Currently, black women are starting businesses at 6 times the national average but are not seeing the same receipts as other founders. There are 3 major areas where women of color require support: access to capital, access to influential networks, and the ability to hire employees. The lack of access to capital for women is becoming a more prevalent part of the entrepreneurial conversation however solutions to solve the issue are still evolving. Black Girl Ventures is specifically focused on creating access to capital for women. All programming is centered on addressing this issue head-on.

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Omi Bell, an entrepreneur and founder of Black Girl Ventures, to discuss her journey to success and the challenges faced by black women in the startup world. Omi shares her story of pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams after a difficult breakup and job loss, and how she founded Black Girl Ventures to provide resources and funding for black women interested in launching their own startups. We learn how her organization has funded over 300 women founders, generating about 10 million in revenue and creating over 3,000 jobs, and how talent is the biggest culprit behind why startups fail.

If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.

Founder Bio:

Omi Bell is the Founder/CEO of Black Girl Ventures, the host of The Omi Show on SiriusXM Urban View, and the creative director of Omi's World Media. She has been named one of the top 100 most powerful women in business by Entrepreneur Magazine, Entrepreneur of the Year by Technically DC, and a Rising Brand Star by Adweek. She has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Inc Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and Refinery29; also been seen on Good Morning America, Vice TV, Cheddar, Bloomberg, Fox Business, Nike billboards and ads. Her work with entrepreneurs has been revered and honored by two murals in Washington, DC. Under her leadership, Black Girl Ventures has funded over 300 women founders representing about $10MM in revenue and creating over 3000 jobs for the US economy. Omi's story and efforts have directly impacted over 20,000 people across 64 countries through training, mentoring, and speaking.

Show Notes:

03:28 Omi Bell's background in computer science

06:06 reflection on teaching computer science to a diverse classroom

08:30 Combining creative and analytical thinking to create Black Girl Ventures (BGV)

11:45 Exploring access to capital for black entrepreneurs

14:14 BGV pitch, fellowship program, and emerging leaders program overview

16:31 Leadership, business, and equity in the tech industry

19:12 Industry agnostic and focused on specific verticals

21:37 Investment opportunities and donor-advised fund

25:30 Investment strategies for women-led companies at the million-dollar mark

30:29 Positioning a company for sale or merger

33:58 Advice for founders seeking investment

37:10 Preparing for enterprise sales: what you need to know

40:42 Omi Bell's new book context

46:47 How to get in contact with the BGV team

Resources:

Company website: https://www.blackgirlventures.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackgirlventures/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackgirlventures/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BGirlVentures