Thread by @nerdette

So I’m off on a road trip I’ve wanted to take for years. It all started with a woman, her imagination and the desire to help generations of women. Want to help me find her? #ISOBette

So I’m driving to the University of North Texas (Denton, about 3.5 hrs from Austin) and am at a rest stop. This is some peak Texas ish right here. Should be to UNT in an hour. Brb. #ISOBette

Ok so I’m finally at the archive and I am quite literally crying.

I’m not entirely sure why I am so emotional right now. I’m sifting through a stack of employee newsletters, and reading the one they issued when Bette passed away. #ISOBette

Let me take a small step back.

Originally, years ago, I got really fixated on Bette Nesmith Graham - founder of Liquid Paper - because very littler was written about her. If you google her and read the posts, they’re all the same recycled bits of biographical info. BORING.

I knew there had to be more to this story and to what Bette had accomplished. She took an idea in the 50s and grew (over the next 20+ years) a multi million dollar international company (and took no outside investment.) #ISOBette

There was one tiny hint of what happened toward the very end of the company (right before Liquid Paper was sold to Gillette.)

Bette’s 2nd husband tried to steal the patent & cut Bette out of the final deal.

Bette lawyered up and then cut HIM out of the final deal.
#ISOBette

Then Bette died suddenly, 6 months after selling her company for almost $50million (nearly $150 million in 2019 dollars.)

Not bad for a single mom from south Texas.

BUT THIS ISN’T THE MOST INTERESTING PART OF HER STORY.

#ISOBette

Bette believed in ethical business.

She was a pioneer in what companies STILL are trying to figure out, 40 years later.

Ok you want to look at some magical stuff with me in this archive? #ISOBette

Bette’s philosophy:

All of us have the capacity of unlimited potential. It’s our motives and that are important.

I knew that in the FRIGGIN 70s, Bette had probably one of the FIRST on site child care facilities, but they also had a profit sharing trust, employee owned credit union and she built a foundation specifically for women’s leadership, & employee committees.

#ISOBette

Can we take a moment and just think on that.

Bette created a global company that employed thousands of people, where there was profit sharing and ON SITE CHILDCARE IN THE 70s, y’all.

But that’s not why I’m sobbing.

I have to show you something.

#ISOBette

So Bette made sure that the Liquid Paper Company was implementing Action policies in the late 70s. Here are the pages from that spread in their employee newsletter.

Each page tells a real story about an employee and what they do in the company. Why they’re valued. Why they matter.

Here’s Earnest Spencer - who was manager of product reliability.

Also his suit is fly.

#ISOBette

Julia is a working mom with twins.

Fred is a production manager.

#ISOBette

Danny is a technical adviser for production.

The employee profiles are about rank and file people in this massive corporation.

#ISOBette

And this last profile really made me cry, because it’s like Bette checked nearly every box.

The Liquid Paper HQ was WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.

#ISOBette

Road trip was worth it.

I need to find a way to tell Bette’s story. She laid out a very clear blueprint of what is possible when profits are built ethically and inclusively. IMAGINE THAT.

More in a bit I have to put my eyeliner back on and have some coffee. Brb.

#ISOBette

Shout out to Bri, Megan and Morgan with @UNTSpecColl at Willis Library. Especially Bri who quietly handed me a box of tissues as I sat and bawled my eyes out. #ISOBette

Librarians and archivists are guardians of knowledge. Also I am relieved to know I’m not the 1st person to get emotional here. #ISOBette

Here’s another article from the employee newsletter - Liquid Paper also employed people thru the Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind. #ISOBette

Turns out I can scan stuff so gonna digitize what I can. Bette’s collection is so slim.

I wish she was still here. She remains a bit of a mystery. (Don’t worry this isn’t the end, I just need to spend be next hour scanning this stuff.)

#ISOBette

Encore shout out to the amazing staff at @UNTSpecColl - Morgan, Megan and Bri - thanks for helping me meet Bette thru the archive.

Got to go get dinner with friends - gonna sit here and mull over what I found.

Post forthcoming, for sure.
#ISOBette

ALSO: as I was scanning the transcripts of an interview with Bette, I did catch that her 2nd husband was IN FACT a snake. I thought maybe I was projecting (from the small fragments I could find.) but nah. I intuited correctly.

BUT SHE BEAT HIM. Ha. #ISOBette

Also it’s very interesting to see how the employee newsletters change after Bette passes away. The newsletter becomes less about employees, more product based.

Also the CEO who takes over has a COMPLETELY different vibe. He’s all about AGGRESSIVE. COMPETITION. 😕
#ISOBette

GOOD MORNING. Yes, I have been thinking about Bette all night and morning.

Also I've been looking at the scans I did of Bette's archive.

Did you know that Liquid Paper was a movie star? let me explain and thank you @thomaspluck for prompting this. #ISOBette

@thomaspluck Remember that movie 9to5 w Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin & Jane Fonda? At the end of the movie, they sneak in a bunch of ideas on how to build an inclusive workplace. I always thought it was interesting that all their ideas ALREADY EXISTED IN BETTE'S CORP. #ISOBette

@thomaspluck so CHECK THIS OUT. Again, from the archive: Liquid Paper actually had intentional product placement IN THE MOVIE. I think it might be possible that Bette and Liquid Paper INSPIRED THAT ENDING. #ISOBette

@thomaspluck I have to hit the road back to Austin, but I did also want to mention that (and this is entirely speculative) but I do think Bette's 2nd ex husband was indeed a dirtbag. I stayed up until 2am reading a transcript of an oral history she did with UNT. #ISOBette

@thomaspluck The ex husband & another male associate tried to "teach Bette a lesson".

It's telling that the dirtbag isn't in pictures in the newsletter or in senior leadership towards the end of the company (BC BETTE WON.) Ok more later. #ISOBette

Happy Sunday!

Still thinking about Bette.

Yes, she was a woman CEO & queen who saved herself & defended the int’l corp that she built BUT, she was MORE than that.

She built an ETHICAL biz at a time of great greed. I’m reading thru her speeches now.

More later #ISOBette

Hi everyone - thank you for coming along on this journey with me. I have updates but need to keep them close to he vest until I have confirmation.

In the meantime, help me out with a poll. What's the best way to post updates about what I uncover about Bette? #ISOBette

Also thanks to everyone that reached out and asked me to write a book about Bette and LPC - THAT IS THE IDEA ;-) but writing a book is a long term project so I'm just lining everything up, first. ❤️ #ISOBette

Quick update: a friend found a box from a museum exhibit on Liquid Paper - I might get access to this new archive, which is exciting.

I'm also having some conversations with folks next week. Can't say more than that, but this project is inching forward! ❤️#ISOBette

Good morning! Updates - I'm headed back to DFW in a few weeks. I found another (very slim!) vertical file at Texas Womens Univ on Bette, as well as the new acquisition.

I connected w people who knew Bette, who are open to being interviewed. (WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.) #ISOBette

Got to spend a few hours with Bette’s sister and her niece @caslaughter and nephew @rockwallrunner8 today. Really grateful for their generosity in time & willingness to share family stories about Bette. Good things coming! #ISOBette