This online education platform is encouraging us all to be great — literally!
BeGreatTV has closed a $450,000 seed investment with Stand Together Ventures Lab (STVL3, LLC) as one of the first to invest, alongside Backstage Capital founder, Arlan Hamilton, and SOSV, according to a press release.
Initial investors also include actress and comedian, Tiffany Haddish, celebrity stylist, Law Roach, and music executive, Mack Maine.
Led by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Cortney Woodruff, President Cortez Bryant, and Chief of Philanthropy Avrell Stokes, BeGreatTV is on a mission to enable people to learn from talented Black and brown leaders and innovators.
“It’s really about having something that is embedded with a sense of commonality and trust,” founder and CEO Cortney Woodruff told AfroTech. “If a person is able to find someone that looks like them, that they admire, respect and can learn from, they will more likely embrace the information being presented to them and develop a sense of inspiration and desire to achieve.”
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Courses are designed to show people how to not only succeed but also how to execute in a particular industry. BeGreatTV aims to enable people to learn “how to deal with the socioeconomic and racial injustices that come with being the only one in the room,” and the platform also plans to give people a better understanding of the business aspect of their respective industries.
“Imagery and exposure are critical for evolution,” Woodruff said. “Dreams are manifested from visions. We have lived in a society where brands and institutions have spent billions of dollars using imagery for decades, however, the imagery and dreams associated with successful Black people have been marginalized and primarily revolve around sports and entertainment. Therefore, this needs to be corrected. At Be-Great we have the resources to do so, and we will.”
Set to launch in April, BeGreatTV will offer an original series that consists of 12-15 episodes, each about 10 to 15 minutes in length, with a focus on entertainment, arts, beauty, and more, according to a press release.
BeGreatTV will work with a range of talent including prominent voices like Jesse Williams, Tiffany Haddish, Law Roach, Sir John, Maurice “Mobetta” Brown, Arlan Hamilton, and Brigette Romanek to uplift and inspire the Black community.
“We want BeGreat to be a reference and a reflection of Black Excellence,” Woodruff said to AfroTech. “It’s paying homage to those who made sacrifices to not only uplift our community but to share our excellence with the world. But more importantly, we hope it inspires generations to come to make their own sacrifices so that they can inspire those to come after them.”
According to Woodruff, BeGreatTV has produced over 40 episodes ranging from three to 15 minutes in length. Each course is $64.99 and the platform plans to offer an all-access subscription model in the future. Instructors will also receive a percentage of royalties.
For more on the upcoming launch, visit the BeGreatTV website.
