Joel Francois
A couple of weeks ago an investor I was on a panel with asked me, “What do you (Black founders) need?” I responded:
1. Respect my unique journey, it is an asset. I raised money, bootstrapped, built, pivoted, learned, and progressed outside of the ecosystem. Now imagine what I can do inside the system.
2. Allow for the unexpected. I am ready to scale. I can build more than a record label, barbershop, fashion line, or nightclub.
3. Equal expectations. I shouldn’t have to be perfect to get funded. Let me make mistakes, learn, fall down, get up, and support me the whole way.