Backstage Headliners Kehlani (Flora) and Moj Mahadara (Beautycon) with rapper Megan Thee Stallion at Beautycon LA. Source: John Sciulli/Getty Images.
Mixtape Vol. 15
The Backstage Mixtape brings you news, opportunities, and stories to help underestimated founders succeed. Subscribe.
✨🎉 Arlan got married! 🎉✨
If you haven't explored the world of writer, composer, actor, director, editor, Youtuber, Anna Eichenauer yet, give this lovely interview with Arlan for the Your First Million podcast a spin. Listen.
Congratulations to Arlan + Anna! 💖
ICYMI we released the Backstage Accelerator Cohort 1 report to share key learnings from working with 24 outstanding companies led by underrepresented founders. Read the report.
Porfolio Jobs
Social media + marketing intern @ Loomia - Apply.
Creative interns @ Healthy Roots Dolls - Detroit, MI - Apply.
Discover more jobs.
News
Ruben Harris and Career Karma are opening up access to coding bootcamps. Read.
Adobe spoke to Thurst about how they're using design to build a safer and more inclusive dating app experience. Read.
Why Lorals CEO Melanie Cristol left her law career to create a sexual wellness brand. Read.
The Good Life Project podcast interviewed Wildfang's Emma McIlroy about the path that led her to start an apparel brand for women who like to raise a little hell. Listen.
Heartbeat Co-founder Kate Edwards opens up about mental health for founders in Inc. Read.
Alerje mentioned as an early-stage startup empowering patients to have more control over their healthcare. Read.
What makes Seed&Spark's crowdfunding creators so successful? It starts with this free online class. Read.
Opportunities
Opportunity Hub
Everyone, everywhere in Kansas City and beyond deserves access to the technology, startup, and venture ecosystem. Possible prizes include $5K grants to $50K investments and a demo spot at SXSW.
Apply.
Meta Prop Real Estate Accelerator
This 22-week program is the global gold standard for #PropTech startup acceleration.
Apply by August 16.
Accelerate Michigan
Get one step closer to winning up $1M in cash and prizes to fuel the growth of your startup in Michigan.
Apply before August 16 for free.
Women Startup Competition
Beauty entrepreneurs looking to start or grow a beauty business in Europe: Women Startup Competition powered by Avon wants to help you grow.
Apply near you.
Events
Executive Business Summit
Aug. 20 - Dallas, TX
Arlan will be giving a fireside chat at this event at The Capital Factory.
Learn more.
Tech Inclusion Conference + Career Fair
Sep. 11-12 - San Francisco, CA
🎉 It's the 5th Anniversary of this wonderful event co-founded by Backstage Accelerator Director of Program Melinda Epler! This year's theme is: Equity, Empowerment, and Allyship. Get a special Backstage 20% discount.
Learn more.
Project Beauty Expo
Sep. 14-15 - Los Angeles, CA
Part conference, part shopping experience, PBE is a platform that celebrates multicultural beauty and the indie brands that supports women of color.
Learn more.
Resources
Arlan was quoted online as saying that a new report revealing bias against Black fund managers validates what she's understood to be true throughout her career...comparing it to, "being gaslighted for years...We’ve been saying this. This is nothing new or surprising. [But] it’s a wake-up call for [limited partners]." Learn more.
The ultimate guide for female founders in NYC. Read.
What We're Reading
Dreamville team. Source: Kamiin Valree for Forbes.
Since its 2014 inception, the Brooklyn-based music label Dreamville has curated a promising roster of artists, released a Billboard-topping compilation album, and produced a sold-out music festival attended by 40,000 people. Read.
Arlan will be curating stories for and by women of color as part of a new Medium publication, Zora! Check out her story introducing the column, "I Came for the Cake, Not the Crumbs." Read.
Female Founders Fund Founding Partner Anu Duggal shares her perspective on the next wave of female-led unicorns. Read.
Facebook nominates Peggy Alford as the first African American woman to its board of directors. Read.
Backstage Principal Del Johnson makes a case for banning warm introductions in VC. 👀 Read.
Richard Branson's Virgin Group unveils plan to fund more female-founded startups. Read.
"I am not driven by the fear of failure. I am driven by the fear of spending my life succeeding at things that don’t help humans, community or the world." – Alex Marshall of First Round Capital and former Head of Platform at Backstage. Read.
