Jessica Miller

I attribute my success to starting from the ground up, being willing to learn through hands-on experience, and staying open-minded and resilient throughout my career. What began as a temporary executive assistant role at Royal Oak Music Theatre turned into a 20-year journey in event management because I was willing to step in, figure things out, and grow through both successes and mistakes.

I also credit my success to the people I’ve worked with and the teams around me. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with passionate, skilled professionals who each bring something different to the table, and that diversity of talent has shaped how I approach my work. Their support, combined with my own drive and enthusiasm, has helped me build strong relationships with clients and create meaningful, high-impact events.

Most importantly, I attribute my success to staying focused on creating great experiences for others—whether that’s a corporate planner, a wedding couple, or a concert audience. I genuinely love what I do, and I take pride in helping bring someone else’s vision to life in a seamless and memorable way. That sense of purpose, along with my desire to keep learning and eventually mentor others, continues to push me forward.

I’m one of nine children, and I’ve always been surrounded by a big, loud, loving family that shaped how I show up in the world. But some of the most meaningful support in my life has come more recently—from three best friends who also happen to be my neighbors. Over the last three years, they’ve been a steady source of strength for me through some really challenging seasons. They’ve walked with me through hard times, showed up when things felt overwhelming, and reminded me I wasn’t carrying things alone.

What makes these friendships so special is that they didn’t start early in life—they came later, when I was already an adult and building a full life of my own. These women have become my closest friends in a way I deeply value, because they don’t just show up for the difficult moments—they also show up to celebrate the good ones. They cheer me on, remind me of my worth when I forget it, and genuinely believe I deserve success and happiness. That kind of friendship is something I don’t take for granted.

Professionally, I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to meet and work alongside people who each bring different strengths, talents, and perspectives. Every one of them adds something valuable, and together they’ve helped create a network of support that extends beyond just work. I’m grateful for the way these relationships contribute not only to my own growth, but also to the greater good in our community. More than anything, I feel thankful for the people around me—my friends, my colleagues, and my support system—and I look forward to continuing to grow with them and see what comes next.

I would tell them to really lean on people who have been around and not be afraid to ask questions. Sometimes when you start off in a new role, you're afraid to ask, but it's just like when you're in school - there are no stupid questions, and people are very helpful when you approach them and lean on them. There's so many times we're trying to prove ourselves. Early on in your career, you're trying really hard to show everybody you can do anything, and you're afraid to make mistakes because you're trying to prove yourself. You need to kind of put that part aside and be more of a curious learner. I think that just makes you more approachable and makes learning easier. You're just easier on yourself, and other people want to help you. It just is a different energy - instead of 'I know it all,' it's 'I just want to learn it all.' It changes the game.

The biggest challenges in my field include working in unique local markets that can feel isolated, navigating the emotional and unpredictable nature of live events, and the reality that much of early-career growth comes through trial and error. At the same time, there’s a strong opportunity to step into leadership roles, mentor those new to the industry, and build better systems for sharing knowledge so others can avoid common pitfalls and grow with more support.

I feel it's important to have a not just working mentality all the time. I really enjoy yoga, walking in nature, and I'm trying more now to get into a meditative practice. I'm trying to get outside myself and be more physical, but in a meditative state - I'm not doing cardio, I'm not running. At my work, I'm always around people. I've always thought that I'm an extrovert my whole life, and now I'm realizing that when I really look at it, I'm more of an introvert. The activities that help me calm down after being around people and at events are very solo. I have really realized that life is way bigger, and you're a better person when you do have that not just working mentality all the time. I'm a mom, and it was really just my kids and my job for a long, long time. Now I'm able to kind of step back and understand the value of peace in my life. I also enjoy my own company now.