The Investing Circle

Does what we do shape what we believe?

Or does what we believe shape what we do?

I spent two decades in the investing world. 

Investing is something I did. And that experience shaped what I do. 

I will always think like an investor. I can’t help it. I continually ask if I am maximizing the return on my money, time, and talent.

Every investor needs to set their return expectations. In this case, that expectation is “how do I define success?”

After 22 years as an investment management executive, I realized that my “return expectations” had changed. Dramatically. 

So I made a life and career pivot. I didn’t know to what. I didn’t know where to start. 

I started by writing down what I knew. I wanted to:

• Work independently—not have employees, nor be one
• Enjoy freedom—in where I work, how I structure my time, and the people who surround me
• Have my connected non-linear thinking celebrated—not reprimanded
• Immerse in and connect the things I cared most about—personal growth & leadership, girls’ education & empowerment, and global investing
• Write more—using my story and the stories of the people I meet around the world to inspire others

The pivot required a lot of rethinking and reprogramming. 

Is it work if you are not getting paid?

Can I support myself without a W-2?

What is retirement?

In short, it is still work if you are not getting paid (just ask any pre-revenue entrepreneur), income can come in multiple (passive and active) forms, and “retired” is a verb, not a life stage (as in I retired from the investment world).

There has to be a name for this, I thought. 

It’s rewiring, not retiring. It’s choosing to live and work differently—on my terms, not someone else’s. I call it a Portfolio Life.

One of the goals in my Portfolio Life was to be more impactful with my investing. 

Impact investing is not an asset class. It’s not a pursuit reserved for the uber-wealthy. It’s simply a change in mindset.

If we aim to SPEND our money on items and experiences that best reflect our values, why would we not seek to INVEST our money that way?

Once again, I had to ask myself to define my investment thesis and return expectations. I didn’t have crisp answers at the beginning. But I didn’t get hung up on it. I just wrote down some core beliefs:

• Emerging markets are full of overlooked opportunities
• Unlocking the leadership potential of women and girls globally is the best investment opportunity of our lifetime
• Removing the inefficiencies in entrepreneurs’ ability to access capital is a tremendous investment opportunity

What I had done shaped what I believed.

What I believe would shape what I do.

I learn best by doing. I jumped in and became an impact investor with my portfolio.

My earlier investment career and personal travels had opened my eyes to the opportunities in emerging markets. I wanted to expand beyond Asia to Africa. From favorable demographics to improving infrastructure to incredible entrepreneurs, I find Africa’s return potential overlooked and risk profile often exaggerated. Plus, I wanted to spend more time traveling there.

In 2014, I spent a month volunteering at a girls’ school in Kenya. I trusted that a philanthropic or investing idea or two would follow. Instead, a flood of ideas followed. One was a technology for East African entrepreneurs involved in trade finance—it became my first impact investment.

I read, researched, and stumbled upon interesting people and organizations. LinkedIn became a key tool. I had phone calls, coffee dates, and explored different investing opportunities and networks.

I became the first angel investor in what is now Africa’s largest platform for women’s health and wellness; invested a sustainably-produced specialty spirits producer led by women (and inspired some friends to join me); and joined forces with the team at Renew Capital, an Africa-focused early-stage accelerator and VC firm investing in visionary founders using tech to solve Africa’s challenges.

I expanded my impactful investing to the U.S. and different asset classes. I extend my cash investments to values-based investing through C-Note, make short-term loans to impactful non-profits through LenDonate, and invest in female-focused venture capital through Portfolia.

By investing in these circles your financial advisor would never tell you about, I learned several things:

• I gravitate to people who are connected (non-linear) thinkers. They believe in changing mindsets—not just building a company. They are smart, thoughtful, and education and community-oriented. I want to be in their orbit.
• I look at things through an economic lens. For me, “impact” is about jobs created, sustainable practices and serving the traditionally underserved. I believe social good follows when people have a solid economic base. 
• I like getting my hands dirty, building communities, and making investing fun. I’ve participated in launch parties and East Africa due diligence visits. I willingly share stories, inspiring others to think differently. I enjoy lending my expertise to help forward-thinking companies grow and strengthen their investor base.
• Girls’ education and empowerment is a priority, but harder to “invest” in. So I made it a focus of my philanthropy.

My beliefs shape my doing.

My doing further shapes what I believe.

Like any portfolio, my impactful investing portfolio gets better and more defined over time. It’s about the journey, not about the destination.

It challenges me to regularly ask myself: 

Am I spending and investing my most valuable resources–my money, time and talent–on the things most aligned with my values and beliefs?

Are you asking yourself the same question?

You are an investor. All of us are. So we might as well do it with intention.

Identify what you believe in. Then get started. It’s an ever-evolving investing circle.

Need a partner to help you define your version of success and impact? That’s my mission as a Success Coach. Read more, follow me on Substack, connect with me on LinkedIn. I’d love to partner with you. For Impact Investing resources, see my Substack Let’s Venture homepage.