Thursday June 9th , the Paris Theater in New York City ; red carpet rolled out and the clicking sound of cameras snapping . Each photographer trying to capture that perfect shot . I am sure they captured beauty , joy , friendship , celebration , and glamorous fashion , but there is no way they could come close to capturing the raw inspiration , empowerment , and passion that unfolded on the screen at the Dream , Girl film premiere .
Dream , Girl is a documentary , produced by Erin Bagwell and Komal Minhas . Its mission : “ tell the stories of amazing entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation of leaders .” You probably can name many successful male entrepreneurs , Bill Gates , Steve Jobs , but who are the successful female entrepreneurs out there for women to look up to , learn from , and be inspired by ? This question sparked the journey by Erin and Komal to create not only an inspiring film but also to cofound Dream , Girl LLC “ to celebrate the female economy through innovative storytelling , distribution , and marketing .”
As I sat in my seat in the glamorous Paris Theater I didn ’ t really know what to expect . Sure , I figured it would be uplifting , teach me one or two things I could apply to my own ever-developing business ; but I wasn ’ t prepared for what actually transpired . The energy in the air was almost visible like electricity , and the theater was packed . The film began with Erin explaining her experience as a woman in the work place . An experience that left her uncomfortable on many levels , leading her to quit her job and follow
her dreams to produce films . Her experiences led her to seek out strong women making a way for themselves as she was aspiring to do . The inspiration Erin felt to tell these women ’ s stories and share them with women all over the world was almost palpable
The women presented in Dream , Girl left me awestruck . They are strong , brilliant women , who are successful in business but also have a passion to give back and inspire other women . Mariana Camara , fashion designer , not only successfully runs her own business but cofounded There is No Limit Foundation . She brings fabrics from Guinea to designers here in the United States , providing the women in Guinea with business while also funding education and access to clean water and fighting to end poverty . During the documentary she stated , “ What you want , you stick to it . It ’ s like a door . You come . You knock . If it doesn ’ t open , you break it .” The film was filled with inspiring , empowering statements such as this and gave me goosebumps as I listened intently to the stories of these women , trying to commit their brilliant
Erin Bagwell and Dr . Shellie Hipsky at words to memory . Annie the premiere of “ Dream , Girl .” Wang , cofounder and copresident of Senvol , described the inner struggle of deciding whether to continue in a business dealing when being treated in a demeaning manner . She posed the poignant question of when is a deal worth enough money that you should stay in an uncomfortable situation to prosper from it in the end . I wish I could watch the film over and over to catch every detail of every incredible story . The message of Dream , Girl is clear : you can do it , never give up , dream big , don ’ t let any-