Expand Your Audience, Expand Your Value: Key Insights for Leveraging Social Media in Venture Capital

Dustin is an award-winning business journalist, bestselling author, and the chief content officer of Smart Business. Over the past 30 years, he has interviewed thousands of business and civic leaders, and helped more than 50 CEOs and entrepreneurs transform their ideas into books. A trained investigative politics reporter and former digital media entrepreneur, Dustin joined Smart Business in 1997 after serving as an editor at several daily newspapers.

Carrie Colbert is Founding and General Partner of Curate Capital, a venture capitalist firm dedicated to championing women-led businesses by providing not only financial support but also invaluable mentorship and resources. Her journey into the world of venture capitalism was born out of over two decades of experience in the energy industry, ten-plus years as an influencer, plus five-plus years of angel investing.

Throughout Carrie's career, she witnessed the disparities and challenges women face in male-dominated sectors. Fueled by a passion for equality and a desire to make a meaningful change, she decided to channel her expertise and resources into a venture that would empower women entrepreneurs to thrive. At Curate Capital, their mission extends beyond financial returns; it's about creating a more inclusive and equitable business ecosystem where all voices are heard and valued.

Aquila is the Founder and CEO of Haute in Texas, an award-winning PR and Marketing agency which has grown from scratch into a multiple six-figures business. She’s been asked to speak and present to audiences across the US, Europe and Asia, and has been featured in Forbes, The Telegraph UK, Digiday, and PR on the Go, in addition to numerous TV appearances, publications, and podcasts. Her blog collaborations and client roster feature some of the world’s biggest brands, including Vogue, Prada, Lincoln, Neiman Marcus, Kendra Scott, Orangetheory, and many, many more. She graduated with honors playing Division I volleyball at Western Kentucky University and obtained her Master’s from Gonzaga University.

She serves on various boards for a wide variety of non-profits, and in 2022 launched Haute in Network Agencies, a franchise model to help other women own their own agencies. In 2023 she was named a San Antonio Biz Journal 40 Under 40 honoree and launched the agency's first satellite location with Haute in Austin. Aquila and her college sweetheart, Orlando, have two girls and currently reside in San Antonio, Texas.

Darek Woodward is the Managing Partner of ROI Ventures, a firm dedicated to providing creators with access to equity opportunities by helping them build their own brands or strategically invest their capital in high-growth ventures. With nearly a decade of experience in the influencer economy, Darek has launched and scaled many influencer-backed companies, several of which have achieved 7- to 8-figure revenues. He has successfully exited several of those ventures and is set to launch two new influencer founded ventures the weekend after the conference. Holding an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, he brings expertise in strategy and analytics to influencer-driven businesses. Previously, Darek leveraged his knowledge of the influencer space by actively managing his wife Hollie’s social media brand, giving him firsthand insight into the power of social media for brand and investment growth.