In the world of venture capitalism, there is a new trend emerging known as ‘inception investing’. This unique approach involves investing in entrepreneurs and their ideas before they even have a fully formed business. One venture capitalist who has found success with this strategy is Arlan Hamilton, the founder of Backstage Capital.
Hamilton’s journey to becoming a successful venture capitalist was far from traditional. She started her career in the music industry and found herself homeless at one point. Despite the challenges she faced, Hamilton never gave up on her dreams of making it in the business world. She eventually founded Backstage Capital in 2015 with the goal of investing in underrepresented entrepreneurs.
One of the key aspects of inception investing is the focus on the founder and their vision rather than the business itself. Hamilton believes that by investing in diverse founders who have a unique perspective, she can help bring about positive change in the business world. This approach has proven to be successful for Backstage Capital, with several of their portfolio companies seeing significant growth and success.
Another important aspect of inception investing is the willingness to take risks on ideas that may not have a proven track record. Hamilton is known for being open-minded and willing to invest in ideas that may seem outlandish to others. This willingness to take risks has helped her uncover some truly groundbreaking ideas and entrepreneurs.
Hamilton’s success with inception investing has not gone unnoticed in the venture capital world. She has been featured in numerous publications and has received accolades for her work in supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs. Hamilton is also a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the business world and uses her platform to help other underrepresented founders succeed.
Overall, the concept of inception investing is gaining traction in the venture capital world as more investors see the value in backing entrepreneurs at the earliest stages of their journey. Arlan Hamilton and Backstage Capital are leading the way in this new approach to investing, showing that with the right support and vision, even the wildest ideas can become successful businesses.
