Giselle Bonzi

Cues and Views

Washington Capital Partners president Giselle Bonzi, in brief.

Giselle Bonzi

Home: McLean, Virginia.  Age: 36.  Profession: Real estate financing. Organization: Washington Capital Partners. Title: President.   Significant other: My husband, Daniel Huertas.  Alma mater: Northeastern University; The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Current project: Washington Capital Partners and The WCP Foundation.  Recent recognition: “2021 Women to Watch” by the Women Presidents Organization.  Recent professional development: Owner President Management Program at Harvard Business School, Executive Education.  Latest accomplishment: Finding the right work/life balance recipe that works for my family.  Latest contribution to others: Supporting diversity-related initiatives through The WCP Foundation.  Hobbies: Yoga,  tennis, Formula 1.  Last book read: Emotion by Design, by Greg Hoffman.

What is your greatest joy? Spending time at the beach with my husband and sons.  What is your guilty pleasure? Deep-dish pizza.  What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Firefighters and nurses.  What is at the top of your bucket list? Taking  my sons to Africa, a continent which I love, filled with amazing people.  How do you relieve stress? Doing breathing exercises and meditating.  What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Having my entire family with me.

What movie have you repeatedly watched? Wedding Crashers.  What’s featured prominently on your home or office wall?Portraits of women whom I admire and have been an influence in my life.  Who has had the greatest influence on your life?My grandfather.  Through him I learned that human quality is more valuable than anything else.  What is the best advice you received in your career? When starting a company, find the right business partner who brings equal value. What is your go-to source of news and information? Financial Times.  What company or organization do you most admire? Patagonia.   The perfect marriage of a profitable business and sustainable impact.

What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field?

Enhancing private lending practices and standards to improve industry-wide reputation.  What change would you like to see in the world? I always dream big: access to education, health, housing, food and water for everyone.  What message do you want to send out into the world? No matter how successful or smart you are, always be kind.  What widely held belief do you reject? That to be successful you have to be an early riser.  Some of us do our best as night owls. What mega-trend most concerns you? Instagram filters.  I worry about the body image issues they can create for men and women.

What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly.  What object would you first save from your burning home? My traveling wallet where I keep my family’s passports, cash and other documents.  How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? I would bring all my loved ones to a beach party off the coast of Mozambique.  What advice would you give your younger self? Control the controllables.  Flow with the rest.  What day in your life would you like to re-live? The day I met my husband.

Personal motto: Don’t wish for it, work for it.  Favorite quote: "There's no getting blood out of a turnip" (Frederick Marryat).  Desired epitaph: Veni, vidi, vici.  As a US immigrant, that would be a good one for me.

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