Everything Happens for a Reason

I joined SIPA with the intention to learn about sustainable investing to be able to transition to this industry upon graduation. Having worked for over four years in the corporate and development sectors prior to joining SIPA, I have developed strong research and analysis skills. Although I have some educational background and financial knowledge, I haven’t worked in the financial sector. Recognizing this gap, I was looking to gain practical exposure by working on a consulting project with a financial institution. This course presented the perfect opportunity for me to amalgamate my interests in the development sector, finance and sustainability while gaining hands-on experience in the industry. 

Having this in mind, my top preferences for projects were those with VC firms that I believed would help me bridge the gap in my work experience. Not surprising but these projects were also the top priorities for multiple other students (including those who had relevant prior experience). Although I was eager to learn and ready to work to the best of my abilities, I didn’t possess the required skill sets as these projects focused more on quantitative analysis. Soon I also realized that I would not have been able to utilize my existing skill sets to contribute meaningfully towards these projects. 

I got assigned to work on a project with a social enterprise in the US that is looking to develop the largest impact investing database in the philanthropic community. In all fairness, when I was assigned to this project I could not clearly foresee its alignment with my goals. However, believing in the Taoist philosophy ‘Wu-Wei’ which means the act of not forcing, I let it flow and accepted the assignment. I completely trusted the professor’s judgement since I had discussed my career aspirations and prior work experience with the professor in detail. While I am new to the industry and trying to learn, the Professor has immense experience and expertise and has a better sense of what will add value to my learning. 

As a next step, my team scheduled an introductory meeting with the client to understand more about the project and the organization. The interaction with the CEO of the enterprise was a breath of fresh air and enlightening in multiple ways. Although the organization is fairly new, the CEO is a dynamic person who has wide experience in the impact investing industry. Having worked at multiple organizations in the past decade, he deeply understands the industry and has a unique perspective. His commitment towards creating a tangible impact and our learning and professional development was evident in the initial few minutes. 

Moreover, he encouraged us to be critical of everything that we were doing and learning (even his organization’s work). The development of the database would require us to identify and benchmark various indicators and apply a gender lens (which is also something that I am passionate about). It didn’t take me long to realize that I was in the right place, working on the correct project that actually aligned with my interest areas. Through this project, I can effectively utilize my skill sets while learning about understanding the landscape of impact investing and how private capital can be mobilized to create long-term and large-scale positive social and environmental impact. Multiple new concepts, ideas and insights shared during the meeting served as food for thought for the team.  

Following this, our team met internally to strengthen our understanding and identify our doubts. Coincidentally, I got assigned to this project with other final-year students whom I knew and had interacted with before. There was a good understanding and camaraderie from the first day. All of us believe in supporting each other while being cooperative and accommodating of everyone’s views and perspectives. To top this, we are all of the same nationality. As we joined the call from different places on a Friday morning, we started the first meeting of our project with a chirpy song. Instantly, the energy of our virtual meeting increased exponentially. It might not seem to be a good use of our time, but this one song brought us all together and prepared us for brainstorming. It increased our productivity because of which we finished our meeting 15 mins early. 

I believe that everything happens for a reason and this project has reinstated my belief. I am looking forward to the tutorial on mission-aligned investing (by the CEO) and learning more about his perspectives and insights from working in this industry. I am excited to be working on this project with my team members to create the largest impact data exchange. Stay tuned for further updates on our learning journey.