Welcome back to Being Invested, where we explore the personal stories of the people who make the markets. I’m your host, Susannah Nicklin, and I’m hugely excited to launch Series 2 of the podcast with today’s episode.

For Series 2, I’m taking you on a trip across The Pond. We will meet US-based investors who have lived fascinating lives, sharing hard-won lessons and insights from their own journeys and the coal face of the markets. But I’m not bringing you just any US investors. You are going to hear from the top women investors in the US. It has been more than 25 years since I started in the industry, and despite much progress, I still see many all-male panels at investment conferences and not enough women running investment businesses or occupying senior investment roles. This series will celebrate and expand awareness of the brilliant women across the industry - and it’s for men as much as women. Research shows that men have historically been less likely to read books by or about women, while women read agnostically. If you’re a man looking for an information advantage, here’s a great place to start.

My first guest is Yrenilsa Lopez, the MD of Investments for the Momentus Capital branded family of organizations, which includes mission-driven lenders such as Capital Impact Partners and CDC Small Business Finance. Yrenilsa has over 14 years of experience in private equity and debt investments globally, focused on impact and sustainable assets. At Momentus Capital, she leads a team focused on making impact investments, including an innovative form of non-dilutive investments specifically for businesses in the growth-stage and which create social impact within the communities they serve. Prior to joining Momentus Capital, Yrenilsa spent eight years with Women's World Banking Asset Management as its Portfolio Manager and Principal Investment Officer, where she led private equity transactions into gender-focused financial service institutions, fintech, and insurance companies in global developing markets. She has held board directorships in investment companies in Latin America, South and Southeast Asia, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Financial Inclusion Equity Council (FIEC). Yrenilsa is based in New York and is an avid cyclist who has completed several 100-mile day rides.

We touch on the game-changing power that comes from your family’s belief in your abilities, standing up to implicit bias, badass women bosses, and structuring great win-win investments by taking the time to understand the needs of underserved communities. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did, and thank you so much for listening to Being Invested. Please stay tuned and spread the word! 

WHAT’S IN STORE:

• It’s very important to not believe someone when they try to tell you you can't do something.
• One, you can't take it for granted that people will know you are worth what you are, so you can't stop working hard. Two, you have to believe and stand up for yourself when you know you can do it.
• High standards, being earnest and having a high level of trustworthiness are key. It makes others want to work for you and it makes others want to follow your example.
• There's no magic. It's just hard work and precision.
• Don't ever try to shoehorn yourself into a space that is not you. It's important to understand what value you bring, where you bloom and where you do your best work and place yourself in situations where that's valued.

FAVES:

Music: Juan Luis Guerra

Book: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

Comedian: Janine Garofalo

Dinner companion: Lucille Ball

THANKS to the team:

Tom McKean, Sophie Hardy, Alexander Russell

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