During my internship at Gojo & Company, Inc., I worked on a comprehensive fundraising project that included preparation for Series F equity fundraising and debt fundraising. These activities are critical to Gojo's mission of extending financial inclusion worldwide by providing capital for further investments in microfinance institutions across multiple countries.

My role involved collaborating closely with investment banks and investors to facilitate their due diligence process, which was essential for demonstrating Gojo’s value and potential for growth. This project directly supported Gojo’s goal of becoming a “private-sector World Bank” by securing the funds needed to expand its reach and services, ultimately empowering millions of underserved individuals with high-quality financial services. My contributions helped strengthen Gojo's financial foundation, enabling it to continue driving social impact through innovative financial solutions.

My experience at Columbia Business School (CBS) provided a strong foundation in finance, which I applied extensively during my internship. The corporate finance and valuation techniques I learned were directly relevant to supporting the fundraising initiatives, particularly in analyzing Gojo's financial health and preparing materials that communicated the company's value proposition to potential investors. Additionally, my coursework in leadership and strategy courses equipped me with the tools to effectively engage with stakeholders, including investment banks and institutional investors, ensuring that the fundraising process aligned with Gojo’s social and financial goals. The experience also allowed me to apply my analytical skills, such as financial modeling and market analysis, to real-world situations, reinforcing the importance of both financial sustainability and social impact in business operations.

Balancing Gojo’s dual objectives of achieving social impact while ensuring financial sustainability was one of the primary challenges I encountered. The organization aims to reduce poverty by providing affordable financial services to underserved populations, but it also needs to demonstrate profitability to attract investors. As an intern, I had to quickly learn how to navigate these competing priorities and contribute meaningfully to discussions about optimizing the balance between social goals and financial performance. Additionally, stepping into a fast-paced environment where I was expected to handle complex financial tasks and deliverables from the beginning was challenging. It required rapid adaptation, strong analytical skills, and effective time management to keep up with the demands of the team and add value in a limited timeframe.

My internship at Gojo & Company reaffirmed my desire to work at the intersection of finance and social impact. The experience provided a unique opportunity to understand how financial tools can be leveraged to drive positive change in underserved communities. I learned the importance of maintaining a delicate balance between social objectives and financial goals, a critical skill for any finance professional working in impact-oriented organizations. This experience has reinforced my career goal of contributing to socially impactful finance, and I feel more prepared to take on future roles that align with this mission. The internship enriched my understanding of microfinance and broadened my perspective on global financial inclusion, which will be invaluable as I continue my studies at Columbia and beyond.