Finding Purpose, Passion, & Meaning
Sure. Let me tell you about Jonathan Gartner.
Jonathan is a wiry,
fast-talking, smart, highly competent man with the human desire to do good.
After growing up on the East Coast, he started his career working for a US
Congressman as his chief legislative aide in Washington, DC. He realized from this work that business and
government need to work with each other to make a healthy economy and society.
So, he found his way into business school and then into the world of finance.
His career took him
to Chicago where he first worked in municipal finance, providing financing for
cities, schools, toll-roads, hospitals and universities. Then he was offered a
job with a Dutch firm in international banking. He spent the next 12 years
working in wholesale banking and living with his family in Prague, the
Netherlands and Hong Kong. He then took a job with a private equity firm based
in Malaysia. He loved the investment side of the business. The people were
smart; the environment was intense, fast-paced and the work was very
interesting. Every day presented
exciting business school-type cases, but the grades were measured in profits
instead of letters.
Then, after 18
years abroad, he and his wife decided to return to the US.
What happens to a
man like this when his primary goal is no longer earning money for his family?
What does he do
with himself?
He loves the
stimulation of business. How does he find it without a ‘job’?
His heart says it’s
time to give back, but how should he best do that?
In Jonathan’s case,
he first took a job with a non-profit in his former home town of Chicago, but
soon realized that the job didn’t satisfy his inner needs. He says that he and his wife, Pam, take
forever to make a small decision, like which cellular provider to use, but they
make big decisions pretty quickly. So,
one snowy March morning three years ago, they decided in the span of a couple
of minutes to quit their jobs, become teenagers again, and travel around America
to look for their next life step.
While traveling, they also looked for a more permanent place
to live. They discovered Santa Barbara and went no further. “It was physically beautiful,
culturally rich, and we liked the feeling that people had for other people in
town.”
One of the things
that Jonathan discovered in his travels and in Santa Barbara is that “the
transition out of the working world can be challenging not only from a
financial perspective but also from a personal relationships and satisfaction
perspective. It is important to find
connections and activities that fulfill you.”
This need to find
fulfillment is true at all stages of life.
For Jonathan, one of the ways he has ultimately built that sense of
fulfillment is through impact investing.
Impact investing is
the idea that you can address important social and environmental needs not only
through philanthropy and governmental aid, but also by investing in companies
that are seeking to provide a positive social outcome as well as a financial
return. It is the ultimate example of
doing well and doing good.
Earlier this year, Jonathan took over leadership of
the Sustainable Change Alliance (www.sustainablechangealliance.com). SCA
was formed in 2015 by a team of professionals bringing together their
financial, educational, leadership and business skills to promote local impact
investment opportunities.
“As far as
Sustainable Change Alliance goes, I love it,” Jonathan said. “Impact investing
and Sustainable Change Alliance scratches all of my itches. I love to meet entrepreneurs and learn about
their businesses, help them to grow, and consider making an investment in their
success. I get to learn from world-class
subject matter experts about topics like health, housing, and the
environment. Also, I wanted to leave the
world a better place, to give back. However, I’ve learned that, personally, I’m
not suited for working in a non-profit. The work our non-profit community does
is amazing but as a business model, they face the incredible challenge of
having to seek financial support each year.
I still support the philanthropic causes I believe in, but through
impact investing, by coupling the genius of the entrepreneur with my and
other’s investment dollars, one can make an impact and a profit. Everybody wins! I also find that the people
involved with Sustainable Change Alliance and impact investing, in general, are
using their heads and their hearts. They want to do good. They want to make money. They want to engage with others. What’s not to like about that?
I enjoy building an
organization, doing good work, and collaborating with people with common
desires. What I really find interesting about Sustainable Change Alliance is
that everyone comes from different backgrounds. Some become involved because of
a religious or spiritual perspective; there’s also a psychiatrist, people out
of traditional investing, lawyers, and former CEOs. From my point of view, it doesn’t matter why
you’re at the table; all that matters is that you are there.
I also wanted to do something where I could see and
touch the results of my efforts. By working at the community level, I’m able to
do that. I get to meet with the people that I invest in on a regular basis and
I can see the fruits of their labor. Their success is my success and we can
celebrate that together.
Think about how you traditionally meet people: it’s
either at work or at school. When you retire, you don’t have either of those
supports. Sustainable Change Alliance, and other groups I’m involved with, have
allowed me to have a whole array of new relationships. I spent 18 years of my
life abroad, and while I loved the experience, I am aware that I was a
‘stranger in a strange land’. Now, I finally feel at home.”
Is it any wonder Jonathan is satisfied? He’s found ‘work’ that he loves. He’s using his knowledge and abilities for
good purpose. He feels effective making
a difference as part of a group that is built on trust and shared values and is
focused on benefitting its members and its community.
Originally published in The Montecito Journal, November 2018 Vol 24 Issue 46
Originally published in The Montecito Journal, November 2018 Vol 24 Issue 46
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