Melissa Maddock on Building a Social Media Career: Tennis Player to Global Film Travel Creator |

0:00 If I had to pick anything, and it is a cliche word, but I would say resilience, just keep going because I really believe this and I know it to be true. If you keep doing something, you can't help but get better at it. I think it's also important to because it's easier to be resilient if you like what you do. I think you really have, you know, it's very, very helpful if maybe to, to be very successful. I think it's it's it's imperative.

0:34 Hi, Melissa. It's fantastic to have you on the show and I'm delighted and excited to have you here because what you do is a very unusual job, if you can call it that. And, you know, your journey obviously, you know, started with also playing a lot of tennis. And I'm very interested in and also the skills that you took from, you know, learning tennis and that into what you do now. But because you have such an unusual job, I'm going to ask you to spend a little bit of time giving some background and how you got into this.

1:07 And yeah, and just let everybody know exactly actually what it is that you do. So without without further ado, go ahead. Let us your mini life story. First of all, thank you for having me, Dave. It's a it's a pleasure to speak to you, especially after you spoke with my brother the other week. You had a great chat. Basically what I do is I do social media for a living and it all started back in 2020. So up until 2020, obviously when lockdown happened, I was coaching full time, coaching tennis full time and before that I was playing tennis full time.

1:47 I played tennis since I was three years old and then 2020 came, I was still in university, I was playing for my university team, love for tennis and coaching. And basically obviously during lockdown all that stopped. Couldn't play tennis anymore, no one could play tennis anymore. So all we could do is sit is sit at home. And for me, all I could do is sit at home and watch movies. So that's basically what I did to pass the time and lockdown, I watched movies and I soon as lockdown finished, I went to Harry Potter studio tour in Watford and which is where all the sets of Harry Potter are like so basically, essentially where they filmed Harry Potter.

2:24 And I posted a video about it on TikTok and it was one of the first videos ever posted on social media and it got over 1,000,000 views. And from there I, I realized I lived next to another Harry Potter film location and I visited that. I posted, did 3 or 4 videos. Every single video got over 1,000,000 views. So I then realized just how much people are interested in their seeing, seeing family locations. They were just as interested in it as I am. I'm from there just for a good few years, I built what I was doing up.

2:57 I was using all my own money traveling around family locations. It it started off just Harry Potter and then about two years ago I decided to really commit to it and started visiting film locations from other films and other TV shows filmed around the world. Yeah, from it's from about last year, the year before the end of the year, before 2024 is when I went full time with it. I started travelling the world full time working with brands and now 2026 I work with studio, the film studios to travel around the world and visit where films were shot.

3:36 And I shared that on social media. And it's really exciting for me because not only that, there's lots of amazing things I get to do. I get to not only work with the studios travel in the world, I also get to do go to film premieres and and sit down with famous actors and get to speak to him. Like for example, I talked to Brendan Fraser the previous month. So for me it's, it's very, very different to tennis, but it's, um, I'm very happy with the way it gone. Yeah, and it just shows you that your passion and for a hobby and just going out and doing something that you you would have loved doing anyway.

4:15 And I think that's the the amazing thing about the world today with social media that, you know, you were able to share this and then, you know, millions of people could see it and suddenly, you know, there's this huge interest in it. You know, obviously before social media, you'd go there, take your pictures and show your family and that that would be it, you know, you know, how would you get it out there? You know, and I mean, even like, you know, Facebook and that obviously, you know, would have, you know, gotten maybe a wider following, but things like tick tock and Instagram just exploded this into a job for you.

4:49 Yeah, it's it's crazy really. I mean, when I started off visiting film locations that it generally did just start off with a passion. It was a hobby. I never never thought it would end up this way. Yeah, it's just I just started visiting them because like I liked film, I like TV. And to fact the fact that now it's turned into a job and millions of people see my see my videos. I mean, my analytics on Instagram this month are 22 million views. So 22 million people have been watching my stuff just on Instagram this month alone.

5:24 But it's a, it's quite good because film is quite a broad landscape. Everyone was watching movies. So, and it adds in the element of travel as well. So I think it's not only exciting for me, it's exciting for other people to watch. And what was the first thing that happened that made you realize this could be a job, You know, who approached you or what? What actually happened for you to suddenly go, oh, actually, I mean, obviously you knew you had the following. Yeah. But what was the first step that happened?

5:53 So basically it was when I had some studios approach me. So I did a, I've done a, I've done a few ads before, but never ones that really specifically focused on my film locations. And then last year I worked with some tourism boards to visit film locations in their country. So I went, for example, I went to, it's in, it's in the UK, but I went to Northumberland to visit film locations for 28 years later, which is a second one just come out this month actually. And I went to go do the film locations for that as well with another tourism board.

6:33 But it was really then when I realized people, not just the people who watch my videos and my content, it's also the brands that love that element because it's showing their scenes, the films of their scenes and their shows in a great, in a great fun way. I'm showing the locations, but after it's been filmed and I'm also showing that it's accessible for other people to visit. So it was, it was then when I started to get a bit of traction from studios and other brands want to meet to incorporate my content in in travel or film and TV.

7:11 And it was then that I realized maybe, maybe this has got, maybe this has got something to it. And has it changed very much in how you do the filming and everything? Do you have a crew with you now? And has it become a lot more professionalized or? For some of my content, yeah. So I, I recently went to Memphis for they, they released in a new Elvis documentary, which they found 40 hours of unseen footage of, of Elvis performing on stage in Las Vegas. And I went to Memphis to film some things at Graceland for it.

7:47 And I had a film crew with me there that I was filming some stuff at Graceland. But when I, most of the time when I go to locations, I always have someone with me filming for me because pretty much I can't, I can't do it on my own anymore. I started off with just a tripod, so I was just setting up my, my, my own my, setting up my phone on the tripod and then filming it that way. So yeah, we've really progressed from from that to to now, where I always have someone with me to help film me. And a question that really fascinates me, as you know, because I've seen it with tennis players, how, you know, as they progress up the rankings and everything like that, how their confidence changes and how they, you know, their belief in themselves and what they do, you know, change their mindset.

8:36 Basically, you know, grows with the with the level that they're that they're attaining. Have you found that you starting to think about things a little differently now to the way you did beforehand? Yeah, definitely. I mean, when when I first started creating comic content, I wasn't very, you can ask my brother, actually I was, I was very shy at these little film locations. I was very reserved. I would try and film when nobody was working on, no one was around. And now when I go to these locations, I know I'm going there to do a job.

9:11 I've done it for years now. I've visited these locations for years, but my mindsets changed definitely. And now that is also my job and I've done it for years and I know I'm a lot more professional with my planning and a lot more professional my filming. Everything. My commitment to it has gone up as long, as well as my confidence on alongside it. I believe in my content a lot more than than I used to. I wasn't sure if I'd post some things before. That's why it only started off with Harry Potter actually, when I started out and I changed up and decided to do other films and TV shows because I believed in what the content I was making was good.

9:53 Yeah, and and the reason why I'm pointing this out is I think it's it's important for people to realize that when you start down a journey, you evolve with the journey. You know, I think wow, you know, that person has it all together and they really great. And the professional, I mean, people are going to see you and think, wow, you know, that's suddenly a magic fairy from Mars just made you like that. But actually it's an evolvement and, and really and truthfully, you know, if, if you get really good at something, everybody can evolve and you know, gain the confidence from, from being very good at something.

10:26 Yeah, definitely. I mean, like, like you say, it's, it's the more you commit to it, the more you practice it and your confidence will go up with that. Truly, I'm a, I'm a believer in that. It's, it's just like I did in tennis. The more hours I spent on court, the more committed I was to tennis. And not just on court, off court, everything I did towards tennis that made me a better tennis player. I've I've taken that into, to my business now. So it's, it's, yeah. The the parallels between them are huge.

10:57 Yeah, that's, that's great. So I mean, what would you say that, you know, and it's not that easy to do, but you know what from tennis and and sport has really impacted the kind of character traits that you feel that that helped you develop that is now helping you in, in, in this. Because I guess I mean, it's, it's also a pretty high pressure job. You know, whenever you're traveling and working and having deadlines and stuff like that, it's important that that you get it done. Yeah. So, you know, have you made any direct links and say you know what, you know, tennis and that journey really helped me to to be able to do this, you know, better than I would have been able to.

11:40 100% I think for me, the biggest crossover that tennis gave me that's helped me now is discipline. Being disciplined in tennis. Obviously like I said, I started at three years old and my brother going to a tennis Academy in obviously going to America and Balti Areas. He came back and taught me all the traits that he picked up when he was at Balti Areas, which was, I remember him saying, oh, you have to make your bed every day. Like when you're on court, you have to come to tennis early, make sure you warmed up, make sure you're ready.

12:10 And growing up making sure that I did all those things and I was disciplined at tennis, I've definitely taken into content creation. I mean, the one thing, one discipline in content creation that you have to have is consistency. You have to make sure that you're posting all the time that you're keeping up with. If you're posting otherwise your engagement goes down. People don't care anymore. Brands don't see you anymore. So making sure that you are consistent with your posting, you're consistent with the videos you're making, the quality videos you're making is the biggest take away.

12:44 That is the biggest take away I've got from playing tennis. Like I said, just making sure that I'm there and I've got, I've got my drinks, I've got got my tennis equipment, All of them aspects that I grew up really implementing in my tennis, I've just taken with me into content creation. And that's all because of discipline. Yeah. And that's very interesting because I, you know, this week I was just at the Bath Academy, which I've been involved with for, you know, nearly 16 years. And, you know, the kids there are busy.

13:13 They're in and out from school. They get taxied in and out, and they're playing a lot of tennis and everything like that. But on average their grades are extremely good and better than a lot of kids that are not involved in high level sport or music or whatever. It is a discipline and it shows you that when people have a lot of time in their hands, they can waste it. And people that are forced to manage their time actually do everything better because they they have that discipline. When you said being intentional with your time, and that's a, that's a huge one.

13:47 I mean, I helped coach a young tennis player where I live when I'm back now, like so even when I'm not doing content creation, I still like to be on court. And I do help coach talented junior here in Nottingham. I try to. One thing I tried to get her to do is not only practice with a purpose, but be purposeful with her time when she's not on court, making sure she's doing something to progressing towards her school, progressing towards her tennis, Something that it's really important to be intentional with your time and not just not just.

14:21 Yeah, I mean, I couldn't, I couldn't agree more. And and I think, you know, once you start getting into high level sport, it teaches you that and, and the focus. And I'm sure you've even in your new career, you've seen as you progress more, how much better you're able to focus on what you really have to do. And you know, there's less and less noise in your head. You become much clearer about what has to be done. 100%. What person, a person's journey has influenced you the most, you know, amazed you or taught you something that really, really helped?

14:56 You know, I know there'll be a lot of people who influence your life and that, but if you could narrow it down to one or two people or events that happened, obviously visiting Harry Potter and actually making those that those videos obviously changed your life or started to change your life. But also, you know, a lot of people would maybe have done that, but that they didn't recognize the potential in it. And I think that's, you know, that's that's also important that a lot of people will do something and and go, oh, that's nice.

15:29 I've got a lot of views and not actually recognize the potential in it. So I really congratulate you and you know, you know, people say you're lucky. No, you did something and recognize the potential and then you capitalized on if there was any luck, you definitely capitalized on it. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean, I always, I get that comment probably every single day of my life telling me how lucky I am, which, which I'm 100% lucky in the, the opportunities I get to do as they're not always guaranteed, especially with people who in my position.

16:02 But it's, it's something that I've worked towards and I, I am lucky because I put put the work into to get to where I am with this business. Like truly the people that inspire me are the ones that I've seen are just committed to. That's why I like even now, even though I'm not don't play tennis anymore, tennis players really do inspire. I mean, Roger Federer has been the biggest inspiration my whole life and especially Nadal. Nadal was my the biggest one for me growing up because he growing up as a tennis player, I was never the most talented technique wise.

16:42 I was never the best. But one thing about me that my people around me always said, people who watched me, I play tennis all the time used to say that I put a lot of effort in on court. And that's got me really that got me far in my in my tennis career. And I feel like that's what's taken me far in this career now. So, and obviously Nadal, he was Federer was always known as the majestic one, the, the one who it comes easy to. And Nadal was always the one who was grinding on court and making sure that he's always working hard and giving 100%.

17:16 That's probably why he's got as many injuries as he had in his career. So growing up obsessed with Nadal and the way he works and his work ethic, I tried to replicate that in my tennis career. And now I feel like that's mirroring in my in my content creation career. Brilliant. And do you have any specific way that you deal with pressure? Because, you know, in any job, sometimes you can feel overwhelmed, you know, with the amount of stuff you've got to do or, you know, deadlines you've got to make or just, you know, having to make a quick decision on on whether you're going to say yes or no to something.

17:54 Do you have any kind of process that you go through in in in making those decisions or dealing with with that pressure? First of all, the first thing I like to do is just take a breath if I've got something that's that needs to be out immediately or I'm getting pressured with deadlines or I'm making. Because sometimes in content creation, you have to reach a certain number of views or say, if you've done an ad for a company, you've got to reach a certain amount of views or likes or what whatever it is to make sure that the, the company like it.

18:31 So what I'll, what I'll do first of all, take a breath. That's, that's always the first one. And then I, I like to write down either. So if it is I'm talking about if I'm trying to get the best quality out of my video to make sure I get the most views, I will write down aspects from other videos that have gone viral on what worked well that way. Why did that work? What were the aspects that people enjoyed? Because you can always break it down. I like to look at analytics. So on my videos you can see where audience peaked, web audience liked video or they can see where they've stopped watching, stuff like that.

19:11 So I really like to review the performances in my past videos and then go from there. And if it's in terms of like over forms of pressure, I just like to make a pros and cons list. So if I have to choose between certain things, I'll sit down and say, OK, what's the pros of doing this? What's the cons of doing this? Vice versa? And not really most of the time. 90% of the time that helps me solve my outcome, show me what I'm going to, what option I'm going to go with. Now, what I love about those two things is, you know, look at analytics.

19:47 Writing things down is you're taking stuff out of your head and then turning them into actions. So I think a lot of time when people worry things are going round and round and round and round in their head and, and it's very, very difficult to analyze something when it's in your head. But with the analytics you can get facts and then by writing down pros and cons. You're getting the stuff out of your head in front of you on paper, and a lot of the times you know something that seems like a big issue once you write it down, something seems like why am I so bothered about this?

20:26 It's not really as big a deal as I thought it was. Yeah, 100%. Yeah, When I wake up sometimes like I don't know, two or four in the morning or whatever and something's just circulating, circulating. So I mean, almost invariable I'll just get up and either go do it if it's something I can just go do, or I will start to write down what I need to do and then that kind of calms my brain down. So, so I love those, those 22 aspects that you bring to pressure because you know, it's, it's, I think the more you run a business and that you just realize that action counts for more than anything.

21:05 And you know, thinking about things are great, but in the end you have to take action. Yeah, 100%. And just making sure that you make it easy for yourself to make that action. Like you said, you can get so lost in your own mind. I feel like that's my that's my biggest downfall in in life. That's unfortunately I've had for ages that overthink things in my head. So if I take away the option of overthinking things and make it clear and plain for myself, writing that down, I mean, where I got that from is one of my favorite books is Champion Minded by Alistair Mccour.

21:40 And I read that probably four or five years ago. My dad actually gave it to me to read while I was playing tennis because it's it's based on Alistair's worked with lots of tennis players. He works with athletes. He he works with a lot of them. So just. I know Alistair, actually, he's from South Africa, just like I am. Well, I honestly, the, the tips that I took away from champion minded and other books that he's done, and it's really, honestly makes you, it feels like you've got glasses on and the, the foggy and it's like the fog's gone.

22:12 When you, when you, when you make it as simple as that and you use a technique as simple as writing things down so you can stop overthinking things and in front of you and you can actually make a clear decision. It's, it's honestly it's, it is like taking off some some glasses, some foggy glasses. You can actually see it for how it really is. Yeah. I mean, I have a question that I asked, which is, you know, I think it's so obvious and I wish I'd known this question, you know, a long time ago. But it's simply what would I need to do in order to not feel like this?

22:46 Or what would I need to do in order to not have to make this excuse? What would I need to do make sure I improve the situation immediately? You know, sometimes the answer is very ugly. It's what you don't want to do. But at the end of the day, you actually, if you, if you answer that question, you know, whatever it's about, it kind of gives you a road map that you know, you know the answer. And, and that's The thing is, I think a lot of times when people go, oh, it's confusing, you know, I'm not sure, you know, it's, it's complicated and everything.

23:20 Then if you, if you narrow it down, OK, it might well be complicated, but what's the one thing you need to do now in order to change this or make it a little less complicated? And that starts the path to solving whatever problem it is. Yeah, 100% make it. Make it simple for yourself. Yeah, my last question for you is, what's the most fun things about your work now? Well, the most fun things. I mean, I'm lucky that the work I'm in is one of the most fun things. I mean, there's so many. I mean, I'm going to Disney on a Disney Cruise this weekend because of my work, which is, which is crazy good to, to get to do stuff like that.

24:05 There's probably, there's probably 2, there's probably 2 aspects really. There's the guts and glamour of it when it's obviously you. I mean, last week, like I mentioned to you, I was in North Yorkshire doing family locations and I was trekking through more to get to a location and to go do that and then go to a premiere for something which is obviously the glitz and glamour of it all and get to do that. And just the travel aspect and obviously the travelling aspect. But in just like when I, when I played tennis and you travelled, you never really got to see where you were travelling because obviously you're, you're on court as you, you, you're in a hotel, you're on court, you're recovering you, you never really get to see.

24:49 But with this job, I'm lucky that the travel is very much sightseeing so actually finally get to see the places. Brilliant. Yes, yeah. I mean that's The thing is you know, I've travelled, you know, probably, you know, 3 cores of the world, but what have I actually seen not. Much of it. Not much of it. Yeah, I know where a good coffee shop is. Or where a good restaurant is in a place. Or where? The best tennis goals are. I know where the tennis courts are, yes, but I don't always know too much else.

25:21 I mean, I did try and get out, but it's, it's, it's very, very difficult, you know, when you're working. And the other thing about tennis is, you know, once you lose or, or the player loses and you're the coach, I don't know what it is, but there's just a very strong desire to just get out of there and get to the next place, you know. So, you know, to to kind of or at the end of a trip to South Canada tag on two days to go and see things and everything like that just never sits well. And I don't know many players had ever do that or coaches that do that.

25:56 It's like, OK, we're done here. We need to go on and, and, and maybe that's something that needs that people need to consider changing a little bit. But you know, the thing about it is you're ready thinking about what you need to improve for the next home and you need to get there and and get back to work. So, yeah, so the the travel is not quite as fun as the travel that you're doing now. That's. Brilliant not. Quite thank you so much for your insights and I really wish you a lot of luck going forward.

26:25 And I'm sure that you will grow and grow. And one day we may well see you interviewing people on TV and and branching out into all different things. And again, I really commend you for not just seeing an opportunity, but capitalizing on it and and then growing it and obviously, you know, moving it forward all the time. And I know that takes a lot more hard work and than than people think, because getting things right filming wise, I'm sure you found out is, is a lot more complicated than you, you originally thought.

27:04 As long as the idea was good, you're going to get a lot of traction. But now obviously you working for brands and stuff like that, it's probably, you know, you can put me wrong, right if I'm wrong, but a different level of, of, of filming and, and professionalism. Yeah, a lot, a lot more, a lot more pressure. It's got to be the quality's got to be so much better. And yeah, thank you so much for having me. It's been a pleasure speaking to you. Before I leave, actually, I'd love to like ask you a question.

27:31 So obviously I've been speaking to you and you've been asking me about the traits. Obviously what what I've taken with me into to building my career now. But obviously you've also had a very successful career. And anytime I meet someone who's had success in their job in in life, I just love to ask them like what trait they see or what trait they believe is made them successful. If, if, if I had to pick anything, and it is a cliche word, but I would say resilience. Just keep going because I really believe this and I know it to be true.

28:11 If you keep doing something, you can't help but get better at it. I think it's also important to because it's easier to be resilient if you like what you do. I think you really have, you know, it's very, very helpful if maybe to, to be very successful. I think it's, it's, it's imperative that you do love what you do and you really like it because then it is through the tough times, it is easier to hang in because overall you enjoy doing it. And and you hear a lot of people say follow your passion, but I would say this is, you know, desire is something that people say you really need.

28:54 And I and I agree with that, but it's what you do with the desire. So if you're interested in purely tennis terms, the design needs to be what do I need in order to be a better tennis player? Not I want to be, you know, top 100, top 50, whatever it is. And I've got a lot of desire to be very good. You need to channel that design, say, OK, you know, I've got a very good, you know, kick serve to the to the backhand on the ad court. But I'm I'm not winning that many points on it. Why is that? Well, maybe because your T serve is really bad.

29:29 So they know you don't have an option. So whilst you have a very good kick serve, you know, you need to find out, you know, what you need. And then where where I see desires a person who gets that answer. Yeah. And. Then it's the ones that you see, you know, before practice or after practice, practicing that T serve and slowly getting better and better and better at it. So they don't just say, Oh, I need that, yes. And then, you know, every now and again, I'll hit two or three extra T serves. They they started to see what they need and then really work at improving it.

30:06 And that's the type of desire that I think gets people to the top because it's, it's channeled in ways that's going to make them very good at what they do and better and better at what they do. And of course, you know, in sport, the better you get, the more people you can be, more people you can beat, the higher you're going to, the higher you're going to be. And, and so it's, it's kind of those two things, the desire to get better all the time and the resilience to just keep going until you are very good at it.

30:36 Yeah, Yeah. I love that. Yeah, I think, I think that desire is obviously something you can take into any job and it will make you be successful in just live. So yeah, I think that's that's yeah, that's perfect. I love that. Thank you so much. Brilliant. And of course in in the next session be your chance to ask me a couple more questions as well. Yes. Brilliant. Amazing. Thank you. Thanks for watching Locker Room Power with David Samuel. If you enjoyed the episode, hit subscribe and leave a comment on your favorite platform.

31:08 See you in the next one.