Ep.19 Gang Leader Turned Venture Capital Investor - Karl Lokko On How He Turned His Back On Crime.
11/14/22 • 59 min
Karl Lokko is an ex-gang leader turned activist, campaigner, influencer and entrepreneur. Growing up on a tough estate swarming with gangs, Karl's childhood was far from plain-sailing, witnessing his first shooting when just 12 years old.
Though at the time this had felt shocking, within four years Karl found himself behind the trigger, eventually becoming the ringleader of his own notorious gang. Before he was even 16, Karl had already been shot at, cut on his face, stabbed in the chest and watched one of his best friends get killed.
Karl finally pivoted when he met Pastor Mimi Asher, the mother of a fellow gang member, who showed him a way out. Resulting from Mimi's courageous counselling and mentorship, Karl was able to gain perspective, zoom out on his situation, and turn a life of crime into a life worth living.
Since then, Karl has dedicated his life and career to helping others do the same. Karl also leads the vision for Black Seed, a community and seed fundraiser to exclusively support black-led start-ups. With an embarrassing 0.24% of venture funding reaching black founders, Karl is leading the Black Seed team to tackle the systemic racial disparities in investment, their vision to find the next black unicorn and transform Brixton into Silicon Valley.
Today’s episode will completely blow your mind. As he describes it, Karl’s story reflects the journey of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly - the complete transformation of his life into something utterly unrecognisable.
Karl's childhood in South London
Where Karl's involvement in gangs began
When Karl couldn't join a gang, he created one
The problems within the system perpetuating gang culture
How and why Karl eventually turned his back on crime
The beginnings of Karl's first business - a rehab centre.
The initial idea for Black Seed
The horror show that are Black Founder statistics
https://www.instagram.com/blackseedvc/?hl=en
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Karl Lokko is an ex-gang leader turned activist, campaigner, influencer and entrepreneur. Growing up on a tough estate swarming with gangs, Karl's childhood was far from plain-sailing, witnessing his first shooting when just 12 years old.
Though at the time this had felt shocking, within four years Karl found himself behind the trigger, eventually becoming the ringleader of his own notorious gang. Before he was even 16, Karl had already been shot at, cut on his face, stabbed in the chest and watched one of his best friends get killed.
Karl finally pivoted when he met Pastor Mimi Asher, the mother of a fellow gang member, who showed him a way out. Resulting from Mimi's courageous counselling and mentorship, Karl was able to gain perspective, zoom out on his situation, and turn a life of crime into a life worth living.
Since then, Karl has dedicated his life and career to helping others do the same. Karl also leads the vision for Black Seed, a community and seed fundraiser to exclusively support black-led start-ups. With an embarrassing 0.24% of venture funding reaching black founders, Karl is leading the Black Seed team to tackle the systemic racial disparities in investment, their vision to find the next black unicorn and transform Brixton into Silicon Valley.
Today’s episode will completely blow your mind. As he describes it, Karl’s story reflects the journey of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly - the complete transformation of his life into something utterly unrecognisable.
Karl's childhood in South London
Where Karl's involvement in gangs began
When Karl couldn't join a gang, he created one
The problems within the system perpetuating gang culture
How and why Karl eventually turned his back on crime
The beginnings of Karl's first business - a rehab centre.
The initial idea for Black Seed
The horror show that are Black Founder statistics
https://www.instagram.com/blackseedvc/?hl=en
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
Ep.18 Courtney Black: From Personal Trainer To Multi-Millionaire
TRIGGER WARNING
Courtney Black is the 26-year-old serial entrepreneur and 2x Sunday Times Bestselling author who transformed her personal training career into a multi-million-pound fitness business during the pandemic.
Courtney is the founder of the Courtney Black App, an online fitness platform she launched just two weeks before the lockdown with every penny in her savings. Initially launched as an app to be used in tangent with equipment found in a gym, Courtney was devastated when COVID closed sports centres nationwide, forcing her to rethink her business. At a time when people were looking for ways to stay healthy while locked away, Courtney began posting a series of live home workouts on her Instagram, for which she received unplanned media attention and conversion to her app.
As her workouts went viral, Courtney also used her platform to expose fitness fads and myths bred online that she, sadly too, had once fallen for. Having suffered through a vicious cycle of restrictive dieting and undereating, Courtney understands what it means to have an unhealthy relationship with food, an obsession that left her dangerously underweight and still haunts her today. In today's episode, Courtney shares her story of how she went from barely surviving, to thriving. She has not only overcome and recovered from a lingering eating disorder but has grown and scaled a business amidst a global pandemic.
Topics:
'The restriction cycle' and Courtney's personal battle with an eating disorder.
The story of how she built the Courtney Black App and made it worth millions.
How can drowning in hard work often act as a detriment to success?
From founder to leader: Courtney's entrepreneurial journey.
What's next for Courtney and her app?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode
Ep.20 From Make Up Counter To Millionaire Mogul; Jamie Genevieve On Building Her Empire
Jamie Genevieve is the 29-year-old founder of VIEVE, a makeup empire built on inclusivity, self-expression and positivity. She is a pro-makeup artist turned vlogging sensation, finding fame on YouTube for her original online makeup tutorials and lifestyle content.
Having built a following of over 3 million people, Jamie decided to quit her full-time job and invested her influencer earnings in VIEVE, launched in 2020 with nude lipsticks, lipliners, highlighters and an eyeshadow palette. Despite launching amidst the pandemic, VIEVE had an incredible start, receiving backing from the investors behind Charlotte Tilbury and TALA, selling out all debut products within a week. Jamie herself has gone on to lead a career of outstanding success, securing VOGUE Beauty Influencer Mogul of the Year 2021 and becoming an honorary board advisor of the British Beauty Council earlier this year.
Today's highly-requested episode shares the story of how a successful modern makeup brand can be born from an innate passion for artistry. Jamie shares her personal story of growth, including her strategy as a founder, navigating entrepreneurship, working with her husband and the brand's future.
Accidentally falling into the world of social media
The start of brand partnerships & the LA trip which changed her life
The beginning of Jamie’s makeup business, VIEVE
How Jamie starting building the team at VIEVE
Wearing multiple hats as a business founder and social media mogul
What’s the big goal with VIEVE?
When VIEVE became ready for investment
Jamie on working with her husband
The balance between hustle and health
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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