We had the good fortune of connecting with Kerstin Recker and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Kerstin, how do you think about risk?
Taking risk and being comfortable with the new and unknown has always been a theme in my life. I grew up moving every couple of years and as such I had to put myself on the line to make new friends, to try out for new teams and to create new opportunities. It would have been a pretty lonely road if I did not confront my fears and take risks. The good news, the more you welcome risk the better you get at it and the fear of taking risks subsides, and excitement of possibility takes over. Years ago, I quit my job as a VP at MTV Networks to travel. People thought I was crazy, but I was confident that I would land on my two feet no matter what. My daring adventure changed my career trajectory. When I returned I made the decision to leave corporate, start a nonprofit, enter into the world of tech start-ups, and eventually take the leap into entrepreneurship as a female tech founder. Whenever I am contemplating risk, I draw upon this quote from Eric Hansen: “What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?”. Whether you are an entrepreneur or an intrapreneur you have to face the fear of uncertainty to achieve the things you aspire to. And you have to be willing to take the risk no matter the outcome, even if it might mean you fail. In doing so we grow, we learn, we become more resilient, more knowledgeable, humbler, and more confident in taking risk, in essence we fail forward toward success.
What should our readers know about your business?
Imagine investing $2MM dollars into an investment fund and when you asked your wealth manager how it was performing they told you it would take days to get you a report. That would be unacceptable. But this happens in philanthropy. Despite $450bn being donated to charities many donors remain skeptical how their donations are used. For foundations, who manage large amounts of charitable capital, monitoring impact is time consuming and hard. These organizations often spend days compiling reports because information is fragmented, and automation is lacking. Grantees have limited resources to provide monthly updates to each individual Grantmaker. Auhtentifi solves this by bringing the discipline of investing and project management to philanthropy. Authentifi is a charitable fund management platform that makes it easier for Grantmakers (i.e., foundations, philanthropic advisors, Donor-advised fund sponsors, etc.) to track their return on their charitable investments. Grantmakers, get access to Authentifi’s platform, where they can create charitable funds, manage donor’s portfolios, and get the data they need to understand exactly how their individual contributions are helping drive social impact. At Authentifi, we know that impact is a journey, not a destination, hence, we make it possible for Grantmakers to track, monitor, and measure impact, while making it easier for Grantees to tell their story – in one unified solution. I am most proud of our team’s ability to bring together our expertise across different disciplines to develop a philanthropic technology platform that amplifies philanthropic giving through transparency. What sets Authentifi apart is our ability to empower clients with the information they need to secure funding. We do this in a way no one else does, with us, Grantmakers can experience the journey to impact and measure the performance of their investments. Smarter giving leads to more giving and more giving leads to greater impact – that is exactly what Authentifi aims to do. Building a business and being an entrepreneur is not without struggles and challenges. There are days when you feel like you just keep hitting brick walls and that your business is not moving forward. But that is when you need to dig deep, you need to go back to your WHY and invoke a beginners mind. Once you hit reset come back to the table with a fresh perspective and you will find a way forward. What I want the world to know about me and my brand story is that everything, including us as individuals, is evolving all the time. Pay attention, listen, and be open. In doing so, we become better, what we create becomes more valuable and our why becomes clearer.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many amazing things to see in Miami. From the moment you get off the plane, you feel the magic of Miami hit. The magic extends way beyond the party scene, the cortaditos, and the pastelitos. It carries over to the beach, the art, the dancing, and the food. With that said here is a small sampling of things not to miss. Food: Doggi’s Arepa Bar, Coyo Taco, Butcher Shop Wynwood, Taquiza, Drunken Dragon, Ceviche 105, Katana, Shuckers (water views), Eating House, Beaker and Gray, Stiltsville, Broken Shaker…this list could go on and on. To See: Art Deco in South Beach, South Point Park, Bass Art Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, Frost Science Museum, Vizcaya, Center for Subtropical Affairs, Wynwood Walls, Museum of Graffiti To Do: The beach (specifically between 60-the 90s), Haulover Park, Kayaking at Oleta state park, paddle boarding on the bay, a bike ride on the boardwalk, walk and people watch on Lincoln Road, take a sailing tour
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
No one gets to where they are at alone. My husband and son definitely deserve credit, they are my biggest cheerleaders. My husband is always reminding me that I can fly, and my son is the number one thing that keeps me going. I also want to give a shout out to my grandmother. She continues to inspire me and remind me that it’s NEVER too late to go after what you want, even at 85! I would like to give a shout out to my friends who give me continuous support on this journey. Last but not least, I’d like to give a shout out to the Babson WIN Lab and all the women who are working to change gender dynamics across many industries for future generations.
Website: https://www.authentifi.io/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerstintia/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authentifi?lang=en