If you have not heard or watched the new Documentary that launched on Netflix titled She Did That, you should (like today). To give you a quick summary as to why you should, it is directed, produced, and narrated by Renae Bluitt who is a Black Female Entrepreneur and a Beauty PR expert. She has also created 'In Her Shoes' which is a blog that highlights female entrepreneurs and gives you a chance to walk in their shoes and leave inspired to accomplish your goals and dreams (because you saw someone like you do the same).
Luvvie Ajayi, Famous blogger, Author (who was listed on Oprah’s list of books to read) and world-wide speaker on blogging, branding, activism, and even comedy.
Melissa Butler, CEO of Lip Bar most known for creating natural cosmetics that are tailored to black women and our skin tones. She is also known from her episode on Shark Tank where she was rejected (and even referred to as a roach) and used that as fire and motivation to keep going.
Lisa Price, who is the Founder of the natural hair care brand, Carol’s Daughter. She talked about her journey with creating this product in the early 90s, the sale to L’Oreal and the backlash she received.
Tonya Rapley, who created My Fab Finance as a blog to discuss improving finances and credit score with Millennials after making her own poor financial decisions. She has now created two Amazon bestseller books, easy guides for finances and is now a world speaker. Speaking on the importance of not having all of your finances coming from one source.
Several other ladies were highlighted but this shortlist highlights the documentary’s main characters.
Now, let's get to the good part which is why you should watch it! It’s simple, the documentary is highlighting the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, black women. Its intention is to discuss women who have made it possible even when the odds are stacked against them. It discusses how black women have the highest consumer buying power but the lowest in getting funding. The stat is pretty sad, less than 1% of Black Women CEOs get Venture Capital funding each year. Why that is the case is pretty clear and I think it can be boiled down into two reasons. 1. People accept and can relate to things that look like them. If we only have primarily white venture capital firms, they will continue to approve white applicants while hesitating towards applicants of color. 2. We are asking white counterparts to approve and accept items that they simply cannot understand. For instance, Melissa Butler was declined because they did not understand the need to create new shades of lipstick when there are already so many cosmetic (even billion dollars) brands out there. A person of color could have understood the need for a different angle than a white person.
Another great reason to watch it, if you are not sold already is that it is inspirational, to say the least. You get a chance to hear great stories about how these profitable businesses were started and the obstacle they faced and overcame. It is a chance to see someone that looks like you, might have a similar upbringing or path as you be successful. It gives you a moment to stop and think about what you could potentially do to become a business owner. It gives you 71 minutes to simply hear how they shaped their lives into what they’ve always dreamed it would be. If you are a frequent reader of LBG, then you know I have had moments where I lack inspiration and motivation. After losing my grandparents, I did not have the spark of blogging that I used to. But after watching She Did That, I got my butt off the couch and starting this post. That documentary showed me how they all struggled with moments of not being encouraged but decided that their gifts needed to be shared and I am making that same decision.
For me and many of my girlfriends that watched it, we all left with the same response which is wow. I could not thank Renae Bluitt enough for creating this documentary discussing successful black women. I am sure her intentions were to spark a fire in someone watching it and to create inspiration and I can say 100% that it did just that (especially for me). Often times, we do not see positive images of ourselves in the world, especially when it comes to business/entrepreneurship. Like she said in the documentary, Black Women have decided to create businesses for things that we saw as gaps. This is literally what Renae did with this show on Netflix, which created a gap in TV/Film for Black Women that was needed.
As you can see I give the film 10 out of 10 and recommend this to all Black Women and girls. She definitely did that!
To read even more about the how the documentary started from Renae herself, click here.
Love,
Brown Girl
“F*ck it, I’ll do it” - Black Women