Melissa Wong
Q What do you do?
“I am a life/career coach for creatives who want to bring more clarity, boldness and financial profit to their work. ”
I also coach working professionals who are looking to pivot their careers into a more creative field.
I’m the host of ‘Coherence Podcast”, a show about how multi-talented creatives working across mediums and industries make sense of all the different things they do
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
I started my career as a community builder, supporting audiophiles and musicians at SoundCloud and later the project creators at Kickstarter. I ran an IRL community event space that I co-founded, New Women Space, which gave me experience creating services and learning about the goals and the struggles of solopreneurs, small business owners and organizers. My fuel has always been about bringing people into better connection with what lights them up and to not feel alone in their pursuits.
I arrived at coaching when I realized that I am much more fulfilled in 1:1 or small group settings. I had always received consistent feedback from friends and colleagues that I should consider being a therapist or coach, so I decided to begin training as a coach in 2019 and I haven’t looked back since!
I completed my coaching certification with the highly reputed Co-Active Training Institute, based in California with a global reach. I completed the certification over 5 intensive training weekends, 6 months of weekly calls, and over 200 client hours. (“Co-Active Training Institute) over the course of a year and have been learning about which type of clients I most love supporting.
I keep coming back to creatives because I see them as pushing our society forward in terms of what we believe is possible and how we make new meaning together.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
My work experience at companies whose sole mission is to support creators, plus the fact that I’ve run my own small business to support creatives and solopreneurs tees me up to have the empathy and informed perspective to help creatives explore avenues that other coaches don’t know about.
I also am a big connector and not afraid to use my networking prowess! I help my clients meet the people who can help advance their careers. One of the things that makes me happiest is making a connection between two people who can benefit from knowing each other.
Q What are you working on right now?
I am spreading the word about Savvy, my money program focused on helping creative income generators (freelancers / self-employed / gig workers / side hustlers) who want to wrap their heads around their finances and set their money mindset right. It is a cohort based program, so the group accountability, sharing, and cross-learning is one of the main benefits of participating.
Q What’s your style?
The art of coaching is knowing how to thread together different coaching skills and knowing which one to use at the right time. I utilize coaching tools like values mining, life purpose, deep inquiry, reframing, metaphor, and use my perceptiveness and intuition about a client to know what tool is best suited for the topic and moment.
More importantly, beyond the tools, is a natural capacity to both set my clients at ease and inspire them to follow through on their goals.
People reflect back to me that I have a calm and grounded energy that helps people connect to a place of their own center; I make them feel held even when pushed; I highlight themes that help them move forward; and I make them feel witnessed and known. They use words to describe me like: Insightful. Kind. Patient. Honest. Inspired. Brave.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Writing! I get to weave my writing skills into my work as a coach by helping people craft coherent narratives about themselves. But I have stories brewing of my own that I would love to see out in the world.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Not having enough time to do everything I want to do! I had my first child in March 2023 and I am learning how to balance time supporting my family with my abundance of ideas and energy for my coaching business. I have to let some ideas go in the process. It’s forcing me to really get clear on the “why” behind what I do and prioritize!
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Cook meals for the family so that I can use that time to spend with my daughter or my clients.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I wish I could go back and talk to myself in college to encourage me to apply for jobs that would give me actual experience in different professional fields. I worked all through college in the service industry, waiting tables and doing catering gigs. It helped me make quick money that I put toward big backpacking trips to see more Europe and Asia but it didn’t leave my resume with anything too substantial at the time I was applying for jobs.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
A really seasoned master coach
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I actually have a waitlist going for my 1:1 practice (though I am always excited to hear from new people!). The main thing I am looking for are people who want to take part in my money program Savvy. It’s the thing I am breathing most new life into and the more people who join the more people who I can help get into a more empowered place with their money.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
I particularly enjoy supporting multi-hyphenate creatives who are working across mediums and need help finding the common threads that run between their creative pursuits and to give those themes shape and structure through narrative support (writing and talking points). I love working with people who are not afraid to be open and vulnerable about what is in their heart and on their mind. I’ve had the fortunate of meeting so many people like this! You can see on my coaching page my client spotlights for a taste of my client base.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
You can add yourself to my waitlist here and I’ll reach out when new spots open so you can book an intro call where I will go over my rates and how we might work together. Or you can email me directly at hello@coherence.studio
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Kayleigh Denner. She is the lovely human behind my web design and illustration. She dreamed up all of the fun images you see on my site and helped me make it feel more custom and distinct that just your average SquareSpace site. Check her out here!
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Talking to people. Rest. I keep a strong network of people I’ve had the fortune to meet over the years. Making time to catch up with people and hear what they’re curious about and striving toward helps stimulate new ideas on my end. Taking breaks. I do find that my best ideas come when I am not sitting at my desk searching for them but more when I am doing something more leisurely like driving, taking a walk or bath. Rest is so important for our creativity!
This member profile was originally published in October 2021, Updated January 2024.