We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamie Miles a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jamie, appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
Having had a regular job for many years, I finally decided to take my leap of faith and say goodbye to toxic corporate America by becoming fully self-employed. I’m an Actor, an Influencer, and a REALTOR®. with Keller Williams Atlanta Midtown. My previous job was becoming toxic and I knew I needed a change, and let’s just say they gave me just enough BS for me to say nope, I am better than this. So I left..
I worked in reality TV for a while (10+ years) in talent management. It was great initially, but it was not my passion anymore and I knew I needed to do something that would fulfill me, so I started crafting which is how TheCraftyDIYGuy was born, my influencer career. I’ve always enjoyed being crafty and creative and while I was trying to figure out “what’s next” for me a friend of mine suggested I start a YouTube channel, so I did. It was initially just for fun and a way to be “on camera” more often. When the pandemic hit, my channel took off, so I went with it. Stumbled along the way, made some mistakes, and had some friends who gave me solid advice. The next thing I knew I was making enough money to pay my bills and then some, so I quit my toxic reality tv job. Many of the celebs I worked with I’m still in touch with, which is cool. I did a good job and I worked hard. I honestly should have left years ago.
Having my income from YouTube allowed me to also control my schedule, work for myself and follow my passion for Real Estate. I got my license and the rest is history. I am still The Crafty DIY Guy, a TV and Film Actor, (IMDB Me!) and a Realtor with Kelley Williams Atlanta Midtown. Yes, I am busy and very single however, life is good!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Throughout my career, I have been lucky enough to have mentors and motivators. As a realtor with Keller Williams Atlanta Midtown I have some amazing colleagues who mentor me and give me advice. As I grow my business I plan to share as much information and knowledge as I can with others. There are plenty of properties for sale and to buy in Atlanta – more than enough for everyone!
As an influencer I have some amazing friends who have substantially larger channels (Sara Jane, Courtney, Jennifer, Bethany, Whitney) and once again, the sharing of information has been incredible and I’ve established some incredible friendships.
As an actor I give huge props to Vince Pisani and Matt Cornwell, they taught me a lot and how to be comfortable on camera. My biggest advocate was my first agent, Jana VanDyke who gave me a chance and my current agency Houghton Talent is awesome. I always say let haters be your motivators also – when someone says you can’t go confidently in that direction and do it.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
After buying my first house in 2018, I decided I needed to decorate it, and do it on a budget. Friends started seeing my projects and DIYS and recommended I start a YouTube Channel, so I did. During the pandemic, my channel monetized and is took off! I was beginning to make great money…. almost the same money I was making in my full-time job, Timing wise it was perfect because I was ready for a change and my old employer made it clear they wanted to change as well…. so I took it as my sign to start taking care of me. I always wanted to do real estate, I had an income from YouTube and could make my leap of faith, so I did. That was well over a year ago and I have not ever looked back or thought about joining the corporate world again. I love being a REALTOR with Keller Williams Atlanta Midtown, love still being an influencer, and looking forward to getting back on the big screen once the SAG-AFTRA strike is over.
I”ve been a TV and Film Actor since 2010. I’ve had co-star and guest-star roles on networks like HBO, AMC, CBS, Discovery, STARZ and more. It’s nice to have the flexibility to do what I want and follow my passions.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
My best source of new clients is networking. Saying hello, meeting new people, sitting at a bar and striking up a conversation – not only with the guests but also with the employees. Some of my best referrals have come from business owners, bartenders and friends or friends. All you have to do is say hello, be authentic, and make an impact.
Contact Info:
- Website: JamieMiles.kw.com
- Instagram: @TheCraftyDIYGuy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090720775228
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemiles/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/TheCraftyDIYGuy
- Other: Follow me @TheCraftyDIYGuy or @CraftyRealtorATL on Instagram!
