’90s kids will automatically know the name Melissa Joan Hart when they hear it. She practically dominated teen TV with her roles on Clarissa Explains It All and Sabrina The Teenage Witch. The actress has been in the game since she was only 4 years old, making her an excellent role model for anyone with big dreams out there. Her top piece of advice? Don’t quit!
“I see that persistence wins out with those things,” the actress advises. “Having a smart business plan and not losing steam, I think that’s what’s important.”
That’s why she partnered with peanut butter company Jif and Indiegogo to judge the Imagine If contest! Kids created their business plans and the finalists each earned $10K to make it come true. They’ve got ideas like creating dolls for sick children, feeding the homeless, and hosting a podcast. All it takes is one good idea and a little persistence to help change the world!
“It was great that they put out a positive campaign encouraging kids and families to think creatively about how to solve some of the world’s problems and what they would do and giving them the resources the to put that into action.”
If you believe and work hard, you might end up being an actor/director/super parent like Melissa Joan Hart. On top of her three kids and acting career, Melissa finds the time to take on projects like this and direct a movie! “Thank God for iPhone calendars now, right?” she jokes.
It’s pretty much been a race for Melissa ever since her career took off at 12 years old. That’s why moments to reflect, like she did with the former cast of Sabrina the Teenage Witch at Comic Con, are super important.
“We just have such a wonderful time,” she reminisces. “We have such amazing memories. It’s a happy place to be, around all those people.”
There may be a new Sabrina the Teenage Witch on its way, but the old cast isn’t fazed by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina!
“We all kind of ‘Did you hear?…Yeah, okay.’ That was the end of it,” Melissa explained. “I think it’s a huge compliment to what it was. That was a character that meant a lot to people that they want to see it keep going even if it’s in a totally different way.
The original live-action show will always have a place in our hearts, especially considering the new one is going to be pretty different! And Melissa’s version basically raised a generation.
“Even, yesterday someone said ‘Oh, I grew up with you.’ I just love hearing that,” Melissa gushed. “That’s such a nice compliment that I hear all the time. It’s so personal. Not only did they like your work, you were a part of their life.”
Becoming an iconic figure certainly doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and determination, but Melissa feels like there are so many opportunities for kids these days.
“You can be an Instagram star or Youtube star! There’s no rules anymore,” she remarked.
I mean, we’re already on the internet 24/7. Why not make some dreams come true at the same time? One of the three finalists for “Imagine If” is going to go home with an extra $20,000 to fund their plan to help the world. Which one? Well, “The hard part is that I have to judge it,” Melissa says. But adults can help their favorite mission by donating to the kids’ Indiegogo funds. The contest ends on January 23, 2018, so there’s still time to support the kids or get inspired for your own business idea.
Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.
