Have you ever heard of startup and enterprise capital (VC) tradition? Entrepreneurs need to pitch new and thrilling enterprise concepts to buyers on daily basis. As a enterprise coach and proprietor, the startup pitch tradition that exists has positives and negatives.
What I like about startup pitch tradition is that it forces you to construct one thing HOT! One thing that folks will love. One thing that catches the attention and seizes the viewers’s consideration and judges’ hearts. It makes the aggressive side of enterprise design enjoyable and difficult for those who’re up for that. Startup pitch tradition makes the on a regular basis entrepreneur embrace his or her modern Sasha Fierce that lives inside.
What I don’t love about startup and VC (enterprise capital) pitch tradition is that it’s the alternative of musical chairs. As an alternative of everybody hustling to get a seat leaving one individual left behind, it’s extra like one individual will get a seat and everybody else will get left behind.
See, my folks have spent approach too lengthy and not using a seat. So I assume it doesn’t sit proper with me to give attention to the .2%. I would like all people to eat. It’s why I don’t give attention to VC work with my entrepreneurs. I do family and friends entry work at Sistahbiz.
It’s additionally why I don’t host pitch competitions. I provide my grants to the lots when they’re funded. Sure, you must have a strong enterprise mannequin that is smart, however you don’t need to have the subsequent… (no matter enterprise mannequin is scorching this week).
It’s why I don’t search for the subsequent horny Black, woman-owned well being tech firm. I work to ensure the on a regular basis mother and pop store or service supplier is tech-enabled and empowered to leverage expertise to develop a scalable enterprise.
It’s why our Black and Bankable initiative at Sistahbiz is about mortgage readiness and bankability and never VC readiness. Our assist for our entrepreneurs getting into pitch competitions is extra about serving to them enhance their marketing strategy and entry prize cash, not attracting VCs.
It’s not sustainable. I don’t care what y’all say. Any system designed to speculate solely in “the unicorn” that makes the investor much more rich after which tosses the lots to the wind – isn’t sustainable at scale and must be managed for stability. The unicorn isn’t actual. The unicorn’s identify even means “just one”. Unicorns don’t take care of the ecosystem. Beavers and bees do. We have to fund the beavers and the bees. They pollinate. They regulate. They contribute. They’re concerning the collective win.
To be clear, I imagine there’s a place in our ecosystem for VC funds and pitch tradition has its advantages. Some individuals are born to combat for inclusion in that area and I applaud them and their work. I simply imagine it dominates funding and conversations in an awfully imbalanced approach.
As for me and my home, I used to be made to give attention to the 99. As a result of I’m all for seeing as many Black ladies cross the 6, after which 7-figure line, and construct generational wealth as I can earlier than I sit down and take a break in the future.
Yeah, I do know that’s not horny or egocentric sufficient for our present wealth tradition. However don’t come for me, it’s my story of affection for my neighborhood, and I’m comfortable with the absence of recognition and immediate gratification in my method.
You don’t need to take the journey alone. Sistahbiz World Community guides Black ladies entrepreneurs, by means of constructing groups and scalable companies. Our sistahpreneurs are right here and able to have your again. Be a part of the neighborhood right this moment to get entry to the assets you want to scale your corporation.
