How I Raised $12 Million For My Media Start-Up

Blavity’s razor-sharp founder Morgan DeBaun has an incredible backstory—she was an early investor in Tesla and Facebook, graduated at the top of her class at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and was hired off of a LinkedIn post at Intuit in Silicon Valley where she quickly rose through the ranks. Then she left it all to start a media company geared toward Black millennials called Blavity—and she did all of this before her 30th birthday.

There were several factors that were building up to her decision to leave Intuit, but the final straw came on the day Mike Brown was killed by a police officer in Ferguson Missouri and she was dismayed by the lack of coverage by Black media as the story broke.

She teamed up with her friends Aaron Samuels, Jeff Nelson and Jonathan Jackson (who has since transitioned out of the company). But soon she found another challenge—less than three percent of women get venture funding each year, and for Black women— it’s less than one percent.

Despite all odds, here’s how Morgan DeBaun built an influential media empire reaching one of the most important and overlooked groups of our day—Black millennials.

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How I Built Blavity, A Media Empire for Black Millennials

[toddntasha]

*Love to see awesome black folk doing it big. Keep going Morgan!*

[mountainman]

Been subscribed to the Blavity email list for years. Keeps me updated on many issues that the MSM generally is apathy to.

[coleterrencerandolph]

This is a phenomenal interview. Didn’t know much about the Blavity culture and brand. I’m so glad Morgan and the partners pursued their passion and conviction creating such an amazing space for all black entrepreneurs! 💯💪🏾

[janetnjau]

THank you for blessing us with this content 🙌🙏

[Contentisdata]

At 13:00, "Once..." Haha! That magical moment!! ❤️

[TiaWasHere]

SUCH AN INSPIRATION! I ADMIRE AND RESPECT MORGAN DEBAUN! <3

[loujon]

This is what self made looks like folks

[KA-ywzj]

smart and full of potential...and she fine

[mrmikel]

Bitcoin is the future, investing in it now is the wisest thing to do now especially the current rise

[FedorKai]

That's what you do, when Jewish actors and directors couldn't get themselves taken seriously by the white movie makers in New York, they moved to LA and started Hollywood.

[luball]

Incredible respect for this woman, but to point out in the Michael Brown case, the media did not cover it because Michael Brown was seen a half hour before being shot, punching the owner of a gas station in the face and after getting caught stealing, when Stopped by the cop proceeded to physically threatened him ( this Was captured on video )

[janelleburton]

I really really do not like this interviewer.... he looks tired and uninterested as he speaks to Morgan. Very rude and insulting.

[TMM-N]

Stop making racism as an excuse.
If u talk to Kobe, jordan and other blacks successful people, they would immediately say it is not about race but determinations.
She was rejected many times and she said it was due to She is black..
But she forget that jeff bezos was rejected more than 30 times...

[adaml]

You look mixed...
Even still I love the victim story and identity politics.