Meet Melissa Gaskin | Essential Oil Mentor and Integrative Health Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Gaskin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My first job out of college was in education. I taught early childhood for many years and even completed my Masters Degree. My final year of teaching, I was pregnant with my oldest and knew that I wanted to be able to be present with him and see all of his first milestones. I wasn’t sure what that looked like at that time but I knew that I wanted flexibility to set my own work hours and have true autonomy. Fast forward almost seven years to today- I have flexibility, autonomy, and help others move forward in their financial, health, and wellness goals.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I truly care about people and want to see them move forward towards their goals. When I work with clients, I am so excited when I hear “those oils worked!” or “just adding movement back into my routine has really supported my mental health!” I believe in bio-individuality and that each person has very different health and wellness needs so they should be treated as such. There is no one diet, nutrition plan, or exercise routine that is the magic cure. I guide each of my clients towards their ultimate financial, health, and wellness goals through self-discovery, education, and support. The journey has not been easy and my business isn’t the same today as it was almost seven years ago. As I have faced challenges, I have continued to up level my knowledge, take risks, and most importantly, prioritize my own self-care. I have learned these three lessons: 1. Make time for you. To me this means, take time to rest, get into nature, mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. These practices contribute to sparking creativity and listening to your intuition. So, find a daily routine with self-care!
2. Never stop learning. Find others around you who you can learn from and soak in their vibes. Also, read each day. Read something that fuels your mind and gives you something to process and better understand your newest challenge.
3. Do it scared. Set lofty goals and with bravery, tackle each day. Take the next step scared, learn from your experience, and repeat.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In a little tour of the area, we would start with a stop at Sweet Elizabeth Bakery for the best gluten and dairy free items in Colorado Springs and then explore Garden of the Gods because you cannot visit Colorado without getting into nature! Then, take a day to explore Manitou Springs (play at the Penny Arcade, of course!) and enjoy the unique charm of the community. We would stroll through downtown Colorado Springs and grab a refreshing drink at Pikes Peak Lemonade while doing some local shopping. In the evening, we would go to the Allusion Speakeasy and see the current theme in action! If time allowed, we would make some day trips to Woodland Park and hike in Mueller State Park. In the winter, I would definitely want to take my friends skiing so we would pick a mountain and go! Lastly, I would recommend staying a few nights in Estes Park and enjoy the fishing, hiking, and exploring within that area. You can’t go wrong exploring new areas in Colorado! There is so much to see.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I want to give a shoutout to my amazing husband, Kent Gaskin, who supports me in my dreams each and every day! When I walked away from the education system, I had no clue what doors would open and he has been there through it all with unwavering support, late-night brainstorming sessions, emotional breakdowns, and more. I appreciate and love you, Kent Gaskin!

I dedicate this shoutout to Polkadot Powerhouse, a women’s connection group. I have been a member of this non-traditional group almost six years. At the start of my business, they were in integral piece in finding resources for support and I learned a ton from experiences of others within the group. The beauty of this organization is that it is global. So, almost 5 years ago when we moved to Colorado. I sought out my “Dot sisters” and found an amazing group of them in Highlands Ranch. They threw me a baby shower for my second when they barely knew me and I continued to find inspiration, support, and resources in a new state. Today, this group is still unlike any other networking community that thrives on creating relationships with drama-free, empowering women. It would be very difficult to name all of the Dot women who have impacted me in one way or another. So, Dot Community: THANK YOU for you support, encouragement, and acceptance as I navigate this entrepreneur life!

Website: https://www.melissagaskin.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenwithoils/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissagaskin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melsgaskin

Youtube: https://bit.ly/YoutubeMelissaGaskin

Other: Essential Oil Community and Resources: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eocommunity.melissagaskin.zenwithoils Holistic Community Meetup Group: https://www.meetup.com/sacred-space-holistic-wellness-community/