MEET
Arlan Hamilton
Founder, Investor & Entrepreneur
ABOUT 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.
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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.
INC magazine calls John Livesay The Pitch Whisperer. He is a sales keynote speaker where he shows companies’ sales teams how to turn mundane case studies into compelling case stories so they win more new business.
From John’s award-winning career at Conde Nast, he shares the lessons he learned that turn sales teams into revenue rockstars. His TEDx talk: "Be The Lifeguard of Your Own Life" has over 1,000,000 views. He is the author of four books, including his most recent, The Sale Is in the Tale.
John is a guest lecturer on how to leverage the power of storytelling in sales at multiple universities including the University of Texas at Austin (UTLA), Franklin University, Pepperdine Graziadio Business school, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Tags & Expertise: Leadership • Entrepreneurship • Innovation • Career Development • Future of Work • Diversity & Inclusion • Personal Branding
Business & Management
Motivation
Innovation & Trends
SPEAKING TOPICS
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Have you ever felt like your story was being written for you instead of by you? In her powerful keynote “Write Your Own Headlines,” Arlan Hamilton shows audiences how to take back control of their narrative and define success on their own terms.
From sleeping on airport floors to building a multimillion-dollar venture fund, Arlan’s journey proves that you don’t need permission to make history.
With sharp insight, humor, and hard-earned wisdom, she challenges conventional thinking and empowers you to see possibility where others see limits. Book Arlan Hamilton to inspire your audience to break barriers, own their story, and write the next bold headline of their lives.
Audience takeaways
Discover how to reclaim your personal narrative and define success on your own terms.
Learn strategies to turn obstacles into opportunities for growth and reinvention.
Gain practical insights on building confidence and resilience in the face of adversity.
Be inspired to challenge traditional paths and create new spaces for innovation.
Leave motivated to take bold action and write the next headline of your own story.
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Do you ever feel frustrated waiting for change that never seems to come? In her transformative keynote “Being the Change You Want to See,” Arlan Hamilton challenges audiences to stop waiting for permission and start creating impact right where they are.
Drawing from her own journey from homelessness to building multimillion-dollar ventures that champion inclusion she shares how courage, conviction, and action can rewrite entire industries. This keynote empowers individuals and organizations to turn vision into movement, fear into momentum, and ideas into measurable change.
Book this talk to ignite a culture of accountability, purpose, and progress that inspires everyone to step up and lead the change they wish to see.
Audience takeaway
Learn how to transform frustration into action and create real, lasting impact.
Discover practical ways to lead change from any position or background.
Gain tools to turn vision and purpose into tangible results.
Build the courage and mindset needed to challenge systems and drive inclusion.
Leave empowered to inspire others and be the catalyst for meaningful transformation.
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Do you ever feel limited by outdated rules that keep innovation out of reach? In her bold keynote “Breaking Rules While Breaking Ground,” Arlan Hamilton reveals how true progress begins when we dare to challenge the status quo.
Through her extraordinary journey from outsider to trailblazer in venture capital and entrepreneurship, she proves that success belongs to those willing to rewrite the playbook.
This talk inspires audiences to think differently, take smart risks, and build opportunities where none existed before. It’s a wake-up call for anyone ready to innovate, disrupt, and lead with authenticity. Book this keynote to empower your team to stop following the rules—and start creating the future.
Audience takeaways
Discover how breaking outdated rules can lead to breakthrough innovation and progress.
Learn strategies for challenging conventional thinking and redefining success.
Gain confidence to take smart, calculated risks that drive real change.
Understand how authenticity and courage fuel creativity and leadership.
Leave inspired to disrupt limits, think boldly, and create your own path forward.
BOOKS
VIDEOS
Testimonials