Show notes
Janine Firpo is a writer, angel investor, impact investor and social entrepreneur. She has been on a personal mission to invest all of her money in alignment with her values. She published her book, Activate Your Money, to provide the foundational support women need to take control of their money, become confident investors, and to take action to make an impact with their investments.Janine shared that her mother was a role model for her and her sisters, by joining the workforce and becoming successful in ways normally women were not. Janine herself chose a non-traditional path , originally planning to be a doctor rather than a nurse, and then pursuing a career in the emerging technology industry, an unheard of field for women in the '70s. Janine was fortunate to, in her words, ride the crest of the enormous wave that is the computer technology industry, which changed basically everything: the way we work, the way we think, the way we interact. She worked for Apple Computer from the late '80s to the early '90s, leaving because they wouldn't let her telecommute. She worked remotely for her next employer, and for various others, for the next 21 years!In 1995, she made a huge shift in her career. She left the job she was in and went on a 5 month solo backpacking trip to Sub-Saharan Africa, where she encountered unbelievable poverty. She realized that she wanted to spend her life making a difference in the world, which led over time to working for the World Bank as a consultant, to being a Director at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and eventually to her work today."Every time I trusted my intuition and the thought that this is something I should do, I could do, I want to do, it was scary, scary, scary, and I jumped off that cliff anyway. It was an amazing ride." Janine FirpoKey takeaways:- Know your skills. Janine very clearly knows that she's good at seeing what is possible, often before other people do. At the same time, she's able to think through how to go from a concept and vision to actually make it happen. Janine knows she is both a big picture person as well as a detailed person.- Trust your intuition. Janine shared that faith and trust have played a large role in the career leaps she has taken in her life. She described that it started small, but over time she's learned to develop a sense of intuition and trust when she's drawn to making a change. - Make use of your network. Janine shared that, in addition to trusting her intuition, she did an unbelievable amount of informational interviewing when she considered a change. At one point, Janine probably conducted over 200 informational interviews to figure out what her next move should be.- Own who you are as a woman. In Janine's words, women are brilliant listeners. We are brilliant collaborators. We do great things in community. Intuition is part of who we are. We need to own our strengths as women so that we and others can benefit from them.- Become more financially fluent. Janine wants us to understand our investments so that we can make investing decisions in keeping with our values the same way we do as consumers.About the guest:Janine Firpo is a values-aligned investor and social innovator. In 2017 she left a successful 35-year career in technology and international development to focus on how women can create a more just and equitable society through their financial investments. Her book, Activate Your Money, was published in May 2021, and recently became available in paperback. Janine co-founded Invest For Better, a non-profit organization that helps women invest their money in ways that align with their values. Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/janine-firpo-047282/Twitter: @janinefirpowebsite:http://www.investforbetter.org Interested in booking a free consultation? Schedule a call.Stay connected:Connect with Laura on LinkedIn@Rotters5 on TwitterConnect with Laura on FacebookSubscribe to my YouTube channelSubscribe to my newsletterGet your free copy of Unlock Your Money Blocks Workbook : Your step-by-step guide to unlocking your blocks to financial freedom.Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.