Arlan Hamilton Founder of Backstage Capital and More

Arlan Hamilton is a true trailblazer, and her entrepreneurial journey is a testament to her determination and vision. She is the founder of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in underrepresented founders.

Arlan's background in the music industry laid the groundwork for her future endeavors. She worked as a talent booker, helping to launch the careers of artists like Macklemore and Kimbra. Her experience in this industry taught her valuable skills, such as how to navigate complex systems and build relationships.

Arlan's passion for supporting underrepresented founders is evident in her work at Backstage Capital. The firm has invested in over 100 companies, with a focus on founders from diverse backgrounds.

Arlan Hamilton is a testament to the power of perseverance and innovation. She's the founder and Managing Director of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in underrepresented founders.

Hamilton's journey from being a homeless single mother to becoming a successful entrepreneur is a remarkable one. She's a true rags-to-riches story.

Hamilton's approach to investing is centered around creating opportunities for underrepresented founders, including women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals. She's made a commitment to invest in at least one founder from each of these groups in every single deal.

Her firm has invested in over 100 companies, creating jobs and opportunities for thousands of people. Hamilton's impact extends far beyond the companies she's invested in.

Hamilton's story serves as a reminder that anyone can make a difference, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Growing your confidence is a crucial aspect of achieving success, and Arlan Hamilton's approach is inspiring. She emphasizes that underrepresented people don't have time to worry about imposter syndrome because they have a lot of time to make up for.

Arlan Hamilton encourages you to take pride in your worth and know that you are deserving of opportunities. If you're struggling with confidence, try mentally taking the people who believe in you into the room with you.

Having a strong support system is vital, and Arlan Hamilton's own approach was to surround herself with people who were proud of her and rooting for her. This helped her build the mental and spiritual fortitude to overcome rejection and disappointment.

Arlan Hamilton's emphasis on community and inclusion is inspiring. She believes that connections and community are key to achieving success, and that no one can be successful alone.

Having a wide network increases your value, not just for the traditional reasons, but also because it allows you to connect one another with and who can connect you in return. This creates a shield of support around you.

Hamilton's own network has been a lifesaver, as she notes that it's what keeps her from being hungry or homeless again. She's proud to be part of many other shields as well.

To catalyze connections, Hamilton is hosting the Your First Million LIVE event in L.A. in April 2024, which aims to build wealth and create the next thousand millionaires. The event will feature a lineup of notable speakers, including Sheila Johnson, Rich Paul, and Gary Vaynerchuk.

Through her work at Backstage Capital, Hamilton has invested nearly $5M into 100 startups led by underestimated founders, including women, people of color, and LGBT individuals. This is a testament to her commitment to inclusion and empowerment.

Hamilton's own path to success was unconventional, but it's a reminder that anyone can make a difference with determination and hard work.

Arlan Hamilton's philosophy on success is centered around the idea that anyone can achieve their goals with the right mindset and support. She believes that success is not solely dependent on individual talent or effort, but also on the resources and opportunities available to an individual.

Arlan's own experience of being a single mother living in poverty and still managing to build a successful business is a testament to this philosophy. She has spoken publicly about how she was able to secure funding for her company, Backstage Capital, through a combination of hard work and strategic networking.

By focusing on the power of community and collaboration, Arlan has been able to create a network of entrepreneurs and investors who support and uplift each other.

Accumulating wealth as activism is a powerful concept that challenges traditional notions of wealth and success. According to Lin-Manuel Miranda's collaborator, wealth is a form of activism because of ongoing racial wealth inequities.

There's a huge gap in the net worth of Black families and Latinx families versus white families in the United States. This disparity is a result of institutions being built on the backs of slaves and upwardly-mobile Black people and Latinx people.

Breaking through obstacles to accumulating wealth is not just about individual success, but about creating parity and challenging the status quo. Hamilton believes that everyone is equal as a human, and it's unacceptable that Black people have so much less financially.

We have the ability to make our life whatever we want, despite obstacles like systemic racism and inequality. The truth is, we can beat those obstacles and create our own opportunities for success.

Hamilton's determination to accumulate wealth is not just about personal gain, but about creating opportunities for others. She's seen too much to believe that there aren't people actively holding others back, and she's determined to rise above it.

A calling is something that pulls at you, and a dream is more you chasing it. This distinction highlights the difference between a sense of purpose and a personal aspiration.

Hamilton notes that a calling is something that he felt in his mid-thirties, and it's not something that can be easily defined or quantified. It's a sense of impact that can't be measured.

Dreams, on the other hand, can be catalytic and help you gain momentum towards your goals. A calling, by contrast, is a sense of purpose that drives you to make a difference on a larger scale.

Hamilton's experience with his calling is a great example of how this concept can play out in real life. He didn't wake up one day and say, "I want to be a venture capitalist", but rather, he felt a sense of purpose to help underestimated founders achieve their goals.

Arlan Hamilton founded Backstage Capital in 2015 to invest in founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBTQ. Since its founding, Backstage has raised nearly $30 million and invested in 200 startups led by underestimated founders.

Arlan also founded HireRunner.co, a startup that connects outstanding employee talent with inclusive companies. She's a big proponent of paying it forward and supporting other underestimated people in the tech industry and beyond.

Arlan has established scholarship programs for Black students at Oxford University, HBCU Dillard University, and Harvard Law, alongside her mother, Mrs. Earline Butler-Sims.

Finding a way around obstacles is a crucial skill for any entrepreneur. Hamilton believes there is always a solution if you look hard enough and think creatively enough.

It's not about being lucky, but rather about being resourceful and determined. Hamilton worked to push through ground-breaking Regulation Crowdfunding to allow people ownership in the management company of a private venture fund such as her own.

This innovative approach allowed 6,500 people to invest approximately $5 million over an eight-day period in Q1 of 2021 to become partial owners of Backstage Management Co.

Arlan Hamilton is the founder of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm she started in 2015. She's a serial entrepreneur, author, and master multi-tasker.

Backstage Capital has raised nearly $30 million and invested in 200 startups led by underestimated founders. Arlan's mission is to minimize funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT.

Arlan's journey from homelessness to venture capital trailblazer is truly inspiring. She published her book, “It’s About Damn Time,” in 2020, detailing her remarkable story.

As a venture catalyst, Arlan is dedicated to supporting other underestimated people in the tech industry and beyond. She's a limited partner in 27 funds led by emerging, underestimated managers.

Recommended read: Women in Venture Capital