Kathryn Finney’s Career Playbook: Empowering 2,500+ Black Women.
Her research report’s credibility enabled her to support over 2,000. Black women entrepreneurs, securing over $100 million in funding.
Kathryn Finney, founder of Genius Guild, built a successful career by first investing in herself and supporting those overlooked by the traditional system.
Kathryn Finney, a trained epidemiologist, took her first step into fashion in 2003 by launching The Budget Fashionista blog, as reported by The Mobile Rundown. Focused on affordability and accessibility, she grew the platform into one of the most successful fashion blogs around.
In 2014, Finney sold the blog, using the proceeds to fund her next venture. By that time, she had already spent two years building Digitalundivided, an organization aimed at supporting Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs in tech, addressing an issue she felt was being overlooked.
Her strategy was to “use data to break the silence”—essentially, bringing the facts to the table. After gaining national attention through her fashion blog, she launched the #ProjectDiane research report to highlight the funding gap Black women entrepreneurs face.
The credibility of her data allowed her to secure over $100 million in funding, supporting more than 2,000 women-led startups.
When the world changed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Finney didn’t slow down or lose her drive to help entrepreneurs succeed. She invested $10,000 of her own funds to create The Doonie Fund, named after her granddaughter, which provided micro-investments to Black women business owners. Her goal during the crisis was to act quickly, focusing on trust and impactful, smaller investments.
“You don’t need millions to make a difference. Start with what you have—and move fast,” Finney recommended.
Building on her success, the venture fund leader launched Genius Guild, a $20 million venture fund and business studio. Aimed at supporting Black entrepreneurs looking to scale businesses that benefit their communities, Finney positioned her company to gain backing from Melinda Gates and the Surdna Foundation.
She encourages everyday entrepreneurs to build success through discipline, data, and focus. Finney has grown into a national voice due to her impactful work.
