How Ayaana got her father on board

Ayaana’s work is focused on India. Her father started a company for financial services there, like a bank giving loans to people who are underserved and lack access to traditional financial institutions. For three years Jinisha helped with the impact management, mainly self-taught since the space interested her very much.

The CSP Impact Investing for the Next Generation program was her first formal education on finance and impact. “The program really got my wheels turning”. Thanks to the program, Ayaana knows better how to talk to her father about finances and investments, and it enabled her to ask critical questions. It resulted in her father taking her more seriously in family matters and she was able to push her family for more private equity investments towards mission-aligned companies, for example in plant-based dairy, sustainable packaging, and EV charging.

Still, it was hard in the beginning. 

“I had an emotional breakdown after the program. I was so excited by the course, I wanted to implement it asap! Impact is an emotional topic for me and at first, it was hard to pass my enthusiasm on to my father, so that discouraged me.” 

But she succeeded.

How to convince dad?

How did Ayaana manage? “I used data from globally well-managed funds that were successful, examples that I had heard from Falko. And an alum from the previous cohort, talked a lot about persistence and perseverance despite receiving pushback. In one of our conversations, he mentioned using various formats of education such as documentaries to create space for healthy dialogue because that helps dive deeper into opposing opinions.”

Another tip: “It helps if you put the financial benefit at the forefront. People who are critical of sustainable investments can only be convinced if they see the economic benefits. I also noticed it is important to be patient.’’

 ‘’When you are young, you would like to see change happen overnight, but that is not realistic, and it is mainly frustrating for yourself. Don’t give up and be patient!”

First a job in the US, then drive impact in India

Ayaana is currently busy with her MBA in Sustainable Innovation in Vermont. A topic that she likes to learn more about, is impact measurement. “If we want to drive impact further, we need to make it measurable to prove what works and what does not.”

After graduation, Ayaana would like to get working experience in the US. “I’m planning to eventually return to India because it is the most relevant place for me to create change and support the momentum that the sustainability lens is gaining. There I will have real additionality. But I also want to increase my credibility and expand my skills as my work experience thus far has been with my family business.”  

Ayaana hopes to find a job with an organization in the US in sustainable investing, at a fintech firm, or an asset management fund. She eventually wants to work towards democratizing sustainable investing in India.

To respect the privacy of this alum, the name Ayaana is fictional.