"HER BIG IDEA" RETURNS TO NYC LIFE FOR SEASON TWO

The popular original program features inspiring stories about successful women entrepreneurs across New York City

her big idea

 

NEW YORK – "Her Big Idea," the hit show profiling successful women entrepreneurs in New York City, returns for a second season on November 6 at 8:30 p.m., produced by NYC Media, the official broadcast network of the City of New York. The groundbreaking program highlights achievements of some of New York's most inspiring businesswomen, ones who turned a great idea into a thriving enterprise from the ground up. New York City leads the nation in the number of women entrepreneurs, giving the half-hour show airing on NYC Media's flagship channel NYC Life plenty of subjects. The debut episode of the new season features interviews with makeup maven Trish McEvoy, Adafruit Industries founder Limor Fried, Harlem Brewing Company founder Celeste Beatty and Hopscotch Technologies co-founder Jocelyn Levitt.

"We could not be prouder of our original show 'Her Big Idea,'" said Media and Entertainment Commissioner Julie Menin. "We knew it would be compelling to show strong, smart women who achieved success through hard work, ingenuity and a great idea. So we are delighted that 'Her Big Idea' has clearly resonated with New Yorkers. It is especially timely in both celebrating women in leadership roles, and inspiring the female leaders of the future."

Ratings for 'Her Big Idea' have surpassed channels like Sundance and Fusion, an extraordinary feat for a non-commercial municipal channel. The new season airs on Monday nights at 8:30 for a half hour and consists of six new episodes. Upcoming shows feature Ringly founder Christina Mercando d'Avignon, Manic Panic founders Tish and Snooky Bellomo, ClassPass founders Payal Kadakia and Mary Biggins, and more.

"'Her Big Idea' is a great example of the type of programming we strive to produce at NYC Media -- content that is meant to inspire, inform and engage New Yorkers about the community around them and the city that they live in," said Janet Choi, the show's executive producer and General Manager of NYC Media. "The second season of Her Big Idea features a diverse group of women entrepreneurs who we believe can inspire any viewer, no matter what gender they are."

Her Big Idea was created as part of a groundbreaking series of initiatives announced by the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment last year, targeting the underrepresentation of women in the film and television industries both on and off the camera. These initiatives, which also include a $5 million women media fund and a women's screenwriting contest, mark the first time a municipal entity has taken on gender inequity in these fields. Other elements of these initiatives include pitch workshops for women filmmakers, a film financing conference connecting women filmmakers with funding for their projects, and a report analyzing the gender imbalance of directors in the film industry.

Season One of Her Big Idea featured the founders of such companies as Sarabeth's, Fishs Eddy, Manhattan Portage and Baked By Melissa. The show was so well received it even attained higher viewership than MSNBC programming on at the same hour.

The second season of Her Big Idea will feature a special episode dedicated to WE NYC (Women Entrepreneurs NYC) mentors. WE NYC is an initiative based out of the NYC Department of Small Business Services that is dedicated to helping women start and grow their businesses, connecting them with the resources, education and community they need to thrive. Each of the women featured in this episode are successful business owners who also share their expertise as mentors, as part of WE NYC's mentorship program.