Melissa Pruett is the owner of Melt, a beauty salon specializing in brow, lash & skin care in Scottsdale. Originally from Denver, Melissa moved to Arizona for some “soul searching” and found her passion helping women to look and feel their best by embracing their natural beauty. Learn more about Melissa of Melt …
Hometown: Denver, CO
First Job: I started working when I was 8 but my first “official” job was at Subway when I was in high school. I still chuckle because this was seriously one of my favorite jobs! I loved opening the store all by myself on Sunday mornings, chopping up a plethora of veggies, proofing loaves of bread & ensuring that the cookies I baked were ever-so-slightly underdone. (I mayyy or may not have eaten half of every gooey batch.) I also happened to be the undefeated champ of the Fastest Sandwich Making Contest! A true “Sandwich Artíst” haha!
Favorite AZ restaurant: Living in a place with a zillion incredible restaurants, being a total foodie and eating out for all of my meals makes this choice a real challenge! But rain or shine, you’ll find me every morning, post-workout, at The Breakfast Club in Old Town. Doing some work, sipping some black coffee, and likely eating the same order I’ve had for the past 5 years straight. It’s my favorite time and meal of the day; I call it my “Holy Hour”.
Person who has impacted your life the most: As a woman who has overcome tremendous adversity and portrayed unconditional love, my mom has undoubtedly impacted my life most. I made the sudden decision to not pursue medical school (a plan I had since I was 6) so I moved to AZ for some “soul searching”. This is one of many controversial, spontaneous risks I took in order to find the life I wanted to live and my mom is the only person who never second-guessed me. She is my biggest cheerleader, my unwavering support, and the lady who will totally talk your ear off while bragging about her kids. She’ll whisper, with her sweet, southern charm, “I’m so proud of you, my baby girl, and I always knew you’d make it in whatever you put your mind to.”
Your biggest accomplishment in your eyes: Living life by my own terms is a rare accomplishment in my eyes. It’s too easy to follow the path of “shoulds” only to wake up one day realizing you’ve merely been going through the motions of life. It’s much more challenging to define your own values and proudly stick to them, despite what others may think. I make the huge sacrifices, accept that I may be misunderstood or even disliked, and refuse to settle for mediocrity, which has allowed me to create a life I love.
The biggest obstacle you have overcome: The obstacles I’ve overcome constantly humble me. I spent 3 years after college trying to figure out “who I was supposed to be”. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t low moments of feeling lost and confused. But once I redefined my goals and dreams, I was relentless in making them a reality. I’ll never stop reflecting on how far I’ve come. From 16+ hour days, working 3 jobs simultaneously, barely making ends meet, and doing eyebrows on my kitchen counter top. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Someone who inspires you: My daily boost of inspiration comes from listening to Robin Sharma’s Mastery Sessions on YouTube. I was lucky enough to attend his Personal Mastery Academy last June in Toronto. Following his work and implementing his teachings has completely transformed my life!
Favorite quote: My favorite quote of the moment by Robin Sharma: “Today, be brave enough to be vulnerable. And strong enough to be authentic.”
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: To anyone pursuing a new career, remember that every professional was once an amateur. We live in an age of infinite opportunity and knowledge at our fingertips. Find a niche, develop your unique style, and commit to continuous learning in order to become a master at your craft. It takes so much more than passion to be legendary. If you want to be the top 5%, you must be willing to do what 95% of people are unwilling to do.
What makes someone fabulous: Growth is truly fabulous. Whether personal or professional, progress made through consistent, daily improvements creates a sure-fire way to become a more inspired, creative, and authentic version of you to share with this world.
Learn more about Melissa and her business Melt at meltbymelissa.com.
