From the Trenches
Perspectives from building, not observing.
Most companies don't fail — they stall.
Clarity, speed and execution determine outcomes early.
- Capital doesn't fix broken models.It amplifies what already exists.
- Execution wins.Speed is strategy.
- Timing isn't luck.Focus beats noise.
- Markets matter more than ideas.Great execution in the wrong market still fails.
Articles
Pattern recognition from real company building.
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The Register: How can we make the VC world less pale and male, Congress wonders
The Register on a congressional hearing examining why venture capital has underinvested in women and minority founders.
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What Black-, Women-owned, and other minorithy Businesses should know about raising capital
Herbert’s Black Enterprise article on how minority- and women-owned businesses can make an evidence-based case to investors.
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The State of Black Venture Report
BLCK VC’s State of Black Venture report: more Black check writers than ever, though representation still lags.
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A More Nuanced Look at Corporate VCs
Institutional Investor on a Silicon Valley Bank survey showing most corporate venture arms now invest strategically, not purely financially.
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The debate on antitrust reform should incorporate racial equity
An argument that the debate over antitrust reform and Big Tech should take racial equity into account.
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Here’s How to Propel 2 Million Black Americans to the Middle Class
McKinsey research on the economic gaps Black Americans face and how closing them could lift two million into the middle class.
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The Economic State of Black America: What Is and What Could Be
McKinsey on closing racial gaps across the US economy as both an equity issue and a massive untapped economic opportunity.
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How Foundations Fail Diverse Fund Managers and How to Fix It
Why foundations and impact investors have underserved diverse fund managers, and five structural barriers they need to remove.
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Business and Systemic Racism: The Next Step in a Long Journey
Edelman’s Trust Barometer data on what people expect from business in addressing systemic racism.