IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME

A celebrated gay venture capitalist offers advice about "how diversity could be our greatest superpower."

In 2018, Hamilton became "the first “Black female noncelebrity to grace the front cover of Fast Company magazine." Before that, she was a live music production coordinator fascinated by the alien world of venture capitalism. In her debut, the author provides a guide for anyone not in "the straight white male population" to “do the thing they’re passionate about." Drawing on her experiences in both music and business, she emphasizes the need to gather information in all ways possible: not just by consuming print and online information, but also by connecting with people in one’s chosen area of interest. For “underestimated people," in particular, gathering together a diverse collective of individuals and not buying into the myth of the self-made person is key to success. “I am made up of my brother, my wife, my friends,” and every member of her company, Backstage Capital. Hamilton also highlights the need to “amplify the voices of those without a microphone," especially in cases where an individual has gained enough power and influence to be heard. One of very few African Americans who seek to create a funding pool for startups headed by other minorities, Hamilton at first received many rejections from the (white male) business establishment she courted. She tells readers to expect the same but to also cultivate both an extra measure of self-confidence as well as forgiveness, which she calls “the ultimate productivity hack." Resilience—part of a person’s “adaptability quotient"—fosters the ability to move forward. At the same time, Hamilton urges fighting against the business establishment’s proliferation of "hustle porn" by trading in “hustle for self-care." Refreshing in its inclusivity, Hamilton’s book offers wise and practical lessons from the margins to all “underestimated people” looking to make a difference in the world of business and beyond.

Inspiring reading for budding entrepreneurs.