How Arlan Hamilton is Changing the Face of Venture Capital

In 2015, Arlan Hamilton was homeless and sleeping on the floor of the San Francisco Airport, now she’s running $20 million in VC funds. By the age of 34, Hamilton hadn’t attended college and had been working in the music industry. After reading about venture capital and becoming motivated by the lack of diversity in the industry, Hamilton founded her own VC firm, Backstage Capital. Her firm has invested in over 200 women and people of color-led companies.

Aside from being a successful venture capitalist and entrepreneur, Arlan Hamilton is the author of It's About Damn Time: How to Turn Your Pain Into Purpose and Profit. The book is a guide for entrepreneurs who are looking to start or grow their businesses. She also hosts a podcast called “Your First Million,” which goes behind the scenes and teaches you how to make your first million dollars, get your first million downloads, or find your first million customers. She is a frequent speaker and writer on all things entrepreneurship, venture capital, and diversity, and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.

As a role model for many entrepreneurs and advocate for diversity in the tech industry, Hamilton’s work is especially important during Black Business Month. As we celebrate the achievements of black entrepreneurs, it is important to recognize there are still barriers. Hamilton is working to break down those barriers and create a more equitable playing field for all entrepreneurs.

Montgomery Entertainment is excited to be partnering with her for her 2024 event, YOUR FIRST MILLION!

We've been working with the incredible Arlan Hamilton to bring her first large-scale event to LA in Spring 2024! If you're an aspiring or current entrepreneur, investor, job seeker, or hiring manager, this event is for YOU!

Stay tuned for speaker announcements next month and prepare to hear how they made their first million.