“Crashing through the ‘Glass Ceiling’ Feels Great!” Says Award-Winning Businesswoman at US Capital Global

We asked Kristie Bender-Carey how she defines success, what challenges she faced in her career, and what qualities have contributed the most to her professional success.

At international private investment group US Capital Global, we are proud to have highly skilled, successful, and admirable professionals leading our team. We took the opportunity to interview Kristie Bender-Carey, Managing Director and Partner at US Capital Global. Ms. Bender-Carey is an award-winning business-founder and sought-after keynote speaker with a passion for mentoring young professionals. 

Q: What qualities of yours would you say have contributed the most to your professional success? 
A: My ability to listen and understand what the client is trying to say, to assist them in understanding the pros and cons of their project, and to make them feel comfortable that what we are trying to accomplish as a team is aligned with their goals. I also have deep knowledge of the finance industry, which makes the client comfortable. They trust me as a professional.

Q: What advice do you normally give to the junior talent you mentor? 
A: Loyalty above all else. Stay loyal to your values, never quit, and stay focused. It is important to me that “I learn one, do one, and teach one” (my moto) as a mentor, because our industry—and life as a whole—is always changing. The bottom line is stay educated, stay at the top of your industry, and learn to rely on your instincts.

Q: As a business-founder with extensive experience in banking, management, and the real estate and construction industry, what are some of the main challenges you have experienced during your career, if any? 
A: There have been many challenges, starting with being a woman in a man’s world and industry. I have learned not to listen when the nay-sayers tell you, “You can’t, and if you do, you’ll hit that infamous ‘glass ceiling.’” 

Q: What is your definition of success? 
A: My personal definition is to support the success of my children and grandchildren; to witness the businessmen and women I have helped standing tall and surrounded by a strong company because of something I did; to see the smile on a face when their dreams are in sight or are realized; to watch a young person I have mentored step out and do what they have dreamed about, because they have the confidence and knowledge they needed. 

Q: What one piece of advice would you give any aspiring female business and industry leaders reading this? 
A: Never stop learning, stay focused on your goals, push harder, and never stop trying to reach higher just because of your gender or because someone tells you that you can’t. That glass ceiling doesn’t hurt when you crash through it—in fact, it feels great!

Q: Where are you looking to go with your career in the next 5–10 years? 
A: To continue to grow my circle of influence, to build US Capital Global to a new level of success, and to continue to align myself with the best in this industry. I would like to build on the reputation of the group to a point where US Capital Global and I not only meet the industry’s exacting standards every time but also exceed them, and where the group develops a global reputation as the most reliable and knowledgeable source of capital for the middle market.

To learn more about US Capital Global, email Jeffrey Sweeney, Chairman and CEO, at jsweeney@uscapglobal.comor call +1 415-889-1010.