Revised & Co. is more than just a company.
It is a brand run by a goal driven mama who has a knack for helping others reach their goals. When I was first introduced to Melissa, I loved her positivity and the concept of a goal planner. But as she has unfolded her story to me (and all of you!), I have come to appreciate her journey and the use of a goal planner even more. Sit back and take notes. You don’t want to miss the interview.
BYOK: Let’s start by a brief introduction about you, Melissa!
Melissa: Revise and Co. been such a labor of love and a passion project for me. It really was a life giving project that I created for myself because I was in need of a change in my life. The pandemic changed a lot for me, but I have always felt like I couldn’t speak about it because in comparison to others, I didn’t loose much. My blog Glammed Events was a big side gig, it generated a pretty penny for me and my family. I shared content on home decor, remodeling, recipes and other lifestyle topics ..and it was doing really well. I worked with big brand companies and it was just fun. It didn’t feel like work to me, I just loved it. and then… the virus came, shut down the world and I dedicated my life to helping educate my kids.
I have two amazing, brilliant and just sweet kids, who happen to learn differently. We have everything from dyslexia to ADD in our household- and I call that our super powers. So, I closed my laptop and dedicated my time teaching my kids how to learn in a virtual environment. I still look back at that time fondly, I loved spending all that time with my kids and how we grew closer as a family. In the end I sacrificed Glammed Events and my dream of working on something that I passionately loved.
Two years after the pandemic, summer of 2022, while on vacation on a couple’s retreat -I had a lot of time to think about my current reality. I had taken care of everyone else for the past two years, making sure they reached their goals, thrived and chased their dreams. I loved encouraging and speaking to life to others, but I was running dry. I had invested so much of myself to others, especially my family at the expense of myself. Some how I convinced myself that it was okay to put my goals and my dreams last.
Something happened that summer. I am still not sure what it was, or how it came to be, but I found myself sitting down on a wood Adirondack chair, staring at the mountains of Utuado, Puerto Rico – completely surrounded by nature. Everything was good, life was good – the hubby was thriving at work, the kids had an amazing school year…but what about me? I suddenly came face to face with the reality that I abandoned myself. I no longer did things for me, I haven’t posted in a while – all I knew is that I had big dream and I wanted to do something BIG! I was determined.
As soon as I got to home from vacationing down in Puerto Rico (July 2022), I began my goal setting journey. I wanted to build a business based on my passions and so I sat down with my thoughts and began to dream, make vision boards, I wrote down lots of goals and plans and how to break them down into smaller goals. My goal was to do ONE thing each day that would get me closer to that dream. In the end, I created an incredible business plan for a business I truly didn’t want to do. But you know what I did discover- that the tool I had created to get me to that place was amazing. It was something that I could use again and again. I learned not to be afraid to fail because each time I failed, I learned something new about myself. It was a revision of my life. That’s how revise and co. was born; out of the passion to revise my life. It wasn’t about reinventing myself or creating a new me. It was all in me along, I was created for more, it just needed a little revision.
I sat down with this amazing tool, worked on it with my best friend -the incredibly talented Mindy Dunlap- who just happens to be a screenwriter and by the end of October of that year the Revise Goal Planner was done. It happened that fast. I was all in. For those four months I lived and breathed Revise and Co.
BYOK: What exactly is a goal planner?
Melissa: The Revise Goal Planner is not your average planner, its more of a guide book that has a 1 year planner at the end of it. It is specifically designed to empower our readers to personalized their goals and then help them achieve them within a 1 year. This planner is different in that it starts with a fill-in-the-blank section to guides users on how to set goals. I believe goal setting is an art that we must learn, practice and hone. The more we practice it, the more we get out of it. This goal planner is designed for everyone who wants to learn the art of goal setting.
BYOK: What are three tips for using the goal planner
Melissa: My first advice is (1) invest in your self. I encourage you to take a day off, uninterrupted, where you can focus on creating a great foundation for the rest of your year.
(2) Contrary to popular opinion – don’t start in January! We are so busy in December, then January comes around and before you know it valentine’s day is upon us. We look at our goals and get discouraged because we have “waisted” a couple of month! I say start your GOAL YEAR a little later, but be intentional about booking your planning day! Schedule that day off and follow the instructions on the book. Dare to take a day off for YOU, because you are worth it, you deserve it. I feel like this is a vital component of success with the book.
(3) Be consistent with the planner book. Consistency is not about taking overwhelming, huge steps, it’s about taking one small daily action each day.
BYOK: What is some good advice for utilizing the planner?
Melissa: l love this question. I say dare to invest in yourself. Period. Make yourself a priority every. single. day. Use your phone, set an alarm ( this time can be during your lunch break, while the kids nap during the day, first thing in the morning while everyone is asleep still, right before you open your laptop. Maybe it’s not grabbing the phone first thing in the morning) however that looks like for you, just make time. We are all so busy- I know but I encourage you to guard your “me time”. It doesn’t take very long and the positive shift that occurs in your mind will be mind blowing. Join our Facebook community, ask questions and find an accountability partner.
BYOK: Who are these planners designed for?
Melissa: In my heart, this book was designed for women who want a life change, for those who want to create a shift in the atmosphere of their life. To empower women to discover and fully live in the calling over their lives. BUT, anyone can use it. It is such a powerful tool.
BYOK: How has the planner helped you personally?
Melissa: Like I mentioned before, this book was born out of my own journey in goal setting. I have lived it, used it and reused it. My life has been transformed because of this goal book, I found financial freedom, I have used its goal principles to find and establish goals for my physical and mental health. It has created a spark on the creative side of my brain, allowing me to blend my creative side with powerful goal setting tools. I am working on other projects and making them user friendly but also aesthetically pleasing.
BYOK: Do you have any other products on the horizon?
Melissa: I am working on Interactive guides, that pair beautifully with the Revise Goal Planner. These are downloadable guides that you can fill in using your phone or laptop, or if you are like me and love writing with a cute colorful pen- you can also print them and fill them out. The topics are so practical I think most of us will relate to them and want to use them. The goal is to create resources that encourage you to live a peace-filled, balanced, goal driven life. I am also going to be offering one-on-one coaching (for individuals or a small group) in person or via zoom, starting this fall AND coming soon… we are working on putting together a one day Goal Conference!!!!! Stay tune for so much more!!
BYOK: Where can we buy a planner of yours?
Melissa: The goal planner is available on my website www.reviseandco.com/planner-shop we are also on Etsy and coming soon, we will be on amazon!
BYOK: Any other fun info we should know?
Melissa: We have just created a Facebook Group. Where we will be sharing lots of amazing news and tips. Our goal is to build a community of goal center individuals that want to live with purpose and intention, who are looking for community support. To join the Revise & Co Community click this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/567417058827846
