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Reflections of Today - Oct 2

Updated: Oct 6

blog title banner - text title: The Art of Island Life, Melissa Mitchell - Padre Island Art Gallery. Image includes logo of Melissa Mitchell Art & Design

10/02/2025

Clipboard with paper that reads “Reflections of Today — Notes from the in-between places,” styled with flowers, coffee, and creative workspace items. Reflections of Today is a blog series by Melissa Mitchell sharing behind-the-scenes thoughts, creativity, and lessons from the in-between places.

Reflections of Today

✨ This isn’t an announcement of news or a special event, just an in-between space for sharing behind-the-scenes thoughts and honest reflections.


This week brought one of those moments worth pausing on. I was honored to be the guest speaker at the Network Before Work meeting this week brought to our local business professionals by Padre Island Business Association. I had a great time presenting and it was an energizing morning of connection, collaboration, and real conversation about one of the topics that can feel a little “scary” for many of us — selling without sounding salesy.


Open book page titled “The Art of Selling with Courage” by Melissa Mitchell, featuring a clean minimalist design with logo watermark. The Art of Selling with Courage by Melissa Mitchell explores authentic sales, connection over pitches, and showing up with heart in business.

As business owners, we’ve all wrestled with fears in sales. Through my own experiences — from my early days of cold calls in the medical field, to building client trust at the dog daycare business, to mentoring shy artists in the gallery — I’ve learned that courage in selling isn’t about being fearless. It’s about showing up with authenticity and turning the process into a connection, not a pitch.


Here are a few of the key takeaways I shared:


  • Fear # 1: Sounding Pushy

    Connection starts when we lead with curiosity. Ask about them first. People remember the feeling you leave them with — not your pitch.


    Cozy autumn scene with coffee, leaves, and notebook that reads “People don’t buy your pitch. They buy the way you make them feel,” alongside a turtle sticker that says “Fear ends where courage begins.” Quote from Melissa Mitchell: “People don’t buy your pitch. They buy the way you make them feel.” From The Art of Selling with Courage series.

  • Fear # 2: Being Forgotten

    Facts fade, but stories stick. Share short stories that show why your work matters and create a lasting connection.


Colorful sticky notes with words like Stories, Connection, Spark, Emotion, Authentic, Trust, Loyalty, and Relatable, plus a turtle sticker that reads “Fear ends where courage begins.” Sticky note reminders from Melissa Mitchell: stories, connection, trust, and authenticity are what make selling with courage meaningful and memorable.

  • Fear # 3: Closing the Sale

    Closing isn’t about pressure — it’s about making the next step clear and easy. Follow up personally, make it simple to reach you, and don’t be afraid to make the path to purchase straightforward.

Chalkboard with the handwritten formula “Closing = clarity + options + ease,” with a turtle sticker that reads “Fear ends where courage begins.” Melissa Mitchell’s selling with courage lesson: closing isn’t pressure — it’s clarity, options, and ease. A formula for connection over sales tactics.

And because it’s October, I couldn’t resist weaving in this reminder: don’t be spooked by selling. Fear ends where courage begins.

Everyone at the event received one of these stickers to take with them—a little reminder to tuck on a notebook, water bottle, or coffee mug—or to pass along. My hope is that each time they see it, it reminds them that in business and in life, they’ve already faced and conquered more than they realize.


Sticker design by Melissa Mitchell of a watercolor sea turtle with the words “Fear ends where courage begins.” Fear ends where courage begins — a Melissa Mitchell original sticker design featuring a watercolor sea turtle as a symbol of courage and resilience.

And honestly, the best part of the morning came after the talk — in the brainstorming and collaboration that followed. Business owners here on the Island are eager to work together, and I believe those conversations will spark some exciting new initiatives in the months ahead.


Because at the end of the day, selling with courage isn’t about slick pitches or polished words. It’s about connection, collaboration, and showing up with heart.


And really that’s the bigger lesson for all of us here: we don’t have to do this alone. When we share stories, recommend one another, and look for ways to lift each other up, we make it less likely for our businesses to be forgotten.


That’s the vision behind some of the conversations beginning to take shape — whether it grows into an Island B2B network, an “Island Explorer,” a welcome experience, or some version of them all. The details will come, but the heart of it is simple: when we work together, we’re all stronger for it.


📌 If you’d like a copy of the one-pager I created for this group — a simple reminder you can keep on your desk or tuck in your notebook — click to get it here:


Thanks for walking alongside me in both the art and the in-between places.


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