Your First Million

At the beginning of May 2020, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) released some interesting and time-sensitive pieces in light of COVID-19. I want to share this information with you because I don’t think this is just about VCs.

Entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses will be the ones to bring the world out of this pandemic - help them make it happen. You have an opportunity to write to your representatives about getting this stimulus package to the people who need it.

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Highlights

4:56 How the NVCA is encouraging the government to increase PPP funding

5:58 Why I see the world of VC as more than just the extremely wealthy

8:16 Statistics and numbers about how startups are affected

10:40 Why it’s important to help the VC industry stay afloat

15:00 How this affects underrepresented founders

17:48 How Backstage Capital is trying to provide opportunities for serendipitous relationships to happen between investors and entrepreneurs

20:08 Some companies that I see doing great work

29:00 VC-specific details and terms in the NVCA letter to the treasury

Links

https://backstagecapital.com/together

https://nvca.org/

https://itsaboutdamntime.com

In 2012, Leanne Pittsford created a Facebook event for lesbians working in the San Francisco tech industry. Now, Lesbians Who Tech has hosted six summits in addition to dozens of other events around the world. And in 2020, they will host the first virtual Pride Summit.

It’s the largest LGBTQ community of technologists in the world. But it’s not just for lesbians – everyone is invited to support and attend the events! Leanne and I chat about why our community needs this, how she provides value to businesses, and the importance of reclaiming the word lesbian.

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Highlights

7:17 Leanne talks about how working with the No on Prop 8 campaign inspired the concept for Lesbians Who Tech

10:38 She describes what the first meetups were like at bars

16:11 I ask about her branding choice, how intentional it was, and how it’s helped (or hurt) her mission

20:30 I ask Leanne about taking the leap from small gatherings to a large summit

26:04 Leanne tells me about reaching $1 million and how Lesbians Who Tech reinvests in the community

28:41 She talks about how the business still serves the community in light of the pandemic

33:00 Leanne reflects on what gives her optimism about the near future

35:02 I ask her why she brings politicians to speak at events, and whether she sees herself running for office

Music by Jeff Kaale (1, 2, 3, 4)  

This audio is taken from a live virtual conversation that took place on April 29, 2020 with approx 100 in attendance.

After reading Lean In, Minda Harts realized that, while some of the advice was helpful, no one was writing about the obstacles women of color face to achieve success. So in 2019, she wrote The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table. Now, she speaks at corporate events to give actionable advice on how to make the workspace better for everyone.

I followed and studied Minda Harts’ work for a while before releasing my own book, It’s About Damn Time. In this episode, we talk about leaning in as Black women, calling on allies to show up, and sharing our truths with the people who need to hear it.

What did you like about this episode? Leave me a message at: https://anchor.fm/yfm/message

Highlights

6:42 What is the book about? 

10:09 She describes her experiences in predominantly white spaces, and her decision to start these conversations with allies (and non-allies)

13:24 Minda talks about why this book is for everyone

15:21 We discuss the importance of being seen and the lack of diversity in the publishing business

Q&A

20:40 You speak at a lot of corporate events. How does that go over when your book is critical of the corporate world?

22:31 What’s a good example of a takeaway from the book that someone could implement today?

24:21 Do you have a recommendation on books we can read to continue the conversation you established with The Memo?

26:37 Who are some other black women who inspire you? And what are you reading now?

29:23 If you could go back in time and give Arlan advice on writing her book, what would it be?

33:06 What is your take on the word 'feminist'?

34:16 How have you seen white women show up as allies since you put your book out?

35:57 How does this translate to our engagement with black men?

38:30 What advice do you have for anyone who wants to write a book?

41:05 Did anyone come back to you after reading this book and criticize what you said?

43:53 How has writing the book affected you?

Links

http://mindaharts.com

Tara Reed founded Apps Without Code to help anyone build an app, even if they don’t have any technical knowledge. And in 2019, she generated $1 million in revenue from her online course. Ever since I started this podcast, I’ve wanted to interview Tara and share her story.

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Highlights

Links

https://www.appswithoutcode.com/

use the code FAST10 when you’re ready to try the program!

“It’s one thing to be an employee and make your salary…It’s another thing to be invested.”

After years of running in similar circles but never crossing paths, Sophia Bush and I finally take a moment to get to know each other. We have mutual friends in the entertainment industry, and when I started Backstage Capital, I found out that Sophia is also an investor in her own right.

You may know her from One Tree Hill, John Tucker Must Die, and Chicago Fire. But what you may not know is that she wanted to be a cardiovascular surgeon, she’s successfully invested in multiple startups, and she encourages women to demand equity from the spaces they contribute to.

Episode highlights