In his 2004 book, How to Get Rich, Donald Trump said, "If you don't tell people about your success, they probably won't know about it." Melissa Mustain, founder of the image management firm Mustain Consulting, a subsidiary of Outlines & Designs, says she strives to "turn the spotlight" onto her clients by helping them promote their goods and/or services professionally and effectively.

         Her clients would say she has done just that. Carolyn Taviner, career specialist at The Job Center in Jerseyville, Illinois, says, "Any company or organization that utilizes Melissa Mustain and her company's services will experience a consummate professional performing quality work." Melissa Mustain has over 20 years of experience in marketing, public relations, and administrative support that allows her to bring unique but genuine perspectives to the table when working with clients.

         She began her undergraduate studies at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois, where she served as student newspaper editor, student government president and secretary. Mustain also served as the local chapter president of Lewis and Clark's Phi Beta Lambda co-ed business fraternity. She went on to serve as State President, Vice President, and Secretary of Illinois Phi Beta Lambda before leaving Lewis and Clark. During her years of membership in this business student organization, she won many awards including first place in the state for business decision making and impromptu speaking. She also won fourth place in the nation in business decision making.

         Additionally while a student at Lewis and Clark, she served as a journalist for Model Illinois Government and in many public relations capacities on Lewis and Clark's campus. She worked in the Marketing and Public Relations department on campus with mentoring by industry professionals such as Julie McPike, Debbie Benjamin, and Margie Sinclair-Parish to guide her toward her goals.

         After leaving Lewis and Clark to continue her undergraduate pursuits, she worked in the newsroom at The Telegraph, a local daily newspaper based in Alton, Illinois while studying journalism at University of Illinois-Springfield. During her time as a student at UIS, Mustain was offered employment at Lewis and Clark Community College with a new initiative known as Education to Careers. She accepted the position of Coordinator and was later promoted into a management position within Education to Careers where she served as Liaison between its many audiences and constituents while also serving as Lewis and Clark's representative at the Alton Employment and Training Center. This position required Mustain to communicate with and move among a wide variety of audiences, from students and parents to educators to employers to governmental representatives. Mustain also managed the online database system designed to coordinate the activities of the Education to Careers partnership and its members, developing and delivering training workshops for system users.

         Mustain's strong marketing, public relations, and communications expertise continued to prove vital as she advanced in her field. She continued her undergraduate studies through Greenville College, Greenville, Illinois and received her Bachelor of Science degree in organizational leadership in 1999. As her work with the Education to Careers initiative continued, she began pursuing a Master's degree. During her graduate studies, the funding for the Education to Careers initiative ended and Mustain was entering the next phase of her professional career. Focusing on completing her studies, Mustain received a Master of Arts degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix in 2003. She also began developing her entrepreneurial dream.

         In the summer of 2002, Mustain "hung out her shingle" and declared her new venture, a publicity and marketing consulting firm known as Outlines & Designs, as open for business. Mustain Consulting is a subsidiary focused on the core services of Outlines & Designs. Based out of her home, Mustain began to provide services to small businesses and organizations throughout the St. Louis Metro-East area. Five years later, she is still going strong. In 2007, she launched her own company newsletter, PRspective. She also serves as a featured business columnist for the Jersey County Journal.

         When she is not busy with the business of her business, Mustain also is a very active member of the Jersey County Business Association and the River Bend Growth Association. She has also volunteered her time and talents to the Jacoby Arts Center and the Calhoun-Jersey Youth Advisory Team, as well as serving as the Publicity Chair for the 2008 American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Jersey County. She completed the Jersey County Leadership in Action program in October 2007, which is certain to provide her with a springboard into a future role in community leadership.