How Vanessa James Is Helping To Make the Entertainment Industry More Diverse and Representative
An Interview With Guernslye Honoré
Stop worrying about HOW it will get done. Press GO, have fun, and enjoy the process fully.
As a part of my series about leaders helping to make the entertainment industry more diverse and representative, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Vanessa James.
Vanessa James Media is a multimedia company that champions authenticity, diversity, and creativity. Specializing in voiceover, on-camera and event hosting, and content creation, the company has been a beacon for creative collaboration, spirited storytelling, and innovative brand synergies in the media landscape. Founded by Vanessa James, known as “the voice you hear everywhere,” a sought-after, seasoned multicultural voice-over actress, who has lent her voice and talents to some of the world’s most iconic brands.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
As a Florida girl with Caribbean roots, I fell into entrepreneurship after a great run in corporate radio (both on the air and in programming behind the scenes). After a decade, I was faced with a choice when my station flipped in 2010 to either move to another market or make my mark with the roots and foundations that I had established in Miami. Out of grit and a lot of gumption, Vanessa James Media was born. I knew deeply that my love for storytelling and using my voice to connect with the masses couldn’t be curtailed by a sudden career change and that instead, I wanted to hone my skills to create more space for women of color in entertainment as a whole.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
My career in radio, voiceover, and media has really consisted of an array of interesting stories but I’ll share one moment that helped shape my journey in hopes that it helps others. I was hosting the BVI Music Festival years ago in Tortola and there was a very early excursion on one of our off days that was optional, so I slept in. There was a barrage of knocks on the door just after sunrise and it was my director at the time ranting about how I just missed breakfast with Sir Richard Branson. Apparently, Richard frequented the festival and often randomly had intimate breakfasts with guests on his way to the marina. I ended up meeting him after all but my takeaways were: that the early bird (in this case the crew) really does get the worms and sometimes you miss but you never lose when you’re fully rested.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Growing up in the Caribbean and immigrating to the US in my early elementary years, I developed a stutter when speaking in front of crowds. So naturally, I chose a career path where I’d have to do just that! LOL. I remember early in my radio journey an interview with Usher that went left. I was so nervous to chat with him that I stuttered all the way through the interview. I’ll chalk it up to nerves because well, I was chatting with a global superstar but in retrospect, I could have been better prepared. Mortified from how it went yet grateful for my producer’s editing skills, the final interview that aired turned out great but the experience still creeps up to this day. The lesson learned: be yourself, take your time, and if you stumble or in my case stutter. Take a beat and come back stronger. Also, surround yourself with a great team of people who can help you through those moments of perceived weakness to get to the end goal.
Ok, thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our discussion. Can you describe how you are helping to make popular culture more representative of the US population?
By showing up as my true self every day, by amplifying other creatives of color through my work, and by hiring fellow creatives through my company Vanessa James Media. I think the best way we can create more representation in media is by actually being the change we want to see — in that we give others space to show up as themselves and to pay it forward to those they believe in too.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by the work you are doing?
Vanessa James Media proudly sponsors several schools in the Caribbean for back-to-school drives. One message I received recently from a small group of students really impacted me because not only were they excited to receive the supplies, but they had used some of them to create a larger-than-life card to send my way. It touched me and it goes to show that even the smallest gestures of giving can create a great impact.
As an insider, this might be obvious to you, but I think it’s instructive to articulate this for the public who might not have the same inside knowledge. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why it’s really important to have diversity represented in Entertainment and its potential effects on our culture?
- The more diverse the roster the richer the stories.
- Diversity fosters new ideas and showcases blindspots that even the most well-rounded and dialed-in CEOs and C-Suite leaders miss at times.
- Inclusivity and respect for ideas as a base level for any project create sparks for exponential growth.
Can you recommend three things the community/society/the industry can do to help address the root of the diversity issues in the entertainment business?
Take a look at your team and ask yourself — is the audience that I am trying to reach represented in this room? If the answer is no, get to work on hiring people that reflect the community and work you are trying to share with the world.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Think of leadership like a movie set. There are many moving parts and everyone plays a pivotal role in setting the scene, telling the story, and sharing in the vision of the project or business goal. You, the director, have the ability to zoom in and hyper-focus on the details and zoom out to find the gaps and hire the right support where it’s needed to bring things to life. The true leader engages with team members who are hired for each part and asks what he/she can do to make their experience better because they’re aware that a well-supported staff will always deliver in the end.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?
1 . Practice Discipline daily. Finish what you start.
2 . Be impeccable with your words.
3 . Trust your intuition.
4 . Lean into your mentors and listen to their guidance.
5 . Stop worrying about HOW it will get done. Press GO, have fun, and enjoy the process fully.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I’d love to inspire a movement around global water access. Water is a life resource that so many around the world are deprived of daily. Over half of the world’s population still do not have access to running water and even less have ever taken a hot shower. I’d like to re-imagine a space where the most basic needs of people like water, safety, and food security are met so that they can begin to focus on their dreams and create opportunities not only for themselves but their communities.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Let things go and flow as they are meant to. When you manage expectations of people and situations, you save time and energy that could be better used for good. Our dreams and goals have expirations so be mindful of the time you spend fretting over who supports you and tap into the community that does.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
So hard to choose just one but at the moment I would have to say Viola Davis. I’ve long admired her as an actress, creative, producer, and philanthropist and have been in awe at her ability to pivot through the various stages of her career.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Vanessa James Media on Instagram at @vanessajamesmedia, X formerly Twitter, @msvanessajames, and LinkedIn.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much!
About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.
