Today, we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Gee. Michelle was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Regina Sunshine.
Michelle, can you walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in a small town in North Carolina called Tabor City. I lived a real sheltered life and didn’t get a lot of opportunities to experience what most teenagers experienced. This was mainly because my family was dysfunctional, to say the least. I grew up in a home where I not only witnessed the abuse but experienced it firsthand. I never really had or should I say realized I had a voice growing up because as it is in a lot of homes that abuse is taking place, you are told what goes on in the house stays in the house, and out of fear you don’t speak. I found myself throughout school getting into trouble because I was angry. I realized now that what I was doing was acting out in hopes that someone would ask, “Is something going on?”; but no one ever asked. Fast forward to young adulthood I partied a lot, it was my way of dealing with the memories and hurt I still felt from my childhood. I had a long-term relationship with someone that constantly cheated but through that relationship, I was blessed with an amazing son and I had the privilege of raising my other son and daughter. So, even through a bad relationship, I was still blessed. It wasn’t until I found Christ that I began to realize what was going on with me. After many years I began to heal that little girl who never used her voice. I finally began to speak and it was so freeing.
The years past and my relationship with God got stronger and I was eventually ordained as an Elder, minister of the gospel. I would have never imagined myself, someone who was afraid to speak as a child and an adult now speaking to congregations and a talk show host. I said all of that so that you will understand the significance of where I am now. I thank God for putting people in my life that can see in me sometimes what I couldn’t see in myself. One of those people is Regina Sunshine Robinson. Regina and I went to school together so we have known each other literally our whole lives. She reached out to me one day about interviewing me on her radio show. I accepted the invitation and the interview went well…so well that she mentioned that she thought I should be doing my own radio show. Regina has that gift of pulling out things in people. A week after she mentioned it, I was working on my Blog Talk Radio show “Be Inspired with Michelle Gee”.
Prior to becoming a Blog Talk Radio host, I took my love for nature and all that it has to offer and studied aromatherapy. After 2 years I became a Certified Aromatherapist, which led to me developing my own product line of natural, organic, handmade body butters, body scrubs, soaps, soy candles, and so much more. My business is called Peace In Mixtures.
Now, I am an entrepreneur, ministering and doing my radio show but I feel that there is more. I wasn’t completely healed from my childhood or past but I used it as a driving force. I know that doesn’t really make sense to some but the truth is a lot of people are walking around functioning and going about their daily routines but haven’t dealt with the issues that are keeping them from reaching their full potential and them serving their purpose. I was one of those people that was smiling on the outside but still broken on the inside. I used the fact that I was told I would never be anything as fuel to seize every opportunity to move forward. This didn’t happen overnight in fact it took years and years, but I think the most important part of that is I didn’t stop. So, during this time of healing and learning who I was, I discovered that I have this deep passion to help others find and use their voice. After almost 2 years of the Be Inspired with Michelle Gee Blog Talk Radio Show, Regina reached out to me and asked if I was ready to put my show on screen? The Michelle Gee Show was born. The thing about this is I had been praying and telling God that I wanted to take the radio show to the next level and never told anyone my desire, the opportunity knocked and I answered the door.
I am now a talk show host and have a platform that will give people a space to use their voice but yet there is still that feeling there’s more for me to do. Remember I am an Elder so ministry is in me but sometimes people get the impression that means in the church and in the pulpit…not in my case. I reflect back over my life and I realize that I never really had a lot of friends. I never experienced sleepovers and things like that…I never got alone with other girls. I now understand that was my own insecurities, but all those feelings led to me starting a non-profit organization called SIS-Sisters Inspiring Sisters. The organization focuses on helping single mothers, homeless women, and children in my community.
How did I get to where I am today? It was fighting through pain and brokenness. It was not letting what happened to me or whatever I may have done in my past define who I became. It was allowing me to be open to suggestions from others that have a different view from the outside. It was my children that are my constant support and pusher. It was not quitting, it was letting go and allowing myself to heal. It was believing in who God said I am. It was deciding to no longer be the victim and to stop living in a place of offense. All of that is what helped get me to where I am today.
Please tell us more about your brand, Michelle Gee.
The Michelle Gee show is a platform that was created to give space to people who would not otherwise have a space to use their voices. I interview people who have a story and need to share. I am as I pointed out also an entrepreneur, so I often have other entrepreneurs on the show to promote and talk about their businesses and what they have to offer. What sets my show aside is that it is not drama-filled. You can turn to any channel at any time of the day and see drama at its best, but tuning into The Michelle Gee Show will give you an hour of inspiration, motivation, ministry, and release.
I wear many hats and all the hats I wear reflect a part of Michelle Gee, whether that hat is elder, mom, nana, entrepreneur, author, publisher, talk show host, community leader or just friend…they all are Michelle Gee. I could have talked about any of those hats I wear as my brand but the common factor in them all is Michelle Gee. So, I spoke briefly about The Michelle Gee Show because you can see a little of each hat at any time on the show but my brand is me! What I am most proud of as a brand and this may seem simple to some but the fact that “Michelle Gee” is a brand. I was voiceless and now I provide space for voices to be heard along with opportunities. I am proud that as a single black mother I am a brand and a brand that people can and do speak of highly.
So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Regina Sunshine and we really admire her and what she’s built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with Regina Sunshine Global Network.
I wouldn’t be a brand if it weren’t for the Regina Sunshine Global Network. Working with the network helped me develop and grow as a brand. It was the hands-on that worked for me, the family environment. Everyone at the Regina Sunshine Global Network was/is like family. The biggest thing I learned from Regina Sunshine is to keep moving, keep growing, keep creating, keep building there is always another level. I also to do whatever it is you do in excellence, always remember that you are building a brand, so that means changing how you think, how you speak, and how you see yourself. You can’t expect others to see you as a brand if you don’t see it yourself. The thing I love most about the experience of working with the Regina Sunshine Global Network Team is we were a team. We watched each other shows, we promoted each other and as a team, it wasn’t” I” or “me” it was always “we”.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michell_gee/
Linkedin: Michelle Gerald
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeInspiredMG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.gerald.395/;https://www.facebook.com/TheMichelleGee/
Image Credits:
Graphic Design Specialist- Wickerson, Inc Freda Funnye Photography
