The Achievement Index: Prioritize, Leverage, Execute

On today’s episode, Apollo sits down with Danielle Shoots, Managing Partner and Director of the New Community Transformation Fund - Denver. With the mission of providing equity for BIPOC founders, Danielle is a pioneer in the world of philanthropy at the age of 26.  

Scoring highest in Prioritize and Leverage, Danielle dives into how she’s hacked her career at an early age. She shares perspective on how she was able to team-build and influence others even in performance based roles, and how she’s on a mission to crack open the venture capital industry, and how marginalized communities in the US should be treated as a domestic emerging market.

Valuing impact-oriented goals over routine tasks, Apollo and Danielle discuss a shift in thought leadership through the generations. citing the internet and play-dates as cultural markers that note a change in what is demanded of professional leaders. 

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Guest Bio

Danielle Shoots is the Managing Partner and Managing Director of the New Community Transformation fund – Denver, an equity venture capital fund for BIPOC founders and the President and CEO of Wealth Equity Enterprises, a holdings company that owns several businesses that support the mission of building BIPOC wealth and leadership. Born and raised in Colorado, Danielle is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. 

At the age of 26, Danielle embarked on her executive leadership path ascending to the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. After the state, Danielle served as the Vice President of Finance and Business Operations for the West Division of Comcast, managing a billion-dollar capital portfolio, strategic FP&A, Mergers and Acquisitions and a team of sixty employees located in seven states. Most recently Danielle, was the Chief Financial Officer for the Colorado Trust where she grew the foundation’s endowment from $430 million to nearly $600 million, reduced cash on hand to a recurring 1% while still operating the foundation. She also launched a direct investment portfolio across the State making investments in local media companies, real estate and housing and small businesses and leveraging the endowments’ balance sheet for creative bridge financing across multiple sectors and industries. 

Danielle’s passion for people and leadership, distinguished business acumen and tenacious work ethic have garnered her numerous accolades, including inclusion on the prestigious 2019 list of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business from the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, The 2020 Emerging Leader in Philanthropy from ABFE,  The 2018 Woman of the Year Award for her work with youth in the community, and a recipient of the 2017 Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award. 

Danielle is a passionate community member and serves as a trustee for the Women’s Foundation, a mayoral appointed board member for the Prosper Denver Fund and the chief economic equity advisor to State Senator, James Coleman and State Representative, Leslie Harod.  

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 56%
• Leverage - 40%
• Execute - 4%

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Guest Quote

 ”The one thing I did was I cut a big check, and hired a second Managing Director immediately. It forced me to be really creative, and it forced me to put my money where my mouth was around us being a fund, that was going to really get to know our portfolio companies and our investments, and really be a partner with them.

 And then, I hired my Chief of Staff right away too, because she's my executor. So it was just a matter of saying, "I know what I'm good at, what I'm not good at. I'd rather have the pressure of making sure their payroll hits every month than the pressure of trying to execute all the details of building this fund by myself." -Danielle Shoots

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Time Stamps 

*(2:47)  Intro

*(4:15) Danielle’s Achievement Index

*(6:04) Rising quickly through the “execute” phase of her career

*(10:28) Valuing impact as a millennial  

*(14:10) How Apollo and Danielle met, and her mission to fund in Denver

*(17:49) Treating underfunded communites as emerging markets 

*(29:46) Becoming a reformed “people-pleaser”

*(31:15) Danielle’s hiring process

*(36:33) Mentoring the business’s you fund

*(39:25) Making capitalism work for marginalized communities

*(47:19) Apollo’s Takeaway’s

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Danielle Shoots on LinkedIn
• Learn more about New Community Transformation Fund
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group

This week, Apollo sits down with Nicole Etchart, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of NESsT, a philanthropic group dedicated to creating social enterprise and jobs internationally. Founded in 1997, NESsT has invested in 233 social enterprises with a total of $27M dollars and trained more than 30,000 entrepreneurs around the world. 

Nicole, whose PLE score is strong in Prioritize and Leverage and only 4% in Execute, reflects on her 25+ years in the philanthropic space at NESsT. As the world turns more modern, she shares stories on the ever-changing landscape of philanthropy, and how her eagle-eye attunement to capital and entrepreneurship has impacted the work she does with indigenous communities, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities

NESsT once operated much like a traditional non-profit: they relied solely on donor capital, operated on thin budgets, and worked with local organizations that addressed single issues. But Nicole, a prioritizer at heart, shares prescient insight around how she’s innovated the way NESsT operates over the years, and how she faces her challenges on a daily basis.

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Guest Bio

Nicole Etchart, a trailblazer in the realm of social entrepreneurship, is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of NESsT. With a deep-rooted passion for uplifting individuals out of poverty, Nicole has dedicated over three decades to international development and economic empowerment. In 1997, she co-founded NESsT, an organization that invests in and supports social enterprises in emerging market countries, providing dignified employment opportunities that have transformed the lives of countless marginalized people.

At NESsT, Nicole's visionary leadership has propelled the organization's growth and impact worldwide. Under her guidance, NESsT has expanded its reach to eleven countries, strategically investing in a diverse portfolio of high-impact enterprises. By improving the quality of life for over half a million individuals, Nicole's unwavering commitment to social change has solidified NESsT as a pioneer in the field. 

With an impressive background in international development, Nicole's expertise is deeply rooted in economic development and entrepreneurship. Prior to her work with NESsT, she spearheaded the launch of several social impact organizations and held esteemed positions such as the first Executive Director of the Association for Women in Development and Director of Global Education for CRS. Nicole's accomplishments have been recognized globally, and she currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, further solidifying her influence and expertise in the field.

Nicole holds an MA from Johns Hopkins University, Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a BA from Tulane University. Her triple nationalities from Chile, France, and the U.S. reflect her multicultural background and diverse perspective. Born in Santiago, Chile, Nicole currently resides in Oakland, California, where she continues to drive social change, empower communities, and inspire future generations of leaders through her exceptional work at NESsT.

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 56%
• Leverage - 40%
• Execute - 4%

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Guest Quote

“In the first 10 years, a lot of our conversations were: identifying what we were trying to do and why it was different, and why it was important to have this different mindset as to how you “do good”. So that you can still do good, you can still have impact, but you don't always have to do it with a charity model

…And we had a whole methodology showing them that you don't have to do that. You don't have to move away from the impact that you have, and the mission that you have, because you're starting a business. These two things can align!”- Nicole Etchart

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Time Stamps 

*(2:45) Nicole’s Achievement Index

*(11:33) Entrepreneurship within the non-profit sector

*(17:41) NESsT goes international

*(20:05) Working with stakeholders on a vision

*(23:05) Co-CEOs, and using your team to leverage

*(29:46) Due diligence when “doing good”

*(41:05) Apollo’s Takeaways

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Nicole Etchart on LinkedIn
• Learn more about NESsT
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group

Today, Apollo is joined by Brian Hollins, Founder & Managing Partner of Collide Capital, a VC fund that believes great companies are built at the intersection of communities led by diverse, fearless change agents. Investing in primarily early-stage organizations at the pre-seed to Series A level, Collide raised their oversubscribed debut fund in October of 2022 at $66M. 

Brian is one of our most “even” guests to date, with a score of 9-9-7. Throughout the conversation, you’ll be able to tell why he earned that score as he outlines the multitude of projects he has his hands on, and the strategies he’s implemented to successfully see each one through. 

Apollo also dives deep into how Brian and the team at Collide differentiated themselves from the rest of the “sea of sameness” when looking to raise their magnitude debut fund. One of their key strategies? Hitting the gas before the flag was waved by raising a proof of concept fund and building their own track record. 

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Guest Bio

Brian Hollins is Founder and Managing Partner of Collide Capital. Prior to Collide Capital, Brian spent six years working at Goldman Sachs across investment management, investment banking, and merchant banking. While at Goldman, he helped launch the Emerging Entrepreneurs Coverage group to extend resources and capital to early-stage founders and assisted in deploying over $100M of capital as a software investor for GS Growth Equity. Brian is a Founding Board Member of BLCK VC, the largest Black investor community in the US providing the access, education, and community Black investors need to accelerate their careers.

Born and raised in DC, Brian was exposed to the art of deal negotiation as a caddy at local country clubs, which played a pivotal role in his ability to navigate the intricacies of cultures, languages, and people. He founded the Takeoff Institute, which equips Black undergraduate students with the resources and mentorship needed to launch successful young professional careers. Brian received his undergrad from Stanford University and his MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a member of Class 26 of the Kauffman Fellowship and is a CFA Charterholder.

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 9
• Leverage - 9
• Execute - 7

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Guest Quote

“We look for a lot more things that have to do with grit and knack than we do what your LinkedIn looks like. I think LinkedIn funding has gotten a lot of people in trouble over the last five to ten years. You need people that know how to take a business to profitability at some point.” - Brian Hollins

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Time Stamps 

*(03:01) Brian’s Achievement Index

*(05:24) Learning to Let Go

*(07:59) Where to Keep Control

*(14:14) Shifting Orientations and Responsibilities

*(18:51) Collide's Fund 0

*(23:41) Collide's Fund 1

*(27:44) Brian's Priorities

*(30:00) What's Next for Collide

*(34:09) How Brian Looks at Track Record

*(41:13) Apollo’s Takeaways

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Brian Hollins on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Collide Capital
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group

On this episode of The Achievement Index, Apollo sits down with Muhammad Yasin, VP of Marketing at High Alpha, the world's leading Venture Studio exclusively focused on Enterprise SaaS. 

Muhammad, a personality assessment enthusiast like Apollo, breaks down what makes great ideas come to life when spearheading the creative execution of new technology companies. 

From branding to number-crunching, Muhammad shares precinct insight into how he leans into his strengths, and invites a diverse team of thinkers into the room. Scoring highest in Prioritize, with Leverage close behind, he shares lessons about when to emphasize the creative vs. the analytical, how to let other people work on your best ideas, and how teaching himself small-talk at age 15 changed his entire career.

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Guest Bio

Muhammad Yasin is the VP of Marketing at High Alpha, the world's leading Venture Studio exclusively focused on Enterprise SaaS. With an impressive track record, High Alpha has launched over 30 companies and invested in more than 60 world-class founders, driving nearly a billion dollars worth of economic value since 2015.

Muhammad's exceptional talent and dedication to his craft have been acknowledged through multiple national marketing awards, as well as his inclusion in the prestigious Indianapolis Business Journal's Forty Under 40 list. His innovative marketing strategies and campaigns have gained widespread recognition, with coverage in esteemed publications such as INC, MSNBC, Huffington Post, VentureBeat, ReadWriteWeb, and Vice. He also is the Co-Host of Agile Marketing Podcast, and is a Board Member of TechPoint Foundation for Youth.

With his strategic vision and deep industry knowledge, he has been instrumental in driving the success of the organization and its portfolio companies. Muhammad's ability to blend creativity with analytical thinking has allowed him to create impactful marketing initiatives that resonate with audiences and deliver tangible results. 

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 13
• Leverage - 9
• Execute - 3

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Guest Quote

“I am in what is essentially “thought work”. I am hiring people and building teams to have the best brains in the room, whether that be creative or analytical. It’s to solve a problem. Their unique perspective and how they work together and how they build is what creates that innovation. When you're trying to be innovative, trying to be disruptive, you're trying to build these breakout technology companies, you are not looking for someone who's doing things the same way. You need the diversity of ideas in that room, everyone owning a lane, and doing their best to create inside of that.” 

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Time Stamps 

*(2:30) Muhammad’s Achievement Index

*(13:10) Balancing The Creative and The Analytical

*(17:41) Making things beautiful, that convert

*(23:58) Diversity in ideas

*(28:47) Leveraging AI in creative work and teamwork

*(37:22) Lessons from homeschooling

*(40:00) Apollo’s Takeaways

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Muhammad Yasin on LinkedIn
• Learn more about High Alpha
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group

On this episode of The Achievement Index, Apollo sits down with Jen McElyea, Managing Partner at Ethos Real Estate, an investment firm dedicated to addressing the critical housing shortage. 

Apollo and Jen explore a wide range of topics, from cultivating a sustainable culture within the company, to navigating complex industry landscapes. Jen discusses Ethos’ unique position in the real estate marketplace, and affordable housing’s potential in the private sector.

Scoring uncommonly high in P and E, with L last, Jen offers advice on how to find competitive advantage by uniting around unanimous, equitable goals. As her company grows into a prominent disrupter in the market, she shares how she’s learned to leverage her work-force, connect the dots for others, stick to well-laid plans, and re-examine her process for maximum success.

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Guest Bio

Jen McElyea is a highly accomplished, institutional real estate investment professional with a diverse career spanning investment banking, private equity, distressed debt, and public-private partnerships. Her expertise extends to California land-use law, the entitlement process, and building consensus among political, community, and financial stakeholders.

She currently serves as a Managing Partner with Ethos Real Estate. Before co-founding Ethos, Jennifer held the position of Senior Managing Partner at Watt Investment Partners, playing an instrumental role in the company's success. Prior to that, she served as a Vice President at OneWest Bank, where she managed a portfolio of distressed commercial real estate debt in partnership with the FDIC. Additionally, Jennifer held the position of Vice President at Apollo Real Estate Advisors, overseeing West Coast acquisitions.

Jen holds a Master of Real Estate Development from the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Recognized as a thought leader in her field, Jennifer is frequently sought out for her insights on leveraging private capital for the creation of affordable housing. She serves as Vice Chair of the ULI Public Private Partnership Council, Co-Chair of the LA Business Council Housing and Transportation Committee, and is a member of the board of Coro Southern California. Additionally, her expertise in the affordable housing space led to her re-appointment by the California State Insurance Commissioner as Vice Chair of the California Organized Investment Network (COIN) Advisory Board.

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 12
• Leverage - 4
• Execute - 9

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Guest Quote

“We all want to feel entrepreneurial, like we're attacking from some new angle. I think we are best served to not only to follow the plan, but also note that the plan has checks and balances, feedback loops, and all sorts of things intended to prevent having mistakes in the Pro Forma” - Jen McElyea

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Time Stamps 

*(2:57) Jen’s Achievement Index

*(6:51) Finding your competitive advantage

*(7:42) Using your team to your benefit

*(9:04) From technician to tactician

*(11:28) Getting people energized around a mission 

*(14:42) Deconstructing success and failure

*(18:35) Sticking to your plans

*(26:12) Revitalizing what’s no longer working

*(30:54) Educating others to solve complex problems

*(34:26) Apollo’s Takeaways

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Jen McElyea on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Ethos Real Estate
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group

Joining Apollo today in the first official interview of The Achievement Index is Chinedu Enekwe, Co-Founder & President of Nandi Labs, the new creative economy for black digital art and culture. It feels like Chinedu has lived 10 different lives in the span of one, but there’s still only more opportunity and success in his future.  

With a score of P, L, and E last, Apollo explore the ways in which Chinedu identifies common threads across experiences to get to the bigger picture, leverages technology and relationships to create positive feedback loops with those around him, and values execution, despite it being his lowest score. 

Additionally, Chinedu takes advantage of the opportunities placed in front of him, crediting much of his success to his insane networking abilities. He talks about how he would take one step forward, someone would recognize that step, and then give him something that challenged him even further, allowing him to rise even higher. 

Remember to find out your own Achievement Index to see how you compare to our guests!

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 13
• Leverage - 11
• Execute - 1

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Guest Bio

Chinedu Enekwe is Co-founder & President of Nandi Labs. He’s a creative producer, organizing the NXT.ART Pavilion at AfricaNXT, co-producer of the musical FELA! on Clubhouse and podcasts distributed on Black Enterprise and Business Insider Africa. 

He's The CEO of En Garde Media, an award winning global media platform focused on uplifting Black voices reaching over 20 million monthly viewers. He began his creative journey as a performance poet and recording artist before joining the venture capital firm, Exponential Creativity Ventures as a principal investing in creative tools.

He left that role to launch his own fund as the general partner at Passbook Ventures & Studio, an early-stage venture capital firm & startup studio focused on solutions for the global African community. Passbook invests in US immigrants building tools for the future of commerce for the next generation of internet users and builds culture driven startups that tap into the creator community of African descent.

He’s a Moonshot Fellow of the Kravis Lab for Social Impact, founding member of the Forbes Impact Community and serves on the advisory board of Impact Entrepreneur Magazine. In Chinedu’s previous professional experience, in development finance at the at the World Bank and OPIC, investment banking at Merrill Lynch and fund formation and corporate securities law at Weil Gotshal and Manges.

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Guest Quote

“If you are the resource, you're not an entrepreneur, right? If you are the one investing your own time, your own talent, your own treasure, you are not the entrepreneur. You are the resource.” - Chinedu Enekwe

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Time Stamps 

*(2:20) Chinedu’s Achievement Index

*(6:51) Don’t lose your balance

*(11:11) Learning from an early age

*(14:44) Leveraging technology 

*(19:31) Why networking is critical

*(24:19) Recognizing patterns that work

*(31:37) The elephant in the room around execution

*(36:22) Stick around to see the sausage get made

*(40:05) Apollo’s takeaways 

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Chinedu Enekwe on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Nandi Labs
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group

On today's episode of The Achievement Index, you will be led by Dr. Apollo Emeka as he takes you through the ups and downs he's experienced on his journey to success. 

And if you have no idea who Apollo is, what PLE is, or what this show is about...that's okay! This first episode is made to walk you through all of these topics, answer any of your questions, and give you the context you need to take into our full-length guest interviews. 

You will also be hearing snippets cut from each of our first set of interviews. Be on the lookout for these guest appearances: 

• Chinedu Enekwe, Co-Founder of Nandi Labs
• Jen McElyea, Managing Partner at Ethos Real Estate
• Muhammad Yasin, VP of Marketing for High Alpha
• Brian Hollins, Founder & Managing Partner of Collide Capital 

If you can't wait for more, make sure you subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and take the Achievement Index Assessment to find out whether you fall into the prioritize, leverage, or execute orientation.

Brought to you by Apollo Strategy Group

Do you ever look at the most successful people around you and wonder...just how do they do it?

On this podcast, The Achievement Index: Prioritize, Leverage, Execute, join Dr. Apollo Emeka as he sits down with high performers and  leaders to uncover the secrets to success. Along the way, you'll hear tips and insights to takeaway as you navigate the challenges and accomplishments you experience in your own life. 

Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and take the Achievement Index Assessment to find out whether you fall into the prioritize, leverage, or execute orientation.

Brought to you by Apollo Strategy Group