glad I don't because I
don't want to pinpoint on anyone.
But I have met so many people over the last 10 years of social

(34:07):
media where I'll go to say helloto them and their personality
doesn't match what it is online.So the reason why people connect
with me is because the way I am with you is the way I am with
everybody else. And I feel that's what I don't
like about social media. Let me flip it into a positive.
There's a Tik Toker Ellen, her name is Ask Ellen Beauty.

(34:30):
Love you Ellen if you're watching.
Ellen used to work with me, so Ellen was in the hot.
Seat For a minute I was like no,so I.
Want to flip it? I want to flip it.
So there. Yeah, yeah, Ellen is.
Ellen was always fantastic with customer service, conversations,
recommendations, queen at sales.And she worked with me for a

(34:52):
little while. And when COVID happened and
TikTok started, her videos were going viral.
I noticed her on TikTok and I inboxed her going go Ellen, I'm
so proud of you. She's one of the biggest, one of
Australia's biggest beauty influences right now.
Oh wow. But what I love about her is the
way she is online is her in person.
That's awesome. That's what I love.
About her city, correct? And why?

(35:14):
What I see is when people are a certain personality online and
not the same way in person. Yeah, that's what I don't like
about beauty content creating orthe community.
But in terms of what they're creating, whatever floats their
boat, whatever brings in the sales or converts, customers, do
what you need to do. If you're the person that likes
to just be, I don't know, posting a bit of personal,

(35:35):
personally, a bit of business, great if you like to do skips.
I know some businesses only do comedy, right.
For me, that's not me because it's tiring to keep up with it.
I just prefer to be myself because I don't need a change
and I don't like it because I feel I know what it's like to
manage social media and people'sexpectations, and I'm exhausted

(35:57):
for them when it hits them. But how long can they keep up
with this fakeness, if that makes sense?
No. No.
Yeah. I get it.
So you're putting on A to sign up?
I hope that answers your question.
If it's in regards to make up looks I can answer that too.
What I don't like on social media, I love the fact that

(36:19):
everyone gets to embrace beauty differently, whether it's full
glam, light glam, soft glam. But there's a lot and I, and
I'll do this so my work looks great online.
There's a lot of extra light. There's a lot of extra
filtering. At the same time though, I did.
Not think you were going to say this, but at the same.

(36:41):
Time though, can they deliver itin person, OK.
So by. Me adding so do you add it?
Absolutely. No, I'm gonna absolutely.
I'll tell you the apps I use. I'll tell you when I do it, why
I do it. Go for it.
I do it. So that two reasons my feed
looks consistent because when you're working at a bride's
house, it's not a control. It's not controlled lighting.

(37:02):
You don't know what room you're in talking my language.
You don't know what background you've got.
So I need to edit to make sure that the feed looks consistent.
I try to post as much video as Ican to show that he's, you know,
the raw, unedited. But even now there's video apps
that edit, but they're still very.
Shit, yeah, you can see. The eyes glitching you can see

(37:24):
even when. He's a TikTok philtre.
They look like. Yeah, yeah, I noticed that.
I don't know if anyone else didn't catch up to the.
Philtre Yeah. Why do you edit?
So for that. So there's consistency.
Yeah. And marketing, it's almost like
why we used to buy magazines in Woolworths.
So what are you editing? When you're going to go get a
photo? I know I'm grilling you right
now. Lighting sound me, but I'm
curious. That's OK.

(37:45):
Sometimes the lighting might notbe hitting the face in the right
areas. What I see in person is not
portrayed in the image, so I tryto edit just so that it looks
like what I'm seeing. Yeah, nothing more, nothing
less. My edit app for everyone that
wants to know is called Face App, which I'm sure all the
beauty influencers that know it,but I always try to pick the

(38:06):
most natural philtre and the lowest volume because you've got
different volumes, so that when the client looks at herself, she
doesn't go. That's not me.
I want the client to look at herself, go.
That's how I felt. So that's really important to
me. That's why I edit.
I know people that edit but theycan't create that work.

(38:26):
That's where the issue is. They're causing an issue for
themself, not for me. It doesn't bother me but they're
causing an issue for themself. Because I've seen people come
back to me saying I went to ex makeup artist, she did my makeup
but I looked nothing like her Instagram.
She completely filtered me, so now it's such a.
Tricky environment man. It is really.

(38:48):
Tricky because it can be so easily.
Attained right. And then you.
You. Start to attract the people that
want to look like that, but you know aren't going to look like
that. So I then need to educate them.
So what I do now, I'm grateful for these apps.
I'm like, no problem, you want to look like that, Let me take a
picture of you. Now take a picture.
Get on the app and I make them look like that.
I said is this what you want to?We should do a demonstration.
Right now for we should me we should.

(39:09):
You want to do it? I can give you long hair.
I can give you blush, lipstick, long lashes.
What would you like? You know what?
I. Don't think the world can handle
that beauty. So that's.
No, yeah. No, it's awesome.
I'm going to dump into the questions that the people have
brought in because I've never done that on the podcast, OK?
I've never asked. I've never actually even pre

(39:32):
released the guests, but I was like so excited you're on here.
So like, you know what, I'm justcurious as to and you know what
our Instagram following isn't huge, but the questions came
flooding in, which means I guesspeople I want to know.
I anticipate this episode's going to be highly listened to
and then when I got these questions, it's coming in like
within the hour, like Bing, Bing, Bing.
My notifications are going off my mind.

(39:53):
You guys, fun fact that I learn about Mel.
She actually has all her notifications turned off on her
device. I do, which is the weirdest
thing I've ever had in my. Every notification on every app
turned off and I'll explain why,which we haven't dabbled into
social media. It consumes your life and the
decisions you make in your life.So I check social media when I'm

(40:15):
ready, not when social media tells me I need to check it.
It consumes so much of our time.It takes us away from that
moment. Whether we're with our partners,
with our children, we don't get to actually enjoy the moment.
You know, I even know people that are driving that get
disturbed by notification. It's just, it's not worth it.

(40:35):
You sound like my. Wife.
It's it's. Too controlling already.
I don't want it to control me. I also don't want to.
I don't want my kids to grow up seeing me doing this on my
phone. Hold on one second.
I've just got to check this. I've just got to respond to this
and I'm the type of person whereif I open Adm I need to respond
straight away or I'll forget. I will forget even if I'm not a.

(40:57):
Message until, like, I'm ready to reply to it because I'm like,
like, I can see the preview, butI'm like, I'm busy right now.
Yeah. I just turned wine on Do not
disturb for certain hours of theday.
So like, from like, 6:00 PM to, like, 8:00 AM Yeah.
So like, I just don't get, like,my phone doesn't buzz.
Yeah. Just say because to me, that's
my family time. Yeah.
When on a weekday, it's like, wehave this rule that's like, we

(41:19):
have dinner together. Yeah.
And then I bathe my kids and they go to bed.
Like, it's like, yeah, you know,like, nothing's happening.
No, like, we need TV in the bedroom.
Like we don't either, but my wife was like, I'm I'm for it.
My wife's like absolutely. And I'm like please.
Yeah, George is for it, and I'm dying.
For the TV, because I love to like watch something in bed and
fall asleep. She's like, Nah, no TV in the

(41:40):
bedroom. Like you watch TV in the TV
room. Anyways, it's true.
It it, it's good to detox. It's good to have your limits
and boundaries because you can go crazy.
Anyways, the following questionsand not by me.
Do you not judge me? Do you mind if I ask any?
Question. No, just.
Ask. Don't worry, I'm ready.
Hey can I just make? One little disclaimer for my
loyal listeners, because someoneasked me yesterday at a wedding.

(42:02):
Yep, they go, are your edits episodes edited?
And I said absolutely not, like no way.
And I'm like start to finish like you can.
Tell really no. You can tell this start to
finish. Like have you not seen my?
Stuff UPS on the on the episode like I I say words if I say
specific, I'm saying Pacific by accident.
Like it's not edited anyways, soif you don't want to answer it,

(42:22):
just say skip and that's fine. Look at me shuffling.
Myself into the chair, there's no.
Drama, Do you want to go in any specific order?
I'm just going to go randomly. Will you ever visit us in
Greece? We love you.
Oh. That's so nice.
Yes, whoever asked that. I've actually never been to
Greece. My husband is Greek.
Yeah, my kids. Are half Greek.
Yeah, I would love. To can't wait to visit we're

(42:43):
planning response you there. Yeah, of course.
I I've had a lot of people from a lot of countries, but Greece
for sure is my next overseas destination.
Who sent this one in? What's your favourite babies to
dessert lol? That would be my husband.
Trust George help. He's onto everything anyway.
He's giving. Ron, your favourite dessert so
they can order it, but. Anyway, for those that want to

(43:03):
know, it's Monty's Madagascar. I haven't had it.
No, we will have. It's amazing.
How and when did she get Instagram famous?
So I joined Instagram in 2012, so it was before it was popular
in Australia. And I remember when I opened my
shop in Bass Hill, that was 2015, I started doing crazy

(43:28):
contouring videos and my videos were going viral, extremely
viral. And does that explain Facebook?
Following as well. No Facebook's.
Different. No, Yeah, it does play a part.
Sorry, my apologies. It does play a part.
Plus we did do some paid ads, sowe would boost ads before we
that's not the way to do it. We would boost certain.

(43:49):
Well, my husband, when I say we,I say my husband.
He's across my socials because he's all about marketing and,
you know, this is doing well. Push it.
Yeah. For me, like I said, I've never
driven by fame, never driven by money.
Never driven. I didn't start this for fame.
I think this is the one thing people need to understand.

(44:09):
So when they call me famous, that's him, not me.
I don't call myself famous. The reason why I.
Did this is because I find it comical when I hear these
comments and I almost find it stupid because we're just
people. Yeah, we're literally just
people from humble beginnings mostly, right.
And even if it's not a humble beginning, that's so fine.
Even if it came from like a lot of wolf, that's so fine.
That was literally what you wereborn into.

(44:30):
So OK, but we're literally just people doing what we love and
starting a business. It's not literally here to
absolutely. If it hits the stars, absolutely
it's great. It's always a goal, but.
Look, if I was driven by fame and money, I'd be a lot more
famous and a lot more richer. And the reason why I'm not is
because I chose, for example, there were so many moments in my
career that I could have kept going and take it could have

(44:52):
taken another turn. But it wasn't my work ethic.
I didn't I, so it would have been for the wrong reason.
OK, here's an example. When my boys were born, my story
views and my posts when the kidsare involved are next level.
Same. I don't think you understand.
Next level. Yeah, no.
And they don't want to see me anymore.
They don't care about me and my work.

(45:12):
They've seen enough. They know what I'm capable of.
They want to see my kids. But I was like, do I want to be
a mommy Blogger? Do I want to answer back to
people saying you're doing a badjob when I think I'm doing a
great job? Because that's what you open the
doors to when you talk about themumble of have you copped
criticism. Online, absolutely.
But I've learned over the years send like comments.

(45:34):
Or like people? No, privately.
Because I don't post enough publicly.
So I'm more stories rather than a post on my what is saying
saying expired. No, it'll be like you shouldn't,
you should. But they'll do it for not just
my kids. They'll do it for my dog.
People just find that they are entitled to inbox you.
There's people that do it in a nice way.
They'll be like, I'm so sorry. Please don't take me the wrong
way. It's just I wanted to pass on,

(45:56):
you know, this information to you, but they might be like, you
shouldn't be feeding your kids this.
It's not nutrition enough or, you know, blah blah blah.
And that kind. Of stuff.
So I was like, I'm not, I'm I need to figure out how to
continue responding to clients that actually want to book me
for my service, let alone tell me how to mother or, you know,
I'm doing the best that I can. We both are both George and I

(46:18):
doing the best that we can to begreat parents.
So I made the decision when theywere born.
I'm not going to be a mummy Blogger.
Now, whether now that time changes with the kids, it's
getting a little bit easier. Then I might change, you know, I
might include a little bit more posting with my children.
But for the meantime, I want Melissa Sassine to continue as
Melissa Sassine in the sense of I'm here to serve my brides, my

(46:42):
clients. We're here to look after them.
I want to keep it professional and I want my private life to be
for me. I want to enjoy my kids for me
and I share them every now and then to make sure that my
followers also have an insight to my life because they're so
engaged and interested and they deserve to also, you know, see

(47:03):
the boys and watch them grow. And I, I love that because most
of the comments are, I think it's so.
Cute. I'm always one for it because
it's it's the beauty of social media.
It does as you can look at it inso many different ways.
It just depends on what kind of,I guess, your mood on the daily
or your outlook. But I always look at social
media as like a little catch up,right?
Life's so busy. Like it's the you don't even

(47:24):
have enough time for your extended family.
And then when you see your friends and you know what
colleagues and you see, you knowtheir little lives grow.
It's so sweet, Well, that. Was my 2025 personal goal just
to connect with my friends that I haven't been able to connect
with because of work? Yeah, more.
They also have children. Because now that I have kids and
they've got kids, I understand. Yeah.

(47:45):
Spend that time more. Questions from others, Yeah.
How do you justify prices from normal makeup sessions versus
wedding makeup? And can you also explain that to
me? Yes.
So when I do someone's makeup for their wedding I am in.
Can you give rough? Price bracket points as well,
OK. Industry, rough price or mine?

(48:08):
Whatever you want. I don't know what industry is.
I'm just gonna go with $500.00 for a bride, OK?
Does that sound about right? I don't know.
Do you know? I don't know, right?
Daniel, do you know? I don't know.
Let's just say industry standardis 500.
If only everyone. Saw his face, it'd be 300.
I'm probably gonna get a lot of comments here going.
What the hell? This is gonna be my.

(48:28):
Fault I. Think.
This is gonna be my fault just so people can flood the comments
with OK it's not 500 bucks that sounds.
Yeah, well. Anyways, let's just say it's 5.
$100 and then how much? Would like a girl would sit like
be a guest I. Think the average price now is
around one 7200 so then. Yeah, 300%.

(48:49):
And you justify the price point difference.
OK. So.
When you're coming in for a makeover and you're not a bride,
we know the photographer's not going to be in your face.
We know that you aren't. This is going to sound really
rude and I'm sure someone on TikTok is going to say
something. We know you're not the the
bride. Let's just put it that that way,
you're not the bride. However, we want every person to

(49:10):
still feel special. So there's certain parts of the
layering technique we can skip. They can still still have
longevity, but it's a different type of longevity that a bride
needs. A bride goes through different
types of emotions, whether it's tears, whether it's sweat,
whether it's dancing. And she doesn't have much time
to go to the powder room and fixher makeup.

(49:30):
Like you know what it's like as soon as they leave the house,
it's like go, go, go, go, go. Then they've got a bit of time
in the reception touch up. I only see my bride.
Touch up lip gloss. That's right.
Because there's there's no time.Yeah.
Whereas when it's a regular guest, they can still have a
compact powder and check the mirror as often as they like to
give themselves a little touch up.
So there's certain stages in themakeup process where you cannot

(49:52):
have to, You don't need to layeras much.
Whereas with bridal, you're like, she has no room for error.
I need to make sure that this makeup is on and it's
bulletproof. So that pisses.
With that question, I actually like can remember some like Tik
Toks or Instagram, whatever comments or like, you know,
those jokes like those parody videos where they're like you

(50:13):
ask for this for a wedding and it's like this price we ask for
the. It's not just makeup artist.
It's like, you know what I mean?It's kind of like, yeah, like I
just. Because they said I'm a bride,
it's X amount. So we had a bride recently or a
bride to be book me online at Earlwood.
So we were testing me being openbecause I've never actually, you
cannot book me online. You can't see my prices online

(50:35):
anywhere. You have to physically inquire
for us to then screen the personcorrect anything, anything for
yourself. For myself.
That's hectic. We need to.
Screen the person first. OK, Kate, what does that mean
because people are going to ask,we need to understand is it a
legitimate inquiry? Is it a competitor before we

(50:57):
give you our rates, am I available?
Let's just before we even give you my rates and before you
judge, am I available? Another thing, give me the
opportunity to provide the service to you because people
that see my rates online withoutactually calling us will judge
us by our price list and not by our capability.
We have the best capability of any make up artist team and I

(51:19):
know this because when things gowrong with other makeup artists,
guess who they call Melissa Sassine, my bridal makeup artist
cancelled. Do you have anyone available
right. So we we I want to go back to
your question. Sorry, I get sidetracked real
quickly. I I love it.
I. Kind of love the sidetrack.
I'm looking a lot. So we don't put my prices out

(51:40):
online so that they give us the opportunity.
So they understand that with theprice point comes the service,
the attention, the customer care.
So when it comes time for bridesto book me, I'm probably triple
that price point, OK? You were you were saying
something about we had a bride to be correct.

(52:01):
Thank you very much. Sorry.
OK. We had a bride to be.
So when we opened Earl Wood, we thought, let's just test this.
Let's just make myself available.
You're welcome, guys. I remembered.
Thank you. So Nin was like, Are you sure?
So Nin is my BDM and like officemanager.
So she's across everything from online orders to makeup artist,
scheduling, bridal bookings, everything goes past me.

(52:24):
She goes, Are you sure you want to open it up?
And I said, yeah, I want to testit.
Old, old. There's people that know me, but
there's people that also. That's the new.
Location, correct? So she's like Mel, you've got a
bride book you for a bridal trial.
Sorry. For regular makeup.
Are you OK with that? It's for an hour.
I said, yeah, it's regular makeup, don't worry, I'll get it

(52:44):
done. I can do a makeup.
I can do a makeup in half an hour.
Ends up being a bride. That said, I just want to try
you out for my wedding. When she came, I asked her like
I asked everyone else, what do you have on today?
What makeup style would you like?
And she's like, oh, I just want to trial you for my wedding.
And I said, OK. I said you're booked in for a
regular makeover, so I can't treat this as a trial.

(53:05):
However, let me explain the difference to you so you can get
a better understanding. And I explained the difference.
The trial goes for around 2 1/2 to three hours because we
discuss everything from where you're getting ready, what your
dress looks like, what style of makeup you like, what do you not
like, you know and you know everything.

(53:25):
Starting times, finishing times,what I need, where are you
getting married? I said.
So for today, I've got an hour. I said I can do a glam in an
hour, but I may not be able to refine the areas that I would if
it's a bride of trial because I lay our makeup on differently
for a bride than I do for a regular makeover.
She was really understanding. She was super sweet.
She goes, oh, I had no idea. I said, and another thing too is

(53:48):
I need to check if I'm available.
She goes, oh, I know you are already checked with NIN.
And that's when Nin came to my mind going, this is what she was
afraid of is that someone would take advantage and book me in
for a trial. But this client was actually
super sweet. So understanding.
I made it very clear to her and very simple to her.
And I reassured her that I'm going to make you feel good
today. He's still going to look

(54:08):
fabulous. But there are certain things
that I would do differently on your wedding day that I can't do
today. So was it.
Her wedding day, It wasn't her wedding.
Day It was a trial so but what Ilearnt from her is that she's
from Queensland, so she was trying to do whatever she could
to try and get in on a certain during the certain time that she
was here. So kind of Long story short,

(54:28):
although it's already been long,I did her makeup and she loved
it. But then she still booked in for
a trial on the Monday because she was flying back to
Queensland. So she respected how I run the
business. You just re educated her?
Absolutely. All I had to do was educate her.
And yeah, she came and she booked.
So like it could have turned, you know, she could have been

(54:50):
like, what a bitch. Yeah.
You could you. You could have rightfully said
sorry, Yeah. And I could have.
Gone. What a bitch.
She's using me but she didn't know.
I just had to educate her so shecould She already felt
comfortable that I was honest and transparent with her before
I started her makeup rather thanat the end going.
But you didn't book for a trial.I set it from the beginning.

(55:12):
I don't know if you can see my. Friend, we can see how many
questions, but yeah, wow. Oh my.
God, that was all the DNS. I'm just.
Trying to pick and choose which question I actually want to ask
to be honest. I'm not going to lie to you.
What is the worst part of owninga business?
Realty. So people are prepared for it.
Worst. Part of owning a business, well,

(55:33):
other than the bills, the Ato, No, not even that.
It's fine because everyone pays hard these days, so everything's
quite clear and it's much easier.
But it's managing people and people's expectations as in
managing. People, clients or staff?
Both. OK, both.
So. Managing staff is a really hard

(55:54):
one. There's another question.
About that, Yep, I. Think because happened to staff
in a little bit. Yep.
Yeah. OK.
So managing staff is 1 and managing clients, I think with
clients now, I'm so confident and can understand women really
well. It's about me educating the team
about understanding women. So women come in all different
shapes, sizes and even, I guess,emotional intelligence.

(56:20):
And what I mean in saying that is not that they're silly, it's
that you need to understand thateveryone's going through
something and everyone handles pressure differently.
So when they come to us, they just want us to make them feel
good. So it's important that if
they're talking to us, maybe in the rude, stern attitude that we

(56:43):
don't take it personally. Always tell the the girls don't
take it personally, just listen to them.
Yeah. And then?
Correct, correct. And then take a softer approach
because as soon as you do that, they change.
Yeah. Whereas if you're like becoming
defensive, they become even more.
It's like a battle. You know, yeah, that's.
Why it becomes a battle. So it's really important just to

(57:06):
know that it's not you. Yeah, that it could be them.
We all have good days and bad days.
First let's try and understand the client before we judge them.
So then the next. Question from someone who was
best advice on building a good team of staff?
That's a really good question. Keep it short.
And sweet. I've always hired people based

(57:27):
on personality more than skill. We.
Personality. And drive.
OK, you can't. You can't create someone's
personality and you can't build their drive.
I can always teach them a skill.Personality and drive are my two
biggest things. So to create a good team, they
need to have both of those and then a sense of family because

(57:47):
we are a family. We see each other more or hear
each other more or have to back each other as a team environment
because, you know, we, we work with each other.
Yeah, everyday always go by. The belief of higher slow fire
quick, yeah. Yeah, Mentor once told me that.
Oh, really? Yeah, I.
Just think because I work in theworld of weddings.

(58:09):
Yeah, well, there was. A moment where I just like
stuff. Up.
There's no, there's no room for error, really.
Yeah. Well, there was a moment where I
just couldn't find anyone to hire.
I needed people and people wouldapproach me but they weren't the
right person. Which wasn't a bad thing because
then I learnt how to shift my business differently.
So I started taking on subcontractors and I changed the
whole way that the business runsand it's actually worked to it's

(58:32):
benefit. So without that, I probably
would not have never learnt to pivot into that direction.
So yeah, what was the next question?
Well, it's a very. Personal 10 so this.
Is are we done with? No.
That this is still, this is still the people speaking.
Oh, this is not me. Are you sure you want to answer
it? Yeah.
Is it? Still about staff though.

(58:52):
Client it's. Another personal question.
It's a question, but it's very personal.
OK, good. Yep.
Go for it. Were the boys conceived
naturally or through IVFI knew? That question would come about.
I did not know. This question was going to come
about. I guess when I saw it I was
like. I get asked all the time and I'm
going I'm. I'm ready to talk about it.

(59:14):
And the boys were born IVF. Oh, wow, My miracle babies.
I absolutely love them. So to answer further questions,
because I know that there's a lot that comes up.
Yeah, talk to me about. The journey of the boys so.
The journey of the boys wasn't happening originally because of

(59:35):
my stress load. So I was going through a lot, a
lot of stress in the business pre COVID and through through
the 1st COVID because they were born in the second COVID.
But pre COVID I was going through a lot of stress and
George and I had already been married for a couple of years
and we were trying straight away.
So I was like, something's not right.

(59:57):
And because I was 38, no, I got married at 30.
Whatever. In my late 30s.
I, it was always a fear of my never to have children.
So I was always like, George, we're going to, you know, a
doctor. So when we went to the doctor,
he first needs to check him, needs to check me.
And one of the biggest thing that came about, and I'm getting

(01:00:18):
a little bit personal here is mystress levels.
Because these stress levels thatyou endure, you will never fall
pregnant. So we need to figure this how to
fix that first. And I wasn't regular and I
didn't really know why I wasn't regular.
I just kind of ignored my body. So it was really hard to do any
planning of any sort. So we had to fix that first.

(01:00:41):
So when he said to me, look, you're not old, but you're not
young. Would you consider IVFI had
already spoken to George beforehand?
We were already all for it. So my answer was yes, no
problem. Be prepared.
Let's let's just do it. So when we went down, when we
went through the cycle, we were so lucky to have three embryos

(01:01:03):
that survived through the whole cycle.
So I asked the doctor, can we put 2IN?
And he said because there's a risk.
He said he always said there there are risks involved, that
none of it works, 1 of it works,or both work.
Are you both wanting this? And both George and I said yes.
So he said, OK, I'll do it. He goes, I don't do it for

(01:01:25):
everybody. You know, I get a lot of young
people coming saying I just wanttwins.
I say, no, your body's young enough and you've got these
ahead of you. You can carry it because whereas
with you, it's not that you're old, but, you know, the
biological clock does tick. So he was like, let's do it.
If you're both, you know, want this, let's do it.
So we said yes. And I don't take this for

(01:01:45):
granted. We are so lucky that it works
straight away. Yeah, it was our first IVSIVF
session and they both held. What a blessing.
Thank God, thank God, I thank God every day.
I actually pray over them every night, every day, thanking God I
don't want to cry. Don't cry at this.
Time I'll cry. They risk it.
One. They are.
They are. The best thing that's happened
to to us, they really, truly are.

(01:02:08):
So we were so lucky and earlier this year, oh, not this year.
We're already in 2025. Last year we tried to do the
last embryo, but that didn't work.
Oh, sorry to hear. But.
It's OK. We have two beautiful boys and
and it's more than what anyone could ask for.

(01:02:30):
And you know, George and I are. I'm 42 now, He's 46 and we're
still thinking about maybe doinganother out like we want more
kids. So to answer any question out
there in my mind. I wasn't going to ask all the
nosy. People that always ask me, do
you want more children? The answer is as long as God
will give me children, I will give birth to them.

(01:02:52):
I love children. I am made to be a mother.
I've always wanted to be a mother.
And side note, I never wanted tobe a businesswoman.
That just happened because that was my purpose at the time
because someone else couldn't fill that purpose for me.
So being a mum is way more important to me than being
famous or rich or successful. A mother is a success in itself.

(01:03:17):
That's to me. No, that is so.
Beautiful I am. So grateful and blessed and I
thank God everyday that is. So beautiful.
Yeah, that's. From the heart, that is.
Insane that is all it needs and it's such a press for not.
Crying. The other interview I did with
Hello Mellow, I bawled my eyes out.
I could barely get a word out. I don't even know how they

(01:03:38):
created such. Yeah, I warned.
You guys, I warned me, do not cry on this podcast because I'm
I'm doing good. I'm.
Doing, especially when. Someone else cries.
It triggers me to cry. Literally.
The next question was do you plan to have more kids?
So you you I've answered that. I knew that'd come up.
I know this is a. Personal question for me to ask.
Yeah. But then obviously going through
IVF with the boys. Yep.

(01:04:00):
Does that mean, like you plan tolike, go through that process
again? Yep.
OK. It's exciting.
Yeah. Like sending you all.
Thank you, baby Dust. Thank you all.
The this time all the I will be happy to talk about it.
I didn't talk about it. I was here before.
I was actually curious because Ifind a lot more these days.

(01:04:21):
A lot of women will share and it's beautiful.
Yeah. To to share their vulnerable
state of going through the IVIVFjourney.
Yeah. Just like, you know, infertility
or fertility, whatever it may be.
Yeah. A lot more personal discussion
is going out socially. Absolutely.
And I think those women are so brave.
Yeah. Because I wasn't brave enough to
do that. Yeah.
Did you hold? Back for a reason?
Absolutely. Because this is I don't need to

(01:04:43):
impress people. Yeah, and that's what I felt
like I was doing. But why?
Why, Why am I validating my journey with the person I need
to 1st deal with these emotions?No, no, you're so happy you kept
up. Absolutely.
I was going through enough of myown dilemma, you know, 'cause

(01:05:05):
I'm, I wasn't young enough, so Iwas getting older.
It's not like someone in their 20s talking about the IVF
journey. I was in my late 30s so and I
didn't want to be looked at like, oh poor thing, she was
never able to have children. No, I don't, I hate that.
So ask another personal. Question if you don't mind.
Yeah, only because I'm going to use this as a platform for
people to learn and grow. You know, you don't know who's
listening. You've obviously been George,

(01:05:27):
you were divorced before, so you've got, you've been married
twice. Has your life experience,
including divorce, shaped who you are as a person?
Absolutely. I think the first time I felt,
the first time I was married, I felt worthless.
He made me feel worthless and noone should ever be made to feel

(01:05:51):
that way. So This is why I'm so grateful
for the clients past, present, future, because when you are
supporting a small business, youdon't understand what it's doing
for them. And that's why I want people to
also understand when they look at me and say, you know, because
I get this all the time. And you've probably had a lot of

(01:06:12):
comments that oh, she's made it or she's, you know, I don't know
what it what it what famous. Successful, rich, lot of money
like I'm. And she's got all these
followers, she's got nothing to worry about.
I'm still a small business. And like you said before, what
I've done, what I did last year at the skin clinic, I took a big
risk. But why I wasn't as scared as

(01:06:32):
most is because I know how to build myself up again.
And that's why from my first marriage till now, I know my
worth and I and in I know my worth in my personal life and in
my business life. So whether we're talking about
me with my husband and my children or whether we're
talking about me and my clients and what I charge, I know my

(01:06:54):
value. I know my worth.
And I think it's extremely important that women don't rely
on men or men don't rely on women, that each person has a
goal to work towards when they meet each other, that the goals
align. Not that I'm just going to give
up and let him take over or I'm going to give up and let her
take over. Continue to have your goals and

(01:07:15):
make sure you pick your partner that supports your goals.
Because for sure you're going tomeet at a crossroad where you
don't agree on something. And if you both have your own
goals, no one will ever make youfeel unworthy.
Do you feel like there's any misconceptions of who you are as
a person? Yeah.

(01:07:36):
At me personally, yeah, just like any.
Misconceptions. Yeah.
So. I.
Can't say I know you know you, Iknow you, but I don't like you
know and grab coffee. But genuinely from your heart
and I can feel it because I'm not a stupid person.
You are the most warm person whenever I meet you at work.

(01:07:59):
Oh, thank you. And you're always, like, when
you hug, it's a real hug. And when you smile at me to a
smile and like, you know, there's times where, like, a
bride would be changing, and youwere just sitting in the
kitchen, like, how are you? And I'm like, this girl's
really, really nice person. Yeah.
Thank you. I know your beautiful heart.
But are are there any misconceptions that maybe people

(01:08:20):
have of you? Yes, because of social media
they they create the misconception, not not me.
So they might see my numbers andgo, I've heard this from
students going when they first enrol after the first one or two
classes, they're like, you're actually really nice.
I said, why do you say that? What makes you think otherwise?

(01:08:42):
And they're like just social media.
It's intimidating. And I'm like, I am as real as
you're going to get. And you know, thank you for the
lovely compliments. I genuinely care about people.
And part of me being nice, not only to you, but to every other
vendor and my brides is because not only do I care about people,

(01:09:04):
it's part of the investment. When a bride invests in her
vendors on the day she's got onechance.
She doesn't have any other chances to pick someone, pick
someone else or, you know, it's so we are the first people
there. If we don't come looking like we
want to be there, that's a problem.
If we don't come smiling and happy, that's another problem.

(01:09:24):
If we don't finish them on time or care about their wedding day,
then that's another problem. And so I take pride in over the
years, I know my value and I know what I bring because I care
about them. I care about their wedding day.
It feels like I get married every single weekend and I'm
just as excited as them because I know it so inside out that if

(01:09:45):
they just trust me, I'm giving them not 100 percent, 1000%.
I want this day to be special for them just as much as they
want it for themselves. So, and that's just every time I
meet somebody, I want it to be agreat experience for both myself
and the person, and then they can judge me.
I think you're. You're you're missing the fact
that I think it's just natural and innate to you.

(01:10:07):
Yeah. I don't think you realise what
you're not realising. Yeah, I just.
Natural and innate to you. Thank you.
It's, it's just, it's so crazy to like just hear all this
information. I feel like I'm overloaded.
John Elton actually asked a great question.
Let's do it. Love, John.
He was the episode before you and I asked him to ask you a

(01:10:28):
question and he said, I'm going to read a word for it.
Watches are cheap, Time is expensive.
How to give your boys the time they crave And do you have time
for an addition to the family? Oh, what a.
Beautiful question, I know. I was like, this is so good.
I literally was like brow of this.
Absolutely. I feel like I've answered a lot
of that through the podcast. I feel like I have.

(01:10:49):
As well I, I. Have shifted my business so that
it suits me. I think most of the years I did
it so that it suited people yeah.
And once I learnt that the rightpeople will find you, that's
when I was ready to take the risk and make it about me and
what suits me and also what suits the women in the business.
I want to make sure that people in the business are able to be

(01:11:11):
mothers as well and able to havebusinesses and able to have time
off with their family on the weekends.
So thank you John, can you share?
It was a great. Question, yeah.
Can you share any like moments of your career or life where you
felt completely like overwhelmedor was like a turning point?

(01:11:31):
Yes, I feel like we're going deep again after all, wrapping
this up, I'm not wrapping. Anything up?
I've got nothing this on today so.
There was a moment of 2019. I'll never forget that year.
For me personally, like emotionally, it was probably the
worst year I had. One of my employees was actually

(01:11:55):
my cousin. There was a personal situation
that happened in her family thatalso affected me emotionally.
And I feel like that took me away from the business.
And so I had the team working inthe business, but they felt they
were running the business without me.
And so that year was a was a bitof a blur, but also so ironic

(01:12:23):
for me to say now also crystal clear because I was in so much
pain. So I wanted to be a blue.
But it was so clear about what was happening because I let go
of focusing on the business, so consumed with the personal
matters. And it made the the workers feel
like, well, I don't need to work, but I can run this myself.

(01:12:43):
And that year, three employees resigned within six months and
started their own businesses. And also because I had their own
social media pages, the following seen that and followed
them. So that was one of the years
that was the hardest. In addition, people didn't know

(01:13:05):
this. We were in the process of
becoming an RTOA registered training organisation.
I mentioned that earlier we had already spent close to just over
$200,000 on this project and theperson I had employed to run
this project didn't have much time from me.

(01:13:26):
But also we trusted them that when I got to a time, she was
one of the people that had resigned.
When I got to the end of the year and I thought I'll just
pick up where she left off, I realised a lot wasn't done and I
had just invested 200,000 in a project that I completely just
left. And sorry, $200,000 is what I'm

(01:13:47):
saying. Did you?
Did you think I said 200 dollars, $200?
Like a tonne of bricks, so. And for me to be like, after
trying to take over, I realised that people were signing to the
Academy not caring if we were anRTO and that there were other
alternatives to why I wanted to be an RTO.

(01:14:10):
And it was a really big lesson learned and it and it, and it
hurt me in so many ways. So that was probably my worst
year of my entire career, Not even COVID.
COVID was A and I, I'm sorry foranyone that he's going to say
this, but COVID was a blessing for me personally.
Both COVID just gave me a chanceto stop, especially after.

(01:14:30):
That everything. And the second COVID, I had my
children, so for me, I brides were worried I'd cancel them
because I was pregnant where, you know, who knew COVID was
going to hit? So yeah, it wasn't even COVID.
It was that year before COVID. It was the worst.
And thanks for sharing that. You're welcome.
It's. Insane.

(01:14:52):
There's still some more questions I have for you.
What's the most emotional momentyou've ever had with a bride or
a client, and how has it ever impacted you?
Emotional. I know it's a big.
Question So I want you to like think about something like has
there ever been a moment that you it's just it's never left
your brain. There there have been a lot but
the one that never leads my brain is the common one when

(01:15:13):
people ask me, have you ever hada bridezilla?
Honestly I have such beautiful brides and the one bride that
made me feel so concerned. It's actually too much of A long
story to even get into. But when I got to her wedding
and dissected everything about her, I realised she's actually

(01:15:33):
just a bad person because every vendor at the wedding I learnt
was abused, her bridesmaids wereabused.
And then I no longer took it personally.
But it never left me. That story, that experience
never left me because she was sonasty.
And it's the only story that really sticks to me.
When people say what's the moment that really made you feel

(01:15:55):
uncomfortable? Another question.
I have for you. What sacrifices have you made
that people don't say? That you think that we're worth
it? What?
Sacrifices. Yeah.
I feel like my life has been a sacrifice in a respectful way.
I've sacrificed every weekend ofmy 20 year old, 30 year old, and

(01:16:16):
now that I'm 42, I'm not lettingit happen with the boys.
Every weekend has been sacrificed for my brides.
So I've missed out on family weddings, family birthdays.
When I work from home, I could be booked out for, say, 10 hours
of the day back to back. And I worked in my, my time.
Yeah. And I, I was, I was, they were

(01:16:37):
singing, for example, happy birthday.
Could it be my mother's birthdayor father's birthday?
singing Happy Birthday. I couldn't even just duck out
for 30 seconds singing Happy Birthday.
I'm like, I just don't have time.
Yeah, family time is everything.And that's been my biggest
sacrifice. It's the final.
Question I'm gonna ask is actually I'm going back to
someone's response, hence why I'm looking at my phone.
Yeah, that's fine. Someone.
Asked and he hit me when I was reading my questions.

(01:16:58):
I'm like, that's all their question.
You hit my brain. If you were able to meet 10 year
old Melissa, what advice would you give her?
Oh. My God, that's a good one.
I would let her know that she's beautiful.
I would let her know that she's capable of doing anything she
puts her mind to. I would tell her that life
doesn't end when school ends. That's when life begins.

(01:17:21):
Did you feel that? Way I felt like.
I felt like it was gonna begin, but I felt like I had to get
married when I left school and it didn't happen for me straight
away. I felt like my friends were
getting married and having children and I still wasn't.
How would we with your first marriage?
24 OK, you were still. Very young, yeah.
So it almost did happen. No, but.
A lot of my friends got married at 18.

(01:17:42):
So. So the way I was brought up,
it's like you grow up, you go toschool, you get married.
OK. That's what I knew I did.
I didn't really. Or you go to uni if you, I
always knew uni wasn't for me. You go to uni, but if not, you
get married. Like I just thought, I don't
know, Prince Charming lands in your lap.
I don't know how it worked. So when when I realised my
friends were getting married andgetting married, I'm like,

(01:18:03):
what's wrong with me? Is it me?
Am I ugly? Am I not worthy?
That's why I'm saying when you're asking me, your 10 year
old self, you're beautiful, you can do anything you want, you're
worthy, put your mind to it. You know marriage is an option,
not you've got to get married. I think that's really important.

(01:18:24):
But I'm not saying this in a disrespect to the way my parents
brought me up because that's allthey knew as well.
Mum got married at 18, her sisters got married at 18.
Like everyone just got married at 18.
Things happened differently, differently.
So they just taught us what theyknew.
So what we know now, we know that 18's too young to get

(01:18:44):
married. It really is.
And there is so much more to life.
And I would tell her, him or her.
Travel, travel, travel and travel.
Oh wow. See the World.
I lie. This is the last question and
this is how I want to end the podcast.
OK, What lesson do you want yourboys to learn from your life?

(01:19:07):
What lesson do I want them to learn if they're going to?
Watch this back when they're adults, picture them as grown
men and they're listening to their mum now 2025 What's the
message you want to send to them?
Stick. Together, family is everything.
Don't ever disrespect each other, don't ever let anyone in

(01:19:31):
between the relationship that you have.
Watch out for one another support each other and make the
right choice when you're choosing your life partner
because that's who we make our choices with now.
So we want to make sure I want to make sure that my boys pick

(01:19:53):
partners where they both get along and they're both because
we're not going to be around forever and I want to make sure
that they really stick with eachother and that they don't let
anyone else in between. Blood is thicker than water, so.
Beautiful like that you're. Going to cry.
I feel like there are tears in your eyes.

(01:20:13):
I don't want you. To mention this.
I'm so sorry. It's a beautiful.
Message OH. John, George, John that that one
needs to get cut. Out.
Oh my God, you need to cut me out, crying Daniel.
Oh, no. That was a beautiful message.
I can't. Pass on a message stronger than

(01:20:35):
that. I don't give a fuck about
people. Cut that out.
Don't cut that. Out.
We're not cutting that out. No, don't listen to it all your
whole no, sorry, it's not going to cut out.
I don't listen here kids, my kids listen to Mel with her
advice When you watch this in like when you're 30 years old,
That's my advice to you too. I'm claiming it.
Just repeat that. That was good.

(01:20:56):
I actually care about people, but when it comes between
brothers, that's when I don't care about people.
Yeah, I care about if anyone's wondering.
Why I'm emotional. I drop my brother off to the
airport today and he lives overseas, so I'm just very
emotional today about it. That's so.
Fine, when you say stick. Together I was like, Oh my
goodness, this could not have been today.
But it is a beautiful message and I totally agree with it.

(01:21:17):
But I just ultimately want to thank you for coming here.
You're a very busy woman. Thank you for having.
Business. But like, you know, you have two
beautiful baby boys, so taking your time away from your kids to
come here means a lot to me. Thank you.
And it's an honour to know you and work with you.
And it's just great to kind of like, you know, pick your brain
in a little bit. Thank you.
So. Much.
And I just want to say congratulations.

(01:21:38):
This was very easy to do. Oh, very comfortable.
Thank you. I think you're doing a great
job. Thank you.
Guys. You really are.
You're the best testimony. I've got it, Mel, you're very
good at. This.
I'm well at this. What?
Are you talking about? No, I'm just doing it.
I'm very excited for. You and well done on this at
2012. Thank you.

(01:21:59):
You know this is my first podcast Bullshit.
Yep, I've had a lot of. Interviews, but never a proper
podcast. I'd like to thank you for the
opportunity. I am.
Honoured thank you. To be honest this is my first
time on a podcast. I just had to create one to be
on one I've. Created one.
Actually I stood one session. No way.
Yeah, I just never. Put up with I never continued on
with it because I had other people doing it for me.

(01:22:21):
Oh God, you can probably Google it.
I'm going to Google it. I talk about my like my past.
That's how people some people know about my ex husband and
that's one of the biggest I should have watched.
It that's one of the biggest. Google searches have you Did you
not Google search 1A? No, the only.
Thing that guys we're not endingthis podcast I just realised I
want nothing to add I'm so. Sorry when I did.

(01:22:41):
Google you we're not ending it on me crying fuck no way.
When I did Google you it said like 6 figure wedding.
Yes I. Know.
Do you have any regrets around your wedding now that it's been
plastered as a six figure wedding?
Absolutely. Not was the figure.
Correct, the figure was. A lot less than what we paid
because I saw 100. Thousand.
I was like, it was a lot. Less I was like, OK, whatever,

(01:23:02):
if that trust me, I. Can actually look at like your
vendor list and tell you it was not 100K.
No, it wasn't. But I'm very grateful for all
the vendors on board. We were still definitely looked
after being in the industry. Obviously people wanted to be a
part of the wedding if you were to like.
Literally reverse a class the. Same thing.
Nothing. I changed nothing.
Oh wow. We had the best.
Day no wedding regret. No wedding regret.

(01:23:24):
Awesome, no? That's incredible.
Yeah, if all. If I was to pick one, OK.
If I was to pick one I was annoyed at, I hate it because
people are going to go and research and look at who it was,
but whatever. I was annoyed at the Zafir group
because I specifically requestedblack and white.
I was. This might sound deverish, but
it was the only thing because I don't like when they walk in
looking sloppy. OK, I like bow ties.

(01:23:46):
I like white shirts. It was a black tie event.
So if there was one thing, it was that a drummer came in with
a red drum strap. So OK, it annoyed me.
And there was a, there was a 8 year old kid part of the Zafi,
which is fine if I knew about it, but I didn't know about it.
And then part of the band that Iactually part of the Zafi that I
paid for didn't rock up because he went on a last minute flight

(01:24:07):
to Lebanon on that day. But it's not like we got
compensated and it's not I felt,I felt the energy these things
happen at. Weddings, I know, but.
I I felt it because I know how it should feel and I felt
something was missing. But me as a bride, I didn't let
that bother me in the moment 'cause then people see what
bothers you. Yeah, so I we still had and
that's why I say I don't regret anything 'cause we genuinely had

(01:24:30):
the best day. That's awesome.
So that's 6 figure. It was worth it.
So did like. Daily Mail just like randomly
just write an article about you have no idea.
I have no idea, but we did have a few people that want to talk
to me further. I didn't put it out there, but I
was like, no, because I'm like they just.
Who wrote the article? Yeah, 100 grand up there until
you announce Definitely it was. More than 100 grand Yeah, you

(01:24:52):
know you know the cost so yeah, it's but.
Yeah, it's expensive. It was amazing.
We don't regret it. So for those that you know,
think it's a waste of money, we don't regret it at all.
It was beautiful. I'd do the same thing over
again. That's awesome.
Yeah. Cheers.
To you. Man, cheers to you.
Cheers to 20/25/2025. I wish you all.
The best with your podcast and your family and thank you and

(01:25:16):
your health. Thank you.
Most importantly, I've got a drink.
Otherwise bad luck. Cheers, bye.
Everyone.

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