We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Miyana Sarver. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Miyana below.

Miyana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

The birth of Poetry on Peter came from the hopes of creating an environment that was safe enough for vulnerability and community, in a world that loses sight of these essentials everyday. We strive daily to honor our core principles of courtesy, family, and compassion, which eventually attracted a crowd that was seeking the same things. I believe what makes us stand out is our determination to stay authentic and connected to our community. In every way we can, we want to uplift and provide opportunities for anyone we call our POP Family.

Poetry on Peter has been a recurring event for 2 years and we’ve been blessed to have audience members that have showed up since day one, until this very day. When asked what brings them back its always the same few things: Family, love, and belonging. That’s what sets us apart, that’s why POP will live forever.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Miyana Sarver and I am a multi-faceted creative based in Atlanta, GA. My main areas of discipline are Poetry, Event Curating, and Artist Management. I have been writing since I was 13 and discovered poetry at 21. In July 2021, I created a weekly event named Poetry on Peter, which has quickly become a poetry open-mic staple here in Atlanta. Our show features a live band, full bar, dynamic host, and an always engaged audience. Being a weekly show it can be demanding to keep up for years at a time. But, what sets us apart is the behind the scenes of the show, the team working to keep POP authentic and growing. Our now team of 10+ works daily to bring fresh ideas, more ways to provide for the community, and ways to touch each and every person we come across. Being that we work so closely on a day to day basis, we become friends, which turned us into a very close family over time. The love we have for each other pours into the work we do for Poetry on Peter, and I believe each person who comes for themselves feels that breath of fresh air. Everyone needs a space where they feel safe and heard. As of late, we’ve expanded our mission to small productions for online streaming services and social media platforms. We want to spread our love of poetry and expression to the world!

I’m most proud of the community I’ve built and the family I’ve created for people like me. So many people are searching for belonging and connection, in a world where individualism is at an all time high. It makes me proud knowing that something that stemmed from that same yearning for belonging within myself, has manifested into a community and home for so many people.

The most important thing potential followers should know is this is a place where every word matters, this is a space for us and by us. We take pride in providing a stage for first time performers, as well as a familiar space for vets. Anyone who is looking to develop as an artist, whatever discipline, has a home here. Anyone longing for community, come hang with us. We call to all creatives: poets, rappers, singers, instrumentalist, and more. It’s time to bring back the real.

Any advice for managing a team?

I quickly learned that a dream without a team is not a dream that will go very far. The most important thing I’ve learned about managing a team is showing them the qualities that you want them to show you, or in short, courtesy. When Poetry on Peter first begun, I knew I didn’t have the means to pay them and myself. Starting a recurring event takes a lot of sacrifice and barely any income; The glitz and glam comes well after the blood, sweat, and tears. It was important to me to pay my team what they were worth and for them to see that there is nothing I wouldn’t do to ensure their wellbeing. In a world full of fake compassion and being let down by creatives you revere, I knew I needed to show my heart.

Other than hanging out often and maintaining relationships with each of them individually, I maintain high morale by going after our goals with fierce determination. As a leader, it is your job to be a visionary and make the best decisions for the group/business. Every situation or hardship I face I try to exude grace and poise. The best thing you can keep in adversity is your composure and your principles. Being transparent about my hardships, but spreading good tidings for the future always does the trick.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Poetry on Peter experienced growth very fast, so fast that we didn’t get around to making an Instagram until around 6 months after the premier of the show. However, in just over a year, we have managed to grow to 4,000 interactive followers! We try to post at least 3-4 times a week, recap every show for content and visibility, and respond to any comments and direct messages in at least 48 hours. We try to keep our online presence very similar to our show, intimate and welcoming.

Some advice I have for someone just starting to build their social media is to post regularly and watch how it grows. Never be afraid to talk about your businesses social media page to everyone and have a small elevator pitch of what you do ready to go. No one will support your growth like yourself and your team! Lastly, if you have enough bandwidth, assign your team with roles (i.e., social media manager, admin, creative assistant) and delegate tasks. Your team will thrive when goals are set and rewards are given, even if the reward is “great job!” or a bonus, it will make your team stronger.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/mmcevents
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poetryonpeter/

Image Credits
@kaylitbit @blackboyfilms @bymaxlloyd