Josh Constine is right, I need to step up my content game.
Hey ya’ll it’s Dez. I’ve decided to take writing more seriously and write more content about the space that I’m currently in. I’m actually pretty terrified because writing is something I’ve never taken seriously. When I think of content creation I think of VIDEO content. That’s my true niche. I have my own video content editing company Promo-Jones, where I help small businesses create, repurpose, and post social media content (mostly video).
Does Gen- Z read? Honestly. With the growth of video consumption as a whole, writing and reading could possibly be as ancient as an actual newspaper. With Social media platforms on the rise, the rise of tech, the rise of online shopping, the rise of digital media empires, who has the time to read?
I barely have the time to write but I know that I have to. I have to because there is a whole new generation out there that thinks being an influencer is better than getting a degree in college, (Newsflash, college isn’t just about the degree, it’s about THE CONNECTIONS YOU GET FROM THE SCHOOL). You’re not just paying for the dorm, you’re paying for the access.
I’m a graduate of Hampton University, an HBCU in Hampton, Virginia that strives on being The Standard of Excellence. We are. I graduated with my degree in Marketing and a fresh outlook on Entrepreneurship. I started my company Promo-Jones in college and my business is still going strong. I’m heading into my 5th year but I’m trying to get to my 50th so I’m enjoying the journey with no expectation of becoming a millionaire tomorrow. Money will always come, but I need to have a solid foundation so that I can sustain and build over time.
And this…is why I think I’ll do pretty good in Venture capital.
My Hampton connections are what led me to become a Class 4 HBCUvc Fellow (Class 4 Dior is our nickname). It’s at HBCUvc that I truly started learning more about what Venture Capital. The first part of the fellowship, I learned what an investment memo was, listened to awesome speakers who are currently leading the world in innovation and I even got a signed copy of Arlan Hamilton’s new book, It’s About Damn Time! I also became even more aware of how the Venture Capital community needs MORE people of color/minorities in this space so there won’t be anymore missed opportunities from VC firms.
It’s at HBCUvc that I finally found my space of being able to actually express my opinion on society without having to sugarcoat my feelings for the sake of a check. As investors, it’s their money and they’re values. So if the start up doesn’t align with their values, why would they give you money? If you’re a health tech start up, you would go to a firm that has a thesis aligning with health and tech innovation.
This past week, I sent my first investment memo to HBCUvc and now, I’m currently preparing to submit another investment memo, for another fellowship I got accepted into! The Dipper Research Fellowship. This fellowship is a heavy writing and reading intensive fellowship that overall provides a solid foundation for thesis development. My thesis focus is on NoCode. Specifically, NoCode/LowCode software tools that help propel small businesses and creative businesses forward. I’ve definitely been doing a lot more reading. This could honestly be a Master’s Program because of the amount of Due Diligence we do. I absolutely love it though.
Yesterday, I was on my lunch at Home Depot ( I work there part time) and listening to Josh Constantine talk to our Dipper Research Cohort about his journey from Lead Writer of Inside Facebook to Principal investor and Head Of Content at venture capital fund SignalFire. It was very eye opening and inspiring.
I think the main part I got from his message was, WTF am I waiting around for. I need to start writing more often and stop overthinking this. My overall purpose in writing more content is to show my journey in the world of Venture Capital and all that comes with it, which now includes writing more.
Thanks Josh, let’s see how this goes.
