Women in Securities Finance’s Post

My conversation with "Bubba" was impromptu! I was exploring Clarksdale on foot and stopped by the tourism office, where he works. We chatted right up until I needed to head to Cleveland, Mississippi for interviews with Dr. Rolanda Herts and Dr. Pam Chatman. Bubba's love and commitment to Clarksdale was palpable. I loved how he made no attempts to gloss over the economic challenges of the region and works to identify the what's unique and sacred about the Delta in order to translate that into economic activity. On the other hand, when he talked about people, he chose to focus on love and didn't want to rehearse the injuries of the past. Interestingly, many people of color view being solely future-focused is an attempt to dodge the difficult topic of race in America. Just before connecting with Bubba and ironically, I'd just had a conversation with Rebekah and Ben of the Griot Arts program (about a 5 minute walk away) where they talked about how important it is to deal with race and the transgressions of the past. In particular, they talked a visioning exercise they did with the community to generate ideas about how to best utilize an older the theater that had been donated to their organization. They shared that a white gentleman participated in that exercise and suggested that they focus on love and moving forward. As I spoke with Bubba, I wondered if he was that guy. I point out this "antagonism" because it is the crux of conflict. When I work as a mediator and when I facilitate conflict resolution processes with teams, one of the most important parts of each process is giving the parties an opportunity to be heard. Sometimes, even when the parties feel as if the other side understands them, they find it hard to work together. By the same token, in those instances, where one or both of the parties don't feel heard or respected, those cases RARELY end with a sustainable solution (sustainable means that neither party will ask that the issue be reopened later). See the link in the comments to find my conversation with Rebekah and Ben and Bubba! #conflictresolution #theleadershipdrivespodcast

My conversation with "Bubba" was impromptu! I was exploring Clarksdale on foot and stopped by the tourism office, where he works. We chatted right up until I needed to head to Cleveland, Mississippi for interviews with Dr. Rolanda Herts and Dr. Pam Chatman. Bubba's love and commitment to Clarksdale was palpable. I loved how he made no attempts to gloss over the economic challenges of the region and works to identify the what's unique and sacred about the Delta in order to translate that into economic activity. On the other hand, when he talked about people, he chose to focus on love and didn't want to rehearse the injuries of the past. Interestingly, many people of color view being solely future-focused as an attempt to dodge the difficult topic of race in America. Just before connecting with Bubba and ironically, I'd just had a conversation with Rebekah and Ben of the Griot Arts program (about a 5 minute walk away) where they talked about how important it is to deal with race and the transgressions of the past. In particular, they talked a visioning exercise they did with the community to generate ideas about how to best utilize an older the theater that had been donated to their organization. They shared that a white gentleman participated in that exercise and suggested that they focus on love and moving forward. As I spoke with Bubba, I wondered if he was that guy. I point out this "antagonism" because it is the crux of conflict. When I work as a mediator and when I facilitate conflict resolution processes with teams, one of the most important parts of each process is giving the parties an opportunity to be heard. Sometimes, even when the parties feel as if the other side understands them, they find it hard to work together. By the same token, in those instances, where one or both of the parties don't feel heard or respected, those cases RARELY end with a sustainable solution (sustainable means that neither party will ask that the issue be reopened later). See the link in the comments to find my conversation with Rebekah and Ben and Bubba! #conflictresolution #theleadershipdrivespodcast

What's your best advice on securing partnerships and sponsorships for businesses focusing on community impact? We’ve got pitches going out left and right for Black Woman Owned. It’s nerve-racking but exciting to enter this new era of work. I look forward to securing partnerships and sponsorships that allow us to provide monetary resources and education to #BlackWomanOwned businesses!

Turning everyday events in to epic experiences 🎤 I'm here to make sure that by the end of your conference or event-- 💵 Your sponsors are already throwing money at you to let them be involved in the next one 💵 Your attendees are begging to buy tickets for whatever you're selling next 💵 Your donors are pouring buckets of cash into your nonprofit 🤩 And your team can't believe they created such a powerful experience for everyone involved! If you or someone you know is ready to take their growth events to the next level, let's connect! #emcee #masterofceremonies #personalgrowth #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #events

How I Raised It Pt 2: Coaching Since closing $2M for IN-SEAM, I've received requests for advice on fundraising. Here's my second tip, an essential element in my success, hiring a fundraising coach Andrea Minkow. For context, I’m a first-time, female, solo, non-technical founder with 18+ years domain expertise working in the NYC luxury fashion industry. IN-SEAM is a private marketplace + sourcing tool kit for connectors (personal shoppers, stylists) whose relationships power the luxury fashion industry. Our model connects designer brands directly with the most desirable clients by leveraging the personal relationships that drive the majority of sales transactions at luxury retailers. In 2021 I engaged Andrea Minkow, who became an essential resource in the following areas: 1-Developing my financial model (we rolled out a bootstrapping case + a raise case which helped me determined I wanted to raise in the first place) 2-Developing my deck + pitch 3-Developing a Friends & Family strategy 4-Cheerleading 5-Developing a pre-pitch pump up process 6-Ongoing sounding board, negotiations support, and gut-check partner More on #1 - I didn’t assume I would raise outside capital just because I had a new business. I was careful to have profitable unit economics and I had growing revenues. Yet, seeing the growth that was possible with a capital infusion felt most aligned for what I envisioned for myself and the company. I’m distilling this decision simply here but at the time, this was a months long process of financial analysis tied with soul searching and I’m grateful I had my coach to help me navigate this huge decision. I didn’t want to default to raising because it’s just “what you do”. More on #3 - this one also took months of learnings. I assumed I couldn’t raise from F&F because I didn’t have any wealthy friends. The unlock she taught me is raising from F&F means being brave enough to tell EVERYONE YOU’VE EVER MET what you’re building and ask them if they know anyone who may be interested in it. It's NOT asking your friends for money. Crucially, Andrea Minkow also taught me that you should never count other people’s money - and to spread the ask as wide as possible. Ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised by who came forward with interest that I didn’t know angel invested. More on #5 - the pre-pitch practice (or any important mtg or presentation that gives me the jitters) includes leaving my desk, dancing, and blasting pump-up music before every pitch. I’ve done this every single time, over 150 meetings and counting….DM me for my playlist 🎧 Got get 'em! Line up a cheerleader and don't stop until you get that money!

I'm happy to share that my article on why wealth advisors should incorporate philanthropy into their practice has been featured in the May 2024 issue of Forum magazine from Advocis. (See page 21.) It's a subject close to my heart, and I would love any feedback. You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gV47QA7F #philanthropy #wealthmanagement #Advocis #donoradvisedfunds

Exciting news! Deya has received Advance Assurance for SEIS ✨ We’ve been working hard BTS and are proud to announce Deya's investment round is opening later in the year, and we’re now accepting early checks through advanced subscription agreement (ASA). The global creative industries are projected to reach £2,108,207 million by 2028, but millions of Black creatives still don’t have access. At Deya, we’re leveraging tech to connect Black creative talent to jobs and opportunities. We’re defining better ways to help inclusive teams thrive. Here’s what we’ve been up to pre-launch: 💥We’ve garnered over more than 1700+ creator sign ups to our waitlist pre-launch 💥We’ve secured non-dilutive funding from Arts Council England, WeTransfer’s Supporting Act Foundation, BeyGOOD Foundation, Mentor Black Business and Somerset House. 💥200+ waitlist members have participated in in-person opportunities and offerings, including free professional portrait shoots and tickets for sold out culturally relevant shows. What gems of advice can you share as we get started on our fundraising journey? 👋🏾 #WomeninTech #GetFunded #AngelInvestors #PrivateEquity

What a line up! Ticket link below 💥

Hey everyone Big news I'm teaming up with Seattle Good Business Network for their gala, and I'm putting my brand video service up for bidding.🎥 Wondering what's in it for you? Well, let me tell you….. If you win, you'll get me and my team to create a fantastic 2-3 minute video showcasing YOUR business, services, and a powerful call to action for your audience. So, if you're planning on attending the gala and want to win this amazing opportunity, check out the link below and place your bids. Even if you can't make it to the gala, you can still support the cause by making a contribution on their website. So, mark your calendars, spread the word, and let's make this gala one to remember 🎉 https://lnkd.in/gRPNFaBe

Important read.