In Might, Bravo confirmed that Bozoma Saint John, a high-profile C-suite govt with buzzy tenures at Netlix, Endeavor and Uber, could be becoming a member of the forged of The Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills for its 14th season.
The information impressed a cycle of trade gossip, because it’s uncommon for somebody with a resumé like Saint John — the native of Ghana served the streamer as chief advertising officer from 2020-22 — to pivot from speaking technique in elite board rooms to being in entrance of cameras on actuality TV the place brawls, catfights and quippy catch phrases are the norm. However then once more, Saint John is used to individuals speaking in regards to the strikes she makes.
As she was making one other — from the pink carpet to a seat inside Intuit Dome on the venue’s opening evening celebration and live performance that includes Bruno Mars — The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Saint John to debate why she stated sure to Housewives, whether or not there’s a path again to the board room sooner or later and the way she’s feeling now about life after Netflix.
What responses have you ever fielded from govt associates and C-suite friends after information broke that you simply had joined the Housewives forged?
You already know the reply to that. Everyone was like, “What the f are you doing?” It’s so humorous to me, and I might say, “However y’all act such as you behave in a different way within the boardroom than these girls behave on TV.” The purpose is that we now have all these human interactions and communications with moments of connections. There might be moments of battle and there might be moments of reconciliation. All of these issues exist behind closed doorways however on a present like this, you simply occur to see these moments on TV. For me, I’m it as a means of understanding a brand new group of folks that I haven’t interacted with earlier than. Nicely, aside from just a few however that’s solely been gentle interactions as a result of we run in comparable circles. I’m it as a approach to discover, talk and attending to know individuals.
Had been you hesitant in any respect about placing your life on actuality tv?
OK, I can let you know this since you’ve seen the iterations [of my career]. And I’ve by no means been afraid of the strikes that I’ve made — by no means. That is most likely an even bigger dialog however, actually, I don’t suppose I’ve ever been championed in any transfer that I’ve ever made. Folks have all the time questioned it. In fact, in hindsight, individuals will say, “Sure, I knew she ought to have left Apple to go to Uber.” And, “Sure, I knew she ought to’ve left Uber to go to Endeavor.” And, “Sure, I knew she ought to have left Endeavor to go to Netflix.” However in these moments, individuals frowned upon the strikes I used to be making till I made these strikes my very own. That’s the level of what I’m doing now. That is actually my transfer and that is what works for me proper now.
Do you suppose there’s a path again to the boardroom after this?
Sure, sure, sure. Primarily, look, I don’t know what the long run holds 5 years from at present. I’ve truly by no means achieved that and approached my profession in that means. I’m not somebody who has 5 to 10 yr plans. I’m residing within the second and targeted on what’s related to me proper now. Wherever the long run goes to take me subsequent, I might be open to it. The reality is none of us know. We’ll see if I am going again to the boardroom.
So, you aren’t considering, if I do X now, it would get me to Y later?
It’s a very good query and possibly I’ll reply it differently by saying that I’m not calculating in that means. What I’m serious about is progress. I all the time need to study. I would like the brand new alternatives to show me one thing. I’m not going to do something simply because I really feel that I’ve already mastered that [job]. Each job I’ve had has taught me one thing new, and I’ve been capable of construct on that basis with each new function. Even with [Real Housewives], I’m approaching it with the muse of all of the work I’ve achieved earlier than and figuring out it has ready me to enter this area. The relationships I’ve made alongside the way in which in popular culture are serving to me on this area. I don’t know what the subsequent function goes to be or what I’m going to do subsequent, however I’m hopeful that what I’m doing now could be going to develop me and open up these doorways too.
The final time I interviewed you, it was on one other pink carpet at an Emily’s Checklist occasion proper after you exited Netflix in 2022. Now that a while has handed, have you ever gained any perception or perspective about your time there?
Gosh. That have for me was so robust. As a result of I obtained the job firstly of the pandemic, there was a lot warmth on the corporate as a result of everybody was turning to it. There have been jokes on the time about individuals sitting on their couches for thus lengthy that they obtained to the top of Netflix. We ended up making a industrial that poked enjoyable at that. After I determined it was time to go away, it was actually solely as a result of I needed to discover specializing in my guide. I do know individuals didn’t perceive that on the time as a result of individuals are all the time searching for battle, or a foul factor. However the fact is I’ve a lot respect for [Ted Sarandos] and [Reed Hastings], and so they actually allowed me to even write my guide whereas I used to be doing my job. Towards the top, I knew that I must advertise and I must go deep into that course of. My guide was not simple. It wasn’t like I wrote a guide about climbing the company ladder. I wrote a guide about loss and grief and I had to return to that place, carrying the burden of it each day whereas doing promotion and my day job? It was going to be inconceivable. It was a troublesome resolution and I felt that it was a threat to resign nevertheless it was the correct factor to do on the time. I don’t know that I may have achieved it some other means, actually.
Bozoma Saint John poses together with her guide, The Pressing Life, throughout an occasion in New York on Feb. 13, 2023. On RHOBH, Saint John joins forged members Garcelle Beauvais, Erika Jayne, Dorit Kemsley, Kyle Richards and Sutton Stracke with Kathy Hilton and Jennifer Tilly showing as “associates” of the core forged.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Photographs
Your checking account shouldn’t be my enterprise, so forgive me for asking this query however was it exhausting to go away behind the Netflix paycheck?
The cash’s nice however, child, let me let you know: I’ve been very sensible about it. I personal inventory at each firm I’ve ever labored, and I really feel good and cozy with that. This ties into my private life as a result of when my husband died, my daughter was 4. I checked out her future and mine and thought, holy shit. How do I present for her and for myself in the long term? If there’s anyplace I’m conservative, it’s about my cash. My outfits aren’t conservative however my spending is. My cash is nice.
It’s an attention-grabbing topic to talk to you about as a result of the Actual Housewives franchise can appear very a lot about cash, status, standing, and many others., and the entire issues that associate with that.
The one factor I’ll say about that’s that I’m not a DEI govt. I by no means have been. I’m a Black lady. Each room that I enter, individuals take a look at me a sure means or they are saying that I’m diversifying that area. Can I simply be each? On this area, I really feel some accountability in showcasing the truth that there are profitable Black girls who additionally exist in these areas.
I’m talking to you on the eve of the Democratic Nationwide Conference and Kamala Harris’ bid to change into the president. Are you going to Chicago? Do you’ve plans to help the marketing campaign?
I really feel so excited. I don’t know if you happen to keep in mind this however I used to be with Kamala Harris when she went to Ghana for a state go to. I used to be a part of the delegation, so I’ve lengthy been within the Kamala Harris fan base as a supporter. I’ve had many visits to the White Home whereas she was part of the present administration. Most just lately, I used to be there, most likely in Might or near it. I met with President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden. I imagine within the hope, the nice hope for this nation. I help the concept that we don’t should be one dimensional. If there’s a lady who’s Indian and Black, who attended a Black establishment for college, who practiced regulation in California, could be president of the US, why wouldn’t I need to help that? It’s wonderful. You’ve seen all these calls just lately — Black girls for Kamala, girls executives for Kamala and I simply obtained one for the diaspora for Kamala. I’m going to examine all of the bins. I need to help in as many was as I can. I’m very excited.