Rising Stars: Meet Melissa Farnsworth of Wadsworth

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

Hi Melissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story begins at an ending.
One short conversation at the funeral of a beloved family member led me somewhere I had no idea I was going. I was asked to take a look at a local storefront that a relative owned and hoped to turn into a wellness center.

At the time, I was a licensed massage therapist turned licensed cosmetologist, and my only dream was to have my carpenter husband build a small addition onto our quiet little home, a cozy, charming salon, much like Dolly Parton’s character Truvy’s in Steel Magnolias.

It was purely through the nudging of a friend and a prayer that I said yes… and kept saying yes. Eight years later, I’m the owner of a wellness center that includes a salon, spa, café, functional medicine practice, and float center. It is not lost on me that I refer to it as the wellness center that feels like home.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
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Is that even a thing? Are there business owners who’ve had a smooth road? If so, give me their numbers! I’d love to talk to them! I didn’t know they existed!

Our business is really multiple businesses in one, and even that has layers. Every one of our service providers in the salon and spa owns their own business, which means they rent space from us. On top of that, we own and operate our own marketplace and float center, both with employees, as well as a café with its own staff.

Attracting and keeping the right people at Marigold has definitely been a challenge, but honestly, I believe we’ve been far more blessed than most. I can’t say enough wonderful things about our team.

If I had to name one of the hardest parts, though, it would be marketing, getting people to know about your business and then, in our case, having an entire education piece for something as unique as a float center. That’s its own animal!

We’re tucked away in a quaint little town, and while we get tons of traffic passing through our circle, it’s still a challenge to get people to step inside our doors.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As the owner of a brick-and-mortar business, it’s almost impossible to list everything you do, and I say that without a hint of narcissism or martyrdom. It’s kind of like explaining childbirth: if you don’t have a frame of reference, you just can’t quite grasp it unless you’ve been through it.

When I first began this journey as a business owner and manager, I felt completely unequipped and unworthy. But about a year in, I realized that my life had uniquely prepared me for this wild and diverse list of responsibilities.

What I’m most proud of are the relationships I’ve built. Eight years in, many of the people who are with us have been here for years, and together we’ve created a work home that truly feels like home. We’re part of each other’s lives, we cheer for each other’s kids, bring meals when someone’s sick, and even when we disagree, we’re more committed to finding common ground than to being “right.”

In so many ways, it feels like our own little utopia—and I’m deeply proud of that.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We are a wellness center, so we are always looking for like-minded people to collaborate with.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marigoldsharon.com
• Instagram: @marigoldwellness_
• Facebook: Marigoldwellness