For Stefania Di Bartolomeo, giving back to the environment has always been her passion. Through Physis Investment, she has created a platform to support entrepreneurs and companies that are dedicated towards protecting the planet and our natural ecosystem.
With its unique data reports and tools to measure real-time impacts of sustainable investment, Physis is making a mark to bring about a change in the business landscape.
In an Exclusive Interview with Exeleon Magazine, Stefania Di Bartolomeo discusses her passion, journey, and Physis Investment.
What according to you makes one a dynamic entrepreneur? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?
In my experience, a dynamic entrepreneur is one who continuously learns, adapts, and attempts new things. An entrepreneur cannot be a solo player. They are the ones who must lead and drive a group of people to continuously learn, adapt, and attempt new things. The exciting part is building a team and finding a market that shares your view and wants to make it happen!
A dynamic entrepreneur is someone who has built a dynamic environment where energy, knowledge, and passion are put forward in the creation of innovative products and solutions. It is not about making one product and putting it on the market, it is about working with brilliant minds in implementing new ideas that can keep improving and adapting to the way people live. Entrepreneurship is a never-ending process.
Talk to us about your growing-up years. What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the sustainable investing space?
I didn’t have an epiphany moment, rather my passion for the environment has always been part of my life. I have always had an innate sense of respect for the planet, walking and being surrounded by nature makes me happy, and I want to preserve it. I believe the natural ecosystem faces many challenges, from pollution to the uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources. Investing in companies and projects that protect the planet and the people is simply a natural consequence of what I believe is right. Sustainable investing is key to building a better tomorrow. I want to be an active contributor to this incredible journey that the financial system has begun.
What was the idea that led to the formation of Physis Investment? What makes the company stand out?
Physis was born to bring transparency to the investment industry and display investment impact in a comprehensive, transparent way.
The idea for Physis came to me while I was a fund manager working with a client who was inquiring about a fund investment strategy. The client asked a simple yet powerful question: How do you prove you are positively impacting the planet with my money? And after a few seconds, she added: Do you have data to show me?
At this moment, I realized I could provide plenty of analysis with large datasets or provide ambiguous ESG information, but there was no way I could help the client engage more deeply with their investments and answer her questions.
Physis was designed to answer these questions. We provide unique impact data and multiple tools to measure real-time impact of investments on the planet, rather than a confusing score telling only half of the story.
Being the Founder and CEO, what role do you play in the day-to-day proceedings of the company?
A few weeks ago, in our team meeting, I presented a slide, there was Mario + a mushroom = Super Mario. It is a clear reference to the game from Nintendo my generation grew up with. I told them I am the mushroom, my job and my responsibility is to make sure you, and the company grow. I am the captain of a fantastic crew that wants to make a difference in the way people invest. In the day-to-day, I bring the Physis vision and advanced industry knowledge to make sure I can enable growth for the whole team. I love sharing ideas, making execution plans, and checking results with all Physis’ departments, from the analyst to developers to sales.
Looking back at your journey, what would you have done differently when starting out?
In the early years of my career, after work and on the weekends, I studied to be excellent the next day at work. I would probably tell my younger self to work and study less, so I could spend more time with friends. But the reality is that I was in love with my job and the world of sustainable finance. I felt a drive and an urgency to make a difference, thus deepening my knowledge to be effective.
What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs?
I have a few advice for emerging entrepreneurs:
- Be persistent in your goals, the path is tough
- Be bold and attempt the impossible
- Build a supportive network around you
- Ask for help and learn from mistakes
- Hire smart people and let them add value every day
- Motivate your team to learn and leave their comfort zone
- Value and reward your people
Finally, what does the future look like for you and Physis Investment?
Physis is a young, Boston-based fintech company always looking to provide innovative solutions. Our growth strategy initially focused on the USA market alone but thanks to the European sustainable investing and reporting regulations, an increased number of European investors are inquiring about the Physis platform. We have seen exponential growth in the EU, and we are excited to create a new division there.
In the following months, in the USA, we will launch three different versions of the platform to better capture the diverse needs of investors, from small RIAs to large asset managers that aim to create and understand the impact of their portfolios.
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