Your First Million

Learn what's happening with my very first scripted podcast series, The Valley, and how YOU fit in!

Community.com's CEO, Diankha Linear is a mastermind when it comes to running a large startup. Listen in as she gives invaluable advice for any founders looking to scale their company to thousands of customers and millions in revenue. Join Arlan's "Write Your Own Headlines" challenge: http://www.writeyourownheadlines.com "Your First Million" is a deep dive into the thoughts and experiences of some of your favorite entrepreneurs, athletes, actors, investors, musicians, and more. Watch as they sit down with Arlan Hamilton, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and author, to discuss their first million -- whether it is Dollars, Views, or Followers! You don't want to miss these magical moments. It will get real. It will get deep, and hopefully, it will inspire you.

Danielle Leslie has earned $20M and has taught thousands of others to live the life they've always wanted.Join Arlan's "Write Your Own Headlines" challenge! http://www.writeyourownheadlines.com"Your First Million" is a deep dive into the thoughts and experiences of some of your favorite entrepreneurs, athletes, actors, investors, musicians, and more. Watch as they sit down with Arlan Hamilton, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and author, to discuss their first million -- whether it is Dollars, Views, or Followers! You don't want to miss these magical moments. It will get real. It will get deep, and hopefully, it will inspire you.

Jason Mayden is a designer, educator, and entrepreneur dedicated to the advancement of diverse creative youth. Hear what he thinks of Michael Jordan, Nike, the "Air" movie, and find out how many shoes he owns. (It's more than you think.) Join Arlan's 30-Day Challenge: http://www.writeyourownheadlines.com "Your First Million" is a deep dive into the thoughts and experiences of some of your favorite entrepreneurs, athletes, actors, investors, musicians, and more. Watch as they sit down with Arlan Hamilton, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and author, to discuss their first million -- whether it is Dollars, Views, or Followers! You don't want to miss these magical moments. It will get real. It will get deep, and hopefully, it will inspire you. Follow Arlan INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/arlanwashere TWITTER https://twitter.com/arlanwashere BACKSTAGE CAPITAL https://backstagecapital.com HIRE RUNNER https://www.hirerunner.co/

Annie Grace is the author of "This Naked Mind," a book that Arlan credits with saving her life. In this interview, she shares the myths we've been taught about alcohol, why it's not your fault if you're addicted to alcohol, and how quitting changed her life.

From Angel City's website: "General Manager Angela Hucles Mangano is a retired USWNT player, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Angel City founding investor. In her critical role as GM, Hucles Mangano oversees the sporting vision of the club, coaching and the first team, player care, medical and performance, sports science, soccer operations, and all wellness programs and resources.

A longstanding member of the US Women’s National Team, Hucles Mangano's international career included 109 caps and two Olympic gold medals. In 2009, Hucles was named the U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year."

Montee Kelly is a seasoned med-tech salesperson (specializing in the spine) and angel investor with an intriguing history in basketball. With thousands of hours of experience in the operating room AND on the court, he's worked with world-renowned surgeons AND your favorite NBA all-stars, like Kobe and Jordan.  More Montee https://www.monteekelly.com

Samir Kaji's SVB (Silicon Valley Bank) and FRB (First Republic Bank) tweets are regarded by most experts and insiders as the most informed and balanced of the past 4 days. They've provided clarity and calm in a time of chaos.  His original viral tweet thread is here: https://twitter.com/Samirkaji/status/1634324800901623808?s=20

Gosia Karas is a banking risk management expert. She is also the Investment Director and Head of Growth Stage Investments at SB (Softbank) Opportunity Fund. We had this conversation at around 3pm PT today (Sunday, March 12). This is a quickly evolving situation, so please look at the latest news for updates. Follow Gosia at https://twitter.com/Gosia_Karas_ Update: moments after this video was published, the Federal Reserve released this positive news: https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20230312a.htm This is NOT accounting, legal, or financial advice.

Michael Fishman played the beloved character, "DJ", on Roseanne and The Connors. In this episode, he reveals how he has experienced betrayal (including from his own family), and how learning to forgive has helped him heal and thrive in Hollywood.  

Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_x_eHYxxY0

Timeline 

0:00 intro 

0:37 how Michael knows Arlan 

1:18 getting recognized 

1:56 "nicest person in Hollywood" 

5:03 directing "The Connors" 

5:59 Being on "Roseanne" 

8:30 Michael surprises Arlan 

9:55 Roseanne controversy 

17:53 Is Michael rich? 

21:11 working behind the scenes 

23:25 advice to show biz parents 

27:15 homeless at 15 

33:33 his son passed away 

38:14 an emotional moment 

40:48 on racism 

44:53 a big takeaway 

48:28 Michael's social media 

48:50 General Hospital

Franklin Leonard is a film executive best known for founding The Black List, a publication featuring Hollywood's most popular unproduced screenplays. 

View the video of this interview at: https://youtu.be/_Ra95Ju1B1w !

Anjali Bhimani is an American actress, she is known for voicing Symmetra in the video game Overwatch and Rampart in the video game Apex Legends, as well as for playing Aunt Ruby in Ms. Marvel. With over 100 acting and voiceover credits to her name, she's one of the most prolific actors of our time. 

See the video at https://youtu.be/jDowSFfdaCk!

Introducing: The 'Your First Million' VIDEO series! Debuts Feb 1! 

Subscribe now at youtube.com/@ARLANsyourfirstmillion to be the first to know when new episodes drop.

After reaching 1 million downloads of the Your First Million audio podcast, I decided to launch a brand new video version (that will always accompanied by the audio version the same day). I cannot wait for you to see and hear these amazing interviews. Subscribe today!

I record something like this each year around this time for those of us who want to feel a bit more connected. It's ok to feel lonely even when you're not alone. 

Since 280 characters are indeed not enough...

I recently launched a membership portal where I'm consulting serious entrepreneurs. Let's spend a year together and level up your company and life. accessarlan.mn.co

This is a raw recording of my chat with actor, Dean Cain (tv's Superman), that I had earlier today after running into him in an elevator. Trigger warning: frank discussion of Jan 6th, covid mandates, Trump, and police brutality.

8mins, check it out. 

Paige Craig is one of the most well-respected angel investors in the game, but he didn’t start his career in the finance world. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he started his own military intelligence company and sold it in 2009. Since then, he’s been at the top of the leader boards on AngelList, pulling together funds for a variety of startups like Lyft, Twitter, and Postmates.

Paige shares some great insights on how syndicate investing works. We talk about his experience with investing, how he built his network, and the risks you should anticipate when investing with Backstage Crowd (or any other syndicate).

If you want to get involved, visit backstagecrowd.com.

Highlights

Links

Twitter: @paigecraig

For founders in the South: Outlanderlabs.com

With hits like “Caught Out There,” & “Milkshake,” Kelis needs no introduction. We spoke candidly about entrepreneurship, artistry, and legacy during this live recording in front of an intimate online audience, May 8, 2020. Recent Your First Million interviewee @Janine joined the conversation as my special guest. 

Did you enjoy this episode? What are your thoughts? Leave me a voice message:

https://anchor.fm/yfm/message

Highlights

8:01 A sneak preview of my book It’s About Damn Time!

16:37 Janine and I reminisce about our time on tour together 

20:21 Kelis talks about growing up in Harlem

23:30 She talks about the Black music community in NYC in the 90s

26:36 I ask how she stays grounded when she started at such a young age

31:38 Janine asks Kelis what it’s like to balance herself as an artist and a person who needs to live

39:45 Kelis talks about making Milkshake and her fight to produce music that she wanted to make

43:57 I ask Kelis about the process of understanding her worth 

47:15 I ask her about taking a break from music and attending Cordon Bleu in 2007

51:59 I ask Kelis to talk more about the Netflix Show Cooked with Cannabis

Q&A

56:50 Do you have any other culinary plans for the future?

59:34 What is your advice when it comes to dealing with people dredging up your past 

62:32 Kelis talks about stepping out of her artistry and building her wealth

66:33 She talks about the importance of owning land: “20-30% of America’s farms were owned by

Black families. We gave all that up for an apartment.”

At the beginning of May 2020, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) released some interesting and time-sensitive pieces in light of COVID-19. I want to share this information with you because I don’t think this is just about VCs.

Entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses will be the ones to bring the world out of this pandemic - help them make it happen. You have an opportunity to write to your representatives about getting this stimulus package to the people who need it.

How are you doing? Did you find this helpful? Leave me a voice message:

https://anchor.fm/yfm/message

Highlights

4:56 How the NVCA is encouraging the government to increase PPP funding

5:58 Why I see the world of VC as more than just the extremely wealthy

8:16 Statistics and numbers about how startups are affected

10:40 Why it’s important to help the VC industry stay afloat

15:00 How this affects underrepresented founders

17:48 How Backstage Capital is trying to provide opportunities for serendipitous relationships to happen between investors and entrepreneurs

20:08 Some companies that I see doing great work

29:00 VC-specific details and terms in the NVCA letter to the treasury

Links

https://backstagecapital.com/together

https://nvca.org/

https://itsaboutdamntime.com

This audio is taken from a live virtual conversation that took place on April 29, 2020 with approx 100 in attendance.

After reading Lean In, Minda Harts realized that, while some of the advice was helpful, no one was writing about the obstacles women of color face to achieve success. So in 2019, she wrote The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table. Now, she speaks at corporate events to give actionable advice on how to make the workspace better for everyone.

I followed and studied Minda Harts’ work for a while before releasing my own book, It’s About Damn Time. In this episode, we talk about leaning in as Black women, calling on allies to show up, and sharing our truths with the people who need to hear it.

What did you like about this episode? Leave me a message at: https://anchor.fm/yfm/message

Highlights

6:42 What is the book about? 

10:09 She describes her experiences in predominantly white spaces, and her decision to start these conversations with allies (and non-allies)

13:24 Minda talks about why this book is for everyone

15:21 We discuss the importance of being seen and the lack of diversity in the publishing business

Q&A

20:40 You speak at a lot of corporate events. How does that go over when your book is critical of the corporate world?

22:31 What’s a good example of a takeaway from the book that someone could implement today?

24:21 Do you have a recommendation on books we can read to continue the conversation you established with The Memo?

26:37 Who are some other black women who inspire you? And what are you reading now?

29:23 If you could go back in time and give Arlan advice on writing her book, what would it be?

33:06 What is your take on the word 'feminist'?

34:16 How have you seen white women show up as allies since you put your book out?

35:57 How does this translate to our engagement with black men?

38:30 What advice do you have for anyone who wants to write a book?

41:05 Did anyone come back to you after reading this book and criticize what you said?

43:53 How has writing the book affected you?

Links

http://mindaharts.com

Tara Reed founded Apps Without Code to help anyone build an app, even if they don’t have any technical knowledge. And in 2019, she generated $1 million in revenue from her online course. Ever since I started this podcast, I’ve wanted to interview Tara and share her story.

Like what you hear? Leave me a message at: https://anchor.fm/yfm/message

Highlights

Links

https://www.appswithoutcode.com/

use the code FAST10 when you’re ready to try the program!

“It’s one thing to be an employee and make your salary…It’s another thing to be invested.”

After years of running in similar circles but never crossing paths, Sophia Bush and I finally take a moment to get to know each other. We have mutual friends in the entertainment industry, and when I started Backstage Capital, I found out that Sophia is also an investor in her own right.

You may know her from One Tree Hill, John Tucker Must Die, and Chicago Fire. But what you may not know is that she wanted to be a cardiovascular surgeon, she’s successfully invested in multiple startups, and she encourages women to demand equity from the spaces they contribute to.

Episode highlights