On this episode of the COS Business Podcast features Melanie Hicks, the founder of In Pursuit, a firm dedicated to assisting small and midsize businesses, nonprofits, and individual executives and entrepreneurs. Melanie discusses her business's focus on offering strategic planning, education, advisory services, and one-on-one executive coaching. She shares her journey, highlighting the organic beginnings of In Pursuit in 2009, which initially provided consulting for nonprofits on interacting with the legislature and understanding policy. Melanie recounts her progression from working on the side while pursuing another career to going full-time with In Pursuit in 2016, taking a hiatus to join a national corporate consulting firm, and then returning to relaunch her business with a rebranding in January 2021. Melanie emphasizes the alignment of values with vocation, introducing her proprietary "3E Method of Change," aimed at helping individuals reconnect with their careers or make significant changes. This method involves three steps: excavate your attic (looking back and rediscovering joys or dreams), eliminate your obligations (letting go of burdens that don't align with personal values), and embolden your resolve (having the courage to be true to oneself despite societal expectations). Furthermore, Melanie shares her passion for education through her podcast, "Dissecting Education," where she explores various perspectives on education with leaders and enthusiasts. She expresses her desire to grow In Pursuit into a larger organization that encompasses more stories and impacts while staying true to its foundational values and purpose.