We are in the year 2021, and we are seeing more empowered women and successful people of color. One would think that racism is over, and we have finally achieved total equality amongst races and genders. Sadly, this has not been the experience of Gary Stewart, Founder, and CEO of FounderTribes. From his experience, this issue is far from over, and he has made it his mission to create diversity in entrepreneurship. 

"If you don't know the rules of the game that you're playing, then there's no chance that you're going to win." - Garry Stewart.

According to Garry, entrepreneurship is already hard and filled with uncertainties. But because of inequality, people of color and female genders face additional difficulties aside from the inevitable challenges that entrepreneurship has. People of color like him are not getting the same treatment as white people do.  

From his vast experience of being in different countries, investors in Europe are reluctant to invest in people of color, even the people he considered friends. Unlike people in the US or even Spain, they are more open to investing money in people of color as long as they see potential and brilliance.

Existing diversity programs right now only benefit the people who belong to a particular social class. Most of his current investors have been middle-class people who recognize the problem and are willing to do something about it. 

"If you belong to a certain social class or you're close enough to it, then you have certain benefits. And everyone else is meant to serve." - Garry Stewart

This is why Gary wanted to do something about it. He developed FounderTribes with the mission to create equal opportunity and diversity in entrepreneurship. It is an app designed to help entrepreneurs understand what it takes to succeed and connect founders to the right investors and mentors.

For a monthly subscription fee, here's how Foundertribes helps entrepreneurs:

Know the Rules of the Game

Most entrepreneurs don't know the rules of the game that they are playing in. Many people only find out about it after they have already failed, which inturn increases their overall chance of failure. 

Understanding that not everyone went to business schools, one of the features of this app is to simplify the language and terminologies used in business. This ensures that the founder or entrepreneur completely understands everything there is to know about the company. It also gives them an overview of their current status and where they need to be. 

Access to Mentors and Coaches

Another area where entrepreneurs need help is access to mentors and coaches that will help them boost their business. Gary and his team created a database of a fully vetted list of coaches and consultants. This saves entrepreneurs time rather than looking for random people on the internet. 

List of Investors

After you have mitigated all the business risks and you've met your coaches and mentors, FounderTribes will give you access to a carefully curated list of investors if the community has deemed you ready for capitalization. You will be able to choose the right investor for your stage and vertical. 

The app also makes everything transparent. There is a feedback mechanism where you can see the performance of individual investors. 

Conclusion

Gary is extremely passionate about helping the minority get equal treatment and status. Arming them with the right knowledge and giving them access to the right coaches and investors increases the chance of the entrepreneur's success. FounderTribes is just the first step towards getting equal opportunity and diversity in entrepreneurship.