“Million Dollar Secret” is a Netflix game show in which contestants sniff out the millionaire among them through strategy and deception. If the millionaire remains undetected, they keep the cash. If discovered, the money is reassigned and the hunt begins again.
“The Perfect Match” is a beachy dating show for reality-television stars.
What do these two shows have in common? Miami Herbert Business School alum Nick Pellecchia.
We recently caught up with Pellecchia, who reflects on his journey from New Jersey to Miami, the lessons he learned at the University of Miami, and why betting on yourself has become a guiding principle.
Tell me about yourself and how you ended up on “Million Dollar Secret” and “The Perfect Match.”
I’m originally from New Jersey, but I came to Miami nearly 10 years ago. Growing up, I knew the University of Miami as a place with strong academics, competitive athletics, beautiful weather, and ambitious people.
What I didn’t realize was how much the University would change the trajectory of my life. I still live in Miami, most of my closest friends are people I met at the University, and my experience fostered an entrepreneurial mindset that influences everything I do today.
I’ve taken an unconventional path since graduating. I took my finance degree and started working at a commercial lender for two years before opening up a business brokerage firm out of a little office here in Brickell.
Around the same time, I watched friends build careers as internet and television personalities. They were inspiring people, building businesses, and creating opportunities for themselves. That really intrigued me.
For about a year, I attended casting calls and auditions. I came close several times, got to know casting directors, and kept hearing that I wasn't quite the right fit.
Eventually, I landed a role on season two of “Million Dollar Secret.” I just wanted to entertain people and have some fun, and I ended up winning the million-dollar prize.
I booked “The Perfect Match” after that.
For me, it's really a story about trusting the process.
How did your experiences at the University of Miami help you to win “Million Dollar Secret”?
The game required me to read people, stay calm under pressure, and maintain mental grit throughout the experience.
My time at the University absolutely prepared me for that.
The U teaches you to think on your feet, put your best foot forward, and stay competitive while supporting the people around you.
I met so many different people that I became comfortable walking into almost any situation and connecting with others. The University helped me to become more emotionally intelligent, read people, and cut through the noise.
For “Million Dollar Secret,” this meant focusing on the task at hand, with a lot of commotion happening around me—lots of running around, camera crews circling to get the best shot, producers shouting over walkie-talkies, “You gotta put cameras on Nick.”
It can be a lot, but at the University of Miami—and I mean this in the best possible way—I became used to this non-stop going, going, going. I really learned how to do well under pressure.
You also appeared on Netflix’s “The Perfect Match.” How was that experience different?
After “Million Dollar Secret” wrapped, Netflix called and asked if I would be interested in “The Perfect Match.” A week later, I was on a plane to Mexico.
It was a very different show. On “Million Dollar Secret,” everyone was on edge trying to sniff out clues. On “The Perfect Match” everyone was shirtless or in a bikini at the bar.
I didn’t leave with my perfect match or anything, but I found some of my best friends there.
Any advice would you give students looking to build a platform or pursue an unconventional opportunity?
I think it’s important to take risks and be open to changing paths.
When I left a good-paying job in finance to start my own business, some people questioned the decision. When I took time away to film reality television, some people questioned that too.
But I had a vision for myself and the life I wanted to lead, and I stayed true to that.
I want to keep evolving and challenging myself. I don’t subscribe to the sunk cost fallacy. Nothing you do can be wasted time because the skills you pick up are always transferable to other areas of your life.
What’s next for you?
I’m competing in Mister USA, representing New Jersey in a five-day competition in Las Vegas this July.
Beyond that, I’m staying open to whatever opportunities come next.
I’ve learned that the more you put yourself out there, the more the world has a way of rewarding you.
