Melissa joined the New Mexico Start-Up Factory in the summer of 2021 and currently serves as the Company Creation Assistant. While working closely with John and Andrea, she assists in the creation of investible companies and in the commercialization of promising innovations.Firestone values entrepreneurship and the creation of local companies as paramount in developing a sustainable economy. As a former small business owner and public education teacher, she knows the value of smart business development, marketing, community outreach, educational initiatives, and a personal work ethic.As a New Mexico native, Melissa knows the importance of giving back to the local community. When asked to join the team at The New Mexico Start-Up Factory, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to use her background in marketing and company development to promote job creation within the local economy. Firestone thrives on her ability to usher technologies from idea to industry within the organization’s business model while developing a strong internal team and building out marketing initiatives.Melissa earned a B.A. in Fine Art from the University of Colorado and later obtained her Teacher Licensure from Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Firestone and her husband are thrilled to be living in The Land of Enchantment. When she is not working at the New Mexico Start-Up Factory, you can find her teaching yoga at various studios around Albuquerque. She can also be found running, biking, hiking, and sometimes climbing rocks.

Melissa joined the New Mexico Start-Up Factory in the summer of 2021 and currently serves as the Company Creation Assistant. While working closely with John and Andrea, she assists in the creation of investible companies and in the commercialization of promising innovations.Firestone values entrepreneurship and the creation of local companies as paramount in developing a sustainable economy. As a former small business owner and public education teacher, she knows the value of smart business development, marketing, community outreach, educational initiatives, and a personal work ethic.As a New Mexico native, Melissa knows the importance of giving back to the local community. When asked to join the team at The New Mexico Start-Up Factory, she saw it as the perfect opportunity to use her background in marketing and company development to promote job creation within the local economy. Firestone thrives on her ability to usher technologies from idea to industry within the organization’s business model while developing a strong internal team and building out marketing initiatives.Melissa earned a B.A. in Fine Art from the University of Colorado and later obtained her Teacher Licensure from Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Firestone and her husband are thrilled to be living in The Land of Enchantment. When she is not working at the New Mexico Start-Up Factory, you can find her teaching yoga at various studios around Albuquerque. She can also be found running, biking, hiking, and sometimes climbing rocks.

As a teacher in a small school district, you are asked to perform many jobs. Therefore, I was a Special Education Teacher for k-5, Art Teacher (7-12), Computer Science Teacher, SPED teacher(7-12), Computer Programming teacher, and Web Design Teacher. I moved to New Mexico in 2021 and was not able to finish my computer science endorsement.

As a teacher in a small school district, you are asked to perform many jobs. Therefore, I was a Special Education Teacher for k-5, Art Teacher (7-12), Computer Science Teacher, SPED teacher(7-12), Computer Programming teacher, and Web Design Teacher. I moved to New Mexico in 2021 and was not able to finish my computer science endorsement.

• Founded Palettes and Paint, L.L.C as a way to teach art to the community through private painting parties.• Created a marketing platform to teach “Open Paint Nights” at various local establishments.• Established “Melissa Silversmith Fine Art” as a business in New Mexico to showcase my art.• Created a website, “paintwithbb.com”, to teach virtual paint nights and virtual yoga classes.• Moved my company, Palettes and Paint, LLC to Wyoming and used social media and face-to-face marketing to build a following.

I founded this company so that I could teach painting workshops, yoga classes, crafting classes, and paint and sip style classes. With help, I renovated a historic home and turned it into a creative space for the community.

I taught art in a district with a low socio-economic status. Some of the students had a bit of what they needed for class, some had nothing. I catered my teaching so that every student had equal opportunity to participate in the arts. I challenged my students to think outside of the box and not to be limited by anything that may have been a hinderance. Since many of my students were from various Native American tribes, I also made sure to include cultural celebration as a major part of my curriculum. My first year teaching at this school, I was asked to take on a student teacher. I was honored to accept that challenge.