Arlan Hamilton
Contributing Op-Ed Writer
Arlan Hamilton, founder at Backstage Capital and HireRunner.co(opens in a new tab), is a serial entrepreneur, author, and master multitasker.
She founded Backstage Capital in 2015 to invest in founders who are people of color, women, and/or LGBTQ. Since its founding, Backstage has raised nearly $30 million and invested in 200 startups led by underestimated founders. Arlan also is the founder of HireRunner.co(opens in a new tab), a startup that connects outstanding employee talent with inclusive companies.
Arlan published her book, It’s About Damn Time, in 2020, detailing her journey from homelessness to venture capital trailblazer. Arlan also hosts the popular podcast Your First Million, and in 2018, she was the first non-celebrity Black woman to grace the over of Fast Company magazine.
Arlan is a big proponent of paying it forward and supporting other underestimated people in the tech industry and beyond. She’s a limited partner in 27 funds led by emerging, underestimated managers, and she and her mother, Mrs. Earline Butler-Sims, have established scholarship programs for Black students at Oxford University, HBCU Dillard University, and Harvard Law.
