450: Write Your Own Rules with Kathryn Finney of Genius Guild

Kathryn Finney started her first business at age nine, selling friendship bracelets to her older brother’s friends. She’s a Yale graduate and started and exited multiple media companies, including her groundbreaking The Budget Fashionista. Even with her resume of accolades, Finney faced prejudice in the startup world just because of her gender and race. So in 2020, she used her two decades of entrepreneurship experience to start Genius Guild. This venture fund invests in black entrepreneurs building scalable businesses that serve black communities and beyond. Finney is also the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Build the Damn Thing: How to Build a Successful Company When You’re Not a Rich White Guy. In addition, she was the first black woman business author at Portfolio/Penguin Books.

Listen to Nathan and Kathryn discuss: 

Making $75 per week selling bracelets as a 9-year-old

What her rugby career taught her about building teams

Building and exiting her fashion blog during web 1.0 

How digitalundivided served as the MVP of Genius Guild

How the pandemic and George Floyd’s death led to Genius Guild

What she looks for in potential founders

Building your own rules of entrepreneurship

How to go through periods of adversity

And much more advice for founders…


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