The GME short squeeze frenzy was not only a wild ride for investors, but also a rebellion against Wall Street by the modern-day retail investor. Many of the GME retail investors are millennials that have a deep-rooted mistrust of Wall Street beginning from their adolescent years during the Great Financial Crisis and experiencing first-hand the fall-out from an unequal economic recovery since then. While the GME rally certainly appears to be a retail trading phenomenon, I believe it is also a glimpse into the power that exists and will only continue to grow behind the impact investing movement. Recently, we saw many investors willing to risk large amounts of their personal net worth, knowing full-well that it could be lost, all to make Wall Street feel their pain.
The optimist in me looks forward to the day where we see a similar enthusiasm behind companies with a positive social mission. What happens when there are more efficient means for mobilizing the masses into impact investments? Many of these same GME investors are already voting with their dollars when it comes to buying consumer products with a social mission, in turn making those companies more profitable. As we continue to democratize private impact investing, I’m excited to experience the revolution of the masses mobilizing their capital to make the world a better place for us all.
