Her Story
About Melanie
Melanie Koerperich is the CEO and Founder of Milrich Virtual Professionals LLC, a company she established 17 years ago after recognizing the growing need for flexible remote work opportunities following her experience as an executive assistant to a hospital CIO. She brings more than 35 years of experience in administrative, executive, and personal assistance, business organization, and operational support, along with more than 20 years of management experience and over 15 years in executive leadership. Melanie holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Political Science and earned her MBA through the Virginia Streetwise MBA program. Under her leadership, Milrich Virtual Professionals provides customized virtual staffing solutions to clients worldwide while maintaining a 100 percent U.S.-based remote workforce.
Melanie has built a people-centered organization grounded in intentional remote collaboration, flexibility, and professional growth. Her company supports a diverse workforce that includes military spouses, veterans, parents of children with special needs, and individuals with vision impairments. Milrich Virtual Professionals also partners with Survivor Ventures to support survivors of human trafficking and maintains memberships with the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and the Green Chamber of Commerce. Her commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace has earned the company several recognitions, including being named a 2022 Business of the Year by the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired and being recognized among the Washington Business Journal’s Best Places to Work for small businesses. Melanie also founded MVP Schedulers, providing specialized scheduling services for professionals in financial services, real estate, and insurance.
Melanie attributes much of her success to her desire to make her late mother proud, whose memory continues to inspire her. She leads with empathy, integrity, and a commitment to continuous learning, believing that effective leaders should never stop evolving, growing, or improving. Outside of her professional life, Melanie enjoys learning new things and pursues a variety of activities that encourage creativity, focus, and personal well-being, including playing chess, crafting, swimming, and meditation. Her combination of entrepreneurial vision, operational expertise, and genuine commitment to people has shaped a leadership style focused on creating meaningful opportunities, building strong teams, and helping both individuals and organizations thrive.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Melanie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my desire to make my mom proud. She passed away shortly before I started my business, after witnessing the challenges and struggles I was facing. Although I never had the opportunity to tell her, “Mom, I finally made it,” her belief in me continues to be a source of motivation. Every accomplishment reminds me of her and inspires me to keep moving forward, overcome challenges, and build something I can be proud of.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to never stop learning, evolving, and growing. I believe it is important to continuously develop not only as a professional, but also as an individual and a leader. Staying curious, embracing new experiences, and being open to change helps me remain adaptable and effective. Most importantly, I believe in never becoming stagnant and always looking for opportunities to improve, learn, and grow.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering my industry that they do not have to have everything figured out to deserve a seat at the table. Early in my career, there were times when I assumed everyone else knew something I did not, only to realize that most people are learning and figuring things out as they go. What truly makes a difference is having the confidence to make decisions, learn from the experience, and keep moving forward. My advice is simple: get started, trust yourself, and do not wait until you have everything figured out before pursuing opportunities.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges and opportunities in my field right now is increasing awareness and helping people understand that our services are available and accessible. While we have built a strong reputation through word of mouth and marketing, we still frequently hear from people who say they did not know our service existed. There is also a perception that our services are too expensive, when in reality, we offer flexible options that can accommodate different needs and budgets, including as little as 30 minutes per week. My goal is to continue educating people about the value and accessibility of what we provide.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my professional and personal life are empathy, integrity, and leading by example. I am deeply empathetic and make a conscious effort to put myself in other people’s shoes, understand different perspectives, and approach situations with compassion and understanding. I also believe strongly in living by the values I promote and maintaining the highest standards of integrity in everything I do. As a leader, I expect quality from my team, but I believe in demonstrating those same standards through my own actions. I would never ask someone to do something that I am not willing to do myself.
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