The ADHD Mind: How 'Hearing Our Way' Magazine Was Born with Melanie Paticoff Grossman

Welcome to the Today is the Day Changemakers Podcast. 

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of Today is the Day Changemakers, Jodi Grinwald speaks with Melanie Paticoff Grossman—founder, author, and editor of Hearing Our Way magazine.

Melanie’s changemaker journey began with a deeply personal story: her cousin, who she was incredibly close to, started to experience hearing loss at a very young age. When her cousin moved away, it felt like a profound loss—one that shaped Melanie’s early understanding of distance, connection, and identity. But when her cousin returned years later, that relationship—and the awareness it sparked—set Melanie on a mission: to help other kids with hearing loss feel seen, understood, and empowered.

She began by writing Sophie’s Tales, a children’s book that uses storytelling to bridge understanding. But she didn’t stop there. Wanting to create something sustainable and ongoing, Melanie founded Hearing Our Way—a vibrant national magazine now in its 10th year, reaching schools, doctors’ offices, and homes across the country. The publication gives kids with hearing loss (and their peers) a place to belong and a way to connect.

In this episode, Melanie opens up about her passion for representation, the power of personal stories, the surprising role ADHD plays in professional life, and why she believes “finding your people” brings freedom and joy.

This is more than a story about hearing loss—it’s a story about purpose, resilience, and what happens when one person decides to turn personal loss into collective impact.

Listen on the Today is the Day Changemakers YouTube Channel or on all major podcast platforms.

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Website: TodayIsTheDayLiveIt.com

#TodayIsTheDay #ChangemakersPodcast #HearingOurWay #InclusionMatters #Sophie’sTales #HearingLossAwareness #ADHDAwareness #DisabilityAdvocacy #PurposeDriven #RepresentationMatters

Transcript

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Jodi Grinwald: Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the today's the day change makers. Podcast. I am your host, Jodi, Grinwald. And, as I say, every single episode. I interview the change Makers, the inspires, and those who are disrupting the status quo in the best way possible. And today I have Melanie Padakoff Grossman. Hi, Melanie! How are you?

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Oh, I'm great! How are you?

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Jodi Grinwald: I'm good. I'm so excited to have you on and to share your incredible story. Are you ready for this

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Ready!

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Jodi Grinwald: We're gonna have some fun. So as I do all the time, I love to read a little bit about the bio, and then we're going to get into your story. So Sophie's Tales, Llc. Is an educational publishing company, creating products for children with hearing loss, including hearing our way magazine as well as an award winning. Sophie's Tales. Picture book Series.

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Jodi Grinwald: Founder and CEO Melanie Padakoff Grossman serves as editor-in-chief and author of the Publications respectively.

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Jodi Grinwald: Mel earned her master of science in deaf education from Washington University School of Medicine's program in audiology and Communication sciences. Her background in deaf education, combined with her personal experience growing up with family members with hearing loss is the secret sauce. I loved that when I saw that come through the secret sauce behind her products, which are both educational and engaging, delighting parents, teachers.

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Jodi Grinwald: and children alike. Hearing our way is proudly produced from dual headquarters in Greenlawn, New York, where you reside with her. You know her husband, Andy, sons Ben and Hal and dog Sophie, and in St. Louis, Missouri, where design, print, and distribution has been based since 2014. So you're here in New York, but the distribution is in Missouri. If I said that correctly.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yes, that's where I went to school in St. Louis. So that's where I kind of got started with all of this, and we've continued working with the team there over Zoom, just like this, and it's been great

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Jodi Grinwald: Oh, that's amazing. So now you have some things behind you, and we're going to get to that for those who are watching via the Youtube channel and if you are streaming, I suggest you go and subscribe to the today is the day change makers Youtube channel. So you can see some of the great things that Mel and a lot of other guests have behind them. We actually had the original phantom of the opera from Broadway had them, and I interviewed him, and he had his mask behind him, which was very, very cool, so I always encourage people to take a look at the Youtube channel.

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Jodi Grinwald: So, Mel, before we talk about the stuff behind you, let's talk about you and growing up as a child. And let's just hear a little bit about. Were you more of the shy outgoing? Who was Mel as a child

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah. So I think definitely, the word creative comes to mind independent. You know, I really enjoyed school. I liked always liked writing, and I was always, you know, coming up with stories in 5th grade. I was already like making stories and presenting them to the class, you know, not for an assignment just for myself, and, you know, playing pretend, and all of that stuff. So I always had a great imagination, and I always liked to create things, and

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: we're going to talk about my cousin Julie, who has hearing loss, and she's really the inspiration behind my whole story. But one thing I did with her as well as my sister was. We would always put on shows for our family, and I was like the director producer, and they were the stars. And so this has always been in me to kind of be a little bit entrepreneurial and very creative.

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Jodi Grinwald: And this and this is very creative. I mean what you what you've put together. But you were how old when your cousin was born.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I was 6. We're 6 years apart.

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Jodi Grinwald: Wow! So you were. You were young, very, very young, and so when your cousin was born she was born with hearing loss

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: So when she was 1st born, she was not diagnosed yet with hearing loss. Her parents, my aunt and uncle actually do have hearing loss.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: but they had had her hearing tested, and it was not coming out that she had hearing loss. So what actually ended up happening was, she had a progressive hearing loss. So those times that she was tested she had hearing, and she was passing those tests, but then it progressed rapidly. So by the time she was 2 and a half, and she was language delayed.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: That's when they really tested it again and saw that there was significant hearing loss there, and she got her hearing aids and went to a special school for the Deaf or a program, at least in New York.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: But my aunt soon realized that because she had already fallen so behind at age 2 and a half 3, she needed to do something a little bit, probably more aggressive, and she started looking for more resources and kind of discovered that St. Louis, Missouri, actually is sort of a Mecca for hearing loss, especially listening in spoken language, which is what my aunt had always done my uncle, and now they wanted to pursue for my cousin. So they made their way out there and discovered this wonderful school, the Mooc center for Deaf education.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and my cousin just over a 3 month trial over the summer. Just her language just was exploding. They saw such a change, and they knew it was the right place for them, so that she could catch up so that she could come back home to the family. So they moved out there. It took 3 years, and then she was able to mainstream back into our home school district. So we were in the same school district together again.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: So yeah. So by this time, you know, I was 8, 9, 10, and really it was very hard. We're a very tight knit family. We all live close by.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and it was really really hard for someone to leave, and at 1st I was angry, and I didn't understand. You know. What is this hearing loss? Aunt Paula has hearing loss. She's always had hearing loss. She didn't have to leave. Why does Julie have to leave? And that was a hard lesson, and

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: thankfully, you know my aunt and uncle. They invited us to come out to St. Louis to visit, and I had the opportunity to go to Julie's school, and the moment I stepped foot in the school I just saw what they were doing, and I saw why they came out here, and why it was so important, and from then on I never questioned it once again, because I just saw the magic that was happening, and it just

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: pulled me in, and I knew that I wanted to help other families like ours. So from then on, never

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: at such a young age, too.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: By that time I was probably, you know, 1112, yeah. And I was really knew that this was my path.

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Jodi Grinwald: That's incredible. And along the path of of growing into what you're doing now, did it? Did you have any thoughts? Did anything almost try to veer you off into something else.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Well, when I went to college I was there to study deaf education, to be a teacher of the deaf. That's what I thought I was going to do to make an impact just like that school had done. And the thing that just veered me off slightly off that path is that

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: that creative writing piece came back in. And so, while I was in undergrad, one of the classes we had to take was children's literacy, and one of the topics in that class was about disability and diversity.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and we learned how many books are lacking. You know characters with disabilities or proper representation of them, and I started to explore the books that were out there about hearing loss for kids.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and I saw how outdated they were. They really didn't represent any characters that felt like my cousin Julie, who by that time had cochlear implants so very advanced technology. I didn't see any books that had characters with that for young children. And so I decided to write my own. And luckily I was in a time where we had Amazon and self-publishing and the Internet, and as a 20 year old I could learn all of this.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and as well. I was in St. Louis, which just happens to be a very.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I think great place for a young entrepreneur, because you can really find helpful resources there, and people just embrace you. And I just feel like, because it's a little bit smaller, a little bit more tight knit. I was able to really get enthralled with that self-publishing community and find the right people to surround myself. With that I still have today, which is awesome. So

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I did that. And then I started going to conferences and doing like little author events. And I really loved it. This was with my book, Sophie's tale, so that was based on my little dog Sophie, and kind of combining her little personality, and she did not have hearing loss

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: with my cousin's story, and so we had the little dog with cochlear implant. I think. Yeah, I have another one right here. They have a little plush, Sophie Dog, and had this cute little children's picture book that really took off. So that was really fun. And then from there I went to get my master's in deaf education, so still pursuing that route. But

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I was pretty much bit by that entrepreneurial bug by then, and I started getting my wheels turning, thinking, okay, I really enjoy, you know, writing these books, selling them. But what can I do? That might be more sustainable, because.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: you know you. You make one product and you're selling it the rest of your life. Right? I want to keep creating products. I'm the creative side. So I really enjoy that. So what can I do to keep creating? But also recognizing I'm selling to a very niche audience. And you know they're not going to keep buying 20 books that I'm going to write. So

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: the magazine came into play, and all of a sudden this idea hit me a magazine. Of course it makes sense. It's a subscription, but I'll get to keep creating new things ongoingly.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and it also helped that it could be for older children as well, which was something that I had my audience sort of asking for as far as the picture books. So that really solved a lot of a lot of problems and a lot of challenges. So we came out with the magazine. Now it's been 10 years, and it's been great. It is a subscription that goes right to homes, but it also is sold in

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: bulk, basically from anywhere, from packs of 5 to packs of maybe 200 that go to audiology offices, cochlear implant centers at hospitals, school districts, classrooms. So we're really, we're really out there all across the country. Yeah, that's with hearing our way

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Jodi Grinwald: You must be so proud of yourself, I mean, for for doing something so important and helping kids to feel connected right? Because that's what all everybody wants to feel, whatever normal is because normal is different for every single person. The word normal shouldn't even exist because it's it. There's no streamline to that.

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Jodi Grinwald: And so

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Jodi Grinwald: How does it feel, knowing that you have such a grandiose impact

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: It feels great. I have to say. You know, it can be a challenge to be an entrepreneur and to really be working on this solo, you know, a lot of my time is spent just here on my own, you know, writing. And then with my extremely small team, which is really just my designer, Peggy Neiman, who's been with me from the start, and does all the graphic design in the magazine, and has helped with my books as well.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: So. But really I'm here, and I'm you know, trying to think in the mind of what do I think Julie would have wanted as a kid, what would I would have wanted as a kid, you know, when I'm writing these products? What do I know? And so

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I do all that, and I take my best guess, and I put it out in the world. But it's really not until I, just, you know, maybe get an email here or there that says, I love this magazine. I've been using this. Oh, I love this article, and that really

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: helps bring it to life for me and see my impact, because, if not for that, I really don't see it every day. But I believe that it's out there, and I know that it is from the times that I have, of course, heard from people and the people who return year after year to get their subscriptions. So it means so much, and I'm really glad to be able to do it.

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Jodi Grinwald: And

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Jodi Grinwald: wonderful. That is just. It's just truly wonderful. I I wonder before I ask the one question I really want to ask you before that. How often do these magazines come out

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: It's a quarterly magazine. Yeah. So this is our newest one here for spring. And so each time we pick a different theme, we try to make it based on, you know, maybe something that the cover child mentioned. So if they like that one horseback riding or basketball, then we kind of like try to go with that, or maybe seasonal, you know, sometimes. So, but that keeps it really fun and exciting for me as well to be able to do that.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: And there's different fun elements that I'm able to change that theme. So, for instance, one thing we do is we target language development, of course, and that's where my background in deaf education really comes into play.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: So I know that for children with hearing loss, figurative language is really a challenge for them that they really need to be kind of explicitly taught that so every single magazine we put in a different idiom. So

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: let's see here, for instance.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: this one was horsing around for our horse theme, so you know, a kid with hearing loss they might not have ever overheard that the way that we all grow up overhearing certain things and just kind of absorbing them like sponges. They might not, so they might need to be explicitly taught. Well, what does horsing around mean? And so we always explain that and give an example. And those are the kind of little things that are in there that a kid might not even realize that it's kind of educational. Don't tell them

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: so. They always put in all that stuff, and the teachers know it's there for sure.

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Jodi Grinwald: Yeah, no, that's that's wonderful. Now, what is Julie? Think about the fact that your entire trajectory of your career is is dedicated. I mean? What an incredible impression! You know she's left, because if if it was just your aunt who had this right, it probably wouldn't have sprung you into this. Am I right about that? I don't want to just assume

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: No, I think so like my aunt, was always inspiring to me, but I also never saw really the struggle behind her life, because by the time I knew her she's an adult. She was in law school. She's so successful, and it was just Aunt Paula, and she wears hearing aids. It was no big deal, but with Julie it was a big deal she had to leave for 3 years. That's a big deal. It affected us all the time when going out to restaurants, making sure that she had

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: the right seat, and that she could hear everybody repeating things, doing all sorts of things, and even those shows that I put on with my sister

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: behind. All of that was teaching Julie music appreciation, and really listening to the songs and matching up the lyrics and making hand movements that go with each part of the songs that she could stay on track with the song.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: This was all really really helpful. With all of her auditory training she had to do with her cochlear implants. And now her music appreciation is at such a high level compared to either other children with hearing loss compared to my aunt, I mean, Julie really has a love for music and an understanding of music. She can recognize a song within a few bars of music. So it's very impressive. So, Julie, she's doing great

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: 29. She's in Florida, and this

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: past year she's been helping me a little bit on the social media side of things, so she loves to like get in there and help me, so I'm sure it makes her really happy. But the truth is, it was totally inspired by her and all of those opportunities that I had to go out and go to conferences and go to her school and be exposed to everything, and then from there it was inspired by all of the rest of the children and families I met along that path, who continue to inspire me

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Jodi Grinwald: I'm sure that makes sense. But now she's in Florida. She moved away from you again. Huh!

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Zoom. We do it all

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Jodi Grinwald: Yeah, I'm sure I'm sure that's that's that's hard. So now there's a new book

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yes, so to celebrate our 10 year anniversary, we came out with the big book of hearing our way.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I it was. I don't even know how I came up with this idea. But I basically just felt like.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: you know.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: over the last 10 years we've had a lot of longtime customers. But as time went on, kids are getting older.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: maybe they're outgrowing. The magazine teachers are retiring, you know, and I wanted to. I really started to realize that now our newer customers that are coming in for the 1st time, they've missed 10 years of amazing stories and content and educational resources that we've provided. So I started to think, I don't want all that to get lost to never be seen again, you know. 10 years. It was 40 issues.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: How can I take the best of that and put it in one place so that people can have it forever? And it could be a resource forever, and that's really where it came from. So we went back.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: looked at all 40 issues, and really tried to pull. It was very, very, of course, hard to choose. I hate having to choose anything, but we tried to pull some, you know, basically 10 of our covers, I think, and a lot of our key articles that I was really really proud of. And what was really exciting was, we went back and we got updates from some of the kids. So that was really fun to see where they are now, including Julie, of course.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and see, you know what were their goals in life? And did they achieve them? And you know, how did they? How are they dealing with work, life now, and career and relationships, and all of that? So it's a really exciting project. And then we added some new bonus resources that are just fantastic all about, you know.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Ieps for school and self-advocacy, and how to talk about your hearing loss and Audiology terms, and a glossary and just things that we haven't gotten to do in the magazine. So it's been a really, really fun and rewarding project. Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: Just your excitement comes right through the zoom screen.

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Jodi Grinwald: and and your passion is just. It's amazing. And it's really, just truly inspiring for a lot of people, I believe, who will be listening. And I thank those listeners from. I think we're at 895 cities around the globe, so your voice will definitely be heard. That is, for sure. And this story. But also there will definitely be people interested on. Where can they find you. Where can they find these resources? How can they get this magazine

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah. So everything is basically@hearingourway.com. I have the Sophie's tales, picture books. There we have the book. We have the magazine. We also have a digital subscription to the magazine. So it's all there, the little stuffed Sophie dog and a few other fun things that we sell. And basically, yeah, I mean, for people who are, you know, around dispersed, who may never have heard of this before. I think those are the most important people to reach, because

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: a lot of times a child with hearing loss might be the only child with hearing loss in their class, in their grade, in their school in their town. I mean, it's really it's a low incidence disability. So

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: it's a really important thing, because some kids, before they have this magazine in their hands. They've they've literally never met anyone. They don't think there's anyone like them in the world, and all of a sudden it opens their eyes. There are people I can relate to. There are people like me. There are people who understand, and it's just like a whole new world, and it really really helps their self-esteem.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: That's that's wonderful. Is there any any stories from the last 10 years? Is there a story you would want to share about? That's something that was impactful in the last 10 years. Besides Julie. And the whole reason you started this.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah, no, of course. I mean, I think, what comes to mind off the bat was, you know, a lot of times people will buy the Sophie's tales books right before their child has cochlear implant surgery, and so they get the little stuffed Sophie dog, and then they send me pictures of them in the hospital gown, wheeling into the or with the dog in their hands.

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Jodi Grinwald: Oh, my God! You're giving me chills!

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: That is like one of the things that will always stick with me, that this dog has brought so much comfort to them. So I love that. And you know, to see obviously a stuffed animal that has the cochlear implants on them. And you know it's really sweet.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: And recently I had a sophomore in High School. She reached out to me and she's a Girl Scout, and for her, I guess, like Senior Girl Scout Gold Star Award, she wants to work with me and have hearing our way. Kind of sponsor her project.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and she really wants to sort of bring the magazine to life for teens. She wants to create like a little Facebook group, a community so they can really get talking with each other. She said that the magazine she's received it. It was her cochlear implant activation gift, and she's received it ever since.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and she loves it. She collects them on her nightstand like it just brought it to life for me, because I remember being that kid, whether it was with American girl, magazine or whatnot, and how much you know whether it's a chapter book series that you love. You know things like that. I mean, they just become a part of your childhood bedroom, and I can relate to that, and to feel like someone is doing that with my products is an amazing feeling. She recently went on a trip.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and I was asking her, oh, can you send me a picture when you get back, you know, with the book, because I'd love to put it on the website? And she said, Oh, no, I brought the book with me. I have the book with me. Don't worry. She loves this book. She can't go to sleep without it like she reads it every night. So that means like so much to me. Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: Gosh! Where do you get the content from? When you're putting together the magazine for each issue?

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah. So basically, as long as either the child, the family is a subscriber or the their teacher, their audiologist, whoever as long as they're receiving that magazine in some way they are completely eligible to be in it. And anyone really who

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: gives us a submission with their content, we will find a place for them. We always want to feature them. Yeah. So we always make it work. So sometimes a lot of the time it comes from teachers. This is a great lesson plan for them to be able to be like, okay, when we work on our self advocacy skills. And we work on our writing skills and our language skills. We're going to do that

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: by writing to hearing our way, whether it's a letter creative writing, a poem, an autobiographical sort of interview. They can send that in to us. So and then from there I read it. I review it. And I kind of see. Okay, I think this child would be great for the cover. I think this child would be great for

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: we have a sibling section where we interview the child, and the siblings who don't have hearing loss, and that kind of came from my own personal experience where I didn't have hearing loss. But I was still part of that story, and I always want to recognize those siblings. They are part of the story, and hearing loss does affect them.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: So you know I go through it, and I see where I think it would be the best fit, and then I send any, you know, follow up questions as needed. So it either comes from maybe the teacher many times the parent. And sometimes, if it's an older child, they email me themselves, and then we bring the parent in and chat with them that way. So all different ways. Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: That's awesome. That's wonderful. And it's and and again, website.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Hearing records.com yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: Hearing our way.com. And so you mentioned something before which, you know, I am a big advocate for helping entrepreneurs out there as part of my consulting business. That is what I do, and entrepreneurship can be very lonely, and you know, sitting there by yourself. And yes, we have zoom, and we can talk to people, and we can go to Starbucks, and you know and pipe into their Internet. And all of that.

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Jodi Grinwald: What advice do you have? You're 10 years in now you're are you? More than 10 years in now? Because you had the the book, too.

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Jodi Grinwald: And so

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Jodi Grinwald: and so what advice do you have a new entrepreneur starting out? Maybe they're only a year in. Maybe they're 6 months in.

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Jodi Grinwald: How do they stay? Steadfast stay inspired and on their path

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah, I

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: It is hard and you have. It takes a lot of dedication. It's a it's a brave thing to do. It's risky. It was hard for me to see all of the other graduates from my master's program go and get their teaching jobs, and for me to know that I wasn't going to go right into the classroom, and I was going to sort of be on my own that year. That is a hard decision to make. So 1st off, if you're making that decision like you are brave, and you know you really believe in yourself. You have to.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I think there has to be passion behind it. You have to follow that passion and stick with it.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and then it's just about finding resources. You can't do it alone, especially@firstst So you know, find start Googling whether you want to be an author. You're Googling self publishing in your city. Of course. Now, online, there's so many resources with Facebook groups and different things like that.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: But I always find, you know, if you can find in person, or you can find local people, I think that, you know, is a really great thing to do.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: But yeah, I think, and especially, you know, if you are on the younger side. People always are even more willing to help, I think

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and just kind of like. Use that to your advantage, and just be willing to learn and eager to learn and just embrace anyone who does want to help you, because you're always going to pick up a little something here and there, and you know. Never close the door on anything you never know

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Jodi Grinwald: Sure, and it's a mindset, you know. That's the thing it's keeping. You know what I have found being an entrepreneur myself, too, is that

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Jodi Grinwald: it's it's totally has to be a mindset. And you said it. The passion has to stay, because if you lose the passion, then it's gone. So you have to. Passion needs to stay, and sometimes it's hard, because the money's not coming in right. It's so hard to do what you love love. If you are an entrepreneur. I have that spirit inside of you to do what you love, and to be able to survive and make a living off of it. Not? Everybody has the ability to do that long term.

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Jodi Grinwald: and it's

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: It depends what you're doing like with me. This is a very sort of social entrepreneurship project. Almost, you know, borderline of a nonprofit could have been. So yeah, I think you know some projects. You're not exactly in it for the money, but you do want to make it a business and make it work, and that's kind of where I fell, where I was really driven more by the passion, and then had to just make it work as a business to make

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Jodi Grinwald: Yes.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Cool.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah. I know.

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Jodi Grinwald: So and and that, and that is, it is difficult. And we have to get the lights on right. And sometimes it's hard to ask for those dollars, and and we need to be able to do that. So kudos to you for the amount of work that you have put in, because this is, it's a huge undertaking for one person, for sure. And do you have a magazine? I think I see it behind you. Can you put it up to the screen. Possibly

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Jodi Grinwald: that's awesome. That's Evan. I see wonderful

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: It is. So I he actually went to the same school as my cousin did. Yeah, so this is. But this is 10 years later

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Jodi Grinwald: Wow! That's incredible. I I love it. And so all the design work. Do you do that, too? Or you push that out

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: My graphic designer, Peggy Neiman, and we just work beautifully together. I met her through the St. Louis Publishers Association when I was, you know about to write the Children's Book.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and she does, you know, book coaching, graphic design, all sorts of things. She's a terrific resource for me, and she has just been sort of a guiding light through my projects. She helps connect me if I need a printer, you know, mailing house all different things. So she, we work really, you know, hand in hand together, really well together, and she's awesome. Yeah, I could not do it without her, for sure. So

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Jodi Grinwald: And we we have to give a shout out to the person who introduced us, do you wanna tell everybody who she is?

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yes, the wonderful Amy Dellman who has been in my life my entire life. She is my mom's childhood friend and just has always always been there, and she's really wonderful, and thank her for connecting us for sure.

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Jodi Grinwald: Oh, absolutely. And I I definitely do. Because you know, one of the things that I have been so grateful for through change makers is the ability to introduce

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Jodi Grinwald: the change makers to each other. It's become a community. And I, you know I have a list of people in my head a mail that I I wanna introduce you to and also help you get the book out as well as the magazine, because I think that there's there's just so much about connection and helping people connect. We just

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Jodi Grinwald: when one rises, we all rise, if we help each other and support each other, especially as entrepreneurs. That's so important. Is there a book or books that you've read that have truly inspired you? I'm kind of asking my guests that question as we try to make a book list for our change Maker listeners to go out and purchase

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: That's a great question.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Way back. When when I was starting out, I definitely was reading more and definitely had books that inspired me. I remember Maxine Clark, who is the CEO, or founder of Build, a bear workshop which is based in St. Louis. So she's someone that I knew when I was there, and I remember reading her book during those early days, and she really really inspired me.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and I'm sure many other people. And then, more recently, when I was writing the big book of hearing our way and putting that together. Luckily I have a 5 and a half year old son. So I was able to steal all his books and see what's out there and get inspired by those.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: This book was really some of the inspiration books that I had for that were like National Geographic does really nice, like the big book of animals, things like that. And so that kind of inspired me. How do you write like sort of an informational book that doesn't have, you know, traditional structure and everything. So that was super helpful. So yeah, I definitely think

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I always say you know writers have to be readers, and you have to, you know, if you're looking to write, please do your reading find things that are similar to what you're trying to write definitely, get inspired by people who have written. You know, all sorts of books. And yeah, I love it

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Jodi Grinwald: So, as you know, changemakers is in the midst of putting pulling together authors from my Changemaker guest for a compilation book, and I will tell you it is not for the weary when you're putting a book together, that is, for sure. And so, if anybody is interested in, I'm now a beginner you are not. You've been doing this for a long time. We are lucky to have some experts through our changemaker community. Lots of authors who are writing from self-help

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Jodi Grinwald: to children's books. It's incredible, and the journey is a true journey. I will tell you, as I'm in the learning process. So I give people so much credit who write multiple books because it is an entire, takes on a life of its own. So kudos to you for all the work that you're doing. Is there anything else that you want the listeners to know about you? About Julie, about the books or your magazine?

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Hmm, I think, just yeah. I mean, I really like encourage people, you know, if you.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: if you have something that you think could fill a gap, a much needed gap in the market to go for it, because once you have that idea and you really flesh it out. And it's a good idea. Nobody else can do it like you can, and I know that this comes up a lot of times with authors, but I'm sure, with other entrepreneurs as well. Oh, I have this idea. But I'm worried. Someone else has the same idea, or I'm worried. Someone will steal it. Never worry about that, you know.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: 1st of all, as soon as you write, your stuff is copyrighted, so don't worry about that. But more than that, nobody is going to do it just like you're going to do it. So yes, maybe they write a similar story or have a similar product. But maybe you go to this, this and this conference, or you market it differently, and they market it differently. And it's never going to be exactly the same. So don't let that hold you back always just go for it.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: And then other than that, I mean, I would just say, as far as writing, especially a big book it can be, I would say, a 2 year process, basically. And that's from writing 200 page books. I also did one for my family.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: And basically, like you do just hit that stopping point. At least I did of like

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: self-doubt. And you know, I'm the only one who knows about this product, basically, maybe other than my designer, and

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I have. No, you know I don't know if anyone will ever read it will ever want it, but I just believe in it and like you just have to hang on to that really hard when it gets like tough, because you just start to doubt like, why am I doing this to myself? But once you have it.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: that's it.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Your hands it is. It is worth it, you know. Believe in yourself, for sure

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Jodi Grinwald: It's so funny because you're speaking to the audience right here. That's me, because I have been trying to write a book for quite some time, and the thought process was to do it on my own until I said, The book will have so much greater impact for what I'm trying to do if I can pull a bunch of incredible humans who are just doing great work in the world

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Jodi Grinwald: and and for what I'm trying to do now, there's a million compilation books out there like you said, but everybody is an original. So that's what makes sure. You know, we always say you have to be, have a differentiator. We are. We are our own differentiators, right? Because you're when each one of us is doing something, we come from a different space. But what you said is so true. There are a million doctors or a million lawyers or like.

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Jodi Grinwald: and and yet they're still all in business, right, because everybody chooses who they connect with better and the same thing with books. Right? The good news is, is, somebody could read 50 books a year if they wanted to. So it doesn't matter

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Exactly. Exactly. Yup, keep going.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: So so now, what's next for Mel?

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Good question. You know. I think now that the book is finally done it just basically came out in December. We got the books out in time for the holidays, which was great. And so now it's just really ramping up that marketing, and that is a challenging side for me. Because, like I said, I'm really more of the creative. I really enjoy the writing. I enjoy the layout and putting it all together. The marketing is harder. It's not my strength, so I really have to now

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: put the pedal to the metal and get on some either book tours, book readings, visiting some schools, some conferences, and so I'll say it here to hold myself accountable. That is definitely a goal. This year I used to do the conference circuit a lot more before I had kids myself and before Covid. And so it's been a while. And you know it's always hard to put yourself out there. It's hard again. It's not like we have a boss saying to us, you know.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I want you to go to this conference, or I want you to speak at this panel. No, it's it's you have to do it yourself. And if you're not really that comfortable speaking like, you have to push yourself even today, like the podcast you know, it's totally my decision. And

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: you know, sometimes it's easier not to do these things, but it's so worth it in the end, and it's always good to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and I really believe in that. And I've done a lot of things that I, you know, was nervous before, and it always turned out well. And

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: so I know now that I can do it, and just to keep signing up and keep pushing myself, I think, would be a great thing this year, and the other thing that I you know.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Probably not this year, but in the future I would love to do like sort of create a template out of the work that I've done over the last 10 years of building my own self-published magazine. It's an unusual thing to do, and I think a lot of businesses could benefit from it.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: So a lot of people have information to give and a lot of sort of niche audiences to give it to.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: There's not a lot of magazines out there anymore, especially niche ones. So you know, especially now with digital magazines as well, you don't necessarily have to print it. But I think I could put something together where it teaches people how to write their own magazine, how to build your editorial calendar, how to find the right resources, how to do the layout, and how to, you know. Just keep going doing your editing, doing your revision. What does that process look like? So that would be like a really interesting thing that I would love to offer to to people in the future businesses. Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: Well, you might have a client, because, as you were talking about that, because this is my problem, I am what they say. I say this on a lot of podcast episodes on multi potential light, right? And you're a multi-potentialite. And I love that I didn't coin that phrase. I heard it on a Ted Talk, which is a great Ted Talk. By the way.

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Jodi Grinwald: I definitely love that. And think to myself how many of these incredible stories and change makers I'm in touch with. That's I think you're 150% right about helping people with the self. Publishing magazines are not out there. Everything is digital now, too. It's it's a great opportunity for you, and I'll tell you something.

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Jodi Grinwald: I'm sorry

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Change Makers Magazine. Here we come

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Jodi Grinwald: Exactly.

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Jodi Grinwald: exactly. And it's funny you mentioned this, too, because I'm as you said before, I'm listening to Youtube. You know, different Youtube speakers on self publishing, and I found someone that I really like. There's so many. But when you connect with one you like the way they speak you like the rhythm you you can. You're learning

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Jodi Grinwald: it. I'm like now, like addicted to her what she's sharing. So I keep listening. So that's another avenue for you as well as, and of course you don't need one more thing to do. But if you did a few tutorials to try to get some clients that way through the youth, through Youtube. Videos. I think it's just an incredible outlet, because I know

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Jodi Grinwald: I love being on this journey. But I wish I only had like I want to hole up in a cabin somewhere in like Nantucket, and and nobody talk to me. And just do this. Get this book going. So I I

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Sometimes. That's what you need. I I did some hotel nights. It really helps

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Jodi Grinwald: You did. Okay, Tom, let me just

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Jodi Grinwald: for a minute about that. I'd love to know

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Sure. Okay, well, this is something I used to do in college. And if I had like a big project, you know, I just kind of go into that hyper focus land, and I just

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: would get a hotel room with 2 beds. That's a key component, 2 beds, one for sleeping, and one to just lay out everything so you can see it in front of you.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: And so for the magazine, for the for the book based on the magazine. I brought the magazines, I laid them out. I brought my inspiration books from my son's collection. I laid those out, and I just like kind of not stayed up all night, but stayed up late, and just, you know, got through stuff, you know, and just decided I'm going to leave here with my outline done.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and I needed to do that because it's it's hard to do things piecemeal. It's hard to do things a little bit at a time when you're really in a creative mindset. So I want to like, be able to stick with that creative mindset and see it through. And that allowed me to do that. So I definitely encourage that and actually highlights Foundation. They do all sorts of book retreats, and you can rent a little cabin and write your book there for the weekend, or for a night or whatever. And so it's a real thing, and you should definitely look into it

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Jodi Grinwald: Oh, my! I'm so glad this came up. This is that was amazing. And it's so. I love what you shared about the 2 beds. Who would have ever thought of that?

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Strategy.

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Jodi Grinwald: That's a great strategy, but it also shows, because I know I feel very fragmented, and I'm sure others who are listening to this, who might be in on this journey as well. It's like, Okay, I'm in my regular job mode, i'm in my podcast mode. And then okay, let me go spend an hour listening to the Youtube video and then write something. And then, now, I got to get back to another podcast and so the creativity is choppy.

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Jodi Grinwald: and it's hard to get the groove back again when you try to

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Hunker down. Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: Exactly.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: So that for the Adhd, mind, you're like, it's a lot yeah.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: That's me. Yup!

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Jodi Grinwald: So that's why I'm like, I totally get what you're saying. Oh, I love this idea

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Yeah, no, that's been a part of my story as well, because I wasn't. I basically self diagnosed and then got official diagnosed when I became a mom, and during Covid, and when I saw that, you know, sort of monotony of the bottle feeding and the diaper changes, and the day to day with the baby.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: and I was like No, no, like I just saw how much I thrived on my creativity, and had always relied on it, and all of a sudden, when that was sort of stripped away from me, and I was just home, and we weren't doing anything because it was Covid. I was like, Oh, my gosh, this is really, this is really hard for me.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: And my mom would always say to me, You know, why are like things that are really easy for everyone else, really hard for you, but things that are really hard for everyone else, really easy for you. And

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: that's when I knew I had Adhd, because that is like the definition of it. So that's been a journey. And I think once I knew that, and I was aware of that, I could then learn about it and lean into strategies that would help me. And so, instead of you know, putting myself down for well, why can I only get stuff done when it's last minute, late at night and for hours on end? And I'm in hyper focus.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Well, that's because you have Adhd. And so lean into that. Let yourself go into hyper focus. Set it. Set yourself up for success. If you know that's how you work best. Okay, then book a night at the hotel and go do it, you know, if you can.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: You know, because all I needed was one or 2 nights here and there. It wasn't like an everyday thing, but just to get those thoughts out, and then it also reduces your own anxiety and the thoughts in your head that are always swirling with ideas, because I go through that every day, and sometimes you just need to get it out on paper, and then you feel this weight off your shoulders. So I really encourage anyone who feels that way to go. Do that? Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: Oh, my gosh! I think you're in my head, because that's everything and everything I am and everything. I know that Adhd people are, and that last minute I can get super hyper focused. I was teaching a class.

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Jodi Grinwald: and on how to start a podcast literally, like 36 h before the class. I was putting the workbook together. It came out great, but at the end of the day I was sweating. You know what I mean, and I'm like, why am I doing this to myself? So I do have a question because you you have seemed to have figured figured some really good things out, and we all can learn from each other. What would you say, pop? 2, 3 would as many as you want tips and tools?

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Jodi Grinwald: That you've learned in dealing with Adhd

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Hmm, okay.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Number one.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Try medicine. It's been proven to work very well, and you don't have to suffer. At least give it a try.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: That's number one number 2.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: be proud, because, you know, I think the bulk of entrepreneurs of creative people

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: probably have Adhd, and the more you read about it, the more you'll see that the more you'll learn. And it's special. And you know so many of us. Maybe we didn't know we had it. Maybe we did, and just have felt, you know, ashamed of it, or just felt like different our whole lives. And I think there's freedom in just knowing that like, it's the same thing with the magazine, honestly, with hearing loss. You're not alone, and once you see that other people share your experience.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: You feel like a different human being. And that's what I try to give people through hearing. Our way is, these kids feel like I'm the only one who suffers in the cafeteria because I can't hear. I'm the only one who doesn't want to go to the restaurant because I'm not gonna be able to hear them, anyway. No, you're not. There are other kids who feel just the same way you do. And all of a sudden

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: that point of connection is everything to people. So find that find your people, people, you can relate to find a podcast you love. You know everything. There's so many resources out there. And so it's given me a lot of

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: resources, freedom, and just confidence, I think. And knowing like

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: this is why I can do creative things so I can never be upset that I have, Adhd, because I wouldn't be me without it, you know. So now it's just playing into it. Yeah, and just finding ways to thrive in it.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: because there are a lot

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Jodi Grinwald: There are. Have you learned anything about how not to procrastinate? I would love to know, because I can't figure it out, and I'm a coach, and I help other people. But for myself, the not procrastinating, because that's when I do my best work is under that pressure. Yet I hate it. And I stress myself out

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I will give you one tip.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I think a lot of people become entrepreneurs with Adhd, because then they can work alone. They can work on their own timeline.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: the more you can bring other people in. It makes accountability for you and gives you timelines. So, for instance, because with the magazine. I can't design it on my own. I'm not a printer, I can't print it. I can't mail it. All of these people are relying on me to give them things in time. If I'm late giving it to the designer, she needs a certain amount of time to design it. I can't make her procrastinate. You know I can't rush her to do it 24 h in advance. No, like, it's not

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: fair, so I know that my deadline for her is such and such, and then we know that the deadline for the printer to get it to them to print it in time to get out the time that we've promised. Our customers is blah blah, you know, and then, of course, the customers themselves they know to expect the magazine.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: You know. December 1st march 1st 4 times a year, and that's my deadline. So you have to kind of create those deadlines for yourself to keep yourself on track, I think, and that way you can't procrastinate, because then you'd be, you know, messing up other people's timelines and have angry customers. So I think that really helps anytime you can find accountability, and I think

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: the book project also. It cannot be procrastinated. It has to be

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: printed that takes time. It has to be shipped. That takes time. So

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: it's not up to you. The more you do things digitally. Yes, that you can procrastinate more. But the more you can do things that really, you know, have to be a physical item or have to rely on other people. It'll hold you accountable. Yeah.

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Jodi Grinwald: Absolutely, absolutely. And and don't stress yourselves out. I I can say this. It's like when the creativity hits, you need to go with it, and if it's 3 weeks before the deadline go with it, don't wait to the night before, because

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Jodi Grinwald: that's my, that's my biggest thing, because then I'm sweating it out and stressed out. And it doesn't feel good, right? Because the process should be fun and exciting, and and you should be feeling less stressed through it as opposed to. Oh, my gosh! Why did I do? I always say these words to myself, why did I do this to myself? And it comes out great, but I'm like Oh, my goodness! My hair standing up so

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: And there's also ways to embrace your procrastination or your hyper focus in in ways that work better with your schedule and keep you on track. So, for instance.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: for me, my work day is Wednesdays, and this was, you know, a long discussed thing. My mom is probably laughing when she listens to this.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: but she always said to me, Why can't you just work, you know, 2 HA day, while the kids are taking their nap, or whatever, and I would say, I can't. I just need my Wednesdays. I just need my day to get it all done. That is how I work best. I don't want to break it up into 2 HA day. I want to have 8 h, and so thank God for her and my dad, who helped me with the kids and everything, and so they give me my blessed Wednesdays that are so sacred to me.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: But that's where I get to procrastinate or to hyper focus, because on Wednesdays, if it's time to write content. I'm writing content

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: morning tonight, like that's my Wednesday is just writing content. I barely get up out of the chair because I just go into that creative mode, and I write the whole magazine in one day. But if you know, that's how you work best fine. So I made it work for myself. That's my work day, and I get it all done, and I don't have to break it up anymore. So I think just finding strategies like that where you're not up all night. You're not, you know, late on your deadline, but you are still embracing your hyper focus, or whatever you need to do. I think that kind of works so workarounds

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Jodi Grinwald: That's that's great. This we never knew. We were going to go in this direction. This is awesome. And so speaking of which have you done a podcast, before

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I have not

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Jodi Grinwald: So you're like, you're totally a natural so you truly truly are. You have such a great spirit and thank you for being. You know, this is your 1st podcast. So I'm honored that that's today's the day change makers and will be your 1st podcast. In your list of podcasts that I'm sure you will be doing because you have so much

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: Thank you. Thank you for having me

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Jodi Grinwald: Oh, absolutely absolutely any, any other, any other things. Before we we end this episode

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: I don't think so. I mean, I just would say, if anyone you know is a person with hearing loss, a child with hearing loss, or has one in their lives. Just know that you can do anything just like anyone else. You can do anything. Your hearing loss will never hold you back, and always, you know, believe in yourself and know that you can do it. And you are amazing. I think anybody who has an obstacle to overcome. And that's the name of one of my books overcoming obstacles. And we really focus on that term. I love that. So whether it's Adhd, whether it's hearing loss.

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: any challenge. Really, you can always overcome it, and it will. You will be better for it. You can always get through it. So keep going

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Jodi Grinwald: That's right. I love that. Just keep going. And and we all have obstacles and different. And we all are so uniquely different, so embrace each other's differences. Right? That's our thing. Don't judge each other's differences. That's what's important. Mel. Thank you so much for sharing your incredible story. And thank you for all you're doing to help children, adults who are going through an obstacle. But you're there to support them, and I hope you'll come back and share some more stories as time goes on

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Melanie Paticoff Grossman: That'd be great. Thank you so much. Thanks for everything you're doing as well

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Jodi Grinwald: No, no worries at all. And I'm going to say what I say at the end of every single podcast today is the day. You cannot go back to yesterday, and you do not yet own tomorrow. So what steps, small or large, are you going to take today to get yourself closer to your goals. Don't forget to subscribe to the today is the day change. Makers podcast. Follow us on Facebook and instagram at today is the day and to learn more about upcoming events with incredible change makers, and maybe Mel will be one of them that comes on and shares some more great insight through a

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Jodi Grinwald: workshop. We hope so. Please go to today is the day. Live it.com again. That's today is the day. Live it.com mel. Thank you again and have a great week. Everyone