It was the first risky thing I did in my career. Everything else I'd done according to plan,

you know, college, law school, clerkship, and then at this point, law firm, and at this point

I just said, I'm going to take a chance on something I believe in.

From ABC, it's no limits.

I'm Rebecca Jarvis, and each week we're talking to the most bold and influential women

playing at the top of their game, trying to demystify success and what it really takes to get

there and all the tradeoffs, whether you're looking for answers

or you just want to hear a good story, you're in the right place.

On today's episode, Deborah Lee has always been an overachiever from her days at Harvard Law

School where she pursued a JD while at the same time pursuing a degree from the Kennedy School

of Government to rising the ranks inside of BET, spending 32 years there, 13 as the CEO.

Throughout her time, Deborah proved to be one of the most powerful women in the media industry.

Recently, she was recognized by the Grammy Organization

with the Salute to Industry Icons Award, the first and only woman ever to receive this.

But like so many leaders we've had here on No Limits, Deborah's path was not clear-cut. In fact,

when she made the choice to leave her high-powered corporate law job to go work

for a then-unknown media company called VET, most of the people around her said she was crazy.

As CEO, she had to make decisions that sometimes weren't popular with the company, and not always

popular with the public either.

There was a time that you're about to hear about when protesters showed up right on her

doorstep. But what's incredible about Deborah is her ability to cut through the noise and make

decisions that are, at their heart, authentic and true to the success of the company and the

...