Julianne Zimmerman | April 19, 2018

It is actually *snowing* here in Massachusetts as I type this.  Very picturesque, albeit somewhat alarming.  Bill Nye framed the tension perfectly:  “Winter lingered so long in the lap of Spring that it occasioned a great deal of talk.”

Indeed, there has been a great deal of talk, and not only about the weather.  It seems to me some days as though we are nearly drowning in talk.  Much of that talk is important, even vital.  I hope that long overdue talk leads to new realizations, even epiphanies.  And as I remind my students, if we take that talk seriously, we are obliged to also take action.
 

“In winter I plot and plan.  In spring, I move.” — Henry Rollins

There are way more people and organizations on the move this season than we can possibly keep track of, let alone include here.  I find that tremendously encouraging.  It is just as Chekov wrote: “The snow has not yet left the earth, but spring is already asking to enter your heart … the river is swelling and darkening;  it has already woken up and very soon will begin to roar.”

Here are just a few of the rivers swelling this spring:

Will you wake and join the roar?
 

“In the Spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” — Margaret Atwood

Or if you prefer a more earthy metaphor, there are all manner of opportunities to dig in and cultivate change this spring.  Invest in new funds and/or in promising young companies.  Mentor.  Sponsor.  Expand your network and engage new collaborators, new partnerships for change.

For example:

There are many, many more.  See the April 2018 issue of GreenMoney, for a few more leads.  Want some more suggestions?  Or want to offer connections to people or organizations we may not know?  Please reach out!
 

It might as well be spring

Ed and I are participating in a slew of upcoming events this spring, to talk, to listen, and to take action.  Here’s a representative sampling:

Come look for us — let’s talk and act together!
 

“It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the Spring, who reaps a harvest in the Autumn.” — B.C. Forbes

Where are you planting seeds this spring — where are you taking action?  How might we join forces with you to cultivate real, transformative change?

For our part, Reinventure Capital is working to deploy equity and debt capital in expansion stage (breakeven or so) companies led by women and people of color, across the US.

We see an incredibly vibrant and robust deal flow, representing phenomenal economic, social, environmental, and technological change potential.  We know from prior experience and from daily encounters that these overlooked founders represent extraordinary capacity to yield both social & economic impact, and financial returns.*

Whatever action you prefer to take, now is the time to take it.  Don’t wait!

Oh, and before I sign off — one more spring quote, just because it’s a beautiful reminder that spring brandishes new hope, whether we are ready or not:

Dead my old fine hopes
And dry my dreaming but still …
Iris, blue each spring — Matsuo Basho

Even as it snows, spring is upon us — time to act!

*While there’s no such thing as a guarantee in investing and no one can reliably predict the future, Ed’s prior track record provides direct evidence that it is indeed possible to consistently invest for both financial returns and social value creation.  To learn more, please contact us.