The Haniff Brown Story
“Negotiating Equity” - Nipsey Hussle
I hated term papers in college. I always waited until the last minute to get started and they were constantly filled with grammatical errors, much like these newsletters when I first started. Over time, I developed a process to get me prepared to write. I waited until about 11pm and went to the top floor of a Jessup computer lab in the science quad at Williams College. I had a pre-writing ritual that included going to the Snack Bar to order a fried cinnamon bun, grilled chicken burger, curly fries, and a can of Coca-Cola. I would take the food to Jessup and eat in front of my computer as I developed an outline for the paper. Afterwards, I would leave the lab to smoke a Marlboro short cigarette while I drank my soda. Now, I was ready to write.
This was just before the era where smart phones had completely taken over our attention, and YouTube and Netflix had not yet phased out DVDs. I was an early adopter of YouTube and loved playing songs from my favorite rappers during my frequent breaks while I was writing my papers.
The computer lab was usually pretty empty at those hours. But there was one person I would often find in the lab, Haniff Brown. He was also working late, but he had a very different approach to his undergraduate studies. Haniff was often on the Dean’s List, getting papers published in scholarly journals, and being recruited by various financial companies to join their teams once he graduated. His late night work sessions were typically for projects outside of his school assignments. They also weren’t fueled by fried food, sugar, and nicotine. Unlike myself, Haniff was focused, quiet, and more assured in his academic ability. We were very different students, but we found common ground in that computer lab due to a shared love for hip-hop.
He noticed me watching YouTube videos of Jay-Z’s live performances from the album American Gangster. I played the track “Fallin” on repeat. It was a story about the downfall of a street hustler. The song motivated me to persist in my school work. Haniff and I talked about the music and grew a friendship.
Haniff went on to start a career in private equity. I went on to start a career in public service in San Francisco. He got married and started a family. I ran for the school board and built an education nonprofit called Mission Bit. He left his comfortable job to start a technology company called Fit-Match. I left Mission Bit to start a consulting practice focused on strategic advising.
I wanted to help him build his company by introducing him to the VC’s I’ve met throughout my time in San Francisco. Instead of charging him a fee, I asked for equity in his company. Why? Because in that lab Haniff showed me what he was made of. There is no way he doesn’t win.
Haniff Brown is the first guest of the Cook on Monday Morning Podcast. Similar to the newsletter, this podcast has no industry theme, nor is it politically motivated. This podcast is about creative expression, it’s aspirational, and at its highest level it’s a vehicle to impact the culture in a positive way.
Book Recommendation: Discipline Over Punishment
Music Recommendation: Shea Butter Baby