How to raise startup capital

    Payment Options

        • Free
        About Course

        Arlan Hamilton will show you how to raise startup capital as she did with millions of dollars as the founder of investment fund Backstage Capital, and have generated millions of dollars in revenue as the founder of three companies — Backstage, Runner, & Arlan Was Here LLC — all for a combined $20+ million in the past 5+ years!

        Since 2015, I have invested in nearly 200 companies led by women, people of color, and LGBTQ founders! I have reviewed THOUSANDS of companies and their pitches, and NEGOTIATED with hundreds of millionaires and billionaires.

        How to raise startup capital

        Let me save you hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars by teaching you fundamental lessons, rules of the road, tips, and hacks to skip the mistakes many entrepreneurs make.

        For the more advanced entrepreneur, let’s unstick you and open up even more potential for you to raise and earn capital for your company.

        Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on  LinkedIn

        Arlan Hamilton is a remarkable entrepreneur who built a venture capital fund from the ground up, while homeless.

        She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm dedicated to minimizing funding disparities in tech by investing in high-potential founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBT.

        Started in 2015, Backstage has now invested over $15M into 175 startups led by underestimated founders and has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Wall Street Journal, CNN Money, Inc., Entrepreneur, and Quartz.

        Arlan made history by making the cover of Fast Company as the first Black woman non-celebrity to do so, and her book “It’s About Damn Time” is out on Penguin Random House’s business imprint Currency.

        Learning Points

        • How to get “in the room” — even virtually…
        • Where to find your “edge”
        • When to quit your day job
        • The huge mistake 99% of all entrepreneurs make while pitching
        • The 3 takeaways that will help you negotiate with any millionaire with confidence
        • How to get your first (or 100th) “yes” from an investor
        • The hack that will help you skip the investor route altogether
          and much more.

        • Arlan’s intro & what you’ll learn (required)
        • Student introductions! [welcome]
        • Course reading list [highly recommended]
        • Arlan’s incredible journey
        • Portfolio company testimonials: Curlmix & Uncharted Power
        • Portfolio company testimonial: Haute Hijab
        • Portfolio company testimonial: Sunhouse
        • Portfolio company short film: Haute Hijab
        • Download my 65-page action guide to complement this masterclass

        Videos

        Instructor Speaking Profiles

            Arlan Hamilton - Image 06 (March 10, 2026)
            • Inspiring Innovation

            Arlan Hamilton is a trailblazing entrepreneur who defies the odds and inspires countless individuals with her remarkable journey. Rising from homelessness to becoming a prominent figure in the venture capital industry, she is the epitome of resilience, determination, and unwavering belief in her vision. As the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, Arlan has […]

            • (27)

            User Reviews

            View other courses available

              • Featured
              • Growth Mindset

              Let’s be honest – you want more abundance in your life with my Abundance Mini Course. YOU HAVE NEXT-LEVEL SALES AND FINANCIAL GOALS THAT YOU DREAM OF HITTING, AND YOU ALSO WANT THE EXPERIENCE OF A MORE CONSISTENT FLOW OF MONEY WITHOUT GUILT, HANGUPS OR ANXIETY. And maybe you’ve already done a lot of work […]

              • Instructor: Elyse Archer
              • Online Course
                  Components of Extraordinary Teams

                  With Components of Extraordinary Teams you CAN get the best out of the people you manage…equipping and encouraging them to deliver results that go beyond “good enough.” You CAN affirm and motivate your peers… because they see you as someone who demonstrates a leader’s finest qualities. And…You CAN impress and delight your organization’s customers by anticipating their needs and exceeding their […]

                  • Instructor: Lee Rubin
                  • Online Course
                  • 5 (1 reviews)
                    • Life Coaching

                    Through Simon’s membership program BrilliantU,™ you’ll be inspired to break free from limitations, escape the cycle of conformity, and unleash your unique gifts to the world. BrilliantU | Simon T. Bailey TAKE THE LEAD IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY Experience fulfillment and joy in your career. Feeling undervalued at work? You’re not alone. Eighty-one percent of […]

                    • Instructor: Simon T. Bailey
                    • Subscription
                        Katerina Cozias - Image 05 (March 18, 2026)

                        Media Mindset Mastery from Katerina Cozias will show you how you can take a start up or emerging entrepreneurial venture to global levels of success by developing your media mindset effectively. HOW TO MAKE A 7-FIGURE BUSINESS LEVERAGING A MEDIA MINDSET. Most businesses believe that traditional media and traditional communication techniques don’t work any more… […]

                        • Instructor: Katerina Cozias
                        • Free
                            • Growth Mindset

                            This is a program for anyone looking to expand their reach, grow their network and build an alliance of connections globally. Through the Mastering Authentic Networking program, you gain a remarkable framework anyone can use to nurture a personal network of authentic and transformational relationships. Even if you’ve never considered yourself a “people” person. And […]

                            • Instructor: Vishen Lakhiani
                            • Join Waiting List
                              • Featured

                              Contrary to what you’ve been taught, achieving your Your First Six Figures revenue and income goals is not supposed to be hard. Your First Six Figures BUT IF IT IS… You’ve never learned the most essential elements of sales and money making, like how to… Raise your financial set point so you can easily and consistently […]

                              • Instructor: Elyse Archer
                              • Online Course
                                  Dan Heath
                                  • Business Strategy

                                  For your ideas to have impact, they must stick with an audience. A sticky idea is understood, remembered, and it changes something (whether opinions or behaviors or beliefs). And Dan Heath–along with his brother Chip–has literally written the book on Make Your Ideas Stick. The Heath brothers wrote Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others […]

                                  • Instructor: Dan Heath
                                  • UDemy Academy

                                      Unleash Your Health and Potential with the Thrive State Accelerator! Are you overwhelmed by the constant pressure to perform, exhausted from a tireless schedule, feeling disconnected from your loved ones, or even noticing early signs of chronic symptoms or disease? Ever wish you could find a way to perform at your peak consistently without burning […]

                                      • Instructor: Dr Kien Vuu
                                      • Online Course

                                      The profiles and artwork embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.

                                      WeSpeak Global provides costs that are accurate at time of publishing.

                                      These remain the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.

                                      Course Fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only.

                                      Speakers Inc.

                                      Connecting you with the perfect speaker.

                                      We connect you with world-class speakers to create impactful, memorable events.

                                      Find the Perfect Speaker

                                      Tell us about your event and we’ll match you with the right speaker.

                                      Newsletter

                                      © All rights reserved 2026.  Designed using Voxel

                                      AI Assistant
                                      Speakers Inc Logo 2024
                                      Privacy Overview

                                      This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.