Build The Damn Thing: Recent Episodes
Genius Guild
Build the Damn Thing follows the bold journey of entrepreneur, investor, disruptor, and inclusion champion Kathryn Finney as she builds her groundbreaking $10 million investment fund and business platform that invests in innovations that end racism.
How does a sistah do it all? Listen to her new podcast, Build the Damn Thing, to hear Kathryn's journey as she provides seasoned advice for female founders and entrepreneurs of color who are ready to build their damn thing and claim ownership in the entrepreneurial space.
Listen to guests ranging from industry experts and business leaders to Kathryn’s friends and family as they share how she changed the narrative about who can and should be an entrepreneur.
Subscribe and leave a 5-star review or thumbs up after listening! Find Kathryn on social media at @GeniusGuild and @KathrynFinney.
In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney sits down with Dana Hork — a powerhouse marketer, brand builder, and founder of the rapid-fire microagency Beers With Friends — to unpack what it really takes to go from startup scrappiness to billion-dollar success, and why speed, clarity, and creativity are the new marketing superpowers.
From being one of the first 100 employees at Jet.com to leading its explosive growth and $3.3 billion acquisition by Walmart, Dana has had a front-row seat to brand revolutions at scale. She’s revitalized corporate giants like Walmart with a bold new social strategy, launched food-tech innovations at Wonder, and stepped into the future with a Web3 podcast that cuts through the hype to explore real-world use cases.
But Dana doesn’t just lead with strategy — she leads with energy. As a certified spin instructor, NYC Marathon and Triathlon finisher, and all-around execution machine, she brings the same level of discipline and vision to her fitness goals as she does to her entrepreneurial ventures.
If you’ve ever felt the pressure to slow down or play small, this episode is your permission to go fast and build loud.
🔗 Learn more:
- https://www.bwfagency.com/
- Dana Hork onhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/danahork/
🎧 Subscribe and share — because speed is strategy, and legacy doesn’t wait.
What if the boldest thing you could do is build the space you’ve been told you don’t belong in?
In this powerful episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney sits down with Alex West Steinman, co-founder and CEO of The Coven—a trailblazing co-working space built by and for women, non-binary, and trans professionals. From confronting systemic inequities in the advertising industry to creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels seen, Alex’s journey is a blueprint for leading with purpose, equity, and unapologetic authenticity.
Together, Kathryn and Alex dive into how childhood lessons, supportive parents (especially #BlackDads), and bold leadership shaped her entrepreneurial path. They explore building community as a business model, the power of showing up as your full self, and what it means to scale without selling out your values.
Whether you’re launching a startup or rethinking your leadership style, this episode will inspire you to bet on yourself—and build something that centers belonging for all.
🔗 Follow Alex:
- The Coven Website
- Instagram @alexweststeinman
🎧 Don’t forget to rate, share, and subscribe—because you are a big deal.
What if building your business could also build a better world?In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney sits down with Teresa Chahine, Yale School of Management senior lecturer, social entrepreneurship pioneer, and author of Social Entrepreneurship: Building Impact Step-by-Step. Teresa shares how she’s blending academic insight with on-the-ground action to reshape the future of business—one purpose-driven venture at a time.From launching the first venture philanthropy organization in Lebanon to supporting immigrant-owned businesses in New Haven, Teresa offers a global perspective on how entrepreneurs—especially underestimated ones—can create companies that are both profitable and ethical. Together, she and Kathryn explore how to build sustainable ventures, work with imperfect allies, shift from scarcity to abundance mindsets, and fund your idea without waiting for VC validation.This episode is your playbook for socially responsible entrepreneurship—and a powerful reminder that building your damn thing doesn’t have to mean building alone.🔗 Learn more about Teresa’s work:Book: Social EntrepreneurshipImpact & Innovation PodcastLinkedIn🎧 Listen, subscribe, and share—because making money and making impact don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
How do you stay relevant, build community, and lead through massive industry change—without losing yourself in the process?
In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney sits down with powerhouse media executive and community builder Ann Shoket, former Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen Magazine and current CEO of TheLi.st. From the high-stakes world of legacy media to building a digital-first, purpose-driven network for women and non-binary leaders, Ann shares raw lessons on evolution, acquisition, and leadership in the face of disruption.
Together, they unpack:
- The collapse of the magazine industry and how Ann pivoted from editorial to entrepreneurship
- Why knowing what problem you’re solving is the most critical leadership skill
- How acquiring a brand (instead of starting from scratch) can accelerate your impact—and the pitfalls to avoid
- The business cost of loneliness in leadership, and how to build your personal advisory board
- The power of micro-habits to strengthen your professional support network
Whether you’re navigating a career shift, scaling a startup, or searching for your next bold move, this conversation delivers actionable insights for leading with clarity and building what matters.
🔗 Follow Ann Shoket:
- TheLi.st
- Instagram @annshoket
🎧 Don’t just dream—build smarter. Subscribe, share, and let us know what you’re building.
What if the skills you used to launch your dream business were the same skills you need to launch a successful romantic partnership?
In this one-of-a-kind episode of Build the Damn Thing, host Kathryn Finney sits down with acclaimed love coach and entrepreneur Francesca Hogi to uncover the surprising parallels between building a business and building a relationship. Francesca—author of How to Find True Love and TED Talk veteran—dives deep into how intention, vision, and self-worth shape both our love lives and our entrepreneurial paths.
Together, they break down why so many high-achieving people struggle with dating, the toxic impact of the “fairy tale industrial complex,” and how your personal growth is the greatest asset in both business and love.
Whether you’re pitching investors or planning your next date, this episode will help you ditch the scarcity mindset, align with your true values, and open up to the partnership—and life—you actually deserve.
🔗 Learn more and connect with Francesca:
- Fran’s book: How to Find True Love – Book
- Fran’s TED Talk
- Fran’s Website
- Follow her on Instagram @dearfranny
🎧 Subscribe, rate, and share—because your best business move might just be opening your heart.
In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney sits down with Lisa Price, founder of Carol’s Daughter, to unpack how she transformed a $100 passion project into a powerhouse beauty brand—and what it really takes to grow without compromising your purpose.
From mixing body butters in her Brooklyn kitchen to landing shelf space at Sephora, Lisa shares the behind-the-scenes journey of building with limited capital, leveraging community instead of venture funding, and navigating the realities of acquisition—including public backlash.
This isn’t just a story about beauty products. It’s about betting on yourself, knowing your worth, and building a legacy business when the world tells you it’s impossible. If you’ve ever wondered how to go from homemade to high growth—and stay true to who you are—this episode is your blueprint.
🔗 Learn more:
- Carol’s Daughter
- Lisa Price on Instagram
- Carol’s Daughter on Instagram
🎧 Subscribe and share—because legacy isn’t given. It’s built.
What if building your business (and your life) wasn’t about “doing more”, but about “doing smarter”?
In this powerful season-opening episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney sits down with Christina Wallace—Harvard Business School senior lecturer, serial entrepreneur, and author of The Portfolio Life—to unpack how entrepreneurs can future-proof their careers and personal lives with intentional design.
Christina introduces the concept of living a “portfolio life,” where success isn’t defined by hustle or traditional job titles but by how well you allocate time, energy, and resources across work, creativity, health, and relationships. Drawing from her now-viral Harvard Business Review article Everyone Deserves a Season to Step Back, Christina explains how to avoid burnout, de-risk your entrepreneurial journey, and redefine success on your own terms.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone building a business, pivoting careers, or navigating uncertain times in the age of AI and economic disruption.
🔗 Get Christina’s free personal balance scorecard, Gantt chart templates, and more at christinawallace.com
📘 Check out her book The Portfolio Life
📲 Follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram
🎧 Subscribe, share, and let us know: what’s in your life portfolio?
Episode 8: Sell The Damn Thing
As my friend, television personality and author Bevy Smith likes to say It gets greater later. When the time comes to transition away from your business, know that there is more out there for you. It may be a new business or a new opportunity but whatever the case, as the saying goes change is good. In this the season finale of BTDT learn the upside to walking away and at the right time.
Guests:
Heather Hiles | Founder/ Entrepreneur
Cheryl Contee | Impact Seat
Lisa Price | Carol’s Daughter
Hafeezah Muhammad | You Me Healthcare
Laura Weidman Powers | Base10
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Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: https://GeniusGuild.co
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Episode 7: How To Get the Money You Need to Grow Your Company
From bootstrapping to venture capital to just plain profits, there are many ways to fund the growth of your business and it’s an important next step that takes thoughtful consideration. In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, you’ll determine what may be the best route for you and your company as you continue to build it.
Guests:
Lisa Price | Carol’s Daughter
Brian Aoaeh | reFashiond Ventures
Felecia Hatcher | Black Ambition
Denise Hamilton | Watch Her Work
Cheryl Contee | Impact Seat
Denitria Lewis | Serial Entrepreneur/ Digital Marketer
________
Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: https://GeniusGuild.co
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Episode 6: How To Build An Amazing Team
Having the right team is crucial to any business and its success is dependent on it. Knowing who to hire as well as when to let them go can make or break your company. In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, learn how to find the right people with the right skill sets to help elevate you and your company.
Guests:
Jeffrey Robinson | Rutgers
Ellie Bahrmasel | Further Faster Ventures
Sharmayne Lueiza Munoz | Genius Guild
Citi Medina | Equal Space
Brian Aoaeh | reFashiond Ventures
Elisa Camahort Page | Author
________
Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: https://GeniusGuild.co
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: EJ Markland
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Episode 5: How To Turn Your Solution Into a Money Making Business
Solving a problem is one thing but how to make money doing it is a WHOLE other animal. In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, myself and others will guide you through the process of generating income and scaling UP as you build the next big thing!
Guests
Hafeezah Muhammed | You Me Healthcare
Cheryl Contee | Impact Seat
Citi Medina | Equal Space
________
Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: https://GeniusGuild.co
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: EJ Markland
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Episode 4: How to Make Sure Your Business Solves a Problem
If you want to build a business…..a REAL business, you’ve got to have customers who are willing to pay for your product or service and I don’t mean just friends and family. On this episode of Build The Damn Thing, learn what you need to know to make sure that your business is solving a problem that people are willing to pay for.
Guests:
Tessa Flippin | Capitalized VC
Citi Medina | Equal Space
Denise Hamilton | Watch Her Work
Elisa Camahort Page | Author
Ellie Bahrmasel | Further Faster Ventures
________
Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: https://GeniusGuild.co
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: EJ Markland
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Episode 3: How to Build Your Personal Advisory Board
A corporate advisory board gives strategic advice on the management of the business. Your personal advisory board gives strategic advice on the management of you. On this episode of the Build The Damn Thing, find out how a strong support system, aka your personal advisory board, can help you create the business you've always wanted.
Guests:
Brian Aoaeh | ReFashiond
Dr. Lisa DeRoche | Roosevelt Institute
Felecia Hatcher | Black Ambition
Darlene Gillard | Genius Guild / Copper Media Group
Kendra Bracken Ferguson | The Brain Trust
____________
Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: https://GeniusGuild.co
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Episode 2 - How to Mentally Prepare for Entrepreneurship
On this episode of Build the Damn Thing, hear what Kathryn and other builders have learned about what it takes to find balance while building your business. They share how to balance the constant conflict between your professional and personal lives, preventing burnout, and how to get your mind right to make it through the entrepreneurial journey. They also discuss the particular toll finding balance takes on WoC founders, who are often burdened with unfair expectations and encouraged not to set boundaries while having to take on everyone else’s issues.
Guests (Email addresses not for publication):
Kendra Bracken Ferguson | The Brain Trust
Geri Stengel | Venturerneer
Danielle Robinson Bell | Northwestern University
Mary Pryor | Cannaclusive
Farah Allen | The Labz
Kellee James | Mecaris
Cheryl Contee | Impact Seat
Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: Genius Guild
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Welcome to Season 2 of Build The Damn Thing!
Episode 1 - Build The Damn Thing: Leaning into your purpose
On this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney and four other builders talk about how their backgrounds have influenced their sense of purpose when creating their startups. They discuss how they have taken the lessons learned from the historic, systemic obstacles their ancestors have overcome to build their own companies. And by sharing the stories of how they are succeeding and living their best lives, they are giving permission for other builders like you to do the same.
Guests:Brian Aoaeh - ReFashiond
Dr. Lisa DeRoche - Roosevelt Institute
Patrice Grell Yursik - Afrobella
Felecia Hatcher - Black Ambition
Stay Connected!
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius GuildWebsite: https://GeniusGuild.co
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
________
Credits:Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
The story of Genius Guild, the power of investing in Black entrepreneurs, and the importance of sticking to your core values.
In "Black Muse," the season finale of Build The Damn Thing, serial entrepreneur Kathryn Finney is joined by guests to discuss black excellence, entrepreneurship, and investing.
Featured Ep.8 guests: Renee Wittemyer | Brian Aoaeh | Michael Dyer | Cheryl Contee | Geri Stengel | Sharmayne Lueiza Munoz | Barbara Clarke | Teresa Chahine | Jeffrey Robinson
Quotes from the show: “We're looking for black founders who are thinking big, who are innovators, who have ideas that others are like, "Eh, I don't know." I don't know if that works, but we know - because we're operators and investors - that they can work. " -- Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #8 Stay Connected: Kathryn Finney Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/ Twitter: @KathrynFinney Instagram: @hiiamkathryn Facebook: Kathryn Finney Genius Guild Website: Genius Guild Twitter: @GeniusGuild Instagram: @geniusguild LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
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Credits: Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Add'l Music: "Lil' Sumn" by Dreamadai
Special Thanks to The New Bedford Whaling Museum - New Bedford, MA
They may be called “micro investments”, but they’re anything but small. Kathryn Finney started The Doonie Fund, a social enterprise that provides micro investments to Black women entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, learn about the importance of investing in Black women and how frictionless micro investments can change the game and disrupt the world of entrepreneurship. Quotes from the show: “It was probably the most frictionless, the least painful process that I've ever been in... You invest so much time into the applications or getting references. You pretty much have to like give them a vial of blood and a DNA sample before you get access to funding. But with The Doonie Fund, it was like, 'Hey, I believe in you.' " -- Jamela Peterson, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #7 Stay Connected: Kathryn Finney Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/ Twitter: @KathrynFinney Instagram: @hiiamkathryn Facebook: Kathryn Finney Genius Guild Website: Genius Guild Twitter: @GeniusGuild Instagram: @geniusguild LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
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Credits: Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Choosing yourself isn’t always easy. But after eight years leading digitalundivided -- an organization that she founded to help Black and Latinx women tech entrepreneurs get the mentorship and support they desperately needed -- Kathryn had to do just that. She chose herself, and her sanity, and decided to walk away from the business.
Innovation and the goal of disrupting the industry isn’t just about the work, it also requires a significant emotional lift that many don’t anticipate.
In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn openly shares the financial challenges of building DID, why the first cohort was -- in her words, a “hot mess” -- how they “blew things up” to make things better and how initial support from a city or community doesn’t always guarantee ongoing support. She also reveals the impact of building her business while starting her new journey as a mom -- a reality many women entrepreneurs have to face.
The lessons in the episode will help you understand how to take a step back, honestly evaluate where things are in your business (and your life), and when it might be time to courageously let go and make a fresh start.
Insights from the Podcast: - You have to take an honest look at your business and what’s working and what’s not working. - Accepting responsibility - How to learn from your missteps - Surround yourself with people who will tell you about yourself. - Go where you’re wanted - Your sanity is priceless - You’re the prize Quotes from the show:
“What struck me about the no’s is that they felt weak… You had to wonder if the space was really ready for the work that [DigitalUndivided] was doing and for the work that Kathryn was doing." -- Danielle Robinson Bell, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #6
“It was really about supporting other Black women who were building things, but there was no money.” — Darlene Gillard Jones, Guest Speaker, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #6
“People often want to believe the worst of Black women.” --Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #6
“Something my mom always taught me was go where you wanted.”--Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #6
“I could leave feeling empowered because I knew I could build something else.” --Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #6
“Sometimes we’re so afraid to leave things, like: “What if I don’t have the next thing...?” But realize that you’re the prize. It’s not the thing; you’re the thing. You’re the one who created it, you’re the one who built it, you’re the one who grew it. So you are, in fact, that prize.” --Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode #6
Stay Connected: Kathryn Finney Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/ Twitter: @KathrynFinney Instagram: @hiiamkathryn Facebook: Kathryn Finney Genius Guild Website: Genius Guild Twitter: @GeniusGuild Instagram: @geniusguild LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
_________
Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Calling All Disruptors!
In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, you get to hear how friends, associates and the early attendees of Kathryn Finney’s FOCUS event were positively influenced by the Genius Guild CEO’s visionary thinking as a disrupter in the tech space. Kathryn shares how her “co-conspirators” — such as the founders of BlogHer and her business partner Darlene Gillard Jones — helped her build a powerful company based on her mission of empowering Black and Latina women in technology and helping them raise money through Digital Undivided. She also pioneered the groundbreaking research study, Project Diane, which exposed the disparities in venture capital investing in Black women businesses and went viral.
But while all of this was going on, Kathryn not only had to combat some people misunderstanding her as a Black woman visionary who was often one step ahead, she had to overcome an unexpected health challenge and make some major decisions about her business and her personal life.
Kathryn Finney is known as a pioneer in the fashion blogging community thanks to her blog “The Budget Fashionista” which has helped thousands of women dress chic and cheap. Kathryn not only has built a huge blogging community but also has been featured among "America's Top 50 Women In Tech" by Forbes and is greatly recognized by books like How to Be a Budget Fashionista and The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less. In fact, Kathryn is the living definition of a businesswoman who is always trying to generate new ways to share her knowledge about fashion and entrepreneurship just like she does through her platform the Genius Guild which, apart from having the podcast “Build that Damn Thing”, invests in companies led by Black founders.
Insights from the Podcast:
- How to build your team
- How to leverage relationships
- How to cultivate a work environment that creates a winning organization
- Women of color often have to face tough decisions in their journey
- How to know when to walk away
- How sharing the data about the disparities in venture capital investing in Black women’s businesses helped change an industry
Quotes from the show:
“One of the hardest things as an entrepreneur is to sell others on your big idea. That’s exactly what I did when I started Digital Undivided.”— Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
“They not only gave us the check, [BlogHer] literally gave us the manual for how they run events.” — Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
“She asked me if I'd be willing to partner with her on an organization called Digital Undivided, that will…support Black women in technology. and I haven't looked back since." — Darlene Gillard Jones, Guest Speaker, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
“Because of that relationship because of the trust and the friendship that we were able to grow and establish, we were able to, create something special and my life personally has changed because of it.”— Darlene Gillard Jones, Guest Speaker, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
“But when we realized it was too early, like most things in my life and being a visionary — being a Black woman visionary — that's not necessarily celebrated. I see things many steps ahead.” — Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
“Oftentimes, the people who are the strongest and who have it together are the very people that you need to check after.”— Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
“Before ProjectDiane was released, the experiences of women in color in entrepreneurship were purely anecdotal—so whether you were a person of color or not, you had some idea that things just weren't the same for people of color in particular women and women of color in the startup space; but it wasn't until Kathryn and Digital Undivided came along to quantify that experience that really blew the lid off of that entire dynamic and conversation.”— Danielle Robinson Bell, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
“The hope was that Project Diane would be a catalyst. What I did not know was that Project Diane was going to fundamentally change the venture capital space in ways that still vibrate to this day.” —Kathryn Finney, Build the Damn Thing, Episode 5
Stay Connected:
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: Genius Guild
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
__________
``` Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Special thanks to Baratunde Thurston, Champions of Change: Tech Inclusion, and The Obama Administration
```
In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, Genius Guild CEO Kathryn Finney shares how to successfully exit a company -- something many entrepreneurs can’t imagine -- and how to start something new. For the first time she gives a behind-the-scenes account of her own experience selling her first start-up and what that was like for her.
Learn Kathryn's process of selling her blog, The Budget Fashionista, and how the proceeds from the sale gave her enough capital to start her next big venture. Plus get inspiration and insight on how you can do the same.
Kathryn Finney is known as a pioneer in the fashion blogging community thanks to her blog “The Budget Fashionista” which has helped thousands of women dress chic and cheap. Kathryn not only has built a huge blogging community but also has been featured among "America's Top 50 Women In Tech" by Forbes and is greatly recognized by books like How to Be a Budget Fashionista and The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less. In fact, Kathryn is the living definition of a businesswoman who is always trying to generate new ways to share her knowledge about fashion and entrepreneurship just like she does through her platform the Genius Guild which apart from having the podcast “Build that Damn Thing”, invests in companies led by Black founders.
Insights from the Podcast
- Understanding that it is okay to outgrow something and want to do something else
- How to pivot and venture into something new
- Understanding that it is okay to leave your job, not because you were treated a certain way but because you want to do -the next thing
- Understand the full arc of acquisition and how start-up work
- How to sell and move on to the next and start another venture
- The 4T’s on buying a tech company:
Technology: it has technology that would be hard for the corporation to create quickly
Talent: they have a core group of founders
Traffic: it has a large community behind it
Taxable income: the company has a ton of money
Quotes from the show:
“It is okay to outgrow it, as an entrepreneur we are like ‘I created it, it’s my baby, I have to stay. But you don’t always have to stay” -Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Guest Speaker, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
“One of the challenges that we have in the black community is that we overstay, and I know why: because there is security” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
“In our community, there isn’t a language about exiting positively: usually when you leave your job, it’s because they were treating you in a certain way or you got a better job” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
“A start-up is a temporary organization that is designed to discover a solution to a problem and in the process to also discover a profitable, scalable and reputable business model and while doing that, to grow as quickly as possible” -Brian Laung Aoaeh, Guest Speaker, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
“Venture capitalists look for and invest in start-ups. They look for companies that are doing something uniques, that they are solving a problem that hasn’t been solved yet” -Brian Laung Aoaeh, Guest Speaker, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
“One of the things about not selling when people come to you is that the price changes” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
“I think it comes back to who are the people around you? Who do you trust when it’s hard and you have to make a decision? Some of it is guy, and you have to listen to your gut, and some of it is having the right group that will tell you when you are not thinking correctly” -Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Guest Speaker, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
“We constantly have to move and pivot and we have to find our own validation from within as entrepreneurs because you are constantly told it’s not gonna work or you should do this or that” -Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Guest Speaker, Build The Damn Thing Episode #4
Stay Connected:
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: Genius Guild
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
``` Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Special thanks to Forbes Advisor
Info
```
Season 1 Episode 4
Aug 25, 2021
22 mins, 35 secs (21.7MB, Audio)
#BlackExcellence #Entrepreneurship #FashionBlog #BloggersUnite #Startups #BlackWomen #KathrynFinney #BlackOwned #TheBudgetFashionista #BlacksInTech #AfroTech #BlackAuthors #Discrimination #Incubators #Lissen #Exiting #VentureCapital
In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney opens up about the different struggles she went through on her way to success as a Black woman in business and as an innovator in technology. Learn about her business trajectory since the early 2000’s, where she was managing to create the Budget Fashionista blog, which later on became a sensation in the blogging community. However, this was not enough to succeed: with the evolution of technology Kathryn had to constantly reinvent herself and come up with new ideas and new projects that weren’t received with open arms by the white male community who had the monopoly over entrepreneurship and technology at that time.
This episode is a testimony of how Kathryn turned every rejection or project that did not work out the way she wanted into motivation to inspire other women and spark new and innovative ideas to change the game.
Kathryn Finney is known as a pioneer in the fashion blogging community thanks to her blog “The Budget Fashionista” which has helped thousands of women dress chic and cheap. Kathryn not only has built a huge blogging community but also has been featured among "America's Top 50 Women In Tech" by Forbes and is greatly recognized by books like How to be a Budget Fashionista and The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less. In fact, Kathryn is the living definition of a businesswoman who is always trying to generate new ways to share her knowledge about fashion and entrepreneurship just like she does through her platform the Genius Guild which apart from having the podcast “Build that Damn Thing”, invests in companies led by Black founders.
Insight from the Podcast
- How Kathryn became a successful black business woman.
- Details on how Kathryn had to constantly reinvent her projects according to the technology and blogging evolutions.
- Difficulties Kathryn experienced being a black woman in a work scenario mainly dominated by white men.
- How throughout the years Kathryn, with the help of other black businesswoman, found her spot in the fashion and entrepreneur industry.
- How Kathryn has always sought to support women, who like her in the early 2000´s, are looking to be successful.
Quotes from the show:
“I wasn't the first black woman, I was one of the first women period” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #3
“Blogging was the future and I knew how influential the influencers were for their community” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #3
“I needed to build a team because I couldn't do it all myself, I couldn't serve the amount of content that my community wanted all the time” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #3
“I kind of knew that it was changing, I started to see that technology became easier, there were more people and more competition and the difference between me and others was not that great, people started to try to take the name of Budget Fashionista which I had trademarked” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #3
“My agent and attorney at the time said to me: don't you ever do that again and I was like what do you mean? They were like you can't be smart like that, you let us do that” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #3
“I don't know of any black woman that ever received the venture funding and I don't think you'll be the first” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #3
“We were invisible Black Founders, Black women were invisible, the irony of it is to see how many of them are trying to get woken up” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #3
Stay Connected:
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: Genius Guild
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
``` Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Add’l Music: "Lil' Sumn" by Dreamadai
```
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Info
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Season 1 Episode 3
July 30, 2021
37 mins, 50 secs (34.7MB, Audio)
#BlackExcellence #Entrepreneurship #FashionBlog #BloggersUnite #Startups #BlackWomen #KathrynFinney #BlackOwned #TheBudgetFashionista #BlacksInTech #AfroTech #BlackAuthors #Discrimination #Incubators #Lissen
In this episode of Build The Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney talks to those people who were present at the beginning of her journey as a young builder and what led her to become one of the most influential women in tech. All the people in Kathryn’s life speak of how they always knew she was “different” from a young age -- and that’s a good thing. They also share that she had the unique ability to bring people around to her way of thinking to impact change. But it wasn’t easy: Kathryn shares a painful and transformative childhood experience when she ran for school president against a white kid and the hate that she endured during her campaign.
Kathryn Finney is known as a pioneer in the fashion blogging community thanks to her blog “The Budget Fashionista” which has helped thousands of women dress cheap and chic. Kathryn not only has built a huge blogging community but also has been featured among "America's Top 50 Women In Tech" by Forbes and is greatly recognized by books like How to Be a Budget Fashionista and The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less. In fact, Kathryn is the living definition of a businesswoman who is always trying to generate new ways to share her knowledge about fashion and entrepreneurship just like she does through her platform the Genius Guild which apart from having the podcast “Build that Damn Thing”, invests in companies led by Black founders.
Insights from the Podcast
- How her entrepreneurial family background impacted her to build against all odds
- Strategies on monetizing your skills and ideas
- How to build, grow and make things bigger and how to do good in this world
- Understanding how to fight against the entitled
- Strategies to getting people to come to your way of thinking
- Understanding how to create your own identity
Quotes from the show:
“I challenge each and every one of you to be your full self and to give others a space to do the same and to know that you, in all your imperfect imperfections, are more than enough for this world” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #2
“Maybe my work ethic is genetic, I may not be as smart as you, I may not as good as you, but you will not outwork me” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #2
“People misunderstand that I have this incredible work ethic that you might not even see” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #2
“Money allowed me to have the life that I wanted to live, and I saw that very early: the options that it gave me” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #2
“When I joined high school, I was different, I tried to figure out how to fit in and not realizing as that 14/15-year-olds that you will never fit in when you are the type of person that I am” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #2
“Sometimes there is a price to pay when you go against the entitles” -Kathryn Finney, Build The Damn Thing Episode #2
“I really think I wouldn’t have dreamed as far as I did, or gone as far as I did or had the initiative to prepare for college if it weren’t for Kathryn” -Ann McCarthy, Guest Speaker, Build The Damn Thing Episode #2
Stay Connected:
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: Genius Guild
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
``` Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisors: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Add’l Music: "Lil' Sumn" by Dreamadai
"Walk" by Saucy Santana
Audio Sample Courtesy of: the Minnesota Historical Society's Black History, Black Voices Initiative; Washburn High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
```
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Info
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Season 1 Episode 2
July 30, 2021
36 mins, 34 secs (34.1MB, Audio)
#BlackExcellence #Entrepreneurship #DreamBig #Startups #BlackWomen #KathrynFinney #BlackOwned #Minnesota #Minneapolis #BlacksInTech #AfroTech #Yale #Rutgers #Ghana
In this episode of Build the Damn Thing, Kathryn Finney shares how a series of unfortunate events led her to create Genius Guild, which is supported by one of the most powerful women in the world -- Melinda Gates. Kathryn also highlights how her failed trip to Alaska in 2020 led her to donate more than $160,000 to 15,000 black women-led entrepreneurs within six weeks. And this action showed her that it was possible to help such startups in a new way.
Kathryn Finney is a venture capitalist, tech visionary, and startup champion who is the Founder and CEO of Genius Guild and General Partner of The Greenhouse Fund. She is former CEO of digitalundivided, a groundbreaking social enterprise focused on creating a world where Black women own their work. She is also the founder of The Budget Fashionista (TBF) and became one of the first Black women to have a successful seven-figure startup exit when she sold TBF.
A Yale-trained Epidemiologist, she has been recognized for her groundbreaking work by the Aspen Institute, Entrepreneur Magazine, Marie Claire, Ebony, Inc. Magazine, Black Enterprise, and more.
Insights from the Podcast
-
Understanding that sometimes things will not work and that’s okay
-
Strategies on building a community around black-women entrepreneurs
-
How her life in building led her to create Genius Guild
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Understanding that black-owned businesses are undercapitalized and under resourced, and the structures needed to enable them to succeed does not exist
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How to create a space where everyone can win, especially Black folks
-
How to move capital to Black communities without asking for permission
Quotes from the show:
“It took me twenty years to build relationships to be able to do Genius Guild.” -Kathryn Finney, Genius Guild Ep #1
“I knew that I could build Genius Guild because I had spent a lifetime building staff.” -Kathryn Finney, Genius Guild Ep #1
“Genius Guild is a culmination of all the experience that she (Kathryn Finney) has gained over more than a decade of working on related problems.” -Brian Laung Aoaeh, Genius Guild Ep #1
“I cannot tell you how scary it is to be a Black woman and to ask for what it is you need because we rarely get it” -Kathryn Finney, Genius Guild Ep #1
“If this doesn’t work, we are okay because we believe in you and we know you will figure it out” -Kathryn Finney, Genius Guild Ep #1
“When Black people win, everyone wins. We want to help humanity win” -Saidah Nash Carter, Genius Guild Ep #1
Stay Connected:
Kathryn Finney
Website: https://www.kathrynfinney.com/
Twitter: @KathrynFinney
Instagram: @hiiamkathryn
Facebook: Kathryn Finney
Genius Guild
Website: Genius Guild
Twitter: @GeniusGuild
Instagram: @geniusguild
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genius-guild
Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
``` Credits:
Produced by Genius Guild Content Studios
Executive Producers: Kathryn Finney and Darlene Gillard Jones
Post-Production Company: Prosper Digital TV
Post-Production Manager: Joanes Prosper
Post-Production Supervisor: Jason Pierre
Post-Production Sound Editor: Evan Joseph
Co-Music Supervisor: Jason Pierre and Darlene Gillard Jones
Show Music: Provided by Prosper Digital TV
Main Show Theme Music: "Self Motivated" Written & Performed by Tamara Bubble
Info
```
Season 1 Episode 1
July 16, 2021
18 mins, 14 secs (18.1MB, Audio)
#BlackExcellence #Entrepreneurship #Startups #BlackWomen #KathrynFinney #BlackOwned