Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 99

be a legend melissa wood-tepperberg
By Alia Akkam and Stacy Shoemaker Rauen
Photo by Sarah Orbanic

BODY AND SOUL

An entrepreneur who found her calling by
being true to herself

With health top of mind during lockdown, the
gym-deprived were happy to discover Melissa
Wood-Tepperberg-the New York-based founder
of the MWH Method-online. Well before the
pandemic, Wood-Tepperberg, who is a certified
yoga and Pilates instructor as well as a health
coach, was already entrenched in the digital
wellness space, offering access to her low-impact
workouts, first via snippets on Instagram and
later through a dedicated website and app for
members. Her gentle, manageable approach
requiring no fancy equipment piqued quarantine
interest, but so did Wood-Tepperberg's positive,
open, and honest personality. In fact, more than
650,000 followers on social media follow her for
so much more than just a workout-for a look
into her meditation-led life, from fashion picks
to her plant-focused diet and natural skincare
regimen, to how she navigates running a business
and raising two small children. Here, the former
model opens up about her challenging fitnessfueled journey to self-acceptance. Because in the
end, she wants her community to look beyond
body image and develop a strong, true inner core.

You're candid about your past and
acknowledge how a dark period
ultimately forced you to make changes.
What empowered you to press on?

Acknowledging for the first time in my life that I
wanted to change and that I needed help in doing
so. I want to make the important note that while
this particular moment was a huge shift for me,
I am forever a student and always working on
myself. That is how my practice was born and
what I come back to each day.

What first drew you to meditation?

I was not in a good mental state-suffering from
an eating disorder and terrible cystic acne among
other things-and not being kind to myself. I was
looking for all of the answers everywhere but
within me. I tried meditating for the first time
and had a total awakening moment; I knew that
meditation was something that had the power
to shift my perspective on everything in my life.
I love to meditate for 20 minutes a day, but some
days it's 10 minutes or less.

When did you know it was the right time
to launch your business?

When I started in this space I never thought
about it in the sense of creating a business. Doing
what I love and getting to call that work still gives
me chills. I think staying true to my authentic
self-what you see can be raw, but it's real-has
allowed me to connect to people in a deep way.
Even though my workouts are shared virtually, I
imagine it's like I am right there with you.

How did you dream up your lowimpact sequences?

High intensity workouts never served me.
The second I started combining yoga and
Pilates elements I realized I had finally found
what works for me. More important than the
transformation I saw in my body, the shift in
my mental state was the most noticeable and
what I am most proud of.

What changes have you seen in your
business during the pandemic?

During such an unfortunate time for the
world, the silver lining for my business
was that I was set up in the digital space
already. The combination of people staying
home, prioritizing their health, not needing
anything but their own body weight to get a
highly effective workout, and the meditation
and calming aspect during this anxietyinducing time was huge for the MWH
Method.

You met your husband, TAO Group
cofounder Noah Tepperberg, while
working at Marquee nightclub. Is
there a connection between finding
love and your own self-love journey?

Absolutely. When I realized that the only
person who was going to save me was me is
when I got to work. In doing this work, it not
only shifted my perspective in myself and
seeing myself through loving eyes, but also
allowed me to see other people that I had
known for years (aka my now-husband) in
such a different light.

What's next?

While there are so many exciting things
in store for everything MWH, the most
important thing is to stay true to this
work and the mission that jumpstarted
it-to guide people to a place of loving
themselves exactly as they are. hd

hospitalitydesign.com November 2020

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Hospitality Design - November 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - November 2020

Hospitality Design - November 2020
contents
from the editor
preface
from the guest editor
preface: memoir
preface: sketchbook
chapter one rethinking wellbeing
rethinking wellbeing: maslina resort
rethinking wellbeing: irth landscape hotel and spa
rethinking wellbeing: sharaan resort
rethinking wellbeing: refuge de la traye
rethinking wellbeing: hotel sin nombre
rethinking wellbeing: lago maggiore
rethinking wellbeing: buxton crescent hotel
chapter two social good
social good: kellee kemp
social good: marquise stillwell
social good: michael ford
chapter three south florida focus
south florida focus: constance collins
south florida focus: jorge m. pérez
south florida focus: tony cho
south florida focus: ernie and liezl els
chapter four products
products: profile ngahuia damerell
products: seating
products: lighting
products: bath
products: wallcoverings
chapter five be a legend
be a legend: elena camps biondi
be a legend: melissa wood-tepperberg
be a legend: daniel arsham
be a legend: linda and brad johnson
be a legend: damon lawrence
be a legend: paul scialla
be a legend: louis thompson
be a legend: shai zelering
be a legend: jason wu
be a legend: sheena rose
be a legend: britta and kent lindvall
ad index
back space: jo beth Wharton
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Hospitality Design - November 2020
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Cover2
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 1
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 2
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 3
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 4
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - contents
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 6
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 7
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - from the editor
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 9
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 10
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 11
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 12
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - preface
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - from the guest editor
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 15
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 16
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 17
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 18
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 19
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 20
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - preface: memoir
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 22
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 23
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 24
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 25
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 26
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 27
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 28
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 29
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 30
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 31
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 32
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 33
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 34
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - preface: sketchbook
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 36
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 37
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 38
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 39
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 40
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter one rethinking wellbeing
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 42
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: maslina resort
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: irth landscape hotel and spa
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 45
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: sharaan resort
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 47
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: refuge de la traye
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 49
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: hotel sin nombre
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 51
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: lago maggiore
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 53
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: buxton crescent hotel
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 55
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 56
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter two social good
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 58
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - social good: kellee kemp
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - social good: marquise stillwell
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 61
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 62
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 63
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - social good: michael ford
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 65
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 66
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 67
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 68
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter three south florida focus
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 70
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: constance collins
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: jorge m. pérez
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 73
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: tony cho
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 75
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: ernie and liezl els
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 77
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 78
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter four products
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 80
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: profile ngahuia damerell
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: seating
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 83
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: lighting
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 85
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 86
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: bath
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 88
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 89
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: wallcoverings
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 91
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 92
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter five be a legend
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 94
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: elena camps biondi
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 96
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 97
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 98
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: melissa wood-tepperberg
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 100
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: daniel arsham
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 102
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: linda and brad johnson
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 104
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: damon lawrence
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 106
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: paul scialla
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: louis thompson
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 109
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: shai zelering
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 111
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: jason wu
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 113
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 114
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 115
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: sheena rose
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 117
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: britta and kent lindvall
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 119
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 120
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 121
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 122
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 123
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 124
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 125
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - ad index
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 127
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - back space: jo beth Wharton
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Cover3
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Cover4
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