Colleen Becker, Principal at Redsand Ventures
Colleen Becker is a Principal at Redsand Ventures, a London VC aligned with sustainable development goals and executing on environmental and societal mandates through FinTech.
She is responsible for building and growing the company's product and Venture Studio, and for originating and managing the ideation, design, development and commercialization of Redsand’s sustainable innovations, as well as contributing to group business development and strategy.
Colleen's passion for innovation is expressed through her articulation of values rooted in ESG principles and actions around climate change and environmentalism; financial inclusion; and gender and racial parity, resulting in more equitable wealth creation and healthier living for the human race.
“People are just fascinating and always so surprising. Everyone has a different story and perspective.”
Colleen Becker
Colleen Becker, LinkedIn
Tell us about your current role and what you like about your career/role or areas of focus.
I am a Principal at Redsand Ventures, a London VC aligned with sustainable development goals and executing on environmental and societal mandates through FinTech. I am responsible for building and growing the company's Product and Venture Studio, and for originating and managing the ideation, design, development and commercialization of our sustainable innovations, as well as contributing to group business development and strategy.
My passion for innovation is expressed through my articulation of values rooted in ESG principles and actions around climate change and environmentalism; financial inclusion; and gender and racial parity, resulting in more equitable wealth creation and healthier living for the human race.
I'm a creative person, and innovation necessitates creative thinking capabilities.
What inspires you, motivates you, helps you to make each day count?
I am an optimist, and I try to see the best in situations. The idea of silver linings, even in the worst situations, motivates and inspires me.
Outside of your professional work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
My children always are a major priority for me.
Health and wellbeing are, as well, and I'm quite an athletic person. My hobbies are active: ballet, tennis, skiing, yoga, pilates, cycling.
When it comes to your life chosen career, is there a phrase, quote or saying that you really like?
"It's just as easy to have it the way you want it."
By this, I mean, it might be difficult to surmount challenges or to overcome obstacles, but is it any easier to give up or to suffer through a dissatisfying career or life choice? I don't think so. I think it's easier to accomplish your objectives, even if it means disapproval than it is to settle for something less than satisfactory.
I've always made the best choices when I've been honest with myself about what I really wanted, rather than making decisions based on what I thought other people wanted or expected of me.
The worst decisions I've ever made have all come about when I've been executing on someone else's mandate, people-pleasing, or ignoring my own instincts.
What are you most proud of in your life?
For good or for bad, I have accomplished absolutely everything I've ever set out to do.
That's not to say I've been 100% successful every single time I've tried something new, but I haven't left any stones unturned, and I'd say my success rate is very high considering everything I've tried and succeeded doing.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
The world has dramatically changed since I started out. And I've tried to stay current.
I wish I'd known to be more adaptable from the outset and to feel less regret when moving through necessary transitions. Learning to continually move forward despite my sentimentality for the way things used to be has been a major life lesson for me.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles?
I admire Michael Bloomberg, who is a massively successful entrepreneur, businessperson, politician, advocate for social equality and leader against climate change.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
Redsand Ventures, Tesla, MIT.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"Always stay in control of the story."
What drives or motivates you each day in a work environment?
The opportunity to realize ideas with the potential to significantly impact the global environmental outlook.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
I used to think of social media as a giant waste of time. Now I see its potential as a channel for the exchange of interesting opportunities, events and ideas.
I like the idea of a forum in which anyone can participate but on the other hand, it's a bit of a shame that all of that data is being mined, exploited, monetized, etc.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
I love WhatsApp because it makes it easy to connect with the VIPs in my life.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever been a mentor to anyone?
I have had significant mentorship in my life, and it's made a huge difference. I've been a university instructor and a manager, so I've mentored lots of people.
How do you network?
I love events, and I can talk to almost anyone about nearly anything. People are just fascinating and always so surprising. Everyone has a different story and perspective.
What is your prefered way to network?
I'm an in-person person.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work?
Reach out to a lot of different people for advice, especially those working in the industry, sector, job you're aiming for, and keep an open mind about the potential of opportunities on offer
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Lack of self-confidence, support, guidance, energy, motivation.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience?
An old friend of mine once defined success as 'When you get paid for just being you.' I think that's a good way of defining it, and I also take a great deal of pride in the lifestyle I’m able to provide for my children.
What skills do you feel have helped you to become successful?
I'm a relentlessly optimistic extravert with a very thick skin, and I think my interpersonal communication skills have been a key factor in the achievement of various successes.
Is there anything new that you are working on or involved in that you would like to share?
I'm always working on side projects that feed my creativity and help me stay inspired and fresh-minded. I am an architecture and design fanatic, and so I'm usually working on someone's renovation project - sometimes even my own!
Over the lockdown, I started repainting various parts of my house, which was a Zen activity that kept me sane and grounded during these crazy times, and I'm also helping a film director friend on an interior redesign project, which is a lot of fun and also engages my creative problem-solving mind.