I had the honor of photographing Melanie Borden. Melanie, you’re an amazing woman. Thank you so much for the opportunity!
I asked Melanie what changed the trajectory of her life. Here is what she said:
“COVID changed the trajectory of my life because, in 2020, I had no digital presence. When COVID happened, it scared me, and I realized I didn’t have anything set aside for a rainy day in terms of a digital footprint. Building my LinkedIn presence changed everything. I have built a successful business in under a year, all from building my online brand on the platform. My business truly started in August 2021.”
I asked Melanie how she has so many followers on LinkedIn in such a short period of time?
“I attribute the number of followers I have to sharing marketing strategies and content that genuinely helps others. I also let people get to know me and share my journey as a single working parent. Regardless if someone is a parent or not, they were raised by someone and perhaps a working Mom. By sharing this, I was able to build connections that created an emotional trust. When someone reaches out, they already know a lot about me, and we’ve built a connection. My clients tell me I’m the person they want to work with.”
Melanie’s takeaway: You have to take chances and do things that scare you because you never know what the ultimate outcome will be unless you take those chances.
Absolutely!
About Alissa
Alissa Randall is a portrait photographer based in New Jersey and New York City, known for creating images that feel both elevated and deeply personal. While professional headshots remain a cornerstone of her work, her photography has grown to include personal branding, women’s empowerment, family connection sessions, and expressive portraits of dogs and the people who love them.
Her approach blends editorial artistry with empathy and guidance, helping people feel comfortable enough to be fully seen in front of the camera. Whether photographing an executive, an entrepreneur, a family, or a beloved dog, Alissa creates photographs that reflect more than appearance. They reflect presence, personality, connection, and story.
Alissa photographs in NJ, NYC, and on location beyond the tri-state area. Explore more of her work on the homepage and discover stories behind the images on the blog.