Alignment

 

“how do we close the gap between who we are on the inside and what we’re doing on the outside — and what does it cost to leave that gap open?”

 

This summer, I had the pleasure of taking some extended time with my family down by the beach in Santa Cruz, CA. There’s something about the way the waves cycle in and out, like the ocean is inhaling and exhaling, that invites stillness and a chance to take stock. Santa Cruz’s earthy, laid-back vibe practically insists that you kick back and let the world spin on without you for a while. As I stared out at the water, the tranquility nudged me toward reflection — thinking about my origins in finance, my family, and how far I’ve come on my journey of health and wellness.

In this reflection, I explore…

• How watching my dad, Les Borges Jr. a lifelong dairy farmer, do business inspired my own approach to life and investing
• The parallels I’ve found between business and wellness, and how I use the lessons from one sphere to help me in the other
• What helps me avoid burnout in my work 
• Why I’m drawn to direct investing – and how my wellness journey led me there

Once you read, I hope you’ll drop me a note to let me know what resonated with you. 

Being “Identity Agnostic” in Business

Being in Santa Cruz brought up a sense of nostalgia. I’m reminded of the early mornings on my dad’s dairy farm, the smell of fresh hay mingling with the morning mist, and the steady rhythm of life that revolved around the cows. My dad was a man who did business with just about anyone. He didn’t care if they were Cowboys or 49ers fans — though I knew where his loyalties lay as a lifelong 49ers season ticket holder. His philosophy was straightforward: “This guy wants to buy a cow, and I can sell him one.” Sports rivalries didn’t stand in the way of making a deal.

I’ve always admired his ability to set aside differences and focus on what really matters — finding common ground and making the deal work for everyone involved. If my dad had let sports team rivalries dictate who he did business with, we’d probably have ended up with a lot of unsold cows. It’s a mindset I’ve tried to carry with me into my own work, and I’ll be the first to admit I’m still learning. In business and in life, I try to meet people where they are and look for the connections, even when it feels like we’re on opposite sides of the fence.

This ability to embrace differences has become a cornerstone of how I approach investing. I’m still figuring it out as I go, but I know it would be easy to write off certain legacy industries because they don’t fit the traditional “impact” mold. But here’s the thing: by staying open and engaging with these industries, we have a real opportunity to guide them toward more sustainable practices. We can invite them to walk alongside us on the path to positive change. 

Embracing differences can definitely be a leap of faith for me. Yet ultimately, being what I call “identity agnostic” in business has served me well. It’s led to innovative investment opportunities that have been gratifying — not only in terms of financial return, but also in building lasting impact. For example, over the last decade and a half, I’ve taken the time to learn about and invest in sectors that don’t typically scream “sustainability” — apartments, self-storage, and soon, industrial warehouses. 

When I’m looking at whether a project is “sustainable,” I include financial sustainability because, realistically, impact plans have the best chance of success when the enterprise underpinning those aspirations is operating profitably. In other words, cash flow is essential. It’s the lifeblood that keeps the asset — and its potential for impact — alive and thriving. Without consistent profitability, even the best-intentioned impact initiatives can falter – a trend unfortunately I see over and over in the impact investing space. 

By focusing on investments that generate strong, reliable cash flow, we not only secure financial returns but also create a solid foundation for long-term impact. I really enjoy helping folks in these legacy industries innovate in order to create environmental and social sustainability alongside financial stability. It feels like a fun challenge where I get to share my perspective and the lessons I’ve learned over the years working in impact. This is why I’ve chosen to invest in sectors like apartments, self-storage, and industrial warehouses — they may not be the flashiest, but they offer the kind of stability and profitability that creates meaningful change over time. 

Business and Wellness: Learning from Both Worlds

This “identity agnostic” approach has served me just as well in my health and wellness journey. Like many people, I’ve found myself getting attached to certain routines — whether it’s a diet, an exercise regimen, or a sleep schedule. But over time, I’ve learned that rigidity can be counterproductive. The key is to stay flexible, to listen to my body’s feedback, and to be willing to adjust.

For example, there was a time when I religiously followed an intermittent fasting routine, waiting until 11am to have my first meal. The research on autophagy — when the body cleans out damaged cells and regenerates new ones — convinced me that this was the best approach. But over time, my body started sending different signals. I found myself low on energy and struggling to consume enough protein in the short eating window I had allowed myself. So, I adjusted. I started having a protein smoothie around 9am (usually after an outdoor workout), thinking that would solve the problem. 

But, as with all things, balance was key. I went a bit overboard, chugging my protein smoothie like it was a race. Within a few minutes, I’d drink down a full Mason jar. My digestion couldn’t keep up, and I ended up feeling sluggish. It was a lesson in moderation. So I slowed down, sipping the smoothie over a couple of hours, and found that this approach worked much better for my body, since my body needs time to synthesize proteins. 

These shifts weren’t about adhering to a strict plan. Instead, they were about being in tune with my body’s needs and responding accordingly. This flexibility has gradually become a guiding principle in my work at Essentia Capital. When we form a new fund, I’m naturally excited about it — but I’ve learned that doesn’t automatically mean my investors will be. It’s been crucial for me to listen carefully to their feedback, to genuinely understand their perspectives, and to adapt my approach to meet their needs. This ongoing effort to stay open and responsive has been a key factor in our ability to fund projects that not only aim for significant environmental and social benefits, but also strive to deliver market-competitive returns that help build generational wealth for our investors and their families.

In both wealth-building and wellness, my goal is to cultivate curiosity. The more I can remain open and not attached to a certain way of doing things, the more options I realize I have. It’s not a perfect practice, of course. Like everyone, I can get pulled into assumptions — like assuming it would be a good idea to chug down a massive protein shake in one sitting. But it’s great to have the memory of my dad as a model for looking for solutions without getting too caught up in my identities.

Reading the Label: Transparency and Direct Investing

In both finance and lifestyle, I’ve realized that you can’t make effective adjustments without understanding the “ingredients” at play. Whether it’s reading the literal label on a protein smoothie or dissecting the components of an investment opportunity, the more I know about what’s inside, the better I can trace the outcomes — whether that’s increased energy or improved market performance.

This insight is what led me to embrace direct investing. For me, it’s the financial equivalent of picking vegetables from my own garden. I know the quality of the soil, the seeds, and that the plants were pollinated by healthy bees, free of pesticides. With each additional layer of removal, more mystery is added. By the time you reach mutual funds or public equities, it’s like shopping at a national chain supermarket — you’re unsure who grew the produce, what kind of soil it came from, or what chemicals were involved. So, if you feel “off” after eating an apple, it might be the apple itself… or it might be the pesticide, the wax coating, or even the latex gloves worn during sorting. The solution isn’t to stop eating apples — it’s to find a better source.

Direct investing offers that level of transparency. When I can see the “ingredients,” I can directly trace them to specific outcomes. It requires more effort upfront, but it allows us to continuously refine and improve our process for better results.

Interestingly, this core philosophy at Essentia Capital might never have emerged without my personal wellness journey. Through my own lifestyle experiments, I’ve learned to become more of an observer — whether I’m fine-tuning my protein intake or identifying what’s disrupting my sleep. I’ve cultivated a habit of inquiry and iteration, which has translated seamlessly into my approach to investing. This mindset has helped me create better opportunities for my investors.

It might sound unusual, but the body is a lot like a real estate investment. Over time, it naturally “depreciates” (aka, ages). To maintain its value and ensure the best returns, it requires ongoing effort and maintenance. We don’t hesitate to replace the HVAC in a commercial property, repair a crumbling foundation, or remove lead paint — actions that preserve the building’s longevity and value. I apply the same approach to my body, investing in longevity and healthspan to yield long-term benefits.

However, taking care of our physical selves is a bit more complex because we’re the only ones who can truly feel what’s happening inside. Specialists and lab tests can provide guidance, but ultimately, the success of our “investment” depends on how well we listen to our body’s feedback — those subtle twinges, energy shifts, or changes in sleep patterns.

That’s why I’ve found the most effective “investment strategy” for my health is staying closely connected to my body’s feedback. Whether it’s pausing to breathe and do a body scan, sitting in the sunshine to become present, or playing on a balance board with my son, these activities ground me in a somatic experience of life. They provide nuanced insights into my “wellbeing portfolio” and allow me to make any necessary adjustments.

Like everyone, I get caught up in work and lose track of my body’s signals. But I simply return to my intention. I’m building the habit of “reading the label,” staying aware of outcomes, and learning valuable lessons along the way.

Final Thoughts: Aligning Success with Fulfillment

Recently, I had a conversation with an investment partner about how important it is to track not only our outer success but also our inner fulfillment. We’ve both experienced how sometimes financial success can outstrip our sense of inner purpose. I kind of imagine it like those cartoon characters that start running — except their heads are way out in front while the rest of the body lags behind and their legs circle in place.

This disconnect means that we may achieve financial wealth — and even bring great benefit to others through impact projects — but still feel rudderless because our interior isn’t keeping pace. It can be a pretty uncomfortable place to be, especially if we’re worrying that other people might see us as “ungrateful” if we seek something more.

The conversation turned my mind yet again to my dad. Another profound impact he had on me was in demonstrating that making money can feel meaningful. When he asked me to manage our family’s real estate investments years ago, it was a turning point for me. I had just finished my PhD in the Philosophy of Rhetoric and was teaching — a field I thought I was passionate about — but I felt disconnected from how I was making a living. My work felt one-dimensional, much like it had when I was in traditional finance. To be honest, I was a bit lost.

Managing those family investments was the first time I felt a real connection between my work and my personal values. I wanted to make my dad proud, and I wanted the investments to do well for my family. The external work felt like a natural extension of my interior desires to show up for my family and use my skills to support them. Who knew managing family investments could be so life-changing?

Through these experiences, I’ve come to realize that true impact starts from within. As investors, we often focus on the external impact we’re having — how our investments are changing the world, how our investments are increasing our personal ledger. But if we’re not aligned internally, those efforts can feel hollow. It’s easy to get burnt out when we’re trying so hard to shape the external world without supporting that effort with inner practices. And I’ll admit, I’ve burnt out a few times. 

I’ve learned that the most sustainable impact comes from a place of inner alignment. When I’m in tune with my values and my body, everything else falls into place. I’m able to make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and create more meaningful impact. It’s like a wave that starts from within and ripples out to the world around me. 

A big part of this “ripple” for me is writing about my journey and sharing it with others. I want to offer my internal experiences to you not because I’ve got it all figured out – I definitely don’t! – but so that we can exchange ideas and leverage the wisdom of the collective for our individual journeys. 

I’m grateful to you for reading this far. One of my goals with these reflections is to open up new conversations, exploring what it would be like if we normalized talking about inner fulfillment and alignment. My belief is we’d create more stillness and less burnout. And maybe even unlock new opportunities for outer success as we connect to one another and to ourselves more deeply.

~ Gino