New TV Series Spotlights Entrepreneurs With Disabilities
The production company behind reality shows like “Keeping up with the Kardashians” and “Born This Way” is set to debut a new series following four entrepreneurs with various disabilities.
The documentary series “Born For Business” will premiere with 10 episodes on NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock later this month.
The show focuses on the ups and downs of running a small business — all amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic — for individuals with disabilities.
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“For too long, people with disabilities have been shut out of the workplace,” said Jon Murray of Bunim/Murray Productions, which is producing the new series. “With ‘Born For Business,’ we are showing how people with disabilities have long been using entrepreneurship to create an economic livelihood for themselves.”
Collette Divitto, a baker with Down syndrome who is featured on the show, talks about how no one would hire her after she finished college. But now her business, Collettey’s Cookies, employs other people with disabilities has sold more than 300,000 cookies to date.
Other entrepreneurs on the series include Qiana Allen, who has lupus and owns one of the nation’s top plus-sized clothing stores, Chris Triebes who has spinal muscular atrophy and runs a concert production company in addition to two venues and a music festival ticket service and Lexi Zanghi who has anxiety and operates a fashion brand that’s set to open its first location.
“Born For Business” is produced by Shopify Studios and Bunim/Murray Productions, the creators of the Emmy-winning series “Born This Way,” which followed a group of young adults with Down syndrome. The company is a mainstay in the world of reality television with credits including “The Real World” and several shows featuring members of the Kardashian family.
“Born For Business” will be available to stream on Peacock starting Aug. 23.
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