| Good evening, ForbesBLK. Ali Jackson-Jolley here. Does the name Everette Taylor sound familiar? Taylor is the CEO of the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and one of the few Black CEOs leading a global tech company. I’ve admired Taylor since he first came to our attention as a 2018 Forbes Under 30 honoree. Raised by a single mother on the Southside of Richmond, Virginia, Taylor dropped out of college twice. He experienced homelessness, sleeping in his car, and cold-called his way into opportunities where few expected to see him. He launched his first startup at the age of 19. His early boldness established the foundation for a career marked by risk-taking, reinvention, and relentless drive. Taylor joined our Forbes Talks series for a wide-ranging leadership discussion. In the interview, Taylor reveals how he is transforming Kickstarter in the creator economy and recaps an unusual climb to CEO. Founded in 2009, New York-based Kickstarter estimates that more than $8.5 billion was pledged on its platform, supporting more than 650,000 campaigns. “Kickstarter,” Taylor says, “lives at the epicenter of the creator economy.” But that status almost faded three years ago. In 2022, when Taylor took the helm, Kickstarter’s shine was starting to dim. Still a leader in the crowdfunding space, Taylor admitted that “revenue was declining, competitors were gaining ground, and the company’s cultural relevance” almost died. “We weren’t operating at the level we needed to be,” Taylor recalls. Taylor made a bold bet on the creator economy to reignite Kickstarter’s influence as a vital player in a rapidly evolving digital ecosystem. “I didn’t just want to be a leader in crowdfunding,” he says. “I wanted Kickstarter to be a leader in the creator economy.” To achieve this mission, Taylor relied on the D word: Diversity. “Inclusivity was mission-critical,” he says. “It started internally with our team. My CMO is a Black woman. My head of content is a man of color. Our head of social is a woman of color. We built a team that looks like the world we serve." “This work is personal,” Taylor adds. “I know what it’s like to fight for an opportunity. I know what it means to have someone believe in you. That’s what we’re building at Kickstarter—a place where creators don’t just launch projects, they build movements.” By now, you should know Everette Taylor—the purest example of grit to growth. Check out the interview to discover his leadership style as CEO. Enjoy the holiday weekend. | 
