Entrepreneur, Guide
& Curator of Wild Places
Meet Melanie Merkling
Melanie Merkling is the founder of Bonfire & Embers — a nature-led experience brand devoted to presence, refinement, and a more intentional way of living.
A seasoned entrepreneur and single parent, Melanie has spent years building companies, leading through uncertainty, and raising her children with equal commitment. She understands ambition. She understands responsibility. And she understands the quiet cost of constant acceleration.
Over time, she began choosing something different.
Extended seasons of slow travel, wilderness living, and stepping away from noise became a recalibration — not an escape.
Bonfire & Embers was born from that shift.
Melanie believes wellness is not something to optimize or perform. It is something to inhabit.
Through time outside.
Through shared meals.
Through meaningful conversation.
Through movement and stillness.
Today, she curates intimate, thoughtfully designed experiences for individuals and families who value depth, clarity, and a life that feels spacious — not rushed.
