JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville native Jasmine Romaine is taking her voice, her entrepreneurial spirit and her gift for public speaking to stages across the country and around the world — and she just made history doing it.
Romaine, an international keynote and motivational speaker, recently became the first female to win the Les Brown Motivator Award since the Black National Speakers Association became an official NSA chapter — a prestigious honor named after one of the most widely recognized motivational speakers in the world.
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For Romaine, the moment carried a weight that went far beyond the award itself.
“I still even feel it right now. I think about legacy,” she said. “For me, it went even beyond Les Brown for me. It went to my mother.”
Romaine grew up in the Arlington area, graduating from Terry Parker High School before finding her footing through the world of radio. Listening to local disc jockeys helped shape the voice and presence she carries today.
" I started honing in my craft, and I realized — wait, things are pivoting a little bit," she said.
That pivot led her to launch her own consulting business, JazzCellence LLC — a nod to her personal motto, “Jazz it up.”
Through her company, Romaine coaches top business professionals on branding and communication, and she even authored her own book, “Speak to Profit.”
“I love to teach them how to speak with confidence, how to have clarity in their message,” Romaine said. “One of the things that I see when it comes to business owners and even professionals is that they have a message, but sometimes it’s very, very broad.”
But for Romaine, success isn’t measured by a bottom line. She says her deepest joy comes from watching others unlock their own potential.
“I believe that if you speak life to individuals, you just give them life by opportunities can come forth,” she said.
And as she reflects on the journey from the River City to the global stage, her message for others is simple — and powerful.
“Small beginnings can end you to a greater story, and that story can create impact.”