Arlan Hamilton went from sleeping on an airport floor to building a $30M venture fund, writing multiple books, launching a podcast with over a million downloads, growing a YouTube channel to 150K+ subscribers, and creating paid communities that serve thousands of entrepreneurs. None of it required permission. All of it started with what she already knew. In this session, Arlan breaks down how to turn your expertise into assets you own—content, courses, communities, and products that generate income independent of your W2. If you've ever thought about monetizing what's in your head, this is the roadmap.
Turn What You Know Into What You Own
ARLAN HAMILTON
Cultural Catalyst
Arlan Hamilton is a serial entrepreneur, author, and investor who built Backstage Capital from the ground up while homeless—raising $30 million and investing in over 200 startups led by underestimated founders. She is the author of It's About Damn Time and Your First Million, and hosts the Your First Million podcast, which has surpassed one million downloads. Arlan has productized her expertise through paid communities, courses, and her annual Your First Million Live event. She is also a co-founder of 3XBA, the first professional women's FIBA 3x3 basketball league in the U.S.
Your Access Is an Asset
You've spent years becoming the go-to person in your field. You have the relationships, the reputation, the knowledge. But you don't own any of it. In this session, Kahlana Barfield Brown shares how she turned a decade of editorial credibility into products, partnerships, and revenue streams she controls. She'll break down how to identify what you've built that has value beyond your paycheck, how to position yourself for the right opportunities, and how to go from being the expert to being the owner. If you've ever wondered how to convert what you know and who you know into something you actually own—this is the playbook.
KAHLANA BARFIELD BROWN
Founder of KBB by Kahlana
Kahlana Barfield Brown is a fashion designer, brand founder, and former Beauty Director at InStyle. After a decade in editorial, she transitioned to entrepreneurship—becoming Target's first design partner for Future Collective and collaborating with Nike on a custom Air Force 1. Her independently owned line, KBB by Kahlana, launched at Target in 2025. She appears regularly on Today, Good Morning America, The View, and Entertainment Tonight. Kahlana is a Howard University graduate.
Profit from the Podium
Lexi B. went from a $200 speaking fee at a college career fair to $17,000 keynotes for Fortune 500 CEO offsites—all while climbing the corporate ladder at Facebook, Twitter, and now Microsoft. At one point, she was earning 70% of her corporate salary through speaking alone. In this session, she breaks down exactly how she built it: how to find your topic, how to price yourself (and why yesterday's price is never today's price), how to get booked without a publicist, what separates decent speakers from great ones, and how to turn every stage into your next opportunity. If you've ever thought about monetizing your voice but didn't know where to start, this is your playbook.
LEXI B.
Technology Executive & Public Speaker
Lexi B. is a tech executive at Microsoft and founder of SisterCircle: Black Women in Tech, an international community of 10,000+ women in tech-related professions. Previously held leadership roles at Twitter and Facebook. A trained performer with a Broadway background from ages 5-17, she's built a six-figure speaking business on the side, commanding up to $30K per keynote on topics including privilege in the workplace and professional development. Stanford graduate. Host of her own podcast. Selected for LinkedIn's Accelerator Program as a top creator.
MORE CREATE SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON