“This was a good-ass video,” says Wilson, who reached out to Kirkman that day to tell him to watch the video.
In creating “Entrepreneur: St. Louis Edition,” Wilson says, “we wanted to control the narrative on how we’re viewed as African Americans. What Jay-Z did with his power, what Pharrell did with his power was put those African American businesses out there. This falls under what I believe controlling the narrative is, not just talking about it. It’s an execution with a deliberate outcome.”
The businesses selected represent a diverse group of products and services. Teatopia sells 80 kinds of teas, WEPOWER works to improve education and economic policy, La Patisserie Chouquette’s pastries have been seen on the Food Network, and Aztec Tapes makes markings for roads.
“I could have kept going,” Wilson says. “I could have had a bunch of folks, but the song is only so long.”
They haven’t ruled out a sequel, including the businesses that didn’t fit into the first video. “We’ll see,” Kirkman says. “Maybe every other month.”
In addition to the positive reactions from Williams and Calmatic, Kirkman says people are wanting to support the businesses seen in the video.
“I didn’t even known some of these businesses existed,” Wilson says. “The whole goal is to put Black businesses in your lap. It needs to be there.”
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