Griselda: A Netflix Miniseries Review with Business and Branding Insights

I am a person who loves a well-written movie and likes talking about it.

I am looking at the movie from a business startup and personal branding point of view.

Also about lessons learned.

Identifying an Underserved Niche: After her first business deal with Almilcar went south, where he introduced Griselda to Papo as his supplier. She was left with 250,000 USD worth of Cocaine with no one or where to sell it to.

She discovered a high potential underserved market niche which is the rich white folks who are not able to go to areas where quality cocaine can be bought due to fear. She discovered this when she went to a party to blow off steam with her friend at a fancy club. She noticed how boring the white folks’ party was. People were just smoking, drinking, and looking at each other. No high-energy dancing, music, or funkiness.

She hosted a private party to bring the potential customers and distributors together on a private yacht from where she distributed the samples for them to taste the feeling they can achieve when they use her party supplies product.

Business model: She gave samples of her products to potential customers and distributors for them to test the product's quality, creating a hunger for her product. This is what is termed a Freemium business model in startups. Give them a taste and make them ask for more.

Energy: According to the series, She was a very energetic person. She would not take a No for an answer. She does not care what it takes or is afraid to meet a potential business associate over scary news. She would get the idea and go for the execution immediately.

This was apparent in the movie when her first successful sales was disrupted by Rivi, Almilcar’s goons came to steal the drug. Instead of the expected behaviour that is; she was supposed to thank her God that she was alive and make her way to her home. But she decides to go back to Almilcar’s place to further negotiate her deal

Personal Branding: There is something different about the way Griselda carries herself while walking, how she dresses bold and smart like someone ready for business. And she talks with a command of authority in her voice. You will know immediately that she’s not here to play but to do business.

Even though in that era, it was rarely heard that a woman would be a boss in the trade she was dealing in. Women were mostly used as mules (people who smuggled the drug on behalf of the boss). She’s known for being a no-nonsense person, She’s ruthless with threats and generous to her hardworking workers; this gets her loyal workers

She dresses boldly and carries herself with high charisma when she walks among other ladies so that she would stand out from all of them. This was apparent during the interrogation of the pregnant lady at the police station by the detectives. She was asked if she saw any woman entering the back room at the club and she responded that yes, there was a woman she saw entering the room. And explained to the Colombian lady officer while they were walking out of the office that the lady she saw was not the usual regular lady that come to party at the club. She’s more like the boss with the way she carries herself. The other Police officers find it hard to believe that a woman could be a drug lord.

Bonus:

Contentment (Knowing that you have enough already):
My dad always says when you are growing always look back at where you are coming from don’t focus on where you want to go only or don’t just focus on what you are missing in your life. Doing this usually turns us into an ungrateful being and unappreciative of what we have achieved so far.

I think Griselda transitioned from a desperate mother who wanted to provide an awesome lifestyle for herself, her children, and her family when the Ochoas wanted to buy out her business for 15 million dollars she refused but instead worked on the idea of forming an association with her colleague in the trade. At that point when she called the shot to kill the family of the witness against Amilcar, she became a demon. It pained me so much because that decision changed her path so much from happy folk working hustling to make good money to a hell-raiser. People began dying left and right; Innocent friends and family.

After she was betrayed by her partner who took all her dealers to join the Ochoas network, the terror campaign she put on to get back her territory and to take over the whole Miami distribution network was so much that she lost her sense of identity. She does not listen to her close associates anymore which leads to the death of her earlier close associate, the accountant and the cousin sent to kill Papo.

I ask myself, after all these sacrifices here and there, is it worth it? Can she look back and tell yourself, that this journey has been worthwhile?

I think if she had taken the 15 million and gone on another path which could be any other form of legal business. Being someone of high grit business sense and creativity, she would have succeeded in any business she ventured into. She might still be alive today, her children, cousins, business associates, and friends would still be alive telling the stories of their younger days escapades.

Knowing when you have had enough in life is a wonderful gift.

In conclusion, Griselda offers valuable business lessons that can be applied to startups and personal branding. If you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend it.