Ep. 102 Devin Baptiste on Funding Secrets for Underrepresented Founders
4/28/26
Entrepreneurship funding is the focus as DO GOOD X closes season two with a powerful rewind conversation featuring serial entrepreneur Devin Baptiste. Devin co-founded GroupRaise, a company now operating in hundreds of cities, and has become a trusted voice for helping underrepresented founders navigate capital raising. In this episode, he breaks down what investors truly respond to, why your need for money is never a reason to fund your business, and how founder mindset shapes every pitch. Devin also shares his approach to mentoring Black entrepreneurs, offering frameworks that translate across backgrounds while honoring the unique barriers founders of color face in accessing venture capital.
In This Episode
- 00:00 Introduction to the DO GOOD X podcast and the season two finale with serial entrepreneur Devin Baptiste
- 06:05 Devin shares the first principles of entrepreneurship funding and why investors respond to the fear of missing out, not the founder's need
- 12:33 Discussion of the qualities Devin looks for in mentees and how impact entrepreneurship drives his mentorship choices
- 16:16 Devin explains his mentorship philosophy, helping founders find their own path
- 18:09 What should a mentor-mentee relationship look like
Key Takeaways
- 💎 Investor relations are built on two core emotions: fear of missing out and the desire for outsized returns. Every slide in your pitch deck should speak to one of those emotions. If it does not, it does not belong in your presentation.
- 💎 The traditional startup advice ecosystem was not built with Black entrepreneurs in mind. Devin Baptiste argues there must be an additional layer of support that accounts for the psychological weight of rejection specifically faced by founders of color seeking access to capital.
- 💎 Great founder support is not prescriptive. The most effective mentors give founders frameworks for thinking, not instructions for acting, so that each founder can show up with their own strengths and solve problems on their own terms.
About The Hosts
Kimberly R. Daniel
Kimberly R. Daniel catalyzes entrepreneurs and organizations to do good. She is co-founder and project director of DO GOOD X, a community that provides programs and support for faith-driven social entrepreneurs whose businesses focus on positive Change.
Kimberly also helps purpose-driven organizations clarify and design compelling brand and communication strategies. With over 15 years of experience developing and leading communications efforts, it is her commitment to produce effective processes and create authentic, “sticky” brands that are community-centered.
In addition, Kimberly has nearly 10 years of experience as a certified life coach and has facilitated workshops, spoken to communities, and written about innovation and entrepreneurship centered on social impact. She is co-author of A Way Out of No Way: An Approach to Christian Innovation (2021).
In any aspect of her work, she is deeply passionate about purpose, meaning, and the common good.
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Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis is the president of the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) and creator and co-founder of DO GOOD X, a start-up accelerator for diverse Christian social entrepreneurs. He is an organizational change strategist and a leadership development specialist, focused on inspiring the next generation of faith-inspired leaders and entrepreneurs to live and work on purpose. Stephen is the co-author of Another Way: Living and Leading Change on Purpose (2020) and A Way Out of No Way: Approach to Christian Innovation (2021).
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