Melissa Haywood Interview

Interview with Melissa Haywood

Melissa Haywood's career started almost 20 years ago, straight out of university, into Direct Marketing whilst also being in the print industry of a different kind. She built her career first managing databases and direct mail, followed by an expansion into a Marketing Director's role that also managed, email, website, display marketing, search marketing and social media. Today, Melissa Haywood is now Head of Vistaprint in Australia and applying all her skills to the exciting world of customised products, helping everyday Australians grow their own businesses successfully.


Question: Can you tell us about Vistaprints current mission?

Melissa Haywood: For small business owners, key moments come up daily. They are the crossroads when an owner can either let something happen or make something happen. And in those moments, the difference between experiencing it and owning it, is looking and feeling professional and prepared. Vistaprint want to help them do that, with expertly designed, up-to-date custom marketing they need for any situation, ensuring their brand looks consistent and cohesive across everything they do. We want to be their "go to" for marketing inspiration, education and assistance.


Question: What advice do you have for young women in the primary stages of their own business?

Melissa Haywood: Don't place limitations on yourself because of how others may perceive your age or gender. I don't necessarily think women are less confident than men, but it's how they communicate that confidence, that leads to ultimate success. Be prepared, demonstrate competence, and act with authenticity – these are your best assets that are ageless and gender neutral qualities.


Question: What knowledge can you share for staying productive and avoiding procrastination?

Melissa Haywood: Sometimes tasks can seem insurmountable or so huge that the time they will take puts unnecessary stress in your life. At such times I try to break down the task into smaller achievable chunks, prioritise the most important ones, and start working on them without focusing too much on a final outcome. This reduces stress, and creates learning whilst working toward your goal.


Question: Do you have a morning routine? Can you share it with us?

Melissa Haywood: I would love to say that I get up and do a workout before work, but I don't! I play with my two dogs for about five minutes, shower and dress, grab my breakfast and lunch for the day, and rush to catch a train to work. While on the train I reply to emails received overnight from my counterparts in the US and Europe.

Question: What's a typical day like, for you?

Melissa Haywood: Arriving at work, I spend most of my days meeting with my team members locally and abroad to discuss performance and strategy. We always have a good variety of numbers, products and creative to work on at Vistaprint, so I always feel excited and challenged by the mix of tasks.


Question: What's next for Vistaprint?

Melissa Haywood: Locally we are working really hard to launch a lot more new, affordable, and easy to customise products to support small business owners. Talking to our customers first hand is helping us on that journey as we aim to be their most trusted and reliable source for marketing support.


Interview by Brooke Hunter