Melissa Hudson
Graphic Artist/Web Designer

Melissa is one girl who can’t sleep because her mind is geared to go. The hum of her computer is no lullaby, and it sings constantly on those marathon nights when her right brain slips in overdrive, Besides, baby Jack is a night owl like his mom, and husband Chris’ snoring stirs Alex, the dog.

But Melissa is comfortable with chaos. She likes it that way. Most creative types do, which explains why she ditched elementary education for a degree in graphic communications from Clemson University. One night, after way too many beers with a friend, Melissa let herself be persuaded to enroll in a summer graphics class.  She did, and it’s been her passion ever since.

Sometimes it’s hard to wrap your mind around what Melissa does. Sitting at the computer is the most obvious part. After that, it gets really technical. The long and short is that Melissa does a lot of stuff, from taking photos and designing Web sites to creating logos and advertisements. Basically, she gives potentially boring stuff sex appeal, so to speak, so businesses have a better chance at getting to first base with clients. Or as she says, “If a picture is worth a thousand words, I talk a lot.”

Melissa’s talents exploded when she worked for the National Wild Turkey Federation, a hunting/conservation organization. Through brochures, magazine layouts, advertisements and T-shirt designs, she brought the group’s message to more than a half a million people all over the world.  And when she convinced higher ups to let her redesign a lackluster Web site, even though she had no formal training in that area, she brought the NWTF’s awareness to a much higher level.

After awhile though, Melissa grew bored with the same routine. Tired of being stiffed creatively and more tired of fighting interstate traffic,  sitting in a cube and working a regular 9 to 5, (far from her preferred vampire hours), she started Dirt Road Media with a friend.

Owning a business has a different kind of hectic that is anything but boring. “It means taking pride in what you do because your name is on the door,” Melissa says. “Owning a business means taking a big risk. You could lose everything or you could win big. It feels like Vegas, baby.

“When I was growing up, I dreamed of living in the city far, far away from Small Town USA. Now, I love that my roots are in South Carolina. But even little ol’ Walhalla is growing. Things don’t stay the same.”

Maybe Walhalla’s transformation in Melissa’s lifetime was a training ground for the rapidly changing technology in her chosen field. There’s a lot to keep up with, and always something new to master.

Melissa does relax though. When she’s not being a mother to her husband and baby or pounding out deadlines on the computer, she likes to watch television and fix up her home in Irmo, S.C. If you need someone to paint or lay hardwood floors and tile, she’s your girl. But it might be smart to catch her while you can. Her dad is building her a hot rod, and once it’s finished, she’s just like we said at the start, geared to go.