Just say Yes, And

Admittedly this is a topic I don’t know much about.  

But my friend Anita Allison does!  She made a movie!

This weekend was her movie premier. Cuffe: Taxed is the story of Paul Cuffe, who was the richest (most successful) Black (actually ½ Black, ½ Native American) Entrepreneur during the American Revolution.  He also pioneered many things ~ 100 years before anyone else – underground railroad (by boat), starting integrated schools, and even re-patrioting slaves to Africa.   Isn’t Paul Cuffe fascinating? 

Anita thought Cuffe’s story was worth telling.  It’s one that I feel like I should have known – and told – as an Entrepreneurship professor!  

But like many of the sad truths of business school is that we do not benefit from much ‘woke’ness in our curriculum.  We have so few case studies of people of color, never mind women.  I visited my alma mater (University of Chicago) years ago and took my kids to see the famed and gorgeous B-school building.  Walking into an endless Wall of White Men, my daughter, 7 at the time, turned to ask me if girls were allowed at the school!  

Well, entrepreneurship stories we celebrate continue to be dominated by one race and gender, so it’s no surprise that Paul Cuffe’s amazing story remains relatively unknown. 

Anita is trying to change that.

Her movie debut is a teaser of what could be – if she can raise the funds.  As any entrepreneur knows, especially women entrepreneurs, it can be super challenging to get investors – when Anita explained – you don’t have the (required Hollywood) contacts. 

Sound familiar entrepreneurs?  

Funnily enough, my entry into the world of pitch research was Hollywood.  I read this great paper by Kim Elsbach and Rod Kramer 20+ years ago and was struck that movie execs made snap judgements about the creativity and success of screenwriters from a 15 min pitch. 

Just like we did as VC investors.  It shows you that an investment is an investment, and people are people.  

Anita showed the movie in Westport, MA – where Paul Cuffe lived and made money risking his life to help White Quakers on Nantucket.  Cuffe was a sailor, a blockade runner, and started his career as a whaler.  I never knew the sordid, but enriching history of whaling to New England, but I learned by visiting the Worst. Aquarium. Ever.  (One Star.)  new bedford whaling museum

I give the museum 5 stars.  You can see the sites from Moby Dick, though I hope getting Cuffe: Taxed into Hollywood’s Great White Way doesn’t turn into Anita’s White Whale!   

PS. An added treat: check out PAUL CUFFE IS ME, a music video by Boston-based rapper Daniel Laurent, with music by Roy Studmire and featuring dancers from Brickhouse Nyc…so so so good…