Welcome to this first introductory episode of “the sustainable investor” podcast.

I have always been interested in the power of finance – paying close attention to my bank book from an early age, and trying to make sense of the numbers on my parents’ mortgage statement.

Granted, I was somewhat naïve when it came to money and wealth, growing up in a lower middle class family – we always had enough, but not much more than that – and definitely no excess to put into investments.

Looking back, I invested in what I could, namely myself – pursuing education, and my love of swimming. This allowed me to experience the life of a Division I athlete, thriving in the dual demands of athletic and academic performance.

This is also where I found the field of finance, somewhat through a coincidence of class schedules. In the end, I received a masters degree in Financial Economics from American University, a degree that, while still being under the umbrella of the Economics department, was heavy on finance courses. Finally I had found the intersection of math and money that I didn’t even know I was looking for.

I have always loved to learn, even for the sake of learning. That way I could add both the Chartered Financial Analyst and the Certified Financial Planner designations over the following years, which really helped shape me in my career. Between the two, they have given me a solid background both in portfolio construction, and how to build a sensible financial plan for my clients.

My goal as a financial advisor is to help clients make sense of the financial world, and it is truly an amazing job, with new situations to navigate in a way that depends on each individual client and their circumstances as well as their personality.

Growing up in my native Denmark, the mindset of renewable energy and using resources responsibly has always been close to my heart. I am now in a position, where I can help others incorporate their values in more aspects of their lives – and potentially feel better about their investments, and the impact they have on the world around them.

That is why I have chosen to incorporate sustainable investing in my work. It comes by many names, and may mean different things to different people, and we will explore this further in later episodes. For me, it means to have a positive impact on the people we interact with, on the planet we live on, and trying to make money at the same time. Only when all these factors are adequately evaluated, do I think the outcome is truly effective for the individual client.

I plan on releasing two episodes per month, and keeping each episode relatively short. Sometimes I will have a guest with me, to do a deeper dive into a particular topic.

The Sustainable Investor will be available on all the major platforms where you get your podcasts, as well as through my website, www.forty4financial.com.

I look forward to starting this journey with you.