In the last 20 years Melissa Powers has taken on several different roles to keep MaxWave3D (formerly MaxWave Media) thriving in the marketplace. Currently, the team is happy to have her serve as chief operating officer and as our expert in virtual reality in real estate.
The business is personal for Melissa, too, who works with her husband, Christopher Powers, the company’s CEO. “When we first started MaxWaveMedia I was primarily helping out with raising our five children, as well as helping the business with bookkeeping and marketing,” Melissa recalls. “My background in real estate and interior design was helpful in shaping our marketing message to multifamily and high-end real estate developers, particularly those that need 3D renderings, animation and virtual reality in real estate.”
Over the years, her role has shifted. For the last year, Melissa has been the chief operating officer at MaxWave3D. She says she relishes the position because it enables her to engage in day-to-day responsibilities, such as HR, as well as pursue strategic initiatives for the long-term growth of the company, including partnering with other stakeholders in the design and building communities.
“What I love and what I am really good at is keeping the vision going of what we want to turn this company into; thinking and strategizing on how we are going to get there,” Melissa says. “Usually, it’s not about solving individual problems but rather implementing systematic solutions. Christopher and I are both really thankful that we get to work together. It’s not without its challenges. But the opportunities outweigh the challenges, which makes it that much sweeter.”
A Day in the Life
Melissa starts each day by identifying three main objectives, or business goals for the day, along with three lesser objectives that can be delegated to members of the team. “One of the challenges when running a small business is that the buck often stops with leadership. In Christopher’s case, that means he ends up doing a lot of the technical project work.
“As we want to scale our business, we need to figure out how to free up more of his time to help grow the business. He is also a great salesman, so we also want him getting in front of larger clients. This business has been his baby from day one, having him form relationships with larger customers is the fun stuff that he likes,” she says.
The couple are also focused on adding new revenue streams, such as adding virtual reality in real estate and digital twin creation for their clients’ projects.
When Melissa isn’t crushing the COO role, you will find her happily in their garden at home, tending to plants or her new rose garden, or taking care of their three dogs and one cat. “I probably should also mention our five children, but the pets do come first,” she says with a laugh. “Our youngest is graduating high school this year, so we are on the verge of being empty nesters. Not sure what that will look like, but we’re looking forward to the next step in our adventure.”
Virtual Reality in Real Estate and More
Are you looking for expert advice on or premium-quality 3D visualizations for your next real estate project? Melissa and the rest of the MaxWave3D team are happy to help. Contact us to start the conversation today.
