Black women CEOs and entrepreneurs are the stars of the newest Netflix documentary called She Did That. Filmmaker and blogger Renae L. Bluitt created the documentary to promote a more accurate representation in the media of Black female business owners.
She Did That is Bluitt’s first cinematic project, and as a
digital content creator and PR consultant, she has been writing about the
entrepreneurial pursuits of Black women on her blog, In Her Shoes, for
nearly a decade. But now the topic is being brought to the world’s attention
via the world’s most popular streaming service.
The film revolves around the lives of four Black women entrepreneurs, their
journeys, and how they face issues such as the funding gap for Black women.
Inspired by #BlackGirlMagic, Bluitt wanted to show how Black women turn
challenges into opportunities and become an inspiration to the next generation.
“As the fastest group of entrepreneurs in this country, [Black women] are
literally turning water into wine in spite of the many obstacles we face on our
entrepreneurial journeys. This film was created to let the world know what it
really takes to be a successful Black woman entrepreneur in this world.
Platforms like social media only show us the results and the highlights, but
“She Did That” pulls back the curtain to reveal how and why we do
it,” Bluitt told Forbes.
She Did That highlights the perseverance and determination of Lisa
Price, the founder of hair care brand Carol’s Daughter; Melissa Butler, the
founder of beauty brand The Lip Bar; Tonya Rapley, the founder of My Fab
Finance; and Luvvie Ajayi, a New York Times best-selling author, speaker
and digital strategist.
For the project, Bluitt intentionally hired a camera crew of Black women as
well as production staff, assistants, and researchers for filming locations. In
addition, after almost 2 years of filming, the documentary premiered at a
sold-out screening event at ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans. It has since been
screened at several HBCUs and other cities in partnership with organizations
that cater to Black women.
Bluitt said she is overwhelmed with the opportunity to partner with Netflix.
Now with a wider audience, she hopes that the film willl touch more Black
women’s lives.
“I want women to know that even the most successful women in business have
experienced the challenges and obstacles they face while building their brands.
We all make mistakes, learn from them, and stop to refuel or keep going even
stronger. I want women to know they are not alone in their fears and the
biggest takeaway is this – if the women in this film can do it, you can do it,
too!”
Stream it now on Netflix by visiting https://www.netflix.com/title/81194454
