Sheryl Miller on Reinvention, Identity & Leading with Humanity
There are some conversations that feel like an interview.
And then there are conversations that feel like sitting across from someone who has decided — fully and unapologetically — to be themselves.
My guest, Sheryl Miller, is the founder of Open Forum Consulting, a project and change management expert, a newlywed, a mother of two, and a woman who has made the conscious decision to stop shrinking.
And if there’s one thing you’ll take away from this conversation, it’s this:
It is never too late to start over.
From Fitting In to Fully Showing Up
Sheryl spent over 15 years working across government, nonprofits, and financial services — navigating complex systems that weren’t always built with people like her in mind.
As a Black, queer, Caribbean woman in corporate spaces, she became fluent in something many of us know too well:
Code-switching. Compartmentalizing. Performing “professional.”
But at some point, that gets exhausting.
As she shared in the episode, she began asking herself a powerful question:
Who am I when I stop splitting myself into pieces?
That question didn’t just lead to personal clarity. It led to the creation of her company, Open Forum Consulting, built on the idea that change management should be people-centered, empathetic, and deeply human — not robotic, not transactional, and definitely not detached.
Why Empathy Is Not a “Soft Skill”
One of the most important parts of our conversation was about empathy in leadership.
In traditional corporate culture, empathy is often treated like a bonus feature. Nice to have. Optional. Soft.
Sheryl strongly disagrees.
She believes empathy is a strategic requirement — especially in a world driven by rapid technological change, AI, and constant organizational shifts.
You can implement all the systems you want. You can roll out every shiny new tool.
But if you don’t consider:
How people learn
How people process change
How inclusion shows up in practice
What support people actually need
You will lose them.
And when you lose the people, you lose the culture.
And when you lose the culture, you lose everything.
Reinvention Has No Expiry Date
Sheryl got married in her 50s.
She launched a new business.
She rebuilt her brand from the ground up.
And she did it while navigating family tension, homophobia, and the very real fear that comes with being visibly yourself in public spaces.
Her message?
You are not behind.
You did not miss your milestone.
Life is not linear.
If you don’t like something — start over.
There was something incredibly freeing about hearing a woman say that with her whole chest.
Not in a motivational poster way.
In a lived, grounded, “I’ve walked through this” way.
“Do It Scared.”
Toward the end of the episode, I asked Sheryl what she wants people to embody after hearing her story.
Her answer was simple:
Do it scared.
You don’t need all the equipment.
You don’t need the perfect plan.
You don’t need approval from everyone in the room.
Most of the time, the people you’re worried about judging you?
They’re not even thinking about you.
We give so much power to imagined criticism that we forget to start.
And as she said:
“Take that power back. Get out of your head and just start.”
The Most On-Brand Thing About Sheryl?
When I ask every guest what the most “on-brand” thing about them is, I usually get something polished.
A value.
A trait.
A philosophy.
Sheryl said:
“Me.”
No masking.
No bait-and-switch.
No black-and-white version to make others comfortable.
Just her.
A Black, queer, Jamaican woman in purple, red, orange, and yellow — who tackles hard conversations, builds safe spaces, and leads with clarity and compassion.
And honestly?
That’s leadership.
Why This Episode Matters
This episode isn’t just about change management or entrepreneurship.
It’s about:
Authentic leadership
Reinventing yourself at any age
Building a people-centered business
Navigating corporate systems as a woman of color
Choosing joy in your personal life
And understanding that your identity is not something to dilute
It’s about being brave enough to be seen.
And if you’re building something — a business, a brand, a life — that bravery matters.
Listen / Watch the Full Episode
You can listen to Episode 2 of GRAFIK CONTENT featuring Sheryl Miller on:
👉 YouTube
👉 Spotify
👉 Apple Pods
👉 All Links
Connect with Sheryl
You can find her at:
If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who needs the reminder:
It’s never too late. And you don’t have to be ready. You just have to start.
