International Women’s Day
#EmbraceEquity in Action: Laura García Aguirre on the power of mentorship
Spotlight Q&A with CrossBoundary Women for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month
In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2023 and Women’s History Month we asked our colleagues from across the globe to share their thoughts on how to #EmbraceEquity and close the gender gap.
According to a 2021 study by Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), women hold only 15% of management positions and own only 14% of companies in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Laura García Aguirre, a Senior Associate based in CrossBoundary’s Bogota office, is part of our Latin America & the Caribbean investment advisory team working to mobilize capital throughout the region. Laura has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Los Andes University and previously served as a Senior Consultant at Everis Colombia, leading and contributing to strategic consulting initiatives for top-tier Colombian companies across various sectors. Prior to that, Laura worked as an investment banking analyst at BBVA IB Office Colombia, focusing on developing and structuring infrastructure projects in Latin America.
Read on to learn about the woman who made a lasting impact on Laura and the advice she has for others starting out in their careers.
Name: Laura García Aguirre
Title: Senior Associate, CrossBoundary Advisory
Location: Latin America & the Caribbean
Q: What excites you most about your current work?
Laura: I have a passion for storytelling, and I love that I have the opportunity in my work to meet very interesting people and learn their stories every week. Since I started working at CrossBoundary, I have come across over 200 new stories that have expanded my world and have made me feel like I’m no longer only a Colombian citizen but instead, a citizen of a region that is ready for the world to discover it!
Contributing to connecting more people to the Latin American perspectives that I am lucky enough to come across, excites me every day.
What motivated you to join CrossBoundary?
I wanted to know my work was going to be making a tangible impact on the society I live in — even if I was working behind an Excel spreadsheet!
And although I was very excited when I joined and motivated by the impact that I was going to generate, every day at CrossBoundary has surprised me more and more. The value that this company gives to each employee is unparalleled. The people at CrossBoundary ensure that everyone has a place where they feel comfortable, where they feel free to express what they are feeling, and where they feel supported by a network of 200 people around the world.
Which woman in your life has influenced your career in a positive way?
My first boss — she’s a rockstar! She taught me that being a woman in this field is possible, despite all the contrary examples I had encountered. Her assertiveness in meetings, her ability to always ask the right questions and translate insights into quality work is something I admire to this day. It made me so happy to see how she commanded attention because of her brilliance. I can firmly say that she was the one who taught me everything I know and the one who taught me to always strive for excellence even when it is not the easy path.
To this day, she is the one I go to when I want to solve any professional challenge, and I hope that I can be this type of person/mentor for someone else.
As a professional woman in your field, what barriers or challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
Making my voice heard and my opinion valued. It has been a difficult road in a world where 90% of the meetings are male-dominated, where it feels like it is easier to listen to what a man says.
I had to do a very conscious job of figuring out how to articulate my thoughts, to find the right tone of voice and the way in which I express myself. I had to think through ways of projecting confidence to the party that is listening to me. Over time, I’ve built confidence in myself and now I feel that is an integral part of who I am.
What advice would you give to a woman looking to start a career in your field?
The road can be difficult for us. There is still a long way to go on the path towards gender equity and for now it is up to us to experience this reality.
However, acknowledging your small victories and being self-compassionate have been two tools that have helped me face the challenges in my path. This does not mean settling for less or playing a “victim’s role”, but rather recognizing that despite the challenges we all have the strength within us to face them.
That said, it is very important to know that you do not have to walk this path alone: there will always be people, mentors, and therapists who have the answers to your questions and who have solved similar challenges. Don’t underestimate the value that having a strong support network can bring you.
More from this series:
Inspired by the women working at CrossBoundary? Passionate about creating lasting change in underserved markets? Learn more about our current openings and apply to join our team here.
CrossBoundary is a mission-driven investment firm committed to unlocking the power of capital for sustainable growth and strong returns in underserved markets. Our team members come from diverse backgrounds but share several qualities: curiosity, humility, integrity, a drive for excellence, and a bias for action. Sound like you? Drop us a line.
