Investment Analyst & Podcast Host, Seattle, WA
Please introduce yourself. Who are you and what is your job/career?
I am a 31 year old Seattlite who really belongs in the sunshine! I love to surf, sail, ski, play tennis, see live music, spend time in nature, and get philosophical. I'm almost always geeking out on a new wellness trend and/or trying out a new hobby (pottery, pesto, and the steel drum were my COVID experiments lol).
At this point, I work in the investment industry within a single family office. This means that a family has built out a team to manage all aspects of their life and I oversee their investment portfolio. Most often we're focused on private equity, and more specifically, investing in early-stage private companies which are venture capital investments.
Outside of my salaried job, I also host and produce The Fruition Podcast where I interview inspiring doers who are taking intentional action to live in more alignment with their dreams and a life that they love. Many of our conversations are centered around career because there are so many ways to approach this aspect of our lives and I love to question the norms that we accept :) I ask them all about their approach, process, fears, setbacks, and lessons learned to move from an out-of-sync life to one that feels deeply fulfilling and meaningful.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid I wanted to be everything! I watched Drumline and wanted to be a drummer, I watched Alias and wanted to be a spy, I watched House and wanted to be a doctor, I watched the Fast and the Furious and wanted to be a street racer, naturally. At the same time, I learned from the men in my family (who mostly worked in finance) that change, influence, and attention often followed money. I distinctly remember donating to a charity when I was probably 13 and thinking - My $20 won't do much but if I can be responsible for larger amounts of money, then I can make sure it's used for good. Since I was good at math, it felt natural and important to learn this trade. I also valued independence from a very young age so I specifically chose a career path that could open many doors, had no ceiling in my earning potential and felt relatively timeless.
What was your first job?
My first under-the-table job was babysitting but my first real job was lifeguarding in the summers. Towards the end of high school I also worked retail at Nordstrom. I LOVED making my own money but I also learned that I hated shift work. I knew that whatever path I followed, it couldn't involve changing shifts that a boss arbitrarily assigned to me.
What was your process for choosing your career path? Was it a long journey or an easy one? At what moment did you know that you wanted to be in this profession?
Choosing the investment industry was a combination of what felt natural and what felt valuable. I was driven by intellectual curiosity and challenge rather than joy and fun. My undergrad studies in Finance were relatively easy for me but then I struggled to find my fit within the industry, which is actually very broad. After transitioning from consulting, I joined an investment management firm and responded to RFPs, working to win the firm more institutional clients. I then moved on to data analysis and eventually sales, wanting to get as much exposure and experience as I could. Meanwhile, I studied for years to earn the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) credential, a program that's a minimum of 3 years and took me 4 to complete. I hoped that it would open more doors for me and be the stamp of approval that I needed to feel smart "enough". It did indeed open doors to more aligned roles, but it did not make me feel invincible as I had expected. It helped me to understand my strengths within the industry and that my brain is not designed to master it all. I excel in the venture space where technical expertise is required, but the emphasis is more on practical business building and understanding people.
More recently, within my podcast and outside of it, I have come to learn that I can reach a whole new level of performance when my work comes from a place of joy. To be candid, I am exploring whether I can find more joy in this industry or if there is something else more aligned for me. At this point, I am keeping myself open and have some pretty exciting ideas and opportunities in my sphere.
What do you love most about your job?
I love connecting with founders and learning about new innovation and consumer trends!
What questions should someone really ask themselves if they want to get into your profession?
Why do you want to get into investments and venture capital? Does the day-to-day of reading pitch decks and writing memos sound fun? Are you most excited about the process or the outcome and how it would make you look to others? Make sure you check your ego, there's already enough of that in this space :)
Did you have any mentors that helped you along the way?
1000% and this is massively important. Every job that I've had since leaving consulting has come through a mentor in some sense. They have guided me, challenged my ideas, made introductions, and have supported me through ups, downs and lots of confusion.
Allow mentor relationships to unfold naturally. Follow-up with someone if you feel a genuine connection, share your true thoughts, opinions and feelings. You will connect with the right people if you focus on the human first rather than the professional and what you can get out of them.
What was the biggest piece of advice that helped you get to where you are?
Try everything that seems interesting to you
What would you say to someone who is looking to figure out what they want to do?
Listen to The Fruition Podcast and just take the next right step! You may never have as solid and clear of an answer as you want, just let the pieces fall together when and how they're ready to. You're exactly where you're supposed to be :) Also, slow down and connect with yourself first.
What is something you do when things get difficult? How do you handle stress/ challenges?
I always bring it back to me and my own health - meditation, breathwork, somatic therapy, journalling, yoga, talking to a few trusted guides.
What are your future ambitions? What's next for you?
Support my dream lifestyle (involving lots of surfing) through work that feels fun and joyful and positively impacts the wellbeing of my customers alongside a high-vibe team
Any last bit of advice you’d like to share?
Life is not about having everything settled or every question answered as early as possible (or ever). There are so many opportunities and experiences to enjoy in this life so stay open and befriend the unknown. Also, whatever you dream of is 1000% possible and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.
If people have further questions how can they find you/contact you?
DM me @thefruitionpodcast!
At the time of posting, Stephanie is on a sabbatical and enjoying time in Panama.