Meet Ms. Denielle Miller, a native of The Bahamas with deep-rooted cultural values, principles, and practices that she has exemplified through hosting and coordinating live events, as well as producing TV shows that have provided insight on the entertainment industry, health, relationships and empowerment for the past 8 years.
Throughout Denielle’s experience, she was afforded numerous opportunities to host live events: such as The Bahamas Consulate General, Atlanta, Georgia, Independence Reception and was also booked to host the Global Citizen Fellowship Summit two years in a row (2019-2020). However, due to the current health pandemic, last year’s Summit, which was scheduled to be held at Harvard University in Boston Massachusetts, was postponed.
Also, as a television host, Denielle Miller was granted the opportunity to host three television shows such as: “WHATCHA YA COOKIN” , RATED R and her favorite, “EASE UP”, which helped to inspire many youths in her country.
In October 2019, Denielle explored her creativeness and launched her own talk show on her YouTube channel, “Denielle” called “SIS (Spill It Sister)”, which has proven to be a success, attaining an average of one thousand four hundred (1,400) views per episode and garnered over ten thousand (10,000) views collectively in less than one year.
In October 2020, Denielle Miller was nominated and awarded as one of the top three (3) finalists for her country’s National Youth Awards, in the categories of Youth in Entrepreneurship and Youth in Arts and Culture.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
From a very young age, I felt a strong desire to be in the entertainment industry – I just thought it would be through music. Singing on stage and dancing in stadiums filled with people was the vision I had, however, that came to a screeching halt as I got older and realized I could not hold a tune to save my life. It was later on, in church, that I discovered I had the gift of gab, and that’s when I pivoted into embracing the gift God gave me. Having grown to understand the importance of purpose, I believe entertaining is what I was created to do.
How did you know you wanted to host shows?
Originally, I didn’t. I was only focused on hosting live events when, back in 2015, one of my mentors at the time, threw a challenge to me to host a show that he had created. Mr. Mark Cartwright, a legend in the entertainment industry in The Bahamas, has a knack for identifying talent and further amplifying it in ways you’d never think of. I was fortunate to meet him as a young teenager and sit under his tutelage from then to now. For his mentorship and challenge to step outside of my comfort zone, I am forever grateful. I had never hosted a recorded tv program before, but I nervously accepted his challenge. I had to write a script, email it to the producer, and prep for the show. This was several levels up from what I was doing at the time, but I fell in love and that single opportunity awakened the talk show host you see today.
What led you to the shows you’ve worked for? What opportunities has the pandemic’s confinement created?
For me, it’s always the purpose behind the show; I believe everything you do should have purpose. In this industry, any time I record or host an event/show, I am given a platform to use my voice as a form of art that will engage millions, therefore, I want to always use it as a tool to spread positivity, bring awareness, deliver a sign of hope, and create a space where persons are free to think out loud without judgement.
Being confined by the pandemic’s limitations created a unique opportunity for me to develop more content, but even more than that, to develop personally as a creator in the industry. In The Bahamas, our safety protocols were strict! We were on lockdown for about 2-3 months, sometimes with full weekend lockdowns, and to date, we’ve had a curfew for more than a year! This gave me loads of time to think, to pray, to retreat, and to grow. It also helped me realize that time is precious, and that I have work to do. This epiphany played a major role in releasing pent-up doubt and fear, which led me to take a leap and record a show in Atlanta.
As an entrepreneur and innovator, when do you prefer to work solo versus on a team? What personal qualities have enabled you to lead and collaborate well?
This, I am still figuring out. Because of financial limitations, budding entrepreneurs are usually found working alone, however, with growth, I’ve realized that I stretch myself too thin at times, and I do, in fact, need help. Being accustomed to doing things myself sometimes makes it hard to ask, or even identify when I need help, but I have absolutely grown into the idea of building a team.
I consider myself a very passionate person – always pushing to exude excellence with my brand and everything else I do in life. I think this is what enables me to lead a team of people as well as collaborate with others, and it’s also what I look for when looking to build a team or partner with others.
Tell us about your talk show: What is it about and who is it for?
My talk show is entitled S.I.S (Spill It, Sister). It addresses taboo issues women face but may be intimidated to speak about. The show is a safe space for us to think freely and speak authentically. Over the past year, S.I.S has not only garnered the attention of women around the world, but men as well, which tells me that my efforts are not in vain, and that we are, indeed, making an impact.
What has been your greatest accomplishment so far?
Simply put, my greatest accomplishment is being unapologetically fearless. It took a while for me to get here but I can confidently stand firm in my belief in my brand. I’m not afraid to take risks, knock on doors, or pitch my ideas to a group of top executives; I charge what I’m worth and I’m fully grounded in my belief that I am a successful brand and business, despite how many followers or how much money I currently have. I unapologetically and fearlessly believe in what I represent, and I get up every day and chase the dreams I have for myself.
When you suffer a setback, how does that emotionally affect you and your work?
I slow down but I never quit. Setbacks are stumbling blocks, not roadblocks, and on this path, it would be a fairytale for anyone to think they won’t have setbacks – it comes with the territory. That’s what I repeat in my mind when I encounter setbacks. Sometimes, I’m able to stand strong and pick up the pace quickly; other times, I may need to retreat to a calming space (both physically and mentally) and reflect on my why. This allows me some time to just breathe and clear my mind; once I can do that, I accept the things I cannot change and jump right back into work mode.
I also have people in my circle who I talk to about various issues – one person in particular is like my diary – but they all deposit positivity in me and help me come up with solutions.
Share two pieces of advice for female entrepreneurs.
Don’t quit, and keep going. At this point in the game, that’s the best advice I can give. You will start off with a weight of emotions, questions, doubt, lonely nights, tears, and low account balances, but know that your business idea was not an accident. Great things take time, extraordinary sacrifices, and growing pains. There is no guaranteed timeline for success, however, once you put in the work, over time, you will develop and bloom, and success will come naturally as you continue to grow. Everyone’s growth stages are different, so don’t compare your success to anyone else’s – just keep going, or, in the words of Dory, “just keep swimming”. In time, your hard work will pay off, and your wildest dreams will become your reality.
What has been your key (or keys) to success?
God. To be completely transparent, there are times I feel anxious about my next steps, and I sometimes find myself wondering what I’m doing, but God comes through for me every time. I constantly pray for wisdom, knowledge and understanding, for strength and for His guidance, and He’s been faithful to fulfill my requests time and time again. He’s my key to success.
What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?
I personally prefer not to think of my unsuccessful moments as failures because I always get right back up; you only fail when you quit. I like to think of them as lessons, and I’ve had tons of those. Some were hard lessons that I needed to learn in order to be better, but they weren’t failures. Every loss is a lesson, and every win is a blessing. As a matter of fact, your losses are blessings, too, because they motivate you to fight for your wins.
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