Meet Melissa Werbirch of Werbrich Custom Outdoor Living/Design With Missy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Werbirch.

Hi Melissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been obsessed with creating beauty from whatever I had. I was constantly rearranging my bedroom, begging my parents for a new rug, or saving up for artwork so I could change things up. I loved walking through art stores and imagining what I could make next. My dad, a talented woodworker who also loved to paint and draw, spent his career in the corporate world—miserable in a job he hated. He used to tell me that when he retired, he’d finally do what he loved. That always stuck with me. Even as a kid, I thought, Why wait until you retire? Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and life’s too long to spend it unhappy.

When it came time for college, I wanted to study interior design. My parents weren’t thrilled—they wanted me to choose a “practical” career, something stable like accounting. Funny enough, one of those college aptitude tests split my results right down the middle: accounting or something in the arts. Math came naturally to me, so I followed the safer path. I majored in accounting, but after one year and a miserable co-op, I realized it wasn’t for me. I switched to marketing instead—it seemed like what everyone did when they didn’t quite know what they wanted. I was two semesters away from graduating when Trading Spaces and the rest of those early design shows hit TV, and I felt it in my bones: this is what I was meant to do.

I asked my dad for advice, and he suggested I shadow a few interior design classes. The first class I sat in on was Art History—my least favorite subject. I went to my counselor to see if there was another option, and that’s when I learned that only three of my college credits would transfer into an interior design program. Three. That was the end of that dream—for the time being.

After I graduated with my marketing degree, I moved to Alaska with my Air Force boyfriend. That relationship didn’t work out, but that experience changed my life. It taught me independence and clarity about what I truly wanted: to do something creative, something that made me happy. When I returned home, I finally decided to pursue interior design for real. I quit my comfortable sales job, went back to school, and traded my own apartment and good income for ramen noodles and spaghetti nights—but I was finally on the right path.

My first real design job was at Value City Furniture as a showroom decorator. I got to choose artwork, arrange accessories, and create window displays. I was in heaven. Within a year, I became a regional designer because our showroom’s profits skyrocketed. Clients started asking me to decorate their homes on the side, which helped pay for school. From there, I moved into kitchen and bath design at Sears, where I learned the technical side of remodeling, space planning, and problem-solving.

Over the years, I bounced between corporate design and visual merchandising roles—at The Great Indoors, Frontgate, Luxottica, and Macy’s. Each job taught me something new: how to understand clients, manage large-scale projects, and navigate the complex world of retail design. I even won a Strategize Award at Luxottica for creating a new system to simplify store layouts across hundreds of franchises. That recognition meant more to me than any promotion—it was proof that following my instincts and creativity could make a real impact.

But life has a way of redirecting you. After the recession, layoffs, and my son’s serious health scare, I knew I needed to redefine what “success” meant. I tried a few more corporate roles, but eventually, during COVID, I hit a wall. Like so many others, I struggled mentally during lockdown. I started taking on small design projects for friends, just to feel alive again. And that’s when I realized—I had to get back to designing full-time.

Joining my husband’s business turned out to be the perfect opportunity. With my background at Frontgate, I started helping our clients with outdoor furniture layouts, fabric selection, and space planning. I built a process, created marketing materials, developed vendor relationships, and eventually launched a full design division within the company. What started as helping clients with patios evolved into full interior design projects—and I’ve been busy ever since.

My first major interior project was a modern organic retreat home in Dillsboro, Indiana. It was 18 months of learning, growing, and problem-solving through chaos, but it changed everything. I realized I needed stronger systems and clearer processes, so I invested in professional training and took master classes in project management and design operations. Those courses taught me more about running a design business than any college degree ever could.

Today, I’m proud to say I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. I work with clients who trust me to bring their vision to life, and I get to combine every skill I’ve ever learned—marketing, math, space planning, visual merchandising, and communication—into one career I love.

If I could give advice to anyone struggling to choose their path, it’s this:
Don’t wait until you retire to do what you love. Every detour teaches you something. Every job, every mistake, every heartbreak—it all adds up to where you’re supposed to be.

And I’m finally there.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey to becoming an interior designer hasn’t been easy—it’s been full of detours, setbacks, and hard lessons. I chose the wrong major, moved across the country for a relationship that didn’t last, started over more than once, and worked through toxic corporate jobs, layoffs, and kept turning back to Interior Design. I’ve been broke, burned out, and underestimated, but every challenge pushed me closer to what I was meant to do. Those struggles built the resilience, creativity, and determination that got me to where I am today—doing what I love and finally thriving.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Werbrich Custom Outdoor Living/Design With Missy?
I have a ton of photos of projects if you need them. I didn’t know exactly what photos you were looking for (me or my work). So I uploaded just a couple favorites

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’m not a girly girl as most Interior Designers tend to be. I’m into fashion and the latest styles, but I would rather be in workout clothes and hanging out in nature doing hiking trails. I hiked part of the Appalachian Trail and live in a log cabin.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.designwithmissy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designwithmissy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DesignWithMissy
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/200803/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@designwithmissy