Arlan Hamilton

Arlan Hamilton is a serial entrepreneur, investor, author, and culture-shifter with a track record of betting on the future before it becomes obvious. She is the Founder and Chair of Backstage Capital, a venture capital firm she built from the ground up while experiencing homelessness, with a mission to invest in founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBTQ+. Since its founding in 2015, Backstage has raised $30 million and invested in more than 200 startups led by underestimated founders.

Beyond venture, Arlan is the co-founder of the groundbreaking women’s professional basketball league, 3XBA, expanding her vision of equity and representation into sports. She is also the founder of thriving entrepreneur communities, including Arlan’s All-Access and Inner Circle, which coach, mentor, and connect innovators worldwide. Her Your First Million YouTube channel continues that mission at scale, reaching millions with accessible lessons on entrepreneurship, wealth-building, and navigating the business landscape.

Arlan is the author of three books: It’s About Damn Time (2020), her debut memoir detailing her journey from homelessness to venture capital trailblazer; Your First Million (2023), a practical guide to turning ideas into generational wealth; and her latest release, Arlan’s Revenue Playbook, which continues her mission of empowering underestimated talent to build undeniable impact.

Recognized as the first non-celebrity Black woman to grace the cover of Fast Company, Arlan is also deeply committed to paying it forward. She and her mother, Mrs. Earline Butler-Sims, have established multiple scholarship programs for Black students and innovators at Oxford University, Harvard Law, and Dillard University, as well as scholarships for Black pilots and inventors.

From venture capital to sports to digital media, Arlan Hamilton continues to innovate, inspire, and build platforms that reimagine what’s possible.