Black Founders Focus: Overcoming Adversity with Khiry Kemp and Tiffany Dufu (October 29, 2020)

This year has placed a national spotlight on the Black experience, and it’s more important than ever for successful Black founders to share their experiences, insight, and advice. Oppti founder Khiry Kemp is joined by Tiffany Dufu, CEO of The Cru and author of Drop the Ball, to discuss overcoming adversity, facing your respective challenges, and what founders and investors alike should know about Black entrepreneurship.

Join Khiry and Tiffany for unique insights on:

• Leveraging peer support
• Early growth mentorship
• Connecting with successful founders
• Raising awareness
• Focusing on your mission

Speakers

Khiry Kemp

Khiry Kemp is the Chairman of Black Founders Initiative at Founders Network.

After a brief career in Management Consulting, Khiry Kemp has completely dedicated his time to helping high school students with college and career readiness. Khiry co-founded Oppti, a software platform with the largest database of internships and volunteer opportunities for high school students. He's also the co-author of "Starting Your Own Microbusiness," a book that helps young people explore, initiate, and execute business ideas. He also helped launch a nonprofit, Building BLOC, that provides youth mentorship services for college and career development.

Tiffany Dufu

Tiffany Dufu is founder and CEO of The Cru. Their algorithm matches circles of women who collaborate to meet their personal and professional goals. She’s also the author of the bestselling book Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less. According to foreword contributor Gloria Steinem, Drop the Ball is “important, path-breaking, intimate and brave.”

Named to Entrepreneur's 100 Powerful Women and Fast Company’s League of Extraordinary Women, Tiffany has raised nearly $20 million toward the cause of women and girls. She is a frequent speaker on women’s leadership and has presented at Fortune Magazine’s Most Powerful Women Summit, MAKERS and TEDWomen. She was a launch team member to Lean In and was Chief Leadership Officer to Levo, one of the fastest growing millennial professional networks. Prior to that, Tiffany served as President of The White House Project, as a Major Gifts Officer at Simmons University, and as Associate Director of Development at Seattle Girls’ School.

Tiffany is a member of Women’s Forum New York, Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority, Inc. and is a Lifetime Girl Scout. She serves on the board of Girls Who Code and Simmons University and lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

Guests Are Welcome!

Please bring a guest! Every member can bring one (1) guest to each event. Each guest must be a full-time tech startup founder so they can bring new perspectives, skillsets, and experience to your chapter.

All guests must be full-time tech startup founders and you can register them directly on this function page. See How to Register a Guest here.

Confidentiality Reminder

All information shared within Founders Network is strictly confidential. We are built on a foundation of trust, and the community takes confidentiality seriously. Investors, members, and staff all share experiences and opinions off the record. In this roundtable forum, we continue to model our fnValues of Reciprocity, Humility, Authenticity and Inclusivity.