Savannah James’s New Venture "Let It Break" Rethinks How Women Come Together and Connect
When Savannah James’s daughter said she wanted to be just like her mother, the entrepreneur and beauty aficionado knew she had to change something in her life. Three years ago, that passing remark from now nine-year-old Zhuri sparked a self-seeking journey for James—who is married to basketball legend LeBron James, with whom she also shares sons Bronny and Bryce. Zhuri gave her the gumption to experiment. “She’s my inspiration to be able to work on myself and figure out my passions and my purpose,” James says.
Now, she is set to launch Let It Break, a new initiative for women who are similarly seeking to become the best versions of themselves, with April McDaniel, founder of creative agency Crown + Conquer. Together, James and McDaniel are prioritizing their overall mental, physical, and spiritual wellness—a mission that is central to Let It Break.
The venture is a women’s membership community focused on “personal growth and self-discovery.” Let It Break will offer educational programming, resources, and tools for women seeking a highly curated approach to relationship-building—just don’t call it networking. Members-only workshops, ongoing master talks, peer-led groups dubbed “accountability pods,” and immersive dinner conversations will form the core of what James and McDaniel say is going to be bigger than a movement—they want to forge a space and a means for women to come together to become stronger versions of themselves. Hopefully, the meetups and events result in newfound friendships, too.
James and McDaniel say their own friendship has made each other stronger. McDaniel tends to be more reserved, while James is cautiously curious. “I’m always thinking of a move, where she is more free-flowing, more welcoming, more open,” says McDaniel. James says she thinks their differences could also be described as yin and yang. McDaniel, on the other hand, says James is the heart of Let It Break, while she is the nuts and bolts.
“Being a co-founder with April, I’m looking forward to being a part of it and immersing myself in it with all of our members, just because I know how important [maintaining meaningful relationships] is,” James says. “I’ve done different modalities of therapy and different things for mental health, but this is a space that is—not new to me, but I’m ready now to put two feet or 10 toes into [launching Let It Break] in this way.” She is ready and willing to become a student of Let It Break, she says—and she knows the journey to becoming their best selves will be intimidating but worth it.
Porsha Ellis, chief executive officer at Let It Break, says she feels she manifested her role. This opportunity is more than a job for her—it’s a purpose. “It’s an opportunity for me to pour into other women and through that work, the lessons, insights, wisdom, and resources [will] come back full circle,” she says.
What makes the initiative compelling is the transparent willingness of these women to band together and hold space for one another. Ellis feels that everything about Let It Break aligns with what she prioritizes as she evolves.“Let It Break is something I wish I had access to at an earlier age, to help guide me through this personal-growth work sooner,” she adds.
Mental health is of the utmost importance to James. “I have to have it,” she says. “If I’m working from a glass half empty, I’m not good to anybody.” She adds that she’d love for all women to be selfish, take time to breathe, and get comfortable with being idle for even just one second. “We are maestros, we do a lot, and we need it sometimes.”
McDaniel adds, “One of the reasons we were so excited to build Let It Break is that we are making space. Whoever joins this organization is making space for themselves. They can use that space however they see fit.”
She continues: “I feel like a lot of us are often feeling like we’re quickly doggy-paddling above water to figure out all the things that we need to do, which ultimately affects your mental [well-being].” On a personal level, she has watched firsthand as James has centered her own mental health journey. While McDaniel admits she still feels some guilt about prioritizing her personal well-being, she does try to mirror some of the boundaries she sees her friend holding herself to.
So why launch Let It Break now? In a time when social media has the world seemingly spinning a mile per second, carving out space for knowing oneself and understanding the substance of who you are feels not just necessary but also quite poignant.
In James’s ever-busy realm, there are many other ways both she and McDaniel could be spending their time. Opting to center women who are seeking self-development is strikingly impressive, but it also makes sense, given the cores and backgrounds of both of these women. McDaniel says she’s always been able to bring people together. “That’s my gift,” she says. “So to build something where women are prioritizing themselves and also the community is just a really beautiful culmination.”
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