I recently had an interview with a group of investors that were looking at promoting my production company. They were visibly depressed when I laid out my background. I told them that I was originally from Nigeria in Africa, from a good home, had a college degree including a Masters in Business (MBA) from here in the USA and had worked in several top fortune 500 companies during my career days in corporate America before going on to start my own business. As I listed out all my credentials in pride thinking that this will impress them to want to invest in my company, I was actually shocked when one of them said that my African background was not interesting.
He then said that they thought that since I was from Africa, I would have a gore story of war and famine, suffering and poverty, about me beating the odds and finally making it to America where I was able to benefit from the American dream. To that comment, I looked at him in shock trying to figure out what he meant by all that. I then asked him why I need to have a “rags to riches” story for him/them to invest in my company. He then said to me, that is the only story that sells for a black African like me.
So then I said to him that it did not make any sense to me. Even though I was not from a dysfunctional background or “basterdised” life situation, I thought I should be more marketable because I had achieved all this successes through hard work and dedication. I still had to overcome many obstacles to get to where I am today. In fact, I had to be 110% while my colleagues not from Africa could be 90%. Was that not good enough?
Needless to say, after that unpleasant episode, I decided I did not want them to invest in my company anymore. To me, they were promoting the wrong image about Africans and descendants from Africa. My brand focuses on showcasing the positivity that exists in Africa and from all descendants of Africa and I seek common ground across all cultures and civilizations.
Please let me know what you think about promulgating the current negative stereotype of Africans and the need for us all to be portrayed in such a negative light in order to gain audience and marketing appeal.
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