This content is for informational and entertainment purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

----------------------------------------

Welcome to Episode 86 of the Investing in Impact podcast. Today, I'm joined by Howard Fischer, Co-Founder and Chief Evangelist of Gratitude Railroad, to discuss his journey from Wall Street to impact investing and how Gratitude Railroad is building a community-driven approach to fund entrepreneurs creating lasting social and environmental change.

Prior to his work in impact investing, Howard spent over 30 years in traditional finance as the Founder and CEO of Basso Capital Management, a hedge fund specializing in convertible securities.

He previously held senior trading roles at Smith Barney, Drexel Burnham Lambert, and Cohen Feit & Company, and began his career as a Certified Public Accountant in both public and private sectors.

Howard currently serves on the boards of 1% for the Planet, The Carbon Underground, and the Garrison Institute’s Compassionate Leaders in Finance program.

He also advises BrightEdge, the investment fund of the American Cancer Society, and has held board positions with DoneGood, Builders Fund, Atlas Impact Partners, and Blackdirt Capital.

He holds a B.S.E. in Accounting and Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Fellow in Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative in 2013 and 2014.

----------------------------------------

Investing in Impact is powered by PIF Advisory — a global services firm empowering startups and enterprises with expert guidance, tailored solutions, and measurable results. Whether you’re launching your first venture or scaling globally, PIF Advisory delivers full-cycle support across every core function of your business:

• Bookkeeping, Accounting & Tax Management – Organized, compliant, and transparent financials managed by licensed professionals (CPAs, CFAs, CMAs, and lawyers) to drive smarter decision-making.
• Growth & Marketing – Data-driven strategies across branding, web, advertising, CRM, and sales enablement—all optimized for measurable ROI.
• Outsourced CFO – Flexible financial leadership covering cash flow, forecasting, and strategic planning.
• Entity Management – Stay compliant and ready for scale with expert corporate governance and compliance support.
• Operations, HR & Admin – Streamlined infrastructure to boost team efficiency and keep your business running smoothly.
• IT & Security – Safeguard your data and operations with best-in-class infrastructure, compliance, and protection.
• Technology Consulting – Build the right tech stack with expert support across NetSuite, QuickBooks, Avalara, and more.
• Management Consulting – Unlock growth with industry-specific advisory services focused on metrics, operations, and scalability.

As a sister company to PIF Capital Management, they also offer clients direct insights into venture capital and access to a global investor network—ranging from individuals to sovereign wealth funds.

👉 Learn more or schedule a discovery call at pifadvisory.com