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 […]

            • (65)

            User Reviews

            View other courses available

                Stories That Stick Deep Dive
                • Storytelling Courses

                Stories That Stick Implementation Program, is a deep dive into the best-selling book, Stories That Stick. Stories That Stick Deep Dive The author, Kindra Hall, takes you step-by-step through each lesson. Teaching you how to put each story into practice to transform your business. Implementation Program  Learn how to find, craft and tell the 4 most […]

                • Instructor: Kindra Hall
                • Online Course
                    James Clear Ohio Speaker

                    Imagine two versions of yourself, 5 years into the future. What would your life be like if you continued to repeat your bad habits each day? What would life look like in five years if you stuck with good habits each day from The Habits Academy? From day to day, you may not recognize the […]

                    • Instructor: James Clear
                    • Mastermind
                        • Media Training

                        What is The Ultimate VSL? And why do you need one? A VSL (Video Sales Letter) is the future of marketing and something you have definitely come across multiple times in a week. It incorporates automation by generating clients and revenue all day and all night. You don’t have to be in “client acquisition mode” […]

                        • Instructor: Kerry Barrett
                        • Currently Discounted
                            • Branding Course

                            The only pitch it perfect program that teaches you how to move from side hustle defeat to paid brand collabs—in less than one week. Build a brand, attract raving followers, land national media, and get paid to work with brands you love! Pitch it Perfect The only proven program for content creators and brand founders who want […]

                            • Instructor: Julie Solomon
                            • Online Course
                                • Growth Mindset

                                Enroll in this 5-module UNSTOPPABLE MINDSET interactive training program for supercharging your personal and workplace achievement skills. (Total learning time: 4.5 hours) This course is based on our popular UNSTOPPABLE book series and Fortune 500 workshop series taught by former Navy SEAL and serial entrepreneur Alden Mills, which has helped executives from companies and government […]

                                • Instructor: Alden Mills
                                • Online Course
                                    Presentation Skills

                                    Powerful Presentation Skills, Learn to captivate any audience on stage, on video, and in meetings in this livestream training. Successful presentations all possess the same elements. Whether video calls, conference calls, sales, virtual trainings — any venue where you’re sharing your ideas with others. The good news? I’ve found the best skills are 100 percent […]

                                    • Instructor: Vanessa Van Edwards
                                    • Online Course
                                        speakers inc logo 2023

                                        The biggest misconception modern entrepreneurs and small business owners believe is that in order to be successful, they must work as hard as possible and commit to the “hustle and grind” mentality – or fall behind the competition of 30X Life. 30X Life | Turning Work-Life Balance Spending countless hours away from your family and […]

                                        • Instructor: Brad Sugars
                                        • Online Course
                                            • Women Empowerment

                                            The FEARless Masterclass tackles the multi-faceted impact fear has on our lives and empowers you with the skills to rewire your brain and transform any fear into rocket fuel. Whether you’re experiencing imposter syndrome, stress, difficulty setting boundaries, people-pleasing, or something else [there’s a lot of ways fear shows up!], this course will empower you […]

                                            • Instructor: Dr. Rebecca Heiss
                                            • Video 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.