Starting Over? How to Turn Your Passion into Profit After Divorce with Creative Consultant Melissa Cossette
Divorce is often a turning point—not just in relationships, but in careers and financial independence. In this episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia Howell sits down with Melissa Cossette, founder and CEO of Max Event, to talk about how women can take control of their futures by starting a business in the event industry. Whether you're looking for a career pivot, a flexible work-life balance, or a passion-driven income stream, Melissa shares how her Business Builder Program helps women turn their love for event planning into a thriving business.
Melissa breaks down why so many women, especially single moms, feel stuck in unfulfilling jobs and how entrepreneurship can offer a fresh start. She dives into the confidence-building process, the biggest mistakes new business owners make, and how her program provides hands-on coaching, expert guidance, and step-by-step business support. With a strong emphasis on mindset, overcoming imposter syndrome, and pricing your services with confidence, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone thinking about starting their own business after divorce.
If you’ve been feeling "not ready" to take the leap, Melissa shares why there's never a perfect time—but now is always the right time to invest in yourself. Whether you’ve been planning every party for friends and family for years or you’re simply looking for a career shift that brings joy and financial independence, this episode is packed with motivation, actionable advice, and real talk about what it takes to build a business.
Learn more about Melissa here: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/resourceguide/maxevent
Episode Transcript: Building an Event Business With Melissa Cossette
Olivia Howell:
Hello, hello! Welcome back to Divorce Happens, the podcast where we support you before, during, and after divorce with education, inspiration, and a little bit of laughter. As we know, divorce happens—and then you start fresh. I’m here today with one of our Fresh Starts experts, Melissa Cossette. Melissa, can you tell us who you are and what you do?
Melissa Cossette:
Absolutely! I’m Melissa Cossette, founder and CEO of Max Event. At Max Event, we help women create businesses in the event planning industry. We work with women who have a passion for event planning and help them become proficient and confident business owners.
Olivia Howell:
I love what you do so much, and the way you empower women through this work. As someone who talks to women going through or considering divorce almost every single day, I can tell you—so many are ready to have their own income, to do something they love, or to leave a career that no longer brings them joy. Tell us about your program—what it is, how it works, and why it’s such a powerful fresh start not just for women going through divorce, but for anyone ready to love what they do.
Melissa Cossette:
You hit all the nails on the head! Our Business Builder Program is currently in beta, and we’re taking our first round of applicants. We specialize in helping women make mid-career or midlife pivots into the event planning industry—whether that's offering services or creating product-based businesses.
But I want to be clear: this isn’t just a “learn how to be an event planner” course. This is a full coaching and support program for heart-centered, purpose-driven women who feel a deeper calling. We guide them step-by-step through launching and growing a venture in the events space, offering coaching, logistical support, business-building tools, and an advisory network of professionals.
We specifically work with women in their 40s and 50s because that's when I started my own business. After four and a half years of navigating this path, I know the roadblocks women face—like perfectionism, self-doubt, and fear—and we design the program to address those head-on.
The Business Builder Program streamlines the process, keeps you focused on what matters, and meets you exactly where you are.
Olivia Howell:
I love that. This would be perfect for women who’ve always been the ones organizing birthdays, bridal showers, and events for friends and family—and now want to turn that natural talent into a business. Because the event planning part? They’ve got that down. But it’s the business side that stops a lot of people. How does your program support them with that?
Melissa Cossette:
Exactly. A lot of women think they need to offer every service under the sun to be successful. We flip that idea on its head. In our Structure Phase, we help you narrow in on what makes you unique and relatable to your ideal clients. You’ll learn how to confidently talk about what you do—whether you've been in business for two months or two years.
We cover everything:
Social media presence
Blogging or not
Networking strategies
Contracts, proposals, pricing
We also have an advisory network—similar to Fresh Starts—made up of business owners and professionals ready to support you through the tricky parts.
Then, in the Momentum Phase, we evaluate:
What’s working?
What’s missing?
Are you priced effectively?
Does your business feel good to your soul?
It’s not a one-size-fits-all program. It’s built to help you succeed in a way that’s aligned with your life and goals.
Olivia Howell:
I love that so much. Especially because, for single moms, building a life and a business around their families’ needs is so important. Why is starting this kind of business such a good fit for single moms?
Melissa Cossette:
I’ve been a single mom. I have two teen daughters now, and while I’m remarried with a blended family, I remember that season vividly. When I was in corporate event planning, I spent so much time away from my kids—and I only had them 50% of the time.
When you run your own business, you control your schedule. You can be there for school drop-offs, pickups, sports games—you create a life that works for you. And more importantly, you model for your kids that even after a major life transition, you can rebuild something better. It’s a powerful message.
Olivia Howell:
That’s beautiful. And it brings me to my next point: the confidence boost that women must get through this program. Divorce can completely shake your self-confidence and your voice. How does your program help women rebuild that?
Melissa Cossette:
Confidence is huge. And if you’re a woman in your 40s or 50s, you probably grew up putting your own needs last—raising yourself, raising your parents, raising your husband, raising your kids. Now it’s time for you.
We weave mindset work into every single module:
Fear of visibility
Fear of judgment
Imposter syndrome
Perfectionism
It’s not about "having a good mindset"; it’s about having a resilient one. You need the ability to keep moving on the hard days, celebrate the wins (even the small ones), and trust that every step forward matters. Confidence isn't just a bonus—it’s foundational to business success, and we build it intentionally.
Olivia Howell:
I’m obsessed with this. If someone’s listening right now thinking, "This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for," how can they get in touch with you?
Melissa Cossette:
The best way is to visit maxeventconsulting.com. Click on the Business Builder tab at the top for all the details.
Right now, in spring 2025, we’re in beta launch. That means an insanely low price—only $500 for the first month, which includes:
A 90-minute clarity and goal-setting call with me
The first four weeks of programming
At the end of the first month, if you don't want to continue, no worries—you simply let us know. Also, if you complete the program and haven’t achieved the promised goals but have put in the work, we’ll coach you for free until you get there. We believe in this transformation deeply.
Olivia Howell:
That’s incredible. So many women are ready—or need—to start making income, and this feels like such an accessible, smart way to do it while still having time for their families.
Before we wrap, is there anything else you’d like to share?
Melissa Cossette:
Yes—this is important: There will never be a “perfect” time to start.
You will always find a reason you’re not ready. But if this idea keeps pulling at you, you owe it to yourself—and your family—to explore it. Don’t cheat yourself out of what could be an amazing future.
Olivia Howell:
I love that so much. Thank you, Melissa, for being here. We appreciate you at Fresh Starts and are so grateful for your support of women starting fresh after divorce.
All of Melissa’s links will be in the show notes, and we can’t wait to hear about all the businesses that will be built because of her work!