Future Founders is thrilled to welcome Dee M. Robinson to our Board of Directors. Dee is a dynamic entrepreneur, board director, and author who has built and led innovative businesses at the intersection of hospitality, spirits, and social impact. As the Founder & CEO of Robinson Hill, Inc. and GT Spirits Company—home to the award-winning Good Trouble Bourbon—she brings decades of experience scaling companies, breaking barriers, and using business as a platform for change.
We sat down with Dee for a Q&A to learn more about what inspires her, why she chose to support Future Founders, and what she hopes to bring to our community.
Future Founders embodies everything I believe in—empowering the next generation, shortening the runway to success, and creating opportunities where talent and ambition might otherwise go unseen. I’ve dedicated much of my life to building businesses and breaking barriers, and I see Future Founders as a powerful force to ensure young people, especially those from underrepresented communities, have the tools and confidence to design their futures.
I’m most looking forward to listening to the voices of our young entrepreneurs, learning what inspires them, and helping to create pathways that make their visions possible. It’s energizing to be part of an organization that sees possibility everywhere—and I’m excited to help scale that impact.
Future Founders is both a launchpad and a lighthouse. In Chicago, it has become a hub that nurtures local talent, fuels innovation, and strengthens the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Nationally, it models what inclusive, purpose-driven entrepreneurship can look like. By giving young people access, mentorship, and real-world experience, Future Founders is shaping not just businesses, but changemakers who will lead with courage and creativity.
As someone who has bootstrapped, scaled, and navigated industries not always designed for people who look like me, I know both the challenges and the rewards of entrepreneurship. My journey—full of setbacks, pivots, and breakthroughs—gives me a deep empathy for the courage it takes to keep going. I can share those lessons honestly, help open doors, and provide both the strategic insight and encouragement that young entrepreneurs need to thrive.
Entrepreneurship is more than starting a business—it’s about cultivating agency, resilience, and vision. When young people learn to think like entrepreneurs, they discover that they can shape their own destiny rather than wait for permission. It’s a mindset that builds confidence, problem-solving, and creativity—skills they’ll use whether they start a company, lead a team, or transform a community.
I’m excited to bring a bold sense of possibility and a belief that we can move faster and dream bigger. I want to leverage my networks, my experience scaling organizations, and my passion for mentorship to help Future Founders reach more young people and create measurable, lasting impact in their lives.
I’m excited to learn from the young people themselves—their creativity, their fearlessness, and their fresh perspectives. I also look forward to learning from my fellow leaders and the Future Founders team, as I know collaboration will sharpen my own leadership and expand my vision.
This work is personal for me. I believe that when we invest in the next generation, we don’t just change their futures—we change the future for all of us. I’m honored to serve and committed to ensuring that every young person we reach feels seen, supported, and inspired to go build something extraordinary.
We are honored to welcome Dee to the Future Founders Board of Directors. Her entrepreneurial journey, leadership, and passion for equity align perfectly with our mission to empower young people to create their own opportunities. Together, we’ll continue to inspire the next generation of changemakers and expand our impact nationwide.
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