Mellow Doodles began for one main reason - my mental health. It had deteriorated drastically, forcing me to leave my job as an art teacher. I was trying to find a path forward that would allow me to work whilst getting better. So I began illustrating and slowly built up the confidence to share my words alongside drawings too. I felt a pull - to turn the hardest time in my life into something positive. Maybe I could help others with what I was learning. And maybe it would keep me going too.
In 2017 I took part in The Prince's Trust Enterprise programme and it was here that the idea for Mellow Doodles started to develop!
For quite a while it was just a side business whilst I painted portraits full time. Then, in October 2018, I decided to leave my art behind and go full time on Mellow Doodles.
It was a gut feeling. A feeling that if I took the plunge, it could turn in to something magical. It was scary at the time, but I knew I needed to take the risk, put all my energy in to it and find out what could be possible. There have been so many moments over the last few years where I have felt an enormous amount of gratitude for that past version of me for listening and acting on that instinct.
Over the last few years, so much has happened.
At the time of writing, my social media pages have grown to over 200,000 followers across platforms and my mental health messages are reaching people all over the world.
I've worked for incredible companies and charities such as Time To Change, ITV, The Prince's Trust, Schuh and TOMS.
Happy, pink packages filled with Mellow Doodles goodies are shipped all over the world.
And in 2020, I was awarded Businessperson of the Year at The Mercury Business Awards. That was a special moment for me. With all the odds we'd faced, I really felt I'd made little Melissa proud.
Thank you for being on this journey with me - whether you're new here or you've supported Mellow Doodles from the tiniest of beginnings, I'm so grateful for you!
Melissa x
