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20 Things You Didn't Know About Mellody Hobson

Melody Hobson

Mellody Hobson is a fascinating lady who is known for her television show "Unbroke: What You Need to Know About Money." She's been in the television business, interviewing A-list celebrities on the ABC television show since 2009, but there is a lot more about her that fans of the show are not aware of. To help you get to know her a little better, here are 20 things about Mellody Hobson that you probably didn't know.

1. She climbed the ladder of success in business

Mellody began her career with Ariel Investments LLC as an intern. In this position, she learned the ins and outs of the business and continued to move up, becoming employed with the company. She is now the President and she's the boss who leads them in their strategic planning as well as overseeing all of the operations. Her success story is nothing short of astronomical.

2. Mellody wants to see others get ahead

Hobson has worked hard to achieve her own success, but she's also very happy to share the knowledge that she has gained with the rest of the world. She not only shared her secrets on television, her work also appears in a variety of columns. She knows money and she likes to give out helpful advice and tips to help others understand how she did it and how they also can find success in financial matters.

3. She's an executive in the entertainment industry

Melody is a celebrity who makes regular appearances on daytime news shows such as "Good Morning America." Hobson serves as the Dreamworks Animation studio's Chairman. She knows how to make a business run successfully.

4. Mellody has an Ivy League education

Prior to becoming famous for her knowledge about money and success, she had to spend time learning, just like the rest of us. She enrolled in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. This is a college that is very difficult to get accepted into and they only accept a small percentage of the applications that they receive. She completed her studies and graduated from the prestigious institution, and then she went out and applied the knowledge that she gained to become a successful entrepreneur.

5. She created her own show

The ABC television show "Unbroke: What You Need to Know About Money" was the creation of Mellody Hobson herself. She created the show, which means planning it out and writing the content. She also served as host. It's no wonder that we're all so impressed with Mellody because it seems that there is no end to her long list of skills and talents.

6. She's a success in her home town

Mellody is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She was born there and it's where she grew up. The company that she presides over is also in Chicago. She made history in the city when she was appointed as the head of the Economic Club of Chicago. She is the first woman of color to head the organization, but she takes second as a Black man was a former leader.

7. Mellody Hobson is one of the most admired women

Hobson is a very special lady indeed, and she is admired by superstars such as Oprah Winfrey, and powerful men in the business including the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, and Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. In recent interviews, their assessment of her as a businesswoman and as a human being was glowing. They just couldn't say enough good things about her. She's got a magnetic personality and she's also remarkable as well as talented, hard-working and highly intelligent.

8. She and George Lucas are married

Mellody Hobson and George Lucas had been seeing one another for a long time before they decided that it was time to tie the knot. The couple has a lot in common. They're both well to do, each is powerful in their professions and they share many common interests. These things make for the perfect partnership and we wish them many years of happiness together.

9. They're both friends of Steven Spielberg

Mellody and her husband George are both good friends with Steven Spielberg. He even named "The Force" Melody. Spielberg toasted them on their wedding day and he jokingly said that "The Force finally had a name: Mellody." This was a touching sentiment because Hobson truly is a force to be reckoned with in the business world.

10. Hobson associated with the rich and famous

Mellody is friends with a variety of celebrities, and many of them gathered to share the happy day when she and Lucas wed. At Bill Moyers was the person that they chose to officiate at their wedding ceremony while Van Morrison performed fat teh reception. Other members at the wedding were Arianna Huffington, Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola.

11. Samuel L. Jackson sent her a shout out

Samuel L. Jackson even got in on the celebration. He sent Mellody a message on Twitter to congratulate the two on their special day. Even though we saw in the copy of the post that he spelled her name wrong, it's the thought that counts. Jackson and Mellody have known each other for a while and he has appeared on her show "Unbroke: What You Need to Know About Money" in the past. Jackson is both a friend and a fan of Mellody Hobson.

12. Melody is a director of prestigious businesses

We recently learned that Hobson has a lot of different irons in the fire at the same time. She is well-connected with a variety of different high-end businesses, and she's also well-respected. People in this world value her opinions and have appointed her to be a part of their groups. In addition to being chairman of Dreamworks Animation, she is also a director for The Estee Lauder Companies Inc, the Starbucks Corporation, and Groupon, Inc. It seems that everybody wants to have her on board as a part of their team, but it's not hard to understand why.

13. She's a columnist

Mellody likes to share what she knows to work well when it comes to managing finances with others. She occasionally works for Black Enterprise magazine as a featured columnist. This is just one more of her many accomplishments. The magazine appreciates her contributions and it helps her readers by giving them tips on how to leverage and manage their available funds to make their money work for them.

14. She is considered to be an expert

Mellody Hobson is one of the more popular entrepreneurs in the business world, and she is an expert on finance. This is why she is in such high demand with the media and publications. They want to hear what she has to say because of her expertise, and her track record as a successful entrepreneur stands on its own. She's a hot commodity when a company is looking for a new board member or director to give them advisement on strategic development or finance because she seems to have the solutions that get results.

15. A variety of publications quote her

When Mellody Hobson speaks, people listen. This is one of the reasons why she is so widely quoted by a variety of different magazines which deal with money matters. Just to name a few of them, Pink magazine, Fast Company, Fortune, and Money have all taken quotes she has made about business and finance. This is one of the highest degrees of respect, but she has earned it. She's a reliable resource for researching facts about money because she knows her stuff and she loves to share her wealth of knowledge. For Mellody, of course, she has an education, but these are things that just seem to come naturally for her.

16.George Lucas hung onto the ring for 6 months

In an interview with Tom Joyner, Mellody Hobson opened up about her relationship with her husband George Lucas. The two had been an item for a long time, and she shared that even though George had to hang onto the ring for 6 months, she knew that he was the right man for her. The couple has so much in common that it just makes sense for them to share a life together. It would be interesting just to sit in on a typical conversation that George and Mellody have together. They're both dynamic people who are highly intellectual and successful on top of that.

17. Mellody received multiple official recognitions

Hobson was awarded the Order of Lincon, by the Governor of Illinois in 2018. This is the highest honor which can be bestowed. This grand event happened when she was inducted into the Lincoln Academy of Illinois as a Laureate. Mellody Hobson deserves every honor that she's received for everything that she does for businesses and for people as individuals. She's found the secret to effective money management, and she's so free to share her knowledge that she is truly owed the thanks and recognition that she's received.

18. Mellody and George have a child together

Mellody Hobson and George Lucas had a daughter in August of 2013. They're both very busy people, but they didn't go about starting their family in the traditional sense. Instead of going through pregnancy labor and childbirth, they opted to go with a surrogate. They named their daughter Everest Hobson Lucas. This is the only child for Mellody and she waited until later in life to start her family, but it's better late than never. George Lucas is the father of three children which he had adopted earlier in his life, named Jett, Kate, and Amanda, but his elder children have all grown up and are now adults. The couple married when George was 70 and Mellody was 45.

19. Mellody is a philanthropist

Hobson believes in giving. She has a lot of money and very little spare time, but she still manages to share of both to help others. She was involved with Birmingham's Bright Leaders of Tomorrow organization, and she gave of her time and finances. She was honored by the City of Birmingham on an episode of the Jack Good Show which aired in August of 2017.

20. She's an inspiration to many

Mellody Hobson isn't your average entrepreneur or rich celebrity. She's genuine and she's a nice person. In our research to learn more about who she really is as a person, we were pleased to discover that she has a magnetic personality that draws people in. She seems to have a perfect life, or at least as perfect as possible. She has beauty, personality, intelligence, strong money skills, she's personable, and she's successful and just about everything that she puts her mind to do. She has a wonderful daughter and is happily married, and she has shown the world that you can start out at a company at the bottom rung, and work your way into t top leadership position. She's generous with the knowledge and experience that she's gained, and Mellody is constantly looking for ways to share this information with others in hopes that it will help them to improve their own lives.

Final thoughts

Although Mellody Hobson is a name that not everyone is familiar with, she's a lady that is worth knowing about. She's among the most inspirational women we've come across. Wherever Mellody has gone, she's made an impression on those around her, and it's been a pleasure sharing these 20 things you didn't know about her. We're all a little richer for the experience.

Liz Flynn

Written by Liz Flynn

Liz Flynn has worked as a full-time writer since 2010 after leaving a career in education. She finds almost all topics she writes about interesting, but her favorite subjects are travel and food. Liz loves the process of researching information, learning new things, and putting into words what others who share her interests might like to read. Although she spends most of her time writing, she also enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, watching films, cooking, dining out, reading, motorsports, gaming, and walking along the beach next to her house with her dog.

Read more posts by Liz Flynn

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