Melissa was named Fort Worth Magazine’s Best Philanthropist in 2018 and Fort Worth Inc's 400 Most Influential People in 2019. She's a traveling speaker and currently the Founder & Executive Director of The Net, an organization that serves refugees, the homeless, and survivors of trafficking. The Net recently launched a social enterprise called Worthy Co., that employs survivors of trafficking, and today Melissa shares with Rachel Sipperley her journey of justice work in entrepreneurship and social enterprise! 

What you will learn in this episode: 

The incredible story of the Net and Worthy CO, a social enterprise that employees survivors of trafficking

The common misconceptions of prostitution and what you didn’t know about sex trafficking in the United States 

How to incorporate a give-back that impacts people and why People Over Profit matters most 

Tangible Tips:  

Why you need to have a healthy relationship with failure & a healthy "failure culture" at your company

Knowing your why because it will carry you through the tough times

The Entrepreneurial Couple - tips for having a healthy marriage while running multiple businesses

Resources:

The Marriage Journal

https://theroloffs.com/products/themarriagejournal

Start with Why - Simon Sinek

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447

Exodus Cry - anti-trafficking podcast

https://exoduscry.com/

When Helping Hurts - caring for the poor holistically

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802409989/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_eUtyEb1PHAB0H


About Melissa
Melissa graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a degree in social work and has been working with different NGOs locally & globally, serving people in poverty since 2002. She is currently the Founder & Executive Director of The Net, an organization that serves refugees, the homeless, and survivors of trafficking. The Net recently launched a social enterprise called Worthy Co., that employs survivors of trafficking. Worthy Co is set to open their brick and mortar retail store this spring. She is married to her husband of 12 years and has two little girls, Rosie and Justice.
Did You Know?

Melissa is a partner in a restaurant, Brewed, and a mixed used retail and event space called The 4 Eleven in Fort Worth.

She was named Fort Worth Business Press 40 Under 40, and Fort Worth Magazine’s Best Philanthropist in 2018. Named one of Fort Worth Inc's 400 Most Influential People in 2019.

She's a traveling speaker, sharing about the work of justice with her audience.

Melissa is currently a Summit Fellow - 2 year fellowship for social entrepreneurs and non profit visionaries

Her husband was a career musician for most of their marriage - now fellow entrepreneur started/owns his own real estate brokerage, and marketing company, 6th Avenue.


Melissa is a proud adoptive mama of her daughter, Justice.


You can connect and learn more about Melissa and the Worthy Co here:
https://worthy-co.com/
http://www.theices.net/melissa
www.instagram.com/melissaice
www.instagram.com/theworthyco
www.instagram.com/thenetfw