In today’s episode, Les interviews Danielle Shoots, who is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of the New Community Transformation Fund, focusing on investments as a tool for economic equity.
Here’s a closer look at the episode:
- Pivoting from corporate finance to starting a, with a focus on consumer behavior and financial discipline.
- Danielle has extensive experience in finance and strategy, having worked in various industries and held leadership roles at Comcast and the Colorado Trust.
- Danielle launched her own fund, Daily Boss Up, after recognizing a gap in the market for financial services tailored to young professionals and entrepreneurs.
- Les and Danielle discuss the potential for AI in scaling businesses, with Danielle sharing their personal experience as a TEDx speaker on leadership.
- Investing in BIPOC founders with a focus on the US market.
- Danielle launched a new fund, the Domestic Emerging Market Investment Fund, to invest in early-stage companies in the United States, with a focus on underleveraged groups and long-term growth.
- Danielle emphasizes the importance of valuation and growth, rather than just focusing on valuation for the sake of it.
- The fragility of the current venture capital (VC) model, which has not been diversified over time and is centered around a singular, non-diversified approach.
- Institutions must prioritize diversity and derisking in investment strategies to support founders and build healthy businesses.
- The importance of solving real-world problems and impacting people's lives, rather than just focusing on making money.
- The importance of self-awareness and accepting one's limitations to navigate feedback and criticism effectively.
- Feeling bored and how it can be an Achilles heel, leading to imposter syndrome and burnout.
Resources:
Website: https://www.demifund.com/
Danielle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-shoots/
Danielle Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielleshoots?lang=en
New Community Transformation Fund LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-community-transformation-fund/
