Michele Pruitt's Tailored Project Management + Event Planning Solutions

Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:

My name is Michele, a mama of 2 kiddos - youngest who is on the spectrum and a mama of a furry doodle. My journey leading to starting MEESH Agency is of perseverance, my faith and my purpose to supporting and empowering others. MEESH Agency is where organizing chaos is an art. We offer tailored project management solutions and business event planning services. Specializing in designing customized project management systems, automating workflows, app integration, ongoing project support and implementation. With our Event Planning services, we manage the event logistics from start to finish. Wether you're planning your next business conference, product launch or even fashion show - we have supported tech startups, marketing/pr agencies, retail and creatives streamline their operations, host impactful events and scale effectively.

Who are your customers?

Startups to mid-size businesses - marketing/pr agencies, retail and creatives.

What was your background prior to starting your own business?

My career journey started when I was 8 years old as a model/commercial actress. As I grew older, my interest of what happens behind the scenes was where I wanted to be. Over the past years, I worked as a people-first leader in retail, marketing, operations and tech. My last position was with a startup company, where I built their Compliance Operations team from the ground up by developing and streamlining processes to get our external workers compliant for our clients. Outside of the corporate world, I took my experience and passions to be a Project Manager and Event Planner freelancer through Upwork and Fiverr which resulted in me starting my own business.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

My main drive that motivated me to start my own business is my kids. My youngest was diagnosed with epilepsy at 6 months old and eventually he was diagnosed with Autism. When he was 1, he was hospitalized for his seizures. I ended up having to leave my corporate job at the time to focus on him. During the next 5 years, I started freelancing again and put myself out there - just doing what I can to take care of my family. Fast forward to COVID lockdown, it was the time my son was able to go to school full-time and I made a promise to myself to get back into the corporate world so I can better provide for my family. I was blessed with a great job and learned so much from that company and although I survived their layoffs in 2023 - it put things in perspective for me to not rely on a company that is not my own of how I should live or provide for my children. If I lost my job tomorrow - what do I have for myself? When I had to leave my corporate job 9 years ago because of what happened to my son, I don't want to experience going through that dark period of my life again. So my journey that has led me here today is about perseverance, and my faith - its guided me to make the best decision for myself and my children.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Since I was a kid, I always wanted to have my own business. I would always do pretend play and create my own stores, make fake money and develop processes of how a store should be run as a kid. Then as I got older, when I was a model - it forces you to learn how to network and make connections if you wanted to get invited to more castings and book a gig. I always enjoyed putting myself out there, taking risks and doing things I'm passionate about. I was also a freelancer for over 6 years and love the opportunity to work with diverse clients, help support them in making decisions for their business and leading/inspiring others.

Take us back to when you first launched your business; what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?

My business just started as me being a freelancer through Upwork and Fiverr. A lot of my clients when I decided to launch my business came from those platforms and then referrals from those clients. I just learned how to optimize my profiles, and how I send proposals. I always had a strategic approach of how I approached clients in order to land a virtual meeting with them.

What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way so far and what have you learned from it?

Wearing all the hats - balancing my business, working my day job and being a mom. I feel that's the biggest challenge but God has guided me to leave my day job now.

What accomplishment are the most proud of to date in your business?

Being able to start my business, gain clients and build genuine relationships with my clients. As an individual and for my business, leading with a people-first mindset is extremely important for me. Not only do I offer my services to my clients but what has helped me better support my clients, was building genuine relationships with my clients and not make it so transactional. I truly believe you can't have a business without your customers, so learning who my clients are, their goals and needs is vital for me to provide the best solutions that fit their business needs.

Do you have any recent wins from the last year that you'd like to celebrate with our community?

Being able to surpass my day job income is a win. I've been on a steady rise throughout this year which has led me to leave my day job and fully focus on my business.

What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?

Now that I will be fully focusing on my business, I'm looking forward to growing my team, growing my brand visibility, and building partnerships. I'm really excited to get out there and network more. With my day job, it made it difficult to make it to networking events and I'm really looking forward to having the chance now.

What is your top productivity tip? 

Automate repetitive tasks, and minimize the amount of platforms you utilize my integrating apps into one tool to make your workflow more streamlined!

On the flip side, how do you avoid burnout?

Learn when to say "no". You're not a superhero and we can't do everything all by ourselves. Give in and hire a virtual assistant to help you.

What is your approach to work-life balance / integration?

This is a work in progress and I'm looking forward to having a better work-life balance since I'm leaving my day job.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?*

I just started but I didn't realize how many warm welcomes I would get from so many like-minded women! When you are so consumed with work and family, it can be hard to find your tribe and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to connect with fellow Entreprenistas!

When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

Tell me something you're passionate about? - My business is built on passion and the people I have hired in the corporate world are those who have been able to give this question depth and they have been my best employees.

Are you a Mamaprenista? If so, please share your best advice for simultaneously managing a business and a family

Yes! Learn when to say "no", hire a virtual assistant and don't be hesitant to ask for help because you can't do or be everything.

What's the one app on your phone you absolutely cannot live without and why?

Monday.com, Google Calendar, Calendly, Notes, ChatGPT

What is your favorite business tool or solution and why?

Monday.com - my favorite project management tool

 What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

You don't grow in your comfort zones. Take risks but make smart decisions and pursue your passions.

Learn more about the Entreprenista League and join today!

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