Videos
As a businessman, engineer, and philanthropist, Robert F. Smith has been invited to speak on a wide range of issues.
The second video from the discussion: “Voter Suppression: A Human Rights Issue Or The Battle for the Ballot,” hosted by The Martin Luther King, Jr Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Vista Equity Partners Founder, Chairman and CEO Robert F. Smith and Ken Chenault, Managing Director of venture capital firm General Catalyst Partners, discuss the historic inequities that generations of Black Americans fought through to finally achieve full equality under the law. The two CEOs discuss why Black executives are speaking out to ensure civil rights and voting access are not rolled back by regressive legislation.
This is the sixth video of a series taken from the Racial & Economic Justice Town Hall hosted by Roland Martin on April 11, 2021. Robert F. Smith explains that unpacking and educating financial ideas is essential to helping communities understand what to ask for and for policy makers to shape the financial future of the people they represent.
This is the fifth video of a series taken from the Racial & Economic Justice Town Hall hosted by Roland Martin on April 11, 2021. Robert F. Smith explains how exclusionary practices have kept Black financial capital from taking part in reaping the benefits of investments. But he also describes how communities can apply pressure to gain access.
This is the fourth video of a series taken from the Racial & Economic Justice Town Hall hosted by Roland Martin on April 11, 2021. Robert F. Smith further describes his ideas about how modernized banking infrastructure can assist small Black businesses to scale and take part in the digital economy.
This is the third video of a series taken from the Racial & Economic Justice Town Hall hosted by Roland Martin on April 11, 2021. In this clip, Robert F. Smith describes how to build the financial architecture needed for thriving ecosystems to exist in Black communities.
This is the second video of a series taken from the Racial & Economic Justice Town Hall hosted by Roland Martin on April 11, 2021. Robert F. Smith talks about how driving capital to Black communities means ensuring small banks can extend credit to local businesses so that those businesses can begin to scale.
This first video of a series taken from the Racial & Economic Justice Town Hall hosted by Roland Martin on April 11, 2021 introduces the concepts and historical economic practices that led to the current moment in history.
The 2021 Presidents Summit Masterclass with Robert F. Smith closes out with Mr. Smith answering a range of questions. He shares the best advice he’s received, inspiration and aspects of his life during the pandemic.
Robert F. Smith considers the future of investing and the goals of growing business quickly, at scale and with more profitability. Mr. Smith also emphasizes the need to promote diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of businesses. He references the importance of Vista’s employees and the Vista “ecosystem.”
Robert F. Smith expresses the importance of sharing knowledge throughout an organization, citing the success of information sharing at Vista Equity Partners. He notes the benefits of putting individuals from all levels of an organization together to discuss problems and share solutions.
