October 24, 2022
Advantage Capital had an exciting and eventful week participating in the premier conference for the impact investing industry: SOCAP 2022 in San Francisco. As an Investment Partner and sponsor of the Accountability Track, the team showed up in a big way – engaging with investors, entrepreneurs and other visionaries in the space. The week was anchored by two on-stage speaking spots for Managing Director Ryan Brennan and Chief Impact Officer, Sandra M. Moore.
While there are countless takeaways and key learnings from the action-packed agenda and compelling lineup of content, five themes threaded the needle throughout.
Entrepreneurs and Investors Alike are out in Force
SOCAP is a convening of entrepreneurs, investors, change leaders, policy makers and more. But one thing is clear: entrepreneurs and investors looking to drive impact are out in force. From startups making healthcare more accessible to poor communities in Central America, to investors looking to grow impact funds to drive capital where it’s needed most, there was no shortage of evolving businesses and eager investors looking to make a difference.
ESG is Indeed a Hot Topic
ESG remains a hot topic among the impact space. The conference started out with a rousing debate centered on whether or not it’s worth saving. Our own Ryan Brennan joined the panel for a lively debate where speakers argued both sides. In the end, there was agreement that driving impact means defining goals and focusing on outcomes to help uplift people and communities.
Data is King and we Must Measure Results
As they say, “if you can’t count it, you didn’t do it.” Defining and measuring impact can be tough, but it is something that must be prioritized within the industry. For investors and businesses alike, it is important to clearly define the impact goals you wish to achieve. Once defined, you must have a laser focus on gathering the data and measuring results with an emphasis on proactive and transparent reporting. Thought leaders and innovators have an enormous opportunity to advance accountability and define the future. Advantage Capital is working with others to trailblaze toward tomorrow.
Strong Leaders get to Yes
Whether you’re an entrepreneur raising capital to grow your business or an investor raising a fund, getting to “yes” requires strong leadership. Our Chief Impact Officer, Sandra M. Moore joined Real Leaders for a live podcast to examine this very topic. Being a strong leader and getting to yes means you must communicate, articulate and persuade. It also requires confidence and competence. Not cockiness. And importantly, it means having the ability to empower your team to get the job done.
Impact is Everywhere
The number of impact-focused organizations is not lacking, and it has never been clearer than at SOCAP. The conference created an incredible forum for people to come together to understand how they can continue to drive impact in their day-to-day operations. At every booth, panel and hallway discussion impact remained a central theme that ran through the conference.
SOCAP 2022 was undeniably a fantastic forum for fellowship, networking, and ideating on how to make the future better. Advantage Capital is thrilled to have been a part of this event and we are looking forward to putting the outcomes of our conversations with colleagues and learnings from sessions to work.
