ForbesBLK50 Money Masters List Highlights Black Funders, Despite Representation Gaps for Black Women

ForbesBLK released its #ForbesBLK50 Money Masters list highlighting the most prominent Black funders in venture capital, private equity and private credit. But even among this cohort, gaps in income, risk tolerance and access to capital continue to limit Black women’s representation. Read more: https://lnkd.in/emNHW9xY (Photo: Taylor Hill via Getty Images)

ForbesBLK released its #ForbesBLK50 Money Masters list highlighting the most prominent Black funders in venture capital, private equity and private credit. But even among this cohort, gaps in income, risk tolerance and access to capital continue to limit Black women’s representation. Read more: https://lnkd.in/emNHW9xY (Photo: Taylor Hill via Getty Images)

Every year there’s a list. A Black list. A Women list. A Black Women list. Some list. Then there’s a disappointing, yet realistic, statistic to accompany the list. While the systemic and other factors that influence these statistics are nuanced, multi-layered and may not be fixed in our lifetime, how much change does this list make? Does it add any value? If we use the everyday Black Woman for example, how can she benefit from a list such as this one? Yes, it’s great and inspiring for her to see someone like Mellody Hobson but there’s also the reminder that she may never get there. I don’t have a solution to fix what’s broken but I do want to offer the importance of highlighting or placing more emphasis on women that are moving, growing, or “on their way”. Not only highlighting those who have arrived to a certain status or level. Women don’t pursue opportunities such as promotion because most times they don’t see someone that looks like them at the next/higher levels. Perhaps if we highlight women across the pipeline we will see a change and have a list we can truly be proud of. A list that can impact the everyday Black Woman. As I share my thoughts, I’m certainly open to other’s on this topic as well.

ForbesBLK released its #ForbesBLK50 Money Masters list highlighting the most prominent Black funders in venture capital, private equity and private credit. But even among this cohort, gaps in income, risk tolerance and access to capital continue to limit Black women’s representation. Read more: https://lnkd.in/emNHW9xY (Photo: Taylor Hill via Getty Images)

Remember in 2024 when black women rallied around Kamala Harris for that historic “Win With Black Women” zoom call and raised about $1.5M within hours??? That’s the power of black women. That’s what happens when we come together and move with intention. Now imagine if we applied that same energy to funding our own. Here’s the reality: startups led by black women receive well under 1% of total U.S. VC investment. Under 1%!!!!! That’s absolutely pathetic! And I know this firsthand. Black women are building incredible platforms like SEELAH™, Greenlight Yourself, and Callo. And those are just a few I’ve been introduced to. Like me, each of these women is unwavering in her vision and commitment to entrepreneurship, yet we remain dramatically underfunded when it comes to access to capital. The talent is undeniable. The innovation is real. The funding is what is missing. But we already know this. We’ve talked about it. We’ve posted about it. But, what is the actual solution? What are WE going to do about it? No one is coming to save us. Historically, black women have built without safety nets, without institutional backing, without access to generational capital. This moment is no different. So I am asking a real question… What if we created our own system? I keep running the numbers over and over in my mind. To raise $1M, we need 5000 black women to invest $200 each. That’s it. One founder fully funded at $1M dollars. But then, we rotate.  We pay it forward. We build equity in each other’s businesses at the ground level. Y’all this could be transformative. We could help founders launch, scale, and hire. We could create ownership. Generational Wealth. Leverage. I don’t have every detail figured out. But I know this much: WAITING IS NOT A STRATEGY. This is not a pyramid scheme. It’s an intentional economic strategy to circulate capital within our community and help scale companies led by black women. We all know this truth. When black women get behind something, change happens. So, if this existed, would you participate? Would you invest? Would you help build it? I’m genuinely asking this because I’m SO serious about creating real change. Who’s with me?

Black women today are starting their own businesses at a faster clip than any other demographic in America, according to a recent report—and a less hospitable corporate world has a lot to do with it. Yet, the climate for budding entrepreneurs of color is also getting tougher. The share of venture-capital funding going to Black-owned businesses in 2025 was 0.3%, the lowest share in a decade, Crunchbase data show. Regina Lawless Toney left a six-figure job heading DEI efforts at Instagram in 2023 to start a consulting and coaching business for Black professional women. She says she didn’t even consider venture-capital funding for the business—named Bossy and Blissful—knowing how little goes to Black female founders. She has expanded into human-resources consulting, brought on coaching clients and does speaking engagements and workshops with companies. Yet the revenues and returns have been uneven.

Women in finance aren’t a new niche, in fact, they’re woven into the fabric of our nation. In 1776, a founding father tasked his wife with purchasing farmland and renting it out for a profit. Instead, Abigail Adams invested significantly in government and war bonds – risky investments in the new country – and nearly quadrupled her initial investment. June Middleton made history in 1962 by passing the registered representative exam and becoming the first female African American stockbroker. By 1965, she was profiled by the New York Times as the only African American woman selling securities for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Inspired by a seventh-grade field trip to the stock exchange and motivated by the challenge of being the first-ever woman to sell securities for a NYSE firm, a dream was born for the thirteen-year-old June Middleton. As we close out Black History Month and enter Women’s History Month, join us in celebrating the African American women and men who broke barriers for financial inclusivity. #BlackHistoryMonth #WomenInFinance #NYSE #WomensHistoryMonth

Dear Investors, The "There Can Be Only One" rule for Black founders, especially Black female founders, is not a diversity strategy. It's a quota dressed up as one. I've watched women get passed over for reasons that had nothing to do with their business. It may not have been conscious, but the data speaks for itself. We are not just a category. We are individuals with distinct ideas, markets, and potential. If you're an investor who's done this, again, even unconsciously, I'm not here to cancel you. I'm here to tell you you're leaving money on the table. The next $10M idea might be sitting in a pitch deck you haven't opened because your subconscious "slot" is filled. Happy #WomensHistoryMonth

We’re proud to spotlight Zainab C. Williams, CFP®, a York University alum whose work is reshaping how women access financial clarity, confidence, and control. A Certified Financial Planner, Zainab is the founder of Elleverity Wealth Management and FundEvolve; two platforms rooted in the belief that financial strategies should always put people’s best interests first. Through her work, she helps women plan for their financial future, build lasting wealth, and make informed decisions without pressure or confusion. In Part 1 of our two-part spotlight, Zainab shares her journey from York University to financial leadership and reflects on navigating the industry as a Black woman entrepreneur.

The system celebrates our creativity while starving our businesses. And I'm done pretending that's okay. Anifa built a GLOBAL brand from scratch and still had to pause. If that doesn't tell you everything about what Black women entrepreneurs are up against, I don't know what will. But here's what nobody is telling you: There's a $5 TRILLION wealth transfer happening RIGHT NOW. And if we don't move, we'll watch it pass us by, again. I break down exactly what this means for us and how to get in on it in this video. 👇 Drop "OWNERSHIP" in the comments if you're ready to stop building from zero and start owning what's already profitable. #business #acquisition #buyabusiness #wealthbuilding #businessowner