WORKWEEK

Wall Street has long been dominated by men, but as women and women of color we can’t let that intimidate us.

Take a page from Lule Demmissie’s book, a Black LGBTQ+ woman who has prevailed in a space that was never made for her. 👑

Until she arrived in it. This is her story. 

In a sea of executives that look the same, Lule Demmissie arrived on the scene,

“To be a farm horse, not a unicorn.” 🦄🚫

And she’s incredibly equipped to open the door for others like her, having held positions at TD Ameritrade, Ally, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley & JP Morgan.

Before Lule became a force in finance, she grew up in Ethiopia and then immigrated to the U.S. when she was 16 years old.

Not one to be stopped by what society said she could and couldn’t do, Lule attended Columbia University, where she got her MBA at Columbia’s business school. 🎓

Then, Lule got to BUSINESS. Her resume:

• Analyst, J.P. Morgan
• Assoc. Financial Consultant, Merrill Lynch
• Exec Director (Climbing that ladder babe!), Morgan Stanley
• Managing Director, TD Ameritrade
• President, Ally Invest
• CEO & Board Member, eToro U.S.

HOT DAMN. 😍🔥

In her role at eToro U.S. Lule is committed to giving outsiders access through the social platform’s ability to engage people on investing in bite-sized bits that are relevant to them.

Between the end of 2019 and the end of 2021 the platform gained 14.6 million users. 📈🤯

With years of experience in fintech and the wisdom of her past, Lule is a leader all of us can look up to.

On the 1st ever episode of my podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing her (you can listen to the interview here). 

Here are a few gems from our conversation that everyone in our industry needs to hear. 💎

#1 💎 You have to meet people where they are

Lule believes her background and identity allowed her to learn how to meet people on their terms and enable them to come to her on her terms. 

Give people an opportunity to see, and to be seen. 👑💗

#2 💎 Sit closest to the fire

Every career move Lule has ever made has excited her.

Why?

Because she has always gone where she felt she could sit closest to the fire of learning and gain the most knowledge and experience possible. 

Seek places where you can feel the warmth. 🔥🧠✨

#3 💎 Change wins

Lule uses this to her advantage as she transforms and informs our industry,

“Change always wins. So, the question becomes are you adaptive and able to take that change and use it as diesel for your own transformation? Or are you going to be a victim to it?” 🎯

#4 💎 Investing is for everyone

Minus the trust fund babies, nobody can afford to forfeit the activity of investing.

If you’re not sure where to start, Lule says, “I don’t really care what company you start with, START. The most important thing is that you enter the game.” 🏀

#5 💎 Confidence and vulnerability aren’t opposites

“I consider myself to be a confident human being with vulnerabilities,” says Lule.

Through this lens, she’s found peace with imposter syndrome and learned to know when to “fire her imposter,” and when to consider her input.💓

#6 💎 Fail out loud

In discussing imposter syndrome Lule also says, “I really, really, believe in failing out loud. 

When you have the ability to fail out loud than the imposter doesn’t have anything over you.” 💪🏽

Driven by her passion to learn and open the door for others, Lule is a role model for everyone in the fintech industry. 👑

With more women like her in charge, diverse voices have the opportunity to enter the conversation, and stay in it. 💓✨