I come from a family of entrepreneurs. As an alternative to the carnival of pandemonium customarily experienced with my innumerable cousins, as a child I always preferred being in the rooms where the adults in my family would socialize while gathering around a drink and an idea. Their revelry was palpable as they would discuss the economy, lambaste political agendas, or extol the wonders of emerging innovations from the most revered companies of the day.
Economics, and the allure of investing took hold of me almost immediately. It was like a great story, a riddle, that connected me to the past and the future and all the people in between; fascinating people, world shapers, dreamers, pirates, poets, pawns, and kings. Like an archeologist and a seer I enjoyed digging into economic history, and envisioning an unbridled future.
My family shared their values with me, their worldview, lessons from their greatest mistakes and greatest triumphs. They shared their compassion for the world, their love of travel, people, and culture. They taught me that focusing your life solely on making money shows a certain poverty of ambition. They provided me every opportunity, a good education, resources, guidance, and love. I admired them and their lives. I wanted the same for myself and those I would one day care for. I was attentive to what they said and what they did.
When I was nine I would read the financial pages of the newspaper and track stock movements. I’d memorize tickers and financial terms on index cards, and call brokers I’d find in the yellow pages with questions I had about this or that company. When I was twelve years old I started investing with whatever money I had. I’d ask my Dad to invest for me with his firm. I remember getting frustrated with him for not placing a trade fast enough that had already begun to rally, and I remember him getting frustrated with me because my capital gains that year had caused him to jump a tax bracket.
From there I kept falling in love with this ubiquitous enterprise, and I’m still head over heels today, and for the same reasons. Although I’m well versed now in the vernacular of finance, market theory, and the enterprising titans of industry throughout history, it is still todays vanguards and their foretelling’s of the future that captivate me. Even more, the privilege and opportunity to help create a commonwealth world that is sustainable and equitable for all challenges and inspires me.
Financial markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. However, markets are constantly in a state of uncertainty and transition as we evolve every day from the world that was, to the world that will be. Profits are made by discounting the obvious and betting on the unexpected. Legendary investor George Soros has said that “making an investment decision is like formulating a scientific hypothesis and submitting it to a practical test. The main difference is that the hypothesis that underlies an investment decision is intended to make money and not advance science. Taking this view, it is possible to see financial markets as a laboratory for testing hypotheses.”
Financial markets are also a place to advance your worldview. We believe at OHL Capital that investment is the price of tomorrow. Private equity is more than just a business, it's how we augment the world. No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused. Every child comes into this world with infinite curiosity. Slowly, that wonder is socialized and replaced with cautious worry. We are born originals but many will die copies. The most valuable land in the world is not Manhattan, or the oil fields of the Middle East, or the gold mines of South Africa. It’s the graveyard. In the graveyard are buried all of the unwritten patents and contracts, never-fulfilled hopes and dreams, uncreated innovations and unfunded largesse, and all of the other ambitions that people thought, “I’ll get around to that tomorrow.” One day however, their tomorrow ran out.
"In one soul, in your soul, there are resources for the world."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
How much longer will you go on letting your energy sleep? How much longer are you going to stay oblivious to the immensity of yourself? And the change you alone can engender. Self-doubt is an insult to those who believe in you. Open your mind to the possibility that what you have yet undone will be the greatest work of your life. Your shoulds have to become your musts. Every success begins with the decision to try.
Impact investments are made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental results alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets. The growing impact investment market provides capital to address the world’s most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, microfinance, affordable and accessible basic services including housing, healthcare, and education, and even gender and race inequalities.
You don't have to pick income or idealism. Today, people are looking at the broader picture. Previously, annual returns and appreciation were the only factors used to determine an investment's profitability, but that's not the case anymore. As more and more investors are looking to shape society through their missionized capital, many funds and strategies exist today to facilitate this movement. A better world awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and to work for it and to fight for it. My family taught me if you're going to do something, make it matter, make an impact!
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