November 05, 2025

Resilience, Curiosity, and Support with Parent Coach Mel White

18 minutes

Finding your purpose in business often means slowing down, getting curious, and being open to an alternative path. For Mel White, that path led from corporate marketing into parent coaching and youth mentorship, where she now works with both teenagers and their parents to create lasting impact.

From Corporate to Coaching

Mel shares how burnout and reflection led her to discover her true purpose. What began as youth mentoring quickly grew into a model that supports both parents and teens, bridging the gaps between lessons learned at home and those gained through coaching.

Facing the Realities of Entrepreneurship

The transition from employee to entrepreneur comes with unique challenges, particularly financial ones. Mel candidly discusses the risks, the privilege of support, and the constant adaptability required to run a purpose-driven business.

Purpose Over Motivation

Motivation is like a spark: powerful at first, but it quickly fades. What sustains entrepreneurs long-term is purpose.

For Mel, regularly reconnecting with her mission and values provides the drive to keep going, even when things don't go as planned. She's rebranded twice, faced setbacks, and leaned on her own coaches for support. Each challenge has reinforced the importance of resilience, reflection, and remembering why the work matters in the first place.

Authenticity Above All

In a world where young people often feel pressured to conform, Mel champions authenticity as the key to confidence. She reflects on Australia's "tall poppy syndrome" and how it can discourage ambition, but insists that shining brightly is worth it.

An anecdote about being described as "an acquired taste" in front of hundreds of people shows how she reframes criticism as affirmation: proof that being yourself won't please everyone, and it shouldn't have to.

Supporting Young Entrepreneurs

Parents and mentors play a critical role in helping young people pursue their ideas. But support, Mel emphasises, isn't about taking over.

Instead, it's about asking open-ended, curious questions, listening with genuine interest, and resisting the urge to immediately "fix" problems. Sometimes, the greatest gift is simply being a sounding board: someone to hear the ideas, celebrate the wins, and calmly acknowledge that setbacks are a natural part of growth.

Highlights