Season 1

Episode Description. Cat knows that Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) have been vital in capitalizing people and communities neglected by mainstream lending. But support for these institutions has to come from somewhere. CNote is a B-Corporation and social enterprise that acts as a go between for CDFIs and institutional investors looking to round out their portfolios with investments in communities. For the scoop on CNote, we talk to co-founder and three-time entrepreneur Cat Berman about what her business does and her vision for bringing innovation to community investing.

About Cat. As co-founder of CNote, Catherine Berman works to bridge the gap between capital and communities. She is a three-time entrepreneur with experience launching and building scalable businesses, previous company, Global Brigades, operating in five countries and now being the world’s largest student development firm. Over the last two decades, Catherine has held senior roles in both management consulting and venture capital and served as Managing Director of Charles Schwab where she led a strategy division focused on the future of finance incorporating behavioral economics and predictive analytics. 

How does banking affect the racial wealth gap in America? The racial wealth gap sees massive differences in median net worth between white and black Americans. The divide means that crises like the Great Recession and the COVID 19 Pandemic on average affect the latter far more than the former, not to mention deep-rooted issues like poverty, hunger, and health outcomes. An often-ignored contributor to the disparity has been the banking industry and its historic, systemic discrimination against nonwhite citizens. To get some clarity on the situation, we’re joined by Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives the National Cooperative Bank (NCB) John Holdsclaw IV. Together we walk through the policy failures that have led to the present moment and how their consequences manifest in people’s daily lives.

About John. John Holdsclaw IV is a thought leader in community development and equitable banking who serves as Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives the National Cooperative Bank (NCB) located in Washington, D.C. In addition, he currently serves as the Board Chair of the National Coalition of Community Development Financial Institutions and serves on the boards of Self Help Venture Fund, Charleston LDC, Global Communities, and the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking. 

Episode Description. Certified Developmental Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are government-certified banks, credit unions, loan funds, and other types of capital providers that are dedicated to putting stakeholders first instead of shareholders. These organizations are vital in channeling capital to underserved economies and small-businesses yet have the unfortunate distinction as one of the best-kept secrets in the social finance space. Today’s Renegade Capital will hopefully correct that. We’re joined by RC-certified CDFI guru Donna Gambrell, current President and CEO of Appalachian Community Capital and former director of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund, to tell us what exactly these important institutions are and what regular people can do to support them.

About Donna. If anyone can be called a pioneer in the CDFI movement, it’s Donna Gambrell. Prior to her appointment as President & CEO of Appalachian Community Capital in 2017, Donna led a distinguished tenure as Director of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund, the first African American to hold the job. Her stewardship between 2007 and 2013 saw the Fund grow significantly, more than doubling in size under its flagship program. This in turn boosted the CDFI industry’s ability to provide affordable capital, credit, and financial services to low-income communities across the country.

Episode Description. As the movement to legalize cannabis gains steam across the country, the plant presents opportunities for entrepreneurs to capitalize on a slowly loosening market. Often unsaid in this process of gradually laxing restrictions, however, is the prospect of, so-called, legitimate profits for some in an industry whose participants were heavily targeted and harmed by authorities. In many jurisdictions, they still are. With the war on drugs’ disproportionate toll on low-income communities and communities of color, can we head off the potential gentrification of the cannabis economy and make whole the people who’ve suffered due to decades of punitive policy? For answers we turn to Curaleaf Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Khadijah Tribble, a highly respected expert on equity and inclusion in this space, on this episode of Renegade Capital.

About Khadijah. Khadijah Tribble is a highly respected expert on equity and inclusion in the cannabis industry and has advised cannabis investors, government regulators, entrepreneurs, and businesses on policy, business development, and community impact. Prior to joining Curaleaf, Ms. Tribble founded Marijuana Matters (M2), a cannabis education and advocacy incubator, and is also the founder of the Marijuana Policy Trust (MPT), a think tank providing expertise toward building an inclusive and diverse cannabis industry. Prior to MPT she was Chief Executive of Ground Game, LLC, a consultancy focused on health technologies and was a co-founder and director of business operations for United Medical Center’s Rose Clinic. Ms. Tribble holds a master’s degree from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Episode Description. In a broken financial system that frequently rewards short-term profit over sustainability, the idea of investments as leverage for positive change can seem like a pipedream. We know, however, that money does talk. Key corporate walk-backs like confederate flag prohibitions at sports events and the retiring of Washington Football Team’s former, racist name were prompted by threats to returns from sponsors and other capital heavyweights. So why can’t shareholders do the same? Many of our listeners probably receive, and then toss out, those mailed notices of impending fund votes, but are there more ways for us to make a difference in the places we park our money as investors? On this episode of Renegade Capital we turn to Geeta Aiyer, President of Boston Common Asset Management and pioneer shareholder activist, to answer the question: do investors have a voice?

About Geeta. Geeta Aiyer is a pioneer in impact investing and shareholder activism. She combines training and experience in finance with passion for the environment and social justice. The President of Boston Common Asset Management, Geeta’s leadership saw the organization build a strong investment record and substantially improve the policies and practices of portfolio companies through shareowner engagement. Geeta previously served as the President of Walden Asset Management, and has worked at both the United States Trust Company of Boston and Cambridge Associates, Inc. In addition, Geeta has founded two previous companies, Walden Capital Management, and East India Spice, as well as an NGO, Direct Action for Women Now (DAWN). She has an MBA from Harvard Business School, and BA (Hons) and MA degrees from Delhi University, India. On top of being a professional powerhouse, Geeta is an activist. She attended the Keystone Pipeline Rally in 2013; regularly engages for peace, immigration reform, and chemical safety; and was instrumental in pressuring the Washington Football Team into changing its name.

Episode Description. Can you support regenerative economies, community-controlled investment, and still earn a reasonable return? 

What would you do if you suddenly had $2 million? Take it easy? Retire early? Maybe buy that custom vintage car you’ve been eyeing for years? None of the Renegade Capital crew have had to grapple with that particular question, so we decided to talk to someone who has. In this episode, we talk with Kate Poole, whose journey from inheriting a trust fund to becoming an “anti-capitalist” wealth manager provides a totally unique perspective on how people with means can leverage their capital.

About Kate. Kate Poole takes a unique perspective on what it takes to build a just economy. With her business partner, Tiffany Brown, she co-founded Chordata Capital, an “anti-capitalist” wealth management firm that supports clients in redistributing rather than continuing to accumulate wealth. With a background in organizing and agitating in the impact investing field, Kate partners with young people with inherited wealth to transform their investment portfolios. Kate also co-founded Regenerative Finance in 2014 to organize other inheritors to shift control of capital to frontline communities; has worked in the local investing ecosystem since 2009; has been a member of Resource Generation since 2013; and now, with much thanks from us, is an official Renegade Capital alumni.

Description. Why does more money go to Wall Street instead of Main Street? It’s a question that bedevils the world over as income inequality continues to climb and small-businesses shutter in growing numbers. We know from our grounding in the CDFI industry that misallocation of our collective wealth isn’t for lack of quality investments outside of the bubble of big-finance and large corporations. CDFI lenders have demonstrated for decades that profitability is possible for investors operating at smaller scales, so what’s going on?
Founder and CEO of Impact Finance Center, Stephanie Gripne, a.k.a “the Steve Jobs of Impact Investing” joins Renegade Capital to share insights from her 20-year career in social finance. She also discusses a new way institutional and individual investors can examine how they allocate their resources in a way that makes philanthropic decision-making easier.

About Stephanie. As Founder and CEO of Impact Finance Center, Stephanie Gripne is a creative force in the impact investing field. She’s driven a multitude of projects like CO Impact Days, Impact Investing Institute, and Rocky Mountain Who’s Who & Impact Investing, leading outlets like Forbes to laud her as “the Steve Jobs of impact investing.” Her latest initiative, the National Impact Investing Marketplace, aims to catalyze $1 Trillion in investment capital for social ventures by replicating and scaling infrastructure that was piloted in Colorado. Stephanie’s vision is driven by over 20 years of combined experience as an applied academic, investor, and practitioner at the University of Colorado Real Estate Foundation and Center, the $100 million Eco Products Fund, The Nature Conservancy, USDA Forest Service, DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Journal of Wildlife Management, and several universities. Many thanks to Stephanie for lending her experience to the show.

Description. Can investors be activists? A lot of emphasis is placed on the failures of institutional investment practices to fix the holes in our capital ecosystems, but what if there were ways for regular people to do good with the money they have? What if people were empowered to park their money in sustainable ways instead of contributing to destructive financial vehicles? To answer these questions, we talk to Phuong long, an educator and financial planner who specializes in helping individuals and families invest in sustainable and regenerative investments. She also talks us through what to look for in a financial planner and warning signs to look out for.

About Phuong. Phuong Luong is a leading voice for the shift in capital from extraction to an economy built on solidarity. As a financial educator and planner, she specializes in working with individuals and families, focusing on ESG and regenerative investing in community loan funds, land trusts, and cooperatives. Her deep understanding of the historical barrier to wealth building comes from her experiences as a former public-school teacher and nonprofit professional, a student of financial history and structural/systemic inequality, and from her own upbringing. 

Description. UNC Chapel Hill’s Impact’s Careers with Impact Forum is an annual conference that offers MBA and undergraduate business students the opportunity to learn the skills and perspectives needed for an impact-driven career in business from experienced leaders in the field. This year, the university was gracious enough to host a fireside chat with Renegade Capital. During the talk, Leah and Ebony candidly discuss their own career trajectories and how they’ve carved successful niches in the social finance space. With the University’s generous support, we’re pleased to be able to share this bonus episode capturing the conversation in its entirety.