In this heartwarming and real conversation, Joanne Kaminski sits down with long-time community member and reading tutor, Malissa Stoudymire, to talk about her incredible journey from a career in advertising to becoming a powerful force for change in the lives of struggling readers.
Melissa opens up about:✔️ Her shift from the corporate world to the classroom
✔️ Why her background in business helped her grow her tutoring practice
✔️ The magic of working 1:1 with struggling readers
✔️ What it's really like to run a reading intervention business online
✔️ And why being in a strong community helped her skip years of trial and error
Whether you're a teacher looking to pivot, a tutor feeling stuck, or someone trying to figure out how to serve struggling readers more effectively—this episode is for you.
✨ Key Takeaways:
How mentorship fast-tracked Melissa’s growth
What it's like to move from group instruction to personalized support
The confidence shift that comes from knowing your worth
Real talk about pricing, boundaries, and building long-term student relationships
Why trying to figure it out alone will slow you down