#OnTheRise
#RoyalWomen
Throughout history, Black women have always been creators. Taking the scraps given to them and making it into something of value. Their ingenuity and determination have pushed forward the culture for centuries. So it is no surprise that Black women today are becoming entrepreneurs at an accelerated rate. Women of color account for 89% of new businesses opened in 2019 according to the State of Women Owned Business Report.viw
Renae Bluitt, an entrepreneur herself and founder of Crush Media, was aware of this surge of African American women creators. It inspired her to create the Netflix documentary “She Did That”. The documentary, released Feb. 4, profiled Black women entrepreneurs and gave the viewers insight on creating their own businesses, including their ups and downs. Some of the #BossChicks featured includedMelissa Butler, the owner of the cosmetic brand The Lip Bar, New York Times best-selling author and blogger, Luvvie Ajayi, Tonya Rapley, creator of My Fab Finance and Lisa Price, the creator of hair care products, Carol’s Daughter.
Whether you’re starting a business or not, there are valuable lessons to take away from this film.
Take Your Gift Seriously
It was Tonya Rapley who said it during the documentary and her words hit hard. She talked about how she couldn’t find confidence in herself and not knowing if she was good enough to take a chance on her dream. When she truly took her gift seriously she knew this was her only path and it was easier for her to move forward with her blog My Fab Finance.
Collaboration over Competition
Bluitt says putting together finical, creative and social resources helps gain success for both parties. Competition over collaboration. We are not against each other. Collaborating can be working on projects together or as simple a sending each other business through social resources.
Have Multiple Bags
Sometimes businesses don’t last forever and having a good exit strategy is important. Therefore, you should have multiple streams of income. My Fab Finance’s Rapley gave the essential advice to have multiple places to earn money from. She has the reassurance that if the website starts going downhill she can always sustain herself with her career as a speaker.
Don’t Grind Yourself into the Ground
Therese Kempf, a psychotherapist featured in the documentary, talked about black women understanding that they are just one person and it is OK to ask for help.
“If you can’t say no to other people, can you at least say yes to yourself,” Kempf said.
This advice is important for Black women who feel they are superwomen and can do everything by themselves. Take a break. Most of the women in this film consider a therapist their best friend. They remind us it’s ok to say no, take creaks and most importantly, take care of ourselves, both physically and mentally.
“She Did That” is a guide book for black women who are entrepreneurs. The gifted women in this film were inspiring and allowed the viewer to know that their goals are achievable. They did that and we can do it too.
