Melinda Emerson

Melinda Emerson, known as "SmallBizLady," is one of America's leading small business experts. She is a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, social media strategist and small business coach and the Start-Up columnist for Small Business Trends. Melinda has lectured on small business at The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Rosemont College and for clients including: IKEA, Verizon, GlaxoSmithKline, National Association of Women Business Owners, PA Governor's Conference for Women, U.S. Department of Labor, International Association of Business Communicators, the Small Business Administration, and the Center for Women's Business Research. Her areas of expertise include small business start-up, recession-proof marketing and social media strategy. Melinda Emerson began her professional career in television as a producer. Within five years, inspired by Oprah Winfrey's HARPO Studios, Inc., she left television to pursue her entrepreneurial dream to create an award-winning production company. As the founder and CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda has created productions for clients such as Johnson & Johnson, Verizon, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Comcast and Radio-One. Melinda hosts #Smallbizchat a weekly talk show on Twitter. #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Melinda also blogs at Succeed As Your Own Boss. Emerson's first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works is being released in March 2010 by Adams Media. She has also recorded an audio CD, 10 Things You Must Never Forget in Business. Melinda has been featured on NBC Nightly News and in the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report and Black Enterprise. She is a graduate of Virginia Tech. Melinda Emerson has also won numerous awards including Top 50 Women in Business in Pennsylvania, Top 30 Leaders of the future by Ebony Magazine, and the National Association of Women Business Owners' Woman of Distinction Award. Melinda is a dedicated wife, mother and woman business owner who lives in Philadelphia, PA.