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The divide between making money and making a difference is a false one – and Leehe Skuler has spent 15 years proving it. In this captivating conversation, we explore how impact investing is redirecting capital toward regenerative solutions that benefit people and planet simultaneously.
Leehe Skuler takes us through her fascinating journey from environmental activism to pioneering impact investments across Africa, where she helped finance clean energy solutions for off-grid communities. Her work revealed a crucial insight: the barriers to funding regenerative enterprises aren't insurmountable – they're primarily psychological and structural. Through innovative approaches like offering bank managers observation roles and structuring funding arrangements, Leehe has successfully unlocked capital for ventures that transform lives while generating sustainable returns.
"The paradigm that we were born into – that you have to choose between values or money – makes all of us feel uncomfortable," Leehe explains. "Even the most cynical, experienced person in finance doesn't like to admit they're putting their values aside to make money." She argues that this either/or mentality is actually a relatively recent concept, emerging primarily in the 1980s, rather than an economic law of nature.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Leehe shares her experience growing up in Israeli kibbutz communities, where resources are shared, decisions made collectively, and money plays a minimal role. These intentional community models have given her unique insights into the challenges and rewards of communal living – knowledge she now applies to the regenerative communities emerging in rural Portugal where she currently lives.
Looking toward the future, Leehe envisions networks of diverse regenerative communities collaborating while maintaining their unique characters. As decision-making tools improve and more people seek meaningful connection, these new community models could transform our relationship with both the environment and each other.