We had the good fortune of connecting with Damali McDowell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Damali, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was raised around business owners my whole life. My paternal grandmother owned 3 businesses, and put all of her kids through private catholic boarding school because of her work ethic. When she passed at 96 years of age, I remember sitting in the front row of the parish staring at her casket and listening to all of the wonderful things she did for her community. I also recall thinking “I have some big shoes to fill”, which was a pressure that I felt my entire life. Maybe because she and I were so similar. I am the oldest of 5 children and she was the oldest in her family as well. She was a single parent majority of her life, and I was a single parent for at least 20 years of my adult life also. She only had a 7th grade education, but had a mind sharper than an MBA from Harvard. She read books every day, and education was her main priority for all of us. Majority of our family holds graduate degrees to this day because of her sacrifices.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Growing up in the Southwest, I always knew that one day, I wanted to live in California and pursue my dreams of creating content. In 2006, after over 20 years of having a successful career in the finance/retail industries and corporate sales, I decided to start my own business and created Social Butterfly Television Network. At that time, I met Jack Knight who is a very successful award winning songwriter and producer for Bad Boy Records, and Jack was the only person in the music business that I met who understood the new wave of digital media that was on the horizon. Jack has over 2.6 Billion streams worldwide of his music and body of work he has contributed, working with some of the biggest names in the music business like Usher, Keyshia Cole, JLo, and so many more. When I met Jack, I was instantly inspired to create my own digital media platform to cater to female audiences globally through the platform. That was the beginnings of what became my passion for brilliant storytelling and content creation. However, I had no idea the amount of difficulty and sacrifices it would take, in order to be successful. I was so green and unaware, and as I look back now…I am realizing how far I have come. I realized I wanted to provide entertainment that was inspiring, empowering, entertaining and enlightening. Meaningful storytelling is the heart and soul of our brand. What I am most proud of is the fact that I didn’t give up. I had a terrible health scare in 2014 (kidney failure) after achieving my greatest business deal to date with Wal-Mart, and it literally took me over 10 years to recover.

One thing I was always most proud of was my network. I realized then that my network, was my net-worth. In 2021, I decided I wanted to try again at pursuing my dreams. In the last 3 years, I have since accomplished a great deal, and made strides towards my goals. I am now officially producing my first feature film about a modern day Queen (a true story adaptation from her autobiography and book) with the most amazing production partner Donna Smith, who was the first female President of Post Production at a major studio in Hollywood (Universal). Donna green lit over 125 films, produced 6 with Steven Spielberg, and the Oscar winning film Schindler’s List is one of her greatest works to date. Also, I now own 4.5% shares of a renewable energy company that retails propane gas, and I am currently working with one of the most brilliant technologist’s in the world, Dr. Lael Alexander, the founder and CEO of Noitavonne, Inc. I assisted in bringing the Noitavonne brand into the U.S. from China.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to hang out in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Bel Air. The Getty Museum and the Academy Museum are two great places to visit. La Provance French Cafe in Beverly Hills is a great spot for brunch and wonderful French bakery pastries. Nobu is my favorite spot in Malibu to eat.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shout out to Jack Knight. Jack has been very instrumental in helping me make all of my dreams come to pass. He has been a huge supporter and partner for years now, and I appreciate all of the massive doors he has opened for me. He is my favorite person on this planet, and I am truly grateful to have such an amazing mentor, partner, and best friend by my side. Donna Smith, is the other person I would like to shout out. She has also been very instrumental in helping me attain my goals of becoming a successful film producer and executive. Without both of their guidance and brilliant expertise, I would not be able to have the access to the best in the entertainment business.

Instagram: @socialbutterflydamali

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damalimmcdowell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/damali.mcdowell

Other: Tik Tok: @butterflydamali

Image Credits
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