MEMBER PROFILE
DEB WILEY
Melinda Myers: A Teacher at Heart
© PHOTO MARK AVERY
Melinda Myers has an objective. Really, it’ s the objective. It’ s the first thing on her resume, right after her name and contact information:“ Helping people grow their gardens, landscapes and careers.”
It’ s no stretch to say that’ s also her calling. It’ s what she was born to do.“ I look at everything I do as teaching,” she said.“ Being on TV and radio is a job, but what I do is educate and inspire people through gardening.”
After graduating with a degree in horticulture from Ohio State University, Myers’ first job was as director of the Young Adult Conservation Corp. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her nine-member crew, ages 16 to 23, were neither in school nor working a job. Here, she was their student.“ They taught me what their lives were like,” Myers said.
That two-year stint, which included maintaining the University of Wisconsin Extension Service’ s urban test gardens, led to a job as a home horticulture agent at UW Cooperative Extension and associate professor with tenure, followed by a year as director.
“ It gave me a taste of how to maximize your reach with limited resources,” Myers said.“ I look back and see how that path led me here.”
JOINED GWA IN 1981
Her hiring at Cooperative Extension meshed with Myers’ decision to attend her first GWA meeting in 1981.“ I joined for information about new products and exposure to the industry,” she said. GWA, then known as GWAA( Garden Writers Association of America) was more affordable than other meetings, and valuable for the connections, access to products and camaraderie.“ I always feel better when I come back from Garden Writers,” she said.
As a way of giving back, Myers served two terms as a regional director from 1996 to 1998 and two terms as a national director from 2008 to 2013, giving her valuable information about“ seeing the inside of an organization and running a business.”
Melinda Myers has parlayed her horticulture background into a brand with international reach.
Seeking a way to have an impact on a larger scale, Myers took a job as a landscape operation supervisor, then as assistant city forester for the city of Milwaukee, negotiating contracts, doing arbitration, and creating jobs. Her four years with the city“ was a great experience, and I loved the environment, but I missed the teaching part.”
ALWAYS TEACHING OTHERS
Milwaukee Area Technical College hired her as a horticulture instructor, where she taught courses such as woody ornamental identification, job site communication, specifics of landscape maintenance and residential landscaping. In 2006, she left to become president and CEO of Melinda Myers, LLC.
“ It was a hard choice. My( freelance) business was growing, and I had to either shut down my business or leave teaching,” she said. Her first inkling that she might not stay in a traditional teaching job came when the president of the technical college urged faculty to think outside the box.“ I realized I don’ t have a box,” Myers said.
Budget cuts made leaving both necessary and exciting. Myers wrote her first book. A radio station wanted her to stay on the air. She broke into TV and newspapers.“ It was scary. My jaw was clenched for six months.”
Myers’ flexibility gave her an opportunity to“ find partnerships and creative solutions,” she said.“ I’ ve done a lot of things that didn’ t make me money, but gave me connections. Nothing hurt me but lost time.”
GUIDING PRINCIPLES Today, Myers has two employees and an advisory committee. She clearly maps out her personal brand and works hard to co-brand“ Melinda Myers” with other organizations and products. She uses three guiding principles as yardsticks for growth:“ Does it educate and inspire through gardening? Does it expand our reach? And, are we having fun?”
Success means Myers now can be selective
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