Meet Nerissa Golden | Author & Business Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nerissa Golden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nerissa, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work life balance is a myth.

By that I mean, you will never have every aspect of your life in perfect sync, with the ability to give an equal amount of time to each area. There are times as I raised my children alone that they needed to be given the priority in terms of time, energy, and finances. In other periods, my business was the priority. Knowing when to focus on the right aspect of your life in the time it is needed is what you must learn to do.

Life is a work in progress, so don’t beat up on yourself if you feel like you are unable to cope and juggle all the balls. Some days, put all the balls down and breathe.

What should our readers know about your business?
Goldenmedia evolved from my desire to help tell more stories about the Caribbean. I saw entrepreneurs and organizations doing remarkable things but without the knowledge of how to generate interest and excitement in their target audience. In the early years, helping entrepreneurs make strategic partnerships to evolve their business was a lot of fun and very rewarding.

What sets us apart is our ability to create original stories and leverage them in various markets and audiences. I like to say that my clients pay to interrupt me from my own work. We always have something cooking.

I am very excited about expanding the team to enable us to produce more unique content in a shorter time span.

In the Caribbean, they say it is not who you know but who knows you. It can be difficult to get people to give you an opportunity, so my focus is always to create my own work. Using my imagination, we’ve created live events, conferences, competitions, books, video productions that we can leverage and attract sponsors and other collaborations.

When you remain focused on creating, the people you desire to work with come knocking at the right time.

We want to find the right partners who have a similar passion for producing Caribbean-centric content for various platforms.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I visited Atlanta for the first time in 2022. I didn’t get to see as much as I would have liked so I hope I get to come for a visit soon.

But if my best friend were to come to visit me in Montserrat then we would start with a visit to the Buried City of Plymouth on Day One. The former capital was covered in pyroclastic flows from the Soufriere Hills Volcano over several eruptions starting in 1995. While it is a tragic story, there is so much beauty and hope visible even among the devastation of rocks and ash. Once they have seen the Buried City and other areas of the Exclusion Zone from various vantage points, we would stop for an early dinner at Isles Bay Beach Bar. It is an award-winning bar, and the view is spectacular, especially at sunset.

On Montserrat rushing is not the goal. It is all about slowing down. There isn’t much nightlife so in the evenings, you just need to find a cozy spot on the verandah and enjoy the breeze if you are not a bar lover.

On Day Two and Three, I would want to take them on early morning hikes. Partly because I need to get outside more and also it is a terrific way to capture fresh content. There are trails depending on your physical level and the views are breathtaking. If we can go with a certified guide into the Centre Hills, then it is a real treat to hear them call our national bird, the Oriole, and they respond.

After a good hike, I would want to have a hearty lunch either at The Attic in Olveston or Summer Breeze in Little Bay.
On Day Four, we are moving no further than to the verandah. LOL. Light meals at home and friendly conversation. In the evening, we can drive around and find which bar is hosting a karaoke night.

Day Five will be a boat tour with Buffy where we can see the Exclusion Zone from the ocean. We can stop at our only white sand beach, Rendezvous Beach, and go snorkeling for a couple of hours before heading home by sea. In the evening, we will visit Olveston House for dinner. It is also the former home of the late Sir George Martin who managed The Beatles.

Day Six will be spent at a local spa. The facials at Oasis Spa are amazing. The bamboo massages at Blyss Day Spa are divine. It will come down to which one is available as I love them both. Lunch will be our national dish of goat water from the Boiling Point in Little Bay. The owner, Miss Juliet, is a vibrant personality, and she loves to feed you.

Day Seven will be another beach day. I would want to take them to a beach which was created since the eruptions now that our coastlines have been extended. It does not have a name but the rock formations there are quite remarkable. Then it will be time to head to the airport and say goodbye.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My tribe of women friends who live around the world and inspire me not to give up on my dreams and motivate me by being great examples of kindness, tenacity, and courage.

Website: goldenmediallc.com | discovermni.com | nerissagolden.com

Instagram: @discovermontserrat | @trulynerissagolden

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/discovermontserrat/

Twitter: @discover_mni

Image Credits
Nerissa Golden