Detroit — Entertainment mogul Nancy Tellem wasn’t sure about moving from California a decade ago when her husband became vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons.
But a few months of long-distance with Arn Tellem, her husband now of 46 years, made it clear Nancy Tellem — who’s previously appeared on Forbes’ list of the 100 Most Powerful Women and was involved in the launches of hit TV shows like “Friends” and “Survivor” — should relocate here. But she promised to do more than that.
“The fact that someone would recognize me as a Michiganian, it’s a privilege and honor,” she told The Detroit News. “We’ve always been very supportive of the leveraging of assets in order to really help the community in some way.”
Her experience with pricey, exclusive private members’ clubs and conversations with Detroit entrepreneurs and community leaders culminated in BasBlue (pronounced bäs-blo͞o), a nonprofit she co-founded five years ago with Natacha Hildebrand, who’s created similar clubs elsewhere. BasBlue is a space for women and people identifying as nonbinary to connect, work and grow that now has about 600 members and held 165 programs last year.
Last year’s federal grant eliminations affected foundations that support BasBlue, requiring the organization to make cuts itself and find support elsewhere. But Tellem said it aims to keep membership around the rate of gym access, has opened programming to the greater community and provided free weekly dinners to serve about 500 meals over eight evenings when the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were paused.
“It wasn’t just creating dinners where people stand in line — people were served,” Tellem said. “People were feeling that they were actually special and being supported. I think people now in our fifth year are starting to recognize that first, this is not a fleeting organization; it’s having real impact, and from everyone we reach out to, they now know who we are. They know what kind of impact we’re really having.”
BasBlue is a variation on the French for “blue stockings,” a reference to the Blue Stockings Society, an informal movement in England that pushed education for women in the mid-18th century. With more than 12,000 square feet, the Queen Anne-style home that BasBlue occupies at 110 E. Ferry St. in Midtown, just east of Woodward Avenue, now houses a café open to the public (including men), meeting space, a wellness center and events for networking, health and education.
“I’ve seen so many incredibly talented people and those that really have been inspirational,” Tellem said. “But they haven’t been able to reach their dream, because they haven’t connected in a lot of ways. And I’ve seen it in my business in entertainment, where when you know someone, you can get to that point a lot faster than if you don’t.”
Founded in 2021, BasBlue’s growth has accelerated, Tellem said. A Women’s Summit last year drew hundreds of women, and a Trailblazer-in-Residence program offers annual scholarships to up-and-comers earning less than $75,000 per year. Annual memberships cost $1,500.
Shelby Ripple, 26, of Detroit works in executive operations at Wayne State University’s athletic department. She became connected to BasBlue three years ago, has served on its Gen Z committee and said it’s been beneficial for her career and personally.
“I’ve loved meeting and getting to know the other women,” Ripple said. “They’ve been a source of encouragement, inspiration, and accountability. We’ll check in with each like, ‘Did you apply for that job?’ or ‘How’s that project going?’ It’s been invaluable.”
That’s exactly what Tellem has hoped this place could be.
Nancy Tellem
Age: 73
Occupation: Co-founder, BasBlue Inc.; executive chairman and chief media officer, media startup Eko; former president, CBS Network Television Entertainment Group and Xbox Entertainment Studios
Family: Husband Arn, vice chairman of the Detroit Pistons; three adult sons; three grandchildren
Education: University of California, Berkeley; law degree, UC Hastings College of the Law
Why honored: For being an influential leader in Detroit, co-founding BasBlue, a nonprofit where women at all stages of their careers can find support, advice and mentorship.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Media mogul Nancy Tellem is stocking support for woman with BasBlue
Reporting by Breana Noble, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Breana Noble, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
