How to Get Funding for Your Business, Qualities of Successful Entrepreneurs, and Building the Damn Thing with Kathryn Finney

Black women have been the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the US for the past few years with 17% of us in the process of starting new businesses. But in 2020—a record-breaking year for venture capital investment—less than 100 Black women raised $1 million or more for their businesses, which is very small in the VC world.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kathryn Finney, Founder and Managing General Partner of Genius Guild, a $20 million venture fund that builds and invests in scalable companies led by diverse founders. She's also the founder of the Duni fund, the founder and former CEO of Digital Undivided, the mastermind of the widely acclaimed project Diane Research, the author of Build the Damn Thing, and a Yale-trained epidemiologist.

Together, we discuss the ins and outs of Venture Capital and business funding as well as Kathryn’s expertise as a successful entrepreneur and her favorite wellness practices.

We Also Talk About…

Seeing entrepreneurship as a tool that lets you live a creative life

Focusing on executing an idea, not just the idea itself

How not to waste $30k on a business

The importance of knowing yourself and having a solid foundation as a leader

Not waiting for permission from the entitled

The differences between startups, small businesses, and hobbies

Resources:

Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs. But the job isn’t easy— JP Morgan

Build The Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business if You're Not a Rich White Guy by Kathryn Finney

Visit Kathryn’s Website

Submit Your Pitch to the Genius Guild

Listen to the Build the Damn Thing! Podcast

Follow Kathryn on Instagram

Connect with Kathryn on LinkedIn

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