Brian Hollins: From a $1M Scout Fund to an oversubscribed $66M Fund 1

Today, Apollo is joined by Brian Hollins, Founder & Managing Partner of Collide Capital, a VC fund that believes great companies are built at the intersection of communities led by diverse, fearless change agents. Investing in primarily early-stage organizations at the pre-seed to Series A level, Collide raised their oversubscribed debut fund in October of 2022 at $66M. 

Brian is one of our most “even” guests to date, with a score of 9-9-7. Throughout the conversation, you’ll be able to tell why he earned that score as he outlines the multitude of projects he has his hands on, and the strategies he’s implemented to successfully see each one through. 

Apollo also dives deep into how Brian and the team at Collide differentiated themselves from the rest of the “sea of sameness” when looking to raise their magnitude debut fund. One of their key strategies? Hitting the gas before the flag was waved by raising a proof of concept fund and building their own track record. 

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Guest Bio

Brian Hollins is Founder and Managing Partner of Collide Capital. Prior to Collide Capital, Brian spent six years working at Goldman Sachs across investment management, investment banking, and merchant banking. While at Goldman, he helped launch the Emerging Entrepreneurs Coverage group to extend resources and capital to early-stage founders and assisted in deploying over $100M of capital as a software investor for GS Growth Equity. Brian is a Founding Board Member of BLCK VC, the largest Black investor community in the US providing the access, education, and community Black investors need to accelerate their careers.

Born and raised in DC, Brian was exposed to the art of deal negotiation as a caddy at local country clubs, which played a pivotal role in his ability to navigate the intricacies of cultures, languages, and people. He founded the Takeoff Institute, which equips Black undergraduate students with the resources and mentorship needed to launch successful young professional careers. Brian received his undergrad from Stanford University and his MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a member of Class 26 of the Kauffman Fellowship and is a CFA Charterholder.

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 9
• Leverage - 9
• Execute - 7

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Guest Quote

“We look for a lot more things that have to do with grit and knack than we do what your LinkedIn looks like. I think LinkedIn funding has gotten a lot of people in trouble over the last five to ten years. You need people that know how to take a business to profitability at some point.” - Brian Hollins

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Time Stamps 

*(03:01) Brian’s Achievement Index

*(05:24) Learning to Let Go

*(07:59) Where to Keep Control

*(14:14) Shifting Orientations and Responsibilities

*(18:51) Collide's Fund 0

*(23:41) Collide's Fund 1

*(27:44) Brian's Priorities

*(30:00) What's Next for Collide

*(34:09) How Brian Looks at Track Record

*(41:13) Apollo’s Takeaways

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Brian Hollins on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Collide Capital
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group