Yola Robert
Head of Portfolio Relations
Past Teams
Swiftarc Beauty Ventures, Hashtag One, Marque Media, Forbes
Education
BS Marketing and Entrepreneurship, The Barton School of Business at Wichita State University
BIO
Yola is a partner in PORTAL, currently serving as its head of Portfolio Relations. She has over a decade of experience building a career in both tech and consumer brands across startups and venture capital.
Prior to PORTAL Yola was the Venture Manager overseeing platform, investor relations, fundraising support, and portfolio operations at Swiftarc Beauty Ventures which was acquired by Relevance Ventures. Yola started her career in marketing for entertainment and fashion brands which led to start her own fashion tech app rooted in AI and machine learning. She then forayed into venture capital as the Director of Business Operations at a consumer tech fund, Hashtag One, overseeing the incubator, portfolio operations, platform, fundraising support, diligence, and fund strategy. She went on to become the Director of Marketing for Marque Media while continuing to consult for VCs and startups around strategy, marketing, and business development. As an angel investor and advisor to consumer and tech startups, Yola brings a unique perspective to help founders grow their businesses as a former operator turned venture capitalist.
Yola is also a Senior Contributor at Forbes focusing on highlighting female and minority founders. You can also find her journalism work across The Zoe Report, Elite Daily, Haute Living, Buzzfeed, and Camille Styles. Her startup, venture, and journalism experience has led her to become a global public speaker and host across the US, Europe, and Southeast Asia speaking on entrepreneurship, venture capital, investing, and female empowerment.
Yola received her degree from The Barton School of Business at Wichita State University with a double major in Marketing and Entrepreneurship.
Heartstrings
Mental Health Advocate for Youth and Teens, Lupus Advocacy