Jamie Miller is a Charlotte millennial on the move. Whether she’s planning a client event through her boutique marketing firm, The 518 Group, or bringing hundreds of women together during her signature Dear Sister event, Miller is using the power of relationships to make her mark on the Queen City.
I caught up with the Johnson C. Smith University alumna to chat about resources for local entrepreneurs, lessons learned and more.
What need were you looking to fill in the Charlotte area that inspired you to create Dear Sister?
I saw it as a connector to bridge the gap between millennial women seeking resources and support through the journey of starting new businesses, navigating through life and managing finances.
I hoped that it would become the ideal event to attend to start the New Year…take that information and apply it as needed in different aspects of life. If anyone fell off, they can seek accountability partners they met during the brunch. I would travel to other cities to seek this information, but instead, I wanted to water and seed where most of my close resources and network thrived.
As an entrepreneur, what is most attractive about the Charlotte market?
The millennial market thriving and working together to get things accomplished, the plentiful co-working spaces, the free courses offered, the Women’s Business Center, etc.
I love that Charlotte leads as one of the fastest-growing professional cities and that its Women in Entrepreneurship [ranking] is one of the highest percentages in the U.S. (8 percent).
How have the relationships you’ve built locally helped you in your personal and professional development?
I’ve learned to surround myself with doers and movers, people who have the will to execute and share resources. I’ve also learned to pay attention to those who talk but never do. I like to keep a tight group of hard workers who don’t mind giving me constructive criticism to keep me on top of my game. We can all get a little lax every now and then.
What is your word for 2019? How will that word transform the way that you operate your business?
My 2019 [words] consist of dedication, discernment and discipline. Each is detrimental to me scaling to the next level. Practicing discernment has to be most important as it is directly connected to the type of clients I intake and the business relationships and partnerships I create while working on my projects. Synergy is important and bad vibes are bad business.
What is the biggest lesson that you’ve learned as an entrepreneur?
My biggest lesson that I’ve learned is BE YOU. Stay authentic to who you are. It’s what makes people interested in what you have to offer. Trust your gut feeling the first time. Never become too loyal to anything or anyone. It’s business never personal. Think logical. Take emotion out of it. Show up. Your word is all you have in the beginning. Put others on. You will have good days and bad days, be sure to flourish through them both.
Nakisha Washington is a style contributor who mixes prints and professionals. She’s a millennial development coach, content creator and lover of all things stylish!
