TSG Office Hours Episode 10 - Own What You Build with Donte Miller

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The room you wish you were already in.

In this episode, founder Thabiti Stephens sits down with Donte Miller of Village Micro Fund for a deep dive into how capital actually works — from venture capital and private equity down to micro-financing and decentralized ownership.

Donte breaks down the real difference between VC and PE: venture capital is a high-risk game chasing 10x returns on early-stage bets, while private equity typically targets businesses that already have real cash flow. He's direct about a point too many founders overlook — properly managing your accounting and paying your taxes isn't just compliance, it's the verifiable track record that makes you fundable when you go looking for loans or institutional capital. On fundraising itself, his framing is a negotiation, not a favor: know exactly how much capital you need, what you're willing to give up for it, and what an investor brings beyond the check.

The conversation's biggest idea is Endow — Donte's platform built as a digital cooperative, a DAO structure that lets communities collectively own assets and make decisions together, rethinking what community-led economic ownership can look like. For anyone looking to start their own fund, his advice is to start where you are — lean on community crowdfunding, build a real pipeline of credible entrepreneurs, and treat due diligence as a non-negotiable skill, not a formality.

Also announced: the next session features Dantrell Enman from JP Morgan Private Wealth Management, and Village Micro Fund's own program graduation and the launch of Endow are set for November 14th.

If you've ever wanted a seat at the table where the real advice gets shared, this is where it continues.

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