Winston🇯🇲

@JonahLupton Sub 5 is super tough

I wonder what % of men on the planet can bench press 315+ lbs, squat 405+ lbs, deadlift 495+ lbs and run a sub 5 minute mile?

@JonahLupton Luol Deng is president of their basketball federation. He’s done a great job in development. USA caught underestimating them

Team USA Basketball is a joke right now. Obviously other countries have vastly improved over the past two decades but it’s still embarrassing that Team USA trailed South Sudan by 16 points and only won by 1 point. How does that even happen?

@DelJohnsonVC Point taken. Who is the Facebook lady?

@WinstonAgogos I don't want to put this all on Black people, because it's a very universally human mentality, but when Black people do it they usually end up like that Facebook lady.

Now the interesting question is whether diversity reformers have any other ideas if their main tactic (which btw hasn't worked to diversify the space anyway) is found unconstitutional. I wrote an article answering this question mostly in the negative and explaining why.

@DelJohnsonVC Yes, I think black folks get caught in the idea of “let’s show them we can do it just as well or better than them” when really we should reject everything “they” have done and build something completely different and outside of their imagination

@WinstonAgogos If I'm reading this correctly I think you are obviously correct. The extra thing I add to this line of thinking is even if you had the ability you shouldn't want to build things with the old game and I would still be against it because cronyism is bad and so is stealing money!

@DelJohnsonVC The anti-diversity has entrenched power. It’s part of the need for the pro diversity funds, right. Much harder to build a network of people that do not have capital and power to transform a space built on existing power and and cronyism. We can’t win the old game. Need a new one

If suing funds for discrimination in such a strategic and targeted way, has caused so much drama for diversity funders, then why hasn't such a systematic strategy been employed by the pro-diversity side against non-diverse funds accused of discrimination?

@AKASMOM Wait..how did you get hurt?

As I hobbled through two airports, on and off airplanes and to the cab 🚕 stand, at least 50 people offered to help me (carry my bag, get me a wheelchair, put me bags up, get my brace, walk with me.. whatever). They were ALL women. 🩷

@reineayiti This might be better for school committee since the athletic department raised fees this year

@isadwatson Yup. It is not one size fits all follow all these steps and voila! You have to go through it and see what works for you

@ericbahn VC’s are disqualifying founders for myriad reasons why can’t founders do the same? The notion that you need to compromise what’s right for capital is a problem. Your business partners can determine your business

Founders--would you take money from a VC, with whom you disagree with their politics? On the one hand, I understand the desire for personal ethical/moral alignment. Yet on the other hand...capital is sometimes something you just need if available. Curious for perspective.

@sandro1981 Thanks Sandro now I just need content creator lessons. Wait a minute maybe that’s a startup idea 💡

@WinstonAgogos adweek.com/social-marketi…

@MacConwell Capital over people they have always made it clear.

2/ There are leaders in this country who do not care about diversity or things like "systemic racism and economic inequality when making business decisions". They only care about money. This is why the Adam Neumann thing will keep happening. They don't care

1/ Ok VC and Diversity Twitter this is what I've been talking about. The Gov. of Florida has put forth new rules that Their state pension fund can not consider " factors like systemic racism and economic inequality when making business decisions" or ESG. cnn.com/2022/08/17/pol…

@sabakarimm Sergey Brin

Name a unicorn founder that doesn’t use Twitter.

@apbyers @EngineOrg The SEC? As in the government? My question is why haven’t they already done it? They can provide funding to any sector they choose. If they decide to prioritize under resourced founders with substantial capital that’s impact. Not mentors and accelerators

Prepping for a #StartupAdvocacyWeek Roundtable this afternoon as part of #CongressionalStartupDay organized by @EngineOrg. Let me know what Q's you want me to ask about how SEC can help diverse, early stage founders raise capital.

@Danny_Nguyen96 @ChrisJBakke What’s the name of your company?

@ChrisJBakke He’s a bit behind. We already started the same thing, similar vision. Pitched the same thing to a16z but they said too early. We went ahead and did it anyway, get to 65k/ month now and saw this yesterday. Kinda pissed ngl

Bad founders blame their team. Good founders take responsibility. Great founders raise $20B, take $2B off the table, get fired, blame VCs, have meltdowns, go off the grid, sell their private jet, buy $1B in apartments, and convince VCs to become their property manager.

@tdkayode Tell ‘em!!!

due diligence is highkey overrated. just find amazing founders & give them $$$ or gtfo

@justingordon212 I’m in

Thinking of starting a community for founders I did this back in 2020, had around 50 founders join, but I didn't know what I was doing It'd be much different this time around Interested? 👇

@kat_blaque @EThorntonGHS As a parent and person trying to build a platform that supports hiring for Black and Brown teachers. Cot Damn this is disheartening

@2kool4u2k9 @VernTheLegend Valid points. I’m in this solo role right now. I don’t know of many black first time founders with teams. Harder to find POC that can drop careers and work on a venture

@VernTheLegend 3. Socioeconomics dictate a preference for the ‘safe’ option at google. 4. Unfortunately due to these 3 issues, black people who want to start companies end up solo, in which it is incredibly difficult to build a good co without a complementary partner.

Honest question: Why do y’all think the number of black founders with venture funding hasn’t moved at all?? *Still at less than 1%

@sabakarimm @risingstars @TechstarsMIA @TechstarsDET @TechstarsDC @TechstarsATLJPM @Techstars_Chi I see. @TechstarsDET was on my radar. I’ll complete it tonight. Do I still get that tip?

@WinstonAgogos No, applications for @risingstars never close. This tweet is referring to the Techstars applications for term 5, which include the most recent ones focused on diversity, such as @TechstarsMIA @TechstarsDET @TechstarsDC @TechstarsATLJPM @Techstars_Chi

It’s not too late to apply. Apps closed at midnight PST. Your startup may be too early, but you won’t know unless if you give it a shot. Comment an emoji below for a DM with an application tip just for you.