“You have to have a great attitude and thick skin to sustain a career in this industry.” From working with top celebrities like Beyonce, Mariah Carey, and Lebron James to top TV networks like BET, Showtime, and VH-1, today’s woman dreamer, Queenie Donaldson, shares her life as a celebrity talent producer in Hollywood. She is the founder of Queens Entertainment Group and the go-to woman for Hollywood’s most elite luxury events. She shares her journey in the exciting and competitive world that is Hollywood, and advice to women interested in the industry.

1. Tell us your story / background and how you ended up in Hollywood?

 I was born and raised in Fresno, California. I relocated to Los Angeles to attend California State University Long Beach with an athletic and academic scholarship. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with the goal of pursuing a doctorate’s degree in Forensics Psychology. After graduation, I held various positions as a counselor, teacher, and therapist for autistic children.

In the late 90s, I was introduced by a mutual friend to Reuben Cannon of Reuben Cannon & Associates, an eponymous powerhouse casting agency. Reuben was in need of a casting intern for various upcoming TV and film projects, and I jumped at the chance for such an opportunity. I worked with my mentor on a variety of TV and film projects as, “Girlfriends,” “The Brothers,” and the “Ghost of Mars.” Next thing you know, my mentor called me into his office with words of encouragement, saying the entertainment industry was my  “calling,” and offered to set up a meeting with the Director of Talent at BET. I interviewed for a Talent Coordinator position at the network, and was offered the job on the spot. In August 2000, I joined the talent department at BET, and within two months, rose through the ranks to a Talent Executive.

At the network, I was part of the birth of such top-rated shows as “BET Live,” “106 & Park,” “Oh Drama,” and “Teen Summit” as well as the BET Comedy Awards and the launch of the highly-popular BET Awards. After several years at BET, and a stint at various networks and freelance projects, I decided to strike out on my own and start my own entertainment company.

I founded Queens Entertainment Group, Inc. (QEG), in 2004. From there, I’ve been the industry’s go-to woman for endless Hollywood’s most elite and luxury live events, global music festivals, celebrity private events, broadcast award shows, blockbuster movie premieres, and national broadcast events.

2. What excites you about Hollywood and what are some of the lessons you learned along your journey?

There’s endless opportunities in Hollywood. I’ve  been blessed to worked in many areas in the industry, which is so important, because you don’t want to get stagnant. No matter what areas I’ve worked in, I’ve always remained humble and worked with integrity. You have to have a great attitude and thick skin to sustain a career in this industry. These key traits have helped me on my journey.  

3. Who are some of your favorite celebrities you’ve worked with?

I’ve been blessed to worked so many over the years, but to highlight a few: Michael Jackson, Jamie Foxx, LeBron James, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, George Lopez, Timbaland, Gabrielle Union, Mandy Moore, Vivica A. Fox, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Brandy, Taraji P. Henson and Mary J. Blige. Besides working with amazing celebrities, it’s their teams that I love working with as well, they play one of the most important roles in making things happen behind the scenes. It’s important to build strong relationships across the board. 

4. You have worked with top television networks such as BET, TV-One, VH-1, Showtime, A&E, We TV, and as well as Telepictures – just to name a few. What is some advice you would give to people trying to build their own brand?

Branding yourself starts with your attitude and drive. Creating your own brand can sometimes be a challenge at first, but as long as you stay focus and on course, you’ll be fine. It’s also important to understand that you may have to start at the bottom and work your way up. It’s your positive attitude that will get you through the door.  The industry is very small and people pay attention to everything, so you want to be true to yourself  and not get caught up in the hype. Be open and grateful for any opportunity that comes your way.no matter how big or small.

5. What are some services you offer and why did you feel the need for these services?

QEG is a global, woman-owned, all-inclusive small business, offering a wide spectrum of services, including celebrity talent booking, celebrity influencer partnerships, luxury events, production, and entertainment consulting. My goal was to build a business on networking, nurturing, and leveraging business relationships for the common good of my clients and corporate partners. Transparency is key! I’ll go the extra mile to educate clients/corporate partners about the entertainment industry so their knowledgeable and prepared before anything. It’s important for them to feel comfortable and to trust that their making the right decisions. Your name and reputation is your golden ticket, without that it is challenging to be successful in this industry. 

6. As a dreamcatchers platform we have to ask, what is your next professional dream?

My next professional dream is to be an Entertainment Coach and Speaker. I want to empower and provide resources to those who are interested in the entertainment industry and also work with individuals who are in need of reinventing themselves. I’m currently creating and executive producing several projects, starting with my very first speaking series AS@TT 2022,for more information please visit our event website at www.officialasatt.com

Thank You Queenie for sharing your inspiring and exciting story with us! We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!

MORE LIKE THIS

Bio: Queenie Donaldson is a businesswoman, networking guru and infopreneur. While pursuing her passion as a talent executive and producer, she also made a career of securing celebrity talent for some of the most high-profile entertainment events in the industry. With a clear understanding of pop culture, Queenie keeps her finger on the pulse of the entertainment industry. Queenie is the founder and CEO of Queens Entertainment Group, Inc. (QEG), launched in 2004. Based in Los Angeles, QEG is a global, woman-owned, all-inclusive small business, offering a wide spectrum of services, including celebrity talent booking, celebrity influencer partnerships, luxury events, production, and entertainment consulting. A consummate professional, her reputation affords QEG a valuable network of contacts that is beneficial to serving the needs of her clients. For more than a decade, Queenie has quietly worked behind the scenes as one of the most sought-after celebrity talent producers for various networks and production companies, such as BET, TV-One, VH-1, Showtime, A&E, We TV (owned by AMC Networks), Viceland as well as Telepictures – just to name a few. She has also been the industry’s go-to woman for more than 50 of Hollywood’s most elite and luxury live events,global music festivals, celebrity private events ,broadcast award shows, blockbuster movie premieres and national broadcast events.

WHO WE ARE

WOMEN WHO WIN IS THE GLOBAL ONLINE MEDIA PLATFORM AND NETWORKING GROUP FOR WOMEN, WHERE WE SHARE THE DREAMS OF DYNAMIC WOMEN ACROSS THE WORLD, AND THE INSPIRATIONAL SECRETS BEHIND THEIR SUCCESS.

CO-FOUNDED BY DR. MANJU SHETH, A PHYSICIAN, COMMUNITY LEADER, AND WELL-KNOWN MEDIA PERSONALITY IN BOSTON. SHE IS THE CREATOR OF THE CHAI WITH MANJU INTERVIEW SERIES, AND PRESTIGIOUS NEW ENGLAND CHOICE AWARDS.

CO-FOUNDED BY DR. DEEPA JHAVERI, AN EXPERIENCED PODIATRIST AND LEADER OF THE PRESTIGIOUS INDIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION IN BOSTON.

AND CO-FOUNDED BY SHALEEN SHETH, A SHE IS A FINANCE MAJOR INTERESTED IN FIN-TECH, AND HAS WORKED SEVERAL DIGITAL MARKETING ROLES DURING HER COLLEGE YEARS.

FOR MORE ON OUR FOUNDERS, CHECK OUT FOUNDERS TAB.

IF YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE, REACH OUT TO WOMENWHOWIN100@GMAIL.COM

WOMEN WHO WIN #DREAMCATCHERS, ALONG WITH THE NAMES OF ALL 3 CO-FOUNDERS MUST BE CREDITED WHEREVER ARTICLE CONTENTS ARE SHARED. COPY-PASTING THE STORY WITHOUT THESE CREDITS IS PROHIBITED