She’s known for transforming corporate images—and boardrooms—in her own inimitable, unapologetic style. But in-demand marketing maven Bozoma Saint John just secured a new bag, as star and producer of her own documentary series on the Starz network, titled Bozoma: Being Badass. (Notably, @badassboz is Saint John’s IG handle.)
At the tender age of 41, Saint John has made a name for herself across industries, working for globally known names like PepsiCo (where she co-produced the Beyoncé Super Bowl halftime show), Beats, Apple, Uber, and now as CMO of international multimedia agency Endeavor. As reported by Fast Company, the phenom’s foray onto the screen will be “a cross between Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Mister Rogers, and The Oprah Winfrey Show ... it will bring a sense of ‘purposefulness’ to a range of topics that span her personal and professional life, from her love of fashion to the challenges of being a single, working mother and widow.”
Also reported to include episodically themed interviews, we’d venture a guess that Saint John’s new show might also have a healthy dose of Red Table Talk, as she finds common ground with her guests.
“For instance, after discussing the ‘life-altering’ experience of losing her husband (he lost his battle with cancer five years ago), she’ll talk to others who have been through a similar experience, trying to discover ‘how they thrive,’” she says. “How do they move through life carrying that case of grief? How do their kids feel? I think there are big lessons for all of us.”
In conversation with Fast Company, Saint John, also a former Root 100 honoree, addressed the “otherness” that stemmed from being a black child of Ghanian immigrants, as well as subsequent events in her life.
“All of those things that make up who I am. That’s what’s so beautiful about the human experience. None of us are one-dimensional,” she said.
As well known for her daring fashion sense and six-foot height (add several inches for her ever-present heels) as for her business savvy, Saint John has also never let the confines of the corporate world dictate her style. She can regularly be seen strutting into work, conferences and onto red carpets alike with embellished nails, bright colors, big hair, and stilettos.
“I love fashion, I can’t lie about that,” Saint John said. “Interestingly enough, it has been a really big conversation as part of my corporate journey, too. The fact that I’m able to show up in sequins on Tuesday–people have a lot of questions about that. I want to explore the non-boundaries of what it means to look like a corporate executive in a way that is not traditional. ... How do you express the fullness of yourself unapologetically through fashion?”
“I don’t agree with the line that says you walk into an office and you leave yourself outside,” she later adds.
And this is the idea Saint John says she hopes to drive home with her new show, “to show up wholly as ourselves.”
While no premiere date has been given yet, the show is already filming test episodes. Chris Albrecht, president and CEO of Starz, told Fast Company: “Boz is an incredibly dynamic woman with an undeniable spirit that she infuses into every aspect of her life. She brings a wholly new perspective to television.”