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At the same time, the technology landscape was shifting. The rise of AI created what she saw as a rare opening to rethink HCM from the ground up. Novaworks Inc., the startup she joined, is building an AI-native HCM. For Melanie, that wasn’t just interesting, it was compelling. She had helped build core HCM systems before. This was a chance to do it again in a fundamentally different way.

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There was also a growing personal tension. Over time, she had become increasingly frustrated with the politics, bureaucracy, and cultural constraints of large organizations. She wanted more autonomy, more speed, and more freedom to pursue ideas she believed in.

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At the same time, her view of “job security” had changed. “The old contract has changed,” she said. The predictability that once came with large companies no longer felt real. That shift made the idea of joining a well-funded startup feel less risky, and became a smart, intentional choice.

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This pivot didn’t happen overnight. It has been building for years. While at ServiceNow, Melanie blew out her knee in a skiing accident and was living and working from her sofa for months. Soon after, her father died unexpectedly. Those two events forced her to step back and question the environment of her work.

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She responded with a “mini pivot,” moving from ServiceNow to Workday into an evangelist role. It gave her breathing room and brought her closer to customers. But it also clarified something important. At her core, she sees herself as a builder. She’s drawn to product, to shaping direction, and to reading where the world of work is going next.

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Another pull came from Kelley Steven-Waiss and Eswar Vandanapu, founders of Novaworks Inc., whom Melanie had met years earlier during an acquisition at ServiceNow. Melanie was energized by the chance to partner with Kelley, join a female-founded company, and help disrupt a part of the industry she believes has needed change for a long time.

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She didn’t take the leap lightly. As a single mother, she carefully evaluated the risk. She worked through the financial implications with her advisor and made sure she could absorb the downside. She also had strong personal support. Her 14-year-old daughter, Simone, encouraged her to go for it, and her mother, who lives nearby, helps with logistics. That support matters.

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Current Direction

Melanie is now Chief Product Officer at Novaworks Inc. The role is expansive. She’s responsible for product strategy and management, design, and UX. She also partners with product marketing, pricing, packaging, and defining who the company sells to. In startup life, that means using whatever skills are needed towards whatever needs doing, so constantly putting the best-matched brains to whatever problem is at hand. She is also building new skills and experience including fundraising and working with a Board of Directors. 

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What energizes her most is building again, this time in an AI-driven world. She’s drawing on decades of experience, but using it in new ways. Even after only a year and a half away from leading product, she found that the entire product cycle has changed. AI has blurred the lines between product, design, development, and QA. Teams move faster, but they also have to think more critically about judgment, quality, and differentiation.

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That’s part of the appeal. She isn’t just applying what she knows, she’s reworking it for a new era. The product will be transformational.

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For Melanie, this pivot is about having a greater say in the outcome. After years of operating within systems shaped by others, she now has the chance to help shape what comes next.

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Advice to Others Considering Pivoting to a Startup - Especially an AI Startup

Melanie’s advice is straightforward.

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First, there’s never been a better time to join a startup. The combination of market change and new technology is creating real opportunity.

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Second, do your homework. Look closely at funding, investors, leadership, and whether the idea is truly differentiated. 

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Third, don’t assume a startup is riskier than a large company. In today’s environment, stability isn’t guaranteed anywhere.

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Finally, take the swing if it’s what you really want. Melanie doesn’t minimize the fear. She says she’s terrified at times. But she also believes you don’t know what you can do until you try.

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For Melanie, this pivot is about using everything she’s learned to build something new and redefine what’s possible for her next chapter, on her terms.