Roar with Lakecia Gunter Turning Grit Into Growth: Laurel Mintz on Leading, Branding & Backing Diverse Founders
In this dynamic episode of the Roar podcast, host Lakecia Gunter sits down with Laurel Mintz—marketing powerhouse, founder of Elevate My Brand, and General Partner at Fabric VC. Laurel shares her unexpected leap into entrepreneurship when she was called to take over her father’s business at just 26 years old, a moment that forever shifted her trajectory from corporate law to visionary leadership. Through candid storytelling, she unpacks how her early experience in crisis leadership shaped her understanding of brand-building, equity, and empowerment.
Laurel dives deep into her marketing-first approach to venture capital, the data-driven strategy behind backing diverse founders, and the importance of building intentional ecosystems. She offers practical insights for entrepreneurs—especially those underestimated or underfunded—on standing out in saturated markets, developing competitive branding, and building investor-ready networks rooted in authenticity and value.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- (01:43) – How Laurel became interim CEO of a national company at age 26 and what that taught her about herself and entrepreneurship
- (04:00) – Why soft skills and communication were pivotal in her leadership journey—and the foundation of Elevate My Brand
- (07:18) – What sets successful brands apart: the secret to balancing creativity with data
- (08:27) – How Fabric VC leverages marketing software as a second layer of investment diligence
- (10:39) – Why investing in diversity isn't just the right thing—it’s also smart business
- (13:01) – The most common blind spots founders face—and how to fix them
- (17:51) – How Laurel helps founders differentiate from pitch deck to brand positioning
- (20:09) – Why intentional relationship-building is critical to success in both branding and fundraising
- (22:41) – The #1 branding mistake most executives and founders make
- (26:32) – Laurel’s closing mindset shift: “It only takes one yes—just keep moving forward like a shark”
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