Challenging the Status Quo: Expanding Access to Opportunities and Empowering Financial Futures

My journey to Cadre, a company dedicated to expanding access to generational wealth creation, began with a simple act of defiance. As a 17-year-old born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and raised in a community where people who looked like me didn’t even consider Ivy League colleges, I was told by my guidance counselor that my dream of attending an Ivy League school was unrealistic. Undeterred by their skepticism, I applied and was ultimately accepted to Harvard College. That experience reinforced my belief that expanded access and exposure to opportunities is the key to unlocking one's full potential.

At Harvard, I was surrounded by students from privileged backgrounds, many of whom had parents working on Wall Street or in high-powered government roles. The disparity between my upbringing and theirs was stark, but I refused to let it define my future. Instead, I sought out opportunities to bridge the gap, and founded a financial education group for students of color at the university.

This experience underscored my conviction that true success lies in expanding access to opportunities for all. Years later, when I founded Cadre, I was driven by the vision of democratizing access to alternative investments, a lucrative asset class that had long been the exclusive domain of a very select, closed-end group of institutional investors.

The subprime mortgage crisis and the subsequent passage of the JOBS Act created a unique moment in time. For the first time, individuals were able to invest in alternative assets, opening doors to wealth creation that were previously closed. Simultaneously, advancements in technology and data analytics enabled us to distribute access to these assets more efficiently and at a wider scale.

Cadre's journey has been marked by both exhilarating highs and unexpected challenges. We've weathered market downturns, faced regulatory hurdles, and navigated the ever-changing landscape of the financial technology industry. Yet, through it all, we've remained steadfast in our commitment to expanding access to wealth-building opportunities.

Early this year, as the global economy faced unprecedented turbulence, we recognized the need to adapt and diversify our offerings while staying true to our core values. And in Yieldstreet, we found a like-minded partner, a company that shared our mission of democratizing access to wealth-creating opportunities and whose product offerings complemented our own.

And given the strong relationship between their CEO and myself, we decided to combine our businesses. Our merger marks a significant step forward in our journey. Together, we will leverage our combined expertise and resources to offer a broader range of alternative investments to a wider audience. We will continue to innovate, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the world of wealth creation.

My life has been shaped by the belief that access to opportunities is the foundation of success. It's this belief that has driven me to challenge the status quo and create new pathways to prosperity for others. Joining Yieldstreet is a testament to this unwavering commitment.

As we move forward, we will continue to expand access to opportunities and empower individuals to take control of their financial futures. Our story is far from over, and I am excited to see what the future holds.