We’re looking forward to introducing you to Melissa Champion. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Melissa, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What battle are you avoiding?
I think the battle I’m avoiding is the one between survival and expansion. For so long, I’ve operated in “do what it takes to stay afloat” mode. I’ve been working 4 jobs to keep myself financially stable, and it has taken all of my time. Months without days off, double work days, new pitches, etc. take up every day of the week and then some. I have been juggling teaching, photography, alcohol vending and social media management for several years, and life has been about been about stability and financial repair, not possibility.
Right now, I know I’m ready to step into a new chapter where I lead with creativity, purpose, and freedom instead of fear.
Letting go of old patterns of overwork still scare me a bit, and much of what I am wanting to do next will again require more work upfront, so I am battling some avoidance there. I am ready to have more freedom and ease to try to get back to living a good life, one that is filled with purposeful work, downtime, and meaningful relationships.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Melissa Champion, a photographer, social media strategist, and creative entrepreneur based in Denver. I wear a few hats—teaching art and photography at a High School, managing content for several Denver based businesses, and building my own brand: The Wild Pivot, which is all about creative reinvention and healing from burnout. My work bridges storytelling, visual design, and mindset.
A few years ago, my life completely fell apart financially and emotionally, and rebuilding it forced me to look at how creativity and survival can coexist. That experience reshaped everything about how I live and work. Now, I help brands, and people, show up more authentically, whether that’s through visuals, strategy, or self-discovery.
Right now, I’m developing digital resources and launching The Wild Pivot brand to help others find their footing during big life shifts. I want my work to be a reminder that it’s never too late to start again or to build something real from the mess. Eventually I would love to start a podcast or course that also speaks to large life transitions, and the resilience and creativity that are found in so many stories of reinvention.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that equated worth with overworking has definitely served its purpose. I also think that the fear of doing less means financial and personal failure. Most of my life, I believed that the more I pushed, produced, or achieved, the better I’d feel. That drive helped me survive some really hard seasons, Especially when I had so many financial crises several years ago all at once. And, It definitely helped me pull myself back up – but it’s not how I want to live anymore. I’m learning to work smarter, strategize, and am trying allow rest and fun into my life again. It’s a process, but I think there are ways that rest, creativity, and purpose can coexist.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain when I realized it was actually what connected me to other people. For years, I struggled with depression and undiagnosed ADHD and never really felt like I fit anywhere. Eventually, the masking and the overthinking and overworking began to take a toll on my physical health. Then I had a month where a mass amount of debt was accrued from housing and healthcare costs. That created more overworking, to a point where there wasn’t much to hide behind.
That breaking point became the start of something new. I began sharing what was real—burnout, healing, rebuilding—and people didn’t look away. They related. I’m still figuring things out; there are days that feel messy and hard. But I’ve learned that the labels don’t have to define me. They can explain part of my story, but they don’t get to set the limits. Finding strategies that actually help me grow and feel grounded are where I have built back confidence and have begun to feel like I have more power to navigate life’s challenges. That’s what The Wild Pivot is all about—turning the hard parts into something that helps others too.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
If there’s one belief I’m committed to, no matter how long it takes, it’s that we can rebuild our lives from anywhere. That healing, purpose, and creativity aren’t things we find once, or things that have any final product. They’re things we revisit and practice over and over throughout our lives. The Wild Pivot is part of that for me. It’s the ongoing project of turning everything I’ve learned through burnout, reinvention, and self-work into something that helps others find their own way forward too.
I don’t know how long it will take or what it will look like next, but I know I’m not done expanding the concept and building something I am proud of. That’s the part I’m committed to. I want to keep showing up, learning, and trying to live in a way that feels authentic and positive, that has the potential to serve others as well.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Honestly, most of what I’m doing right now probably won’t pay off for 7–10 years. I’m rebuilding from the inside out. I am learning how to create a life that actually fits me instead of just surviving one that doesn’t. The work I’m doing on myself, my healing, and my creative direction isn’t something that shows immediate results, but I know it’s shaping who I’m becoming.
I’m also building The Wild Pivot slowly and intentionally. I want to create a foundation that can grow into something real and sustainable, whether that’s digital products, resources, or community. It’s not flashy or fast, but it’s deeply rooted. I think the payoff will be freedom. I hope it is financial, emotional, and creative. I will be proud to know I built it all from a place of truth and intention – and with the purpose of serving others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://greenlilyphotography.zenfolio.com
- Instagram: @mcmediadenver
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-champion-3369531/
Image Credits
Photos : Melissa Champion
Images of Melissa : Jenn Mena-Wenstrom
