René Lumley-Hall
Limited Partner and Operating Advisor
How Women Invest
How Women Invest is an early stage venture firm. We see that female founders are a force to be reckoned with and are part of an untapped venture capital landscape. We are disrupting the unequal investment in women-owned ventures and propelling women-led businesses forward. I act as a valuable resource for portfolio companies due to my specific industry knowledge and experience, while still maintaining the limited liability status of a typical Limited Partner. I contribute money for investments, while also actively advising portfolio companies with my industry expertise, particularly focusing on operational aspects and strategy.
I’m a big fan of puzzles and brain teasers. I get to solve some pretty big problems that impact our client experience as well as our internal business processes. I love that in the work I do I have the freedom to identify challenges, related goals and priorities, then determine innovative solutions or steps we need to take to achieve those goals and mobilize resources to creatively execute on the actions. I love being able to see the tangible outcomes of my work.
* Meetings with company partners * One-on-one meetings with my team members or with individuals with whom I may be working on a specific initiative * Drafting reports with key program updates, financial metrics, risks and challenges we may be facing and for review with senior leaders
* Constantly learning: I'm intellectually curious and not afraid to operate in ambiguous circumstances. I read periodicals and listen to podcasts to stay on top of business, digital and technical trends that help me as I look for opportunities to contribute and fill gaps where they may be overlooked or ignored. * Knowing what I know and what I don’t know: I am not shy to reach out to people to get insights and information where I am not an expert. If I don’t have the answers, I generally know who to go to for the answers. I’m not afraid to ask for help. * Know your numbers and be able to tell the story: Expanding on my love for math and problem solving to enhance my quantitative skill set (Excel) to use data to inform critical business decision making and my ability to tell the story (PowerPoint + Public Speaking) to various audiences.
On a more immediate basis, I look forward to expanding both my team and the portfolio of projects that we are driving. On a longer term, I look forward to running a similar team that operates more broadly beyond my current business, but across the enterprise.
I have always been active, playing soccer, tennis and softball growing up. As an adult, I’ve incorporated my passion for yoga, cycling, and kettlebell workouts into my fitness and wellness routines. Coming from a very musically oriented and artistic family, I love listening to and playing music loudly - including Dancehall, Neo-Soul, Afrobeats and Samba. I am a not a great dancer, but I love trying!
"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right." ~ Henry Ford