Who is Adriênne Danielle Bolden?
More than anything: I am a resilient, creative, and multi-hyphenate. The art of communication has served as a throughline throughout my 10-year career. My professional background is diversified, with expertise in Brand and Reputation Management, Public Speaking, Contract Negotiation, Nonprofit Management, Program Management, Community Engagement, Event Management, Initiative Launches, DEI, and Teaching in Higher Education.
Although I am from Memphis, Tennessee, and lived in other cities, I’ve come into my adulthood in Miami. Within the last 8 years, I’ve planted my roots in Miami and founded the full-service PR Agency, LEVERAGE MIAMI LLC.
What brought you to South Florida?
I fiercely knew I wanted to be here. I had an intuitive calling to Miami even before I visited. The first time I visited Miami, I was based in Daytona Beach for undergrad at Bethune-Cookman University. On a quick trip with some friends from college, I became utterly convinced that this was the place I needed to be. So, eventually, I made my way to the city. In 2014, I made the move, thanks to my position as a department manager with NORDSTROM, and began to call Miami home.
What led you to pursue a master’s in communications?
As mentioned, I began my undergrad journey at Bethune-Cookman but ended up finishing my degree at Howard University. I’ve had a double dose of the HBCU experience. I’ve always had a deep understanding and passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion. I’ve consistently been the person to make sure everyone feels seen and taken care of.
Post-graduation, my early career experience was engulfed in management and strategic communications while working in the luxury retail space for CHANEL, Gucci, and other designer brands. My business experience, along with my mission to cultivate equitable spaces while championing diversity, led me to the nonprofit sector. I was staffed by AmeriCorps as a Program coordinator. My time at AmeriCorps created a natural pull toward more academic education and resulted in a staff position at Florida International University (FIU), Master of Business Administration Programs.
While working for FIU, I knew I had to take advantage of the employee benefits offered to staff. I decided to take inventory of my career thus far. At that point in 2017, I had been a store manager for CHANEL, Gucci, and Pandora. I asked myself: what was the thread to my life? In that self-audit, I found the throughline was always communication. No matter what role I held, communication was at its core. With that understanding, I went on to pursue a Global Strategic Communications Master’s with the Graduate Certification in Conflict Resolution and Consensus Building. When I graduated in 2019, I was honored as a Worlds Ahead Graduate, which is the highest honor you can receive from the University. It’s been a rewarding experience to come full circle and serve as an adjunct professor in the Communications department, teaching both Business and Professional Communications and Public Speaking. For the last two years, I have been of four Black professors in the College of Communications, Architecture, and The Arts.
What is your leadership approach when consulting clients?
My leadership approach is to listen when a prospective client is talking. And by that, I mean I’m zoned in. I am completely focused on what they’re trying to tell me: not to derive a solution, but to truly understand. Many times, businesses experience a slight disconnect between what they are saying and what they are actualizing. So, it’s important to understand the client’s issue at its core, not just the issue of the moment.
We work with our clients to find out what their ideal end goal is and make detailed plans about how to achieve those goals. We help clients identify or enhance their unique business proposition and empower them to execute actionable goals. This is especially true when a client doesn’t know where to start. Everyone involved in client work is mentored in the art of listening. If everyone is listening, it’s less likely that we will miss anything.
In business, how do you approach risks and risk-taking?
What’s great about LEVERAGE MIAMI is that our consultants have experiential knowledge to reference. When we encounter roadblocks in business, we take a proactive and strategic approach to mitigate risks. Though sometimes, a risk is worth the reward. In those cases, we talk through all possible outcomes with clients and devise a strategy that works best for them. LEVERAGE MIAMI is proud to apply this system of critical risk-taking to every package and service we provide. We even use this approach when vetting potential clients.
How did LEVERAGE MIAMI Start?
I would say that LEVERAGE MIAMI was born out of confidence and courage. I started the business 8 years ago after experiencing several situations of racial bias and prejudice in the workforce. Although I had successfully managed employees and million-dollar budgets: I found myself consistently undervalued and underappreciated. Upon reflection, I saw my vast capabilities in business and customer success. I’ve duplicated myself over 200 times indirect reports. There are processes and systems I created that still live on in all the businesses, organizations, and programs that I’ve managed. The defining moment for me was when I took a company’s profit from $1.3M to $4.2M in less than eight months. I saw less than 2% of that revenue. In understanding my worth. I knew I could bring those same skill sets to clients of my own and be fairly compensated.
I took a leap of faith. My family lineage consists of entrepreneurs and multi-hyphenates. I watched my grandmother and mother start businesses, receive degrees, and creatively strategize, all while being caretakers. Entrepreneurship and a hard work ethic are ingrained in me. I believed in myself – and I created LEVERAGE MIAMI to serve clients holistically, with equity at the core of its mission.
What services does LEVERAGE MIAMI provide?
We are a full-service PR and Strategic Communication Agency. We have independent contractors with experience in Media, Luxury Retail, Business Development, Health Care, Data Analysis, Web Design & Graphics, and Communications. Team members are located all over the world, and our services are available in both English and Spanish.
As experts in our fields, we offer a paid 360 One on One consultation after a FREE introductory call. During the One on One, we work backward from the client’s legacy vision to determine where LEVERAGE MIAMI would be most beneficial in their strategic plan. A full list of services can be found here.
Who is the ideal client for LEVERAGE MIAMI?
Our ideal client has an annual profit revenue of $500K – $1M. The organizations we work with have at least 5+ years of experience, with an emphasis on Environmental, Governmental, Luxury Retail, Education, or Social Justice Issues.
Where is LEVERAGE MIAMI based?
LEVERAGE MIAMI is a global company. Our name is an homage to our legacy. Miami is where our first office and headquarters is located, but we are planting seeds globally. Currently, I am opening a second post in Chicago. As we continue to expand, we will bring Miami’s good vibes along with us
Any Parting Thoughts?
I encourage more people to bet on themselves. Know your worth. Step out of your comfort zone and bet on yourself. When you make miracles happen, and people lean on you for your expertise, understand that you’re worthy. This mentality has been a game changer for me. I lead in confidence. As I bet on myself, I haven’t lost one battle yet. My record speaks for itself.