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• Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2018 (Revised October 2019)

  Arlan Hamilton and Backstage Capital

  Laura Huang and Sarah Mehta

  Frustrated by an inability to convince existing venture capital firms to invest in companies led by women, people of color, and LGBT founders, Arlan Hamilton started her own firm, Backstage Capital, in 2015. Hamilton understood the untapped potential of companies run by underrepresented founders, a group historically excluded from venture capital funding, and was eager to demonstrate the significant returns on investment in such companies. This case explores Hamilton’s nontraditional VC background and her mission to fund startups where at least one founder of the company identifies as a woman, person of color, or LGBT. Now, three years after its founding, Hamilton is considering launching both an accelerator and a fund that will invest exclusively in Black women.

  Keywords: black leadership; LGBTQ; women; people of color; Entrepreneurship; Mission and Purpose; Venture Capital; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Identity; Personal Characteristics; Prejudice and Bias; Social Issues; Diversity; Gender; Race;

  Citation:

  Huang, Laura, and Sarah Mehta. "Arlan Hamilton and Backstage Capital." Harvard Business School Case 419-029, October 2018. (Revised October 2019.)  View Details

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• Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | September 2019

  Boxed

  Laura Huang and Andy Wu

  Boxed.com (“Boxed”) is an ambitious e-commerce retailer start-up, founded by visionary CEO Chieh Huang in 2013. From starting in Huang’s garage in 2013, to winning Emerging E-Retailer of the Year in 2016, to having 4 operational distribution centers in 2018, Boxed used a variety of strategies in order to gain customers and grow its presence. This case explores the journey that the scrappy, new entrant navigated as it competed against large, goliath players in an already established retail and e-commerce industry.

  Keywords: e-commerce; entrepreneurial management; Business Startups; Leadership; Strategy; Success; Retail Industry;

  Citation:

  Huang, Laura, and Andy Wu. "Boxed." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 720-399, September 2019.  View Details

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• Article | Harvard Business Review (website)

  Research: Changing Your Mind Makes You Seem Intelligent

  Martha Jeong, Leslie K. John, Francesca Gino and Laura Huang

  Citation:

  Jeong, Martha, Leslie K. John, Francesca Gino, and Laura Huang. "Research: Changing Your Mind Makes You Seem Intelligent." Harvard Business Review (website) (September 11, 2019).  View Details

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