When it comes to fundraising, storytelling is a crucial element that can make or break a founder’s success. It goes beyond presenting information and numbers; it’s about creating a narrative that captivates investors and showcases the potential of the opportunity. Black founders should leverage their unique experiences and perspectives to craft a powerful story that resonates with investors, highlighting their journey, the problem they’re solving, and the impact they can make can help differentiate them in a crowded market. In this episode we sit with James Norman, co-founder Black Ops, who shares valuable insights on building successful tech companies and raising venture capital as a black founder. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling and the power of a compelling narrative when pitching to investors. James also offers advice on navigating the fundraising process and highlights the need for black founders to focus on building a strong network and finding mentors who can provide guidance and support. Overall, he provides valuable advice for black founders looking to succeed in the tech industry. If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.  Founder Bio: James Norman is a serial entrepreneur who built his first company at the age of 16, an aftermarket automotive e-commerce site called MJH Sound.com. While previously he may have been known as a visionary in automotive product planning, over the past 7 years in the media and entertainment industry he has become a thought leader in over-the-top media and consumer video consumption behaviors. His latest venture is Pilotly, a consumer insights platform that enables content creators to get feedback from audiences at scale. Time Stamps: 02:25 Introduction and background of James Norman 10:02 Hiring the right engineer to build a product 13:46 The continuous learning process in technology 15:09 Funding challenges for non-profit organizations 17:27 How Black Ops program born out of the experience of founder support 21:13 Shifting power dynamics when fundraising as a founder 24:39 Building a Strong VC Network 26:11 Articulating the unique value and experience of the fund 30:38 Considerations for fund size and raising a first fund 33:19 Financial modeling and decision-making for portfolio construction 35:05 Importance of having a term sheet to raise a Series A 36:21 The power of storytelling in convincing investors and supporters 41:25 Addressing Gaps in Accelerators for Black Founders 46:21 What is coming up in the 2024 Resources Company website: https://www.blackopsvc.com/Twitter: https://www.linkedin.com/company/black-ops-vc/ LinkedIn: https://twitter.com/BlackOpsVC