Business Fit Magazine October 2019 Issue 1 | Page 14

Interview
Serial social entrepreneur and philanthropist
Neli Vazquez Rowland and her A Safe
Haven projects have garnered dozens of
awards including the nomination by Rotary
International to the White House as a Champion
of Change Honoree by President Obama.
She has served as the keynote speaker at top
corporate and academic settings ranging on
the topics of leadership in a time of crisis at
Harvard University in Boston Massachusetts
to the topic of human rights violations by
the prison systems at Colombia University in
Bogota Colombia. Here she shares her success
story and how A Safe Haven is helping the
homeless find work and dignity. I had no money of my own, no affluent networks
and as a recent college grad I was in debt and had
very little real-world experience with investments.
Besides who was going to take financial advice
from a 21-year old and from someone named
Neli Vazquez, at the time. To say, that I felt I was
in over my head is an understatement.
Who are you? I couldn’t help but think that if I failed, that the
door would be bolted shut for any future Latina
or Latinos in the future. Then one day I had an
epiphany while I was on a trip to Mexico visiting
my mom. I realised that I had to take an inventory
of who I was and consider what unique assets I
bring to the table. After doing some due diligence
and research, I decided I would specialise in
investing in Mexico and Latin American emerging
markets. It was a risky move, my investment firm
didn’t even have an emerging markets research
department, and it was brought to my attention
that the firm did not support my decision, but I
stood my ground because I was convinced it was
a good idea and at this point what did I have to
lose? My gamble paid off as NAFTA passed and
caused my investments and my clients to do
extremely well. Within a few years, I became a
top broker in my firm and highly regarded as a
subject matter expert in Latin American markets.
I remained in the industry and prospered for
over 13 years.
I am a graduate of Loyola University, Chicago,
I participated in an Executive Management
Training Program at Dartmouth, and enjoyed
thirteen years working in financial services. I am
the co-founder and pioneering architect of A
Safe Haven (ASH), an award-winning, vertically
integrated, social and economic development
model that rebuilds the lives of people impacted
by poverty, behavioural healthcare, substance
abuse, prison re-entry, and homelessness with
a holistic, individualised, case management
approach.
Neli
Vazquez
Rowland
Transforming the lives of
people suffering poverty and
homelessness
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I serve on the board of the Illinois Chamber of
Commerce and the Small Business Advocacy
Council. I am married to Brian Rowland, ASH
Co-Founder and military veteran, and have
two wonderful sons Devin and Dylan. That
grew up in the business and now lead our real
estate team and manage all of our related real
estate development and property management
services.
I am someone who values her time with her
family, and friends, and likes reading and running
to clear my mind, (I recently put a waterfall pond
in my wooded lot yard with Koi fish in it, so I’m
trying to learn to pray and meditate, more).
What is your major discovery in
life? And how has it influenced
your life?
For several months I eavesdropped and tried to
emulate my colleagues who seemed to be having
success in the business by recommending
investments based on the firm’s research.
However, it didn’t work for me and it was
obvious I was on track to starve (it was straight
commission!) or get fired due to my inability to
convince prospects to invest, whichever came
first, because, quitting wasn’t an option.
Today, we are at
a pivotal time
in our World’s
history
I was the first Latina to be hired by my firm in
the late 80s to work as a finance investment
professional. Why I got hired? Your guess is as
good as mine. I had none of the qualifications.
Having grown up in a poverty-stricken community,
Photo Credit: Daisy Jimenez @Dai Brand
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