Arlan Hamilton is the founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital, a venture fund that dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential female, minority and LGBTQ founders. Arlan built her fund from the ground up, without the connections or experience most others VCs boast—and while she was homeless. Since 2015, Backstage has invested nearly $5M into over 100 startups led by underestimated founders. And in early May of 2018, Backstage announced that it had raised an additional $36M fund, which Arlan calls her “It’s About Damn Time Fund.” She’s using it to write $1M checks to 36 Black female founders. Today, she’s explaining her path, giving honest advice for career changers, and sharing exactly how you can fund your company.

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