From homeless high school student to CEO of Kickstarter, Everette Taylor’s journey is a testament to grit, resilience, and creative brilliance. Once living in his car while attending school, Taylor now leads the world’s premier crowdfunding platform—and is one of the few Black CEOs in tech today. Known for championing artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs, he brings bold vision and inclusive leadership to Kickstarter.
Before taking the helm, Taylor served as CMO at Artsy, the largest online fine art marketplace. There, he drove record-breaking revenue and user growth, earning accolades from Forbes and Business Insider as one of the world’s most influential and innovative CMOs.
A lifelong entrepreneur, Taylor launched his first company, EZ Events, at 19 and went on to found several ventures under ET Enterprises, including PopSocial, ArtX, GrowthHackers, and MilliSense. His work earned him spots on Forbes 30 Under 30 and 30 Under 30 All-Star lists.
Beyond business, Taylor supports the arts through leadership roles with Chisenhale Gallery and Art at a Time Like This, both dedicated to socially engaged, cutting-edge art. Though he left college early, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Shaw University for his impactful contributions to society.
At Kickstarter, Taylor has sparked a new era—expanding access, amplifying underrepresented voices, and empowering creators worldwide.
Speech topics include:
Be More Than Your Work
From Homelessness to CEO
A Conversation With Everette Taylor
Homeless student living in car, still attending school daily
Overcame adversity with grit, vision, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit
Built career from humble beginnings without traditional college degree
CEO of Kickstarter, world’s leading crowdfunding platform for creativity
Former CMO of Artsy, top fine art marketplace globally
Founder of EZ Events, acquired in successful early exit
Launched ET Enterprises, umbrella for diverse, creative-driven companies
Built PopSocial, ArtX, GrowthHackers, and MilliSense into standout brands
Led Artsy to record-breaking revenue and user engagement growth
Forbes 30 Under 30 in marketing and advertising, 2018
Forbes 30 Under 30 All-Star list honoree, 2019
Named World’s Most Influential CMO by Forbes magazine
Business Insider listed him among World’s Most Innovative CMOs
Honorary doctorate from Shaw University for societal contributions and impact
Recognized leader among few Black tech CEOs worldwide today
Serves on Chisenhale Gallery council for emerging global artists
Advisory board member at Art at a Time Like This
Advocates for public art addressing political, cultural, and social issues
Champions platforms that empower diverse voices and creative expression
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