Elliott Campbell’s career in finance is as much a testament to his disciplined mindset as it is to his financial acumen. Raised in a modest household in North Carolina, Campbell’s early experiences shaped his relentless drive and unwavering focus—qualities that have propelled him to success in the demanding world of investment banking and now as a Principal, Direct Investments at HarbourVest Partners in Boston. Through his journey, Campbell has developed a deep understanding of money, not just as a tool for transactions, but as a crucial element in building a stable and prosperous future. Sapere Aude has been incredibly fortunate that he has presented to their student interns each summer on investing in alternatives as well as his professional journey.
In this interview led by Sapere Aude Student Intern, Lucas George, Campbell shares insights that resonate with young professionals, underscoring the importance of preparation, focus, and independence. By participating in Sapere Aude’s First in Finance series, he extends his support to first-generation college students, offering guidance that can help them navigate their own paths to success. From his reflections on the true nature of money to the disciplined approach that has defined his career, Campbell’s advice is both practical and inspirational, especially for those just starting their journey in the financial world.
Q: Can you tell us about your childhood and the influence your parents had on your early interests and commitments?
I grew up in North Carolina, and my parents did not have many resources. Now that I have kids of my own, I realize how little you know as a kid and how amazing it is that my parents did such a good job providing for my siblings and me. Generally, I didn’t realize we didn’t have much because you only know what you see. Looking back, that was definitely the case. My upbringing focused on academics and athletics. My parents communicated that college was possible through academic or athletic scholarships, so a lot of time and energy went into those areas. For me, football was my passion. I played from the age of seven and was very committed. I have many memories of early morning workouts, running at the track on Saturdays, and doing drills. That intense focus and drive have stuck with me.
Q: How did your parents’ expectations and your early academic experiences shape your educational journey?
In education, I was similarly focused. I wouldn’t say I was passionate about education, but I always got good grades because that was the expectation in our house. Like with football, there was a lot of work outside the classroom. Every summer, my dad assigned us books to read, book reports to write, and gave us feedback on our writing and thinking. Doing that for several summers was important. The mantra “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance” was always repeated in our house, teaching us to always prepare to show up our best.
The mantra “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance” was always repeated in our house, teaching us to always prepare to show up our best.
Q: What drew you to a career in finance, and what role did your first job out of college play in solidifying that choice?
I was attracted to the challenging environment of investment banking, known for its demanding workload and steep learning curves. I was also drawn to the money. My first job out of college had a salary and bonus higher than my parents’ combined income. The opportunity for high earnings and significant learning experiences were crucial factors in my career choice.
Q: What has influenced your perspective among your peers the most?
I have an insatiable amount of optimism and truly believe I can do anything if I have the focus and am willing to put in the time. Bringing that mindset to work gives me the confidence to solve any problem. I’m not intimidated by anything in a professional setting. I’ve faced many situations where the odds were against me, but I focused, used my mind, put in the time, and succeeded. That combination of fearlessness, confidence, and drive is challenging to manufacture without the upbringing I had. As a parent, I often think about how to instill these traits in my kids, even though they won’t have the same life experiences that organically developed these traits in me.
Q: What do you consider the greatest strength that comes from your background?
My greatest strength is my ability to focus and endure challenging things for a long time. When I started playing football at seven, my sole mission was to use football to go to college, and I worked on that until I was 18. That was over a decade of dedication to something distant and difficult to grasp. In life and professionally, the most rewarding experiences are like that—they take a lot of discipline, focus, and a long runway to get there. I was fortunate to grow up building those muscles, so it’s almost natural for me now.
Focus on doing what you are intellectually curious about. Ignore what people tell you to do and spend time figuring out what you like to do because you find it so interesting that you become obsessive over it.
Q: What advice would you give to young professionals about finding and pursuing their passions in their careers?
Focus on doing what you are intellectually curious about. Ignore what people tell you to do and spend time figuring out what you like to do because you find it so interesting that you become obsessive over it. Once you figure out that thing, determine what greatness looks like in that field, identify the skills you need to excel, and decide if you are willing to dedicate the time to be great. If you periodically go through this exercise, you’ll find yourself doing something you care about and are really good at over time.
Q: How did your experience as a student-athlete shape your approach to your professional career?
My experience as a student-athlete helped me develop focus. As a student-athlete, there are high demands from practice and team activities, but you still have to do well in the classroom. This builds endurance. I approach my career the same way I approached athletics. Take college football, for example: pre-season is all about working out with the team and putting time in the gym, with no games yet. You’re just working to get good at your craft. In a career, there are times and years where you are just putting in work to improve. Come early September, you play games every Saturday for 15 weeks, which are like high-stakes moments in your job where you apply your skills. After every season, there is an off-season where athletes recover, and I ensure I do the same at work. I find ways to step away, focus on other things, and recuperate. This process repeats over and over. Having this mindset is entirely due to my experience as a student-athlete.
Q: Given your disciplined approach to balancing athletics and academics as a student-athlete, how do you apply that same discipline to maintaining personal well-being and work-life balance in your demanding career?
In high-demand jobs like investment banking, I was disciplined early on to take an hour or so to go to the gym at 6:00 pm. I would return to finish my work, but that time was mine. It was my reset and way to step away. I have the same habit now, waking up at 5:30 am and working out between 5:45 and 7:00 am almost every morning. That is my free time—I don’t look at my phone or check emails; I’m just in the gym, thinking about whatever comes to mind. As I’ve advanced in my career, I’ve also gotten better at taking vacations and not being plugged in while on vacation. Even if I work during vacation, I get that hour and a half of exercise and time to myself every day.
Q: How has your family, including your parents, siblings, and wife, played a role in supporting you throughout your career? What influence have they had on your professional journey?
I obviously had the support of my parents and wouldn’t be here today without them. My siblings and my wife are also big parts of my support system. However, I am my biggest support system. Over time, I have found ways to be highly independent and have cultivated the view that I am solely responsible for the outcomes in my life. No one else is responsible for the decisions I make, and I live by that accountability. This doesn’t discount my wife or family; it’s just that I think for myself and support myself.
The number one thing I take pride in is being an independent thinker. No one can think for you; there’s no savior to come and fix everything in your life.
Q: You mentioned the importance of being independent. How has cultivating this independence and self-reliance impacted your career, and why do you believe these qualities are crucial for success?
The number one thing I take pride in is being an independent thinker. No one can think for you; there’s no savior to come and fix everything in your life. You have to use your mind to figure out your path. Learning to think and act for yourself is important because it cultivates internal drive and motivation. This way, you’re not reliant on others and can inspire yourself during tough moments. When you can count on yourself, you don’t need to count on anyone else. Having a great support system like mine is even better, but if it all went away, I would be alright, and I take a lot of comfort in that.
Q: What is your ‘money story’? Could you share some key experiences or lessons that have shaped your relationship with money and your financial decisions?
The question “what is money?” is the most important question for anyone involved in the economy to answer. Most people don’t know what money is or why it matters. Over the past five to seven years, I’ve thought deeply about this. In short, money is simply technology—a tool. It exists because of uncertainty. You use money to transfer the value you create with your time and energy to acquire goods in the future. At HarbourVest, they pay me in money, which I then use to buy something of equivalent value later. That’s what money is.
Q: You do a great job at explaining complicated economic models in an easy-to-digest format. Want to give it a shot here, in the context of your money story?
Money is important because you need it to have savings. With savings, you can create capital, which you invest to make a return or profit. Capital, like money, is uncertain and reflects the time and energy you defer consuming. Properly invested capital creates more money, allowing you to save and create more capital, forming a cycle. Consumption is the effect of prosperity, not the cause. Modern economists often suggest consumption is everything, but you can only consume if you have money to save and produce capital. You must have confidence that your money will hold its value. If it doesn’t, you can’t save, create capital, generate more money, or build wealth.
Q: Any takeaways about the impact of COVID and central bank policies on money and inflation. How have these factors influenced your view on money and its value?
COVID really highlighted the importance of money and the response of central banks. Central banks printed a lot of money, devaluing the currency and causing inflation. You see it in home prices, the cost of living, and everything you buy. Inflation results from manipulating the money supply, and this isn’t unique to our time. Throughout history, civilizations have inflated their currencies until they become worthless. Our currency loses value more slowly than others, but over a lifetime, a dollar becomes significantly less valuable.
Q: Given your points about the devaluation of money and inflation, how did your history with Bitcoin come into play?
This realization made me consider what tool to use to store the value of my time and energy and think about the societal incentives when everyone knows their money is losing value. This led me to Bitcoin. Bitcoin is the best technology for storing the value of your time and energy because it is provably scarce. No individual, government, company, or group can inflate its value. As more people recognize this, Bitcoin will be increasingly used as a savings vehicle. It is the greatest savings technology of our lifetime. In its 14 years of existence, it has been the best-performing asset in history and will continue to be as more people adopt it. Bitcoin is the best form of money if you define money as being able to hold its value over time.
Spend more time thinking about compounding. All returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest.
Q: What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?
Spend more time thinking about compounding. All returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest. I wasn’t thinking about that when I was 20, but the more time you spend thinking about compounding, the more you get to compound, and the more valuable all those things become.
A big thank you to Elliott Campbell for sharing his valuable insights and personal journey with us. His focus, discipline, and wisdom are truly inspiring, especially for first-generation college students and young professionals looking to carve out their own paths in the financial world. We appreciate his continued support and commitment to helping others succeed.