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Available for
Fireside Chat, Q&A, Panel, Keynote, Virtual PresentationFee Ranges
Domestic In-Person (USA): $50,000 or above*
International In-Person: $100,000*
Virtual: Please inquire
* Ranges are presented as a guideline only. Speaker fees vary by engagement type and are subject to change without notice. For an exact quote, please contact Gravity Speakers.
Traveling From
California, USAAbout
Arlan Hamilton, founder at Backstage Capital and Runner, is a serial entrepreneur, author and master multi-tasker.
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.
In 2021, Hamilton founded talent operations startup Runner to connect outstanding operations talent with inclusive companies. Runner has already raised $2 million from investors like Precursor Ventures, Lunar Startups, Kapor Capital, and others. That same year, Backstage Capital saw one of its first true exits when ice cream startup Coolhaus sold to The Urgent Company.
Arlan had an untraditional path into tech. Prior to starting Backstage Capital and Runner, Arlan authored the blog “Your Daily Lesbian Moment,” which she grew to a monthly readership of 50,000 fans worldwide. She also worked in the music industry as a tour coordinator for artists like Toni Braxon and Jason Derulo. Since entering the tech industry, Arlan has received a number of accolades in media publications like Fortune, Vanity Fair, and Fast Company.
In 2020, Arlan published her book, “It’s About Damn Time”, detailing her journey from homelessness to venture capital. Arlan also hosts podcasts “Your First Million” and “Demystifying Faith”, and is the executive producer on “The Valley”, a daily soap opera that is like “General Hospital” but for the tech industry.
Hamilton differentiates herself from others in the tech industry by not being afraid to go against the grain. Case in point: Backstage Capital, under Hamilton’s leadership, raised nearly $5 million in one week through an equity crowdfunding campaign in 2021. The historic campaign created an opportunity for everyday people to invest in Backstage’s operations and benefit from Backstage’s future success. In doing so, Hamilton has also created a blueprint for other underestimated fund managers.
Arlan is a proponent of paying it forward and supporting other underestimated people in the tech industry and beyond. She’s a limited partner in funds at Collab Capital, Ganas Ventures, Lightship Capital, RareBreed Ventures and several others. Meanwhile, Arlan and her mother, Mrs. Earline Butler-Sims, founded a scholarship program for Black students at Oxford University and HBCU Dillard University.
Topics
Being the Change You Want to See
Garnering Attention in a Crowded Landscape
Breaking Rules While Breaking Ground
Launching Startups with Humanity
Black Women in Tech
Ecosystem Innovation
Bootstrapping a Venture Capital Fund
Approaching Investors
Managing a Remote Team
Arlan Hamilton is available for booking directly through Gravity Speakers and is currently represented by CAA.
Videos
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Arlan Hamilton Speaker Reel 2021
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DJG: 5 Questions with Arlan Hamilton
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Bloomberg Studio 1.0: Backstage Capital’s Arlan Hamilton
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PBS Amanpour & Co: Arlan Hamilton on the Changing Face of Entrepreneurship
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SXSW 2019: Arlan Hamilton
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2019 MAKERS Conference: Aisha Tyler & Arlan Hamilton
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CES 2019: Technology's Innovators and Disruptors
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CNBC: Backstage Capital Founder Arlan Hamilton wants to Close that gap
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Inspirefest 2018: Arlan Hamilton: Challenging the Status Quo
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Entrepreneur First: Why I Got Into Startups
Articles
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TIME: Arlan Hamilton Went From Homeless to Running $20 Million in VC Funds. Here's How She Did It
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Business Insider: Arlan Hamilton Wants to Change Who Controls the Purse Strings in Venture Capital - Starting With Her Own Firm
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The Verge: Arlan Hamilton is Building a New Kind of VC
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Inc.: Arlan Hamilton and Steve Case: 3 Ways for Investors to Support Diverse Startups
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TechCrunch: Backstage Capital's Arlan Hamilton discusses how to find the next unicorn
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Inc.: Backstage Capital Founder Arlan Hamilton Eyes Another Milestone: A $5 Million Crowdfunding Campaign
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Fast Company: Queer 50 - Introducing the first-ever list of LGBTQ women and nonbinary innovators in business and tech
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Entrepreneur Middle East: Getting Ahead (One Day At A Time) - Backstage Capital Founder Arlan Hamilton
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CNN Business: She Invests in Tech Founders Others Overlook
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Fast Company: Memo to the Silicon Valley boys’ club: Arlan Hamilton has no time for your BS
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Quartz At Work: The improbable rise of America’s hottest VC
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Forbes: Why Arlan Hamilton Created A $36M Fund For Black Women
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GeekWire: How Arlan Hamilton turned her hustle and grit into a minority-focused VC fund investing millions
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INC.com: How This Woman Went From Homelessness to Running a Multimillion-Dollar Venture Fund
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Essence: With Her 'It's About Damn Time' Fund, Arlan Hamilton Is Bringing $36 Million In V.C. Funding To Black Women
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BusinessInsider: A little-known venture fund is raising $36 million to invest exclusively in black female founders, and the head of the firm is calling it the 'About Damn Time fund'
Books
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It's About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated Into Your Greatest Advantage
