Lakefieldusedtobeasingle-sexschool,andwhilewomenwerewelcomedadecadeorsobeforeIgotthere,theschoolhadyettopartwithitstraditionofhavingasingleHeadStudent,amale.IlearnedthatIwaslikelytobeLakefield’sfirstfemaleHeadStudent,but,inabittersweetway,itwastheverysameweekthatIwonascholarshiptorepresentTheBahamasattheUnitedWorldColleges(UWC)inHongKong.
Notsurewhatpathtoexplore,Isoughtthechaplain’sadvice.IwonderedwhatajourneytoHongKongwouldbelikeattheageof16,andwhileUWCstudentsareselectedbytheircountryonthebasisofmerit,IfearedIwouldnotstandupacademicallytotherigoursoftheInternationalBaccalaureate.IknewIwasdoingwellatLakefieldandfeltIcouldmakearealcontribution,butalsoknewthiswasanotheropportunityto“dreambig”andleavemycomfortzone.
Sixmonthslater,IfoundmyselfaloneinataxionLokWoShaLane.AttheUWCinHongKong,IwasgratefulthattheinternationaldiversityofLCIShadpreparedmetothriveinsuchacosmopolitansetting.IjoinedthecampusswimteamandlearnedhowtoSCUBAdivesothatIcouldvolunteerfortheWorldWildlifeFoundation,monitoringcoralreefsonweekends.IbeganattemptingtolearnMandarinandwasnavigatingthecityviatheMassTransitRailwaywithmynewbestfriend,Juliet,whowasfromSudan.ItravelledextensivelyduringbreaksdoingcommunityserviceprojectsincountriessuchasVietnam,Thailand,India,Nepal,Kenya,Tanzania,EgyptandJapan.Ongraduationday,theUWCPrincipalpresentedmewithaplaqueforbeingthestudentwhohadcontributedthemosttocampuslife.IthankedhimandrememberedtheLakefieldChaplain’sadvice,whichhadbeen,“Havefaiththatyouwillmakeacontributionwhereveryougo.”Thusmyexplorationcontinued.
younotonlyreachyourfullpotential,butthejourneyisincrediblyfulfilling.IwentontousetheiradviceatLSE,growingmyknowledgebaseandmakingasignificantcontributiontotheschool’sbusinesssociety.
AfterLSE,Icontinuedmypatternofexploration,ofleavingandbeginningagain.StartingasananalystatGoldmanSachsinLondon,IthenhadtheopportunitytojoinDeutscheBankandbuildthefirm’sEuropeanhedgefundbusiness.Afewyearslater,IcamebacktoTheBahamas,secondsawayfromLCIS,toworkatHoloweskoPartnersasahedgefundanalyst.IamincrediblygratefulfortheexperienceIreceivedthere,whichentailedmakingrecommendationstoinvestincompanies.ItravelledtointerviewtheseniormanagementteamsoflistedcompaniesacrossseveralsectorsincountriesasfarasBrazilandJapan.Itwastheperfectjobforsomeonewhoisintellectuallycurious,lovestotravelandidolisesbusinessbuilders.
AfternearlyadecadeatHoloweskoPartners,Ihaverecentlytakenmyselfoutofmycomfortzoneagainbycofoundinganassetmanagementfirm,WincrestCapital.Itisearlydaysandweshallnotceasefromexploration.Inmanyrespects,bystrivingtobuildafirmwherepeoplefeelvaluedfortheircontributions,differentskillsetsarecelebratedandcolleaguesareencouragedtodreambig,IfeelasifIam,asEliotpromised,arrivingwhereIstartedtoknowtheplaceforthefirsttime.Myexperienceinthesmall,close-knitenvironmentofLCIShasalwaysenabledmetomakethebestofmyexplorationsintheacademicandfinancialworld.Soonceagain,Iknowthisjourneystartsandendswiththebeginning.
Thankyou,LCIS.
Thenextphaseofmyjourneytookmeonadoubledecker#19busupShaftesburyAvenuetomydormattheLondonSchoolofEconomics(LSE).Thistime,Ididn’tpickupanewsport,butIdidpickupapassion.WalkingthroughtheFresher’sFayre,Isawabooththatread,“TheLSEBusinessSociety.”IsignedupandtookresponsibilityfororganisingtheSociety’sspeakerseries.ImadealistofUK-basedentrepreneurswhoinspiredmeandwrotethemeachapersonalletteronLSEBusinessSocietyletterheadinvitingthemtospeakattheLSE.Tomypleasantsurprise,manyofthemactuallysaid,“Yes.”Speakersincluded,thefoundersofEasyJet,theBodyShop,PretAManger,CarphoneWarehouseandLastMinute.com.WhatIgleanedfromtheseentrepreneurswasthatifyouhavethecouragetostartandcontinuedreamingbig,