The Miz is reflecting on Stephanie McMahon's time at WWE ... telling TMZ Sports he'll always be thankful for her leadership and the impact she had on his career.
"For me, she's always been one of the people you can talk to," Miz said at LAX this week. "She's done a lot for the company, and she's a really good person as well."
Miz shares one example of Steph's positive influence ... saying she green-lit one of his ideas -- The "Dirt Sheet" video series with John Morrison -- which would eventually pave the way for WWE's YouTube channel.