In this heartwarming and real conversation, Joanne Kaminski sits down with long-time community member and reading tutor, Malissa Stoudymire, to talk about her incredible journey from a career in advertising to becoming a powerful force for change in the lives of struggling readers.

Melissa opens up about:✔️ Her shift from the corporate world to the classroom
✔️ Why her background in business helped her grow her tutoring practice
✔️ The magic of working 1:1 with struggling readers
✔️ What it's really like to run a reading intervention business online
✔️ And why being in a strong community helped her skip years of trial and error

Whether you're a teacher looking to pivot, a tutor feeling stuck, or someone trying to figure out how to serve struggling readers more effectively—this episode is for you.

✨ Key Takeaways:

• How mentorship fast-tracked Melissa’s growth

• What it's like to move from group instruction to personalized support

• The confidence shift that comes from knowing your worth

• Real talk about pricing, boundaries, and building long-term student relationships

• Why trying to figure it out alone will slow you down