Hi, I’m Melody!

I got started on my journey as an entrepreneur when my parents bought my first computer as a Christmas gift when I was 12. I grew up in a rural town in the backwoods of South Carolina where very few young, Black girls at the time had access to the internet in their house, let alone a computer.  Back when AOL Internet was hot, dial-up was the norm, and just a few years before Facebook was created. My fascination with the internet was my escape from my father who was an alcoholic and my mother who pretended it was normal. I soon created my own little reality through cyberspace by connecting with people from all over the world. A few of them I’m still in communication with to this day.

Through my online community of friends, I noticed a lot of them were building websites (fansites) of their favorite celebrities. Amazed, I reached out to one of my friends in Poland and asked her how did she do it. Keep in mind, I was 13 and I believe she was 14. She told me I had to learn HTML and CSS and sent me a few links to get started (this was also before YouTube, so no video tutorials). One of them was Lisa Explains, a popular website that was started by a kid and created for kids who wanted to learn web coding. After studying and mastering my new skill, within three months I launched my first website.

At 19, the summer before my Sophomore year in college, I launched my first business as a web designer. Truth be told, I was a broke college student trying to hustle my way through school so I could afford roadtrips and new clothes. I also understood the importance of having work experience, which was necessary to land a job. Within six months of graduating with a Bachelor Degree in Graphic Design, I landed my first job as a graphic and web designer.

After running my web design business for 10 years, I decided it was time to hang the coat on the rack and leave it there. My passion for building websites has evolved along with my personal and professional needs to grow.

Now, I’m a Facebook ad strategist for organizations and business leaders who are ready to grow your business and make an impact online using social media marketing and creative strategy.

I’ve worked with notable nonprofit organizations just as Girl Scouts and Black Girls Code, spearheaded social media marketing and advertising campaigns for small businesses and startups, and my work has been featured in respectable publications such as the New York Times.

Are you ready to take your online marketing to the next level? I work with nonprofits, colleges, progressive political organizations, government agencies and small businesses.

For small business owners, check out my services page.

For nonprofits, colleges, progressive political organizations, and government agencies, please reach me at melody@melodycthomas.com for a custom quote.

1. I love to travel! I’ve been to 11 countries so far! Favorite place? Hmm.. It’s a three-way tie between Paris, France, Cairo, Egypt and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2. I’m an advocate for STEM education, particularly for young girls of color.
3. I used to love watching TV and could sit in one spot for hours watching Martin marathons. I went from being a TV junkie to not watching TV at all. I keep myself updated on current events through online channels.
4. I built my first website at age 12. Dead serious. My parents bought my first computer when I was 11 and I somehow, weirdly enough fell madly in love with teaching myself how to code HTML and CSS. I didn’t think it’ll be the stepping stone to my career 10 years later.
5. I love to cook – and I CAN cook – but if I had a choice, I’d hire someone to cook for me. That’ll come sooner rather than later. Because: Goals.
6. Since 2014, I launched a nationally-participated annual scholarship for undergraduate students
7. I used to be a bartender and that skill alone has taught me the science of mixing a bomb ass drink.
8. I believe in investing in coaches and mentors and I’ve spent over half of my income back into my business. You can never learn too much.
9. I think Facebook is a gift and a curse. A beautiful gift for business owners, but a curse for people that abuse it.
   
10. The Alchemist is the best book I’ve ever read gifted by my first mentor. It literally changed my life. I believe the Universe conspires in giving you exactly what you want.